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Home » Chili Pepper Recipes » Chili » White Chicken Chili Recipe

White Chicken Chili Recipe

by Mike Hultquist · Oct 30, 2024 · 38 Comments

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White Chicken Chili Recipe

This one-pot white chicken chili is the ultimate comfort food with plenty of chicken, white beans and simple spices, easy to make any night, always a hit!

A large bowl of White Chicken Chili, ready to serve

White Bean Chicken Chili Recipe

I've always loved a good spicy white bean chicken chili. As much as I enjoy more traditional tomato-based chili recipes, I find myself continually drawn to the rich, comforting flavors of this particular recipe.

I've enjoyed other white chicken chilis, though this is my favorite. I've perfected, for me, the right amount of seasonings and spice, and a good ratio of chicken to beans. I've also got a nice combination of chili peppers that gives it the edge I've come to expect.

Let's talk about how to make white bean chicken chili, shall we?

White Chicken Chili Ingredients

  • Chicken. I use a combination of boneless, skinless chicken breast and thighs - 1.5 pounds. You can use only breast or thigh, or your favorite cut.
  • Peppers. I use 2 jalapenos and 2 roasted poblano peppers. Great combo! See the recipes notes on pepper options. If you can't find fresh peppers, a can or 2 of diced green chiles is great.
  • Onion and Garlic. Use 1 small onion, diced and 2 tablespoons minced garlic.
  • White Beans. Use 2 cans white beans (drained - 16 ounce cans). I use great northern beans or cannellini beans, though any beans will work.
  • Stock/Broth. Use 2 cups chicken stock or chicken broth. I sometimes like to use a good flavored amber colored beer instead. Beer will give you a great flavor boost. Vegetable broth is good, too.
  • Oil. 1 tablespoon olive oil for cooking.
  • Seasonings. I use ground cumin, chili powder, ancho powder, cayenne pepper, dried oregano, and salt and pepper to taste.
  • Corn Meal. I use 2 tablespoons cornmeal as a thickener, but also for a touch of corn flavor.
  • Hot Sauce. Use Hot Sauce to your own personal tastes. I love it!
  • For Serving. Crumbly white cheese, spicy chili flakes, fresh cilantro or parsley.

How to Make White Chicken Chili with Beans - The Recipe Method

Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven and cook down the chicken, onion, and fresh chilies, 5 minutes or so. You don't need to cook the chicken through. Just lightly brown it and soften the veggies.

Add the garlic and cook for a minute, but add the white beans, chicken broth, and seasonings. Give it all a stir.

White Bean Chicken Chili simmering in a pot

Bring to a boil, then simmer the pot at least 20 minutes. You can simmer longer for more flavor. Try my Homemade Spicy Chili Powder for this recipe.

Thicken with a bit of cornmeal if desired, and simmer 10 to 15 minutes until it thickens up.

Serve it up in bowls and enjoy the heck out of your white chicken chili! Save some for ME, please!

Boom! Done! Such a great recipe, isn't it? I love me a good white chili recipe. The best!

Mike taking a scoop of White Chicken Chili from the pot

Creamy White Chicken Chili

If you prefer Creamy White Chicken Chili, swirl in the cream cheese (or sour cream for a lighter version) during the last 5 minutes of simmering until well incorporated.

Mike taking a scoop of Creamy White Chicken Chili from the pot

Recipe Tips & Notes

  • The Peppers. For this recipe, I'm using 2 jalapeno peppers and 2 poblano peppers. The poblanos are roasted first, then peeled and chopped. The roasting brings a slight bit of smokiness to the final bowl, as well as a boost of flavor, though you won't get much heat from them. The jalapeno peppers bring that extra bit of heat that I crave. You can easily include spicier peppers if you're looking for a hotter chili, but most times I'm not the only one eating it, so I keep it fairly mild compared to some of my other 5-alarm chilis.
  • One Pot or Crock Pot. I usually make this recipe in a single pot, normally with my Dutch oven, but you can very easily just toss everything into a slow cooker/crock pot and let the mix simmer for a few hours until the flavor properly develops. The choice is yours. It works either way.
  • Other Ingredients. You can include other vegetables in this recipe, such as frozen corn or peas, as well as other beans. Rotisserie chicken is a popular time saver.

Best Toppings for White Chili

I love to serve my chili with roasted and sliced jalapeno peppers, a bit of crumbly white cheese, spicy red chili flakes, and freshly chopped cilantro or parsley, or fresh lime juice for a pop of citrus.

Some other great options include shredded cheese (like cheddar or Monterrey jack or pepper jack), crushed tortilla chips, and sour cream or crema.

Storage & Leftovers

You can store white bean chili in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. To enjoy it again, simply reheat it over medium heat in a pot on the stovetop.

You can also freeze white chili in freezer proof containers for 3 months or longer. I freeze batches all the time. It reheats perfectly after thawing.

Try Some of My Other Popular Chili and Related Recipes

  • Classic Chili Recipe
  • Pork Chili with Roasted Red Hatch Peppers
  • Southwest Style Slow Cooker Chili
  • Chili Verde
  • Chili Colorado
  • Chili con Carne
  • "Real Deal" Turkey Chili
  • Chipotle Chili
  • Crockpot Chili
  • Green Chicken Chili
  • Southwest Style Chicken Gumbo
  • Cajun Chicken and Sausage Gumbo
  • Zesty Chicken Tortellini Soup
A bowl of Creamy White Chicken Chili

If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you'll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don't forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I'll be sure to share! Thanks! -- Mike H.

White Chicken Chili Recipe
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White Chicken Chili Recipe

This one-pot white chicken chili is the ultimate comfort food with plenty of chicken, white beans and simple spices, easy to make any night, always a hit!
Save Recipe Saved!
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chicken, chili, one pot, spicy
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes minutes
Calories: 340kcal
Author: Mike Hultquist
Servings: 6
Tap or hover to scale
5 from 16 votes
Leave a Review

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1.5 pounds chicken cut into bite-sized pieces (I use a combination of chicken breast and thighs)
  • 2 jalapeno peppers diced (optional, for spicy)
  • 1 small onion diced
  • 2 tablespoons minced garlic
  • 2 roasted green peppers (poblano, Hatch, Anaheim, or others) diced (or use 2 4-ounce cans diced green chilies)
  • 2 cans white beans (drained - 16 ounce cans)
  • 2-3 cups chicken stock (Use 2 cups for thicker chili)
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder (I love a mix of chili powder blend and ancho powder)
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne (use paprika for milder)
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 tablespoons cornmeal
  • Hot Sauce to taste
  • FOR SERVING: Crumbly white cheese, spicy chili flakes, fresh chopped parsley

For Creamy White Chicken Chili

  • 8 ounces cream cheese (or use heavy cream or sour cream)

Instructions

  • To a large pot, add the oil with the chicken, onion and peppers. Saute about 5 minutes, or until they become tender and the chicken is mostly cooked through.
  • Add the garlic and cook for another minute, until the garlic becomes fragrant.
  • Add in the beans, chicken stock, and seasonings. Bring to a boil.
  • Reduce heat and simmer for at least 20 minutes. You can easily let it simmer for an hour to let the flavors develop even further.
  • Stir the cornmeal into the chili and simmer about 10 minutes to thicken if desired.
  • Serve!

For Creamy White Chicken Chili

  • If you prefer CREAMY White Chicken Chili, swirl in the cream cheese (or sour cream for a lighter version) during the last 5 minutes of simmering until well incorporated.

Video

Notes

Heat Level: Mild-Medium. You can easily spice this up with hotter chili peppers, though there is some heat here.
Corn is a popular addition. Don't forget the hot sauce.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 340kcal   Carbohydrates: 12g   Protein: 24g   Fat: 21g   Saturated Fat: 5g   Cholesterol: 87mg   Sodium: 242mg   Potassium: 504mg   Fiber: 2g   Sugar: 3g   Vitamin A: 1300IU   Vitamin C: 41.8mg   Calcium: 51mg   Iron: 2.8mg
White Chicken Chili Recipe
Did You Enjoy This Recipe?I love hearing how you like it and how you made it your own. Leave a comment below and tag @ChiliPepperMadness on social media.

This recipe was updated on 10/30/2024 to include new information and photos. Originally published on 5/19/2014.

Reader Interactions

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Joanna Luxton says

    March 20, 2025 at 10:10 am

    5 stars
    fantastic! thanks very much for the recipe

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      March 20, 2025 at 11:58 am

      Sure thing! Thanks, Joanna!!

      Reply
  2. Jim says

    February 02, 2025 at 7:00 pm

    5 stars
    Made it tonight for the first time. Fantastic recipe! So happy I found your site.

    Reply
    • Mike H. says

      February 03, 2025 at 5:50 am

      Happy to hear it, Jim. Thank you!

      Reply
  3. Angel Hafelfinger says

    January 19, 2025 at 10:00 am

    5 stars
    just made the white chicken chili last night it was so amazing I even lost 3 pounds.My kids even loved it.This is my new favorite.Rock on Mike

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      January 19, 2025 at 10:05 am

      Wow, so great to hear! And weight loss to boot! Thanks, Angel. Glad the kids loved it, too!

      Reply
  4. Thomas says

    January 14, 2025 at 3:09 pm

    5 stars
    Mine came out way more red than in the video, and I used 3 cups of chicken broth. Thought I had messed something up but it was still delicious. I also added some fresh lime juice.

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      January 14, 2025 at 3:44 pm

      Glad you enjoyed it, Thomas! The red color usually comes from the spices used, like my Green Chili Stew usually gets pretty red when I use red spices: https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/recipes/green-chili-stew/.

      Reply
  5. Banks says

    November 24, 2024 at 10:48 am

    5 stars
    Sooo good, Mike! We roasted 3 poblanos (we love roasted peppers too much hah) but otherwise stayed to script and it was delicious. We went the non-creamy route and thought it was perfect with some crumbly cheese topping it. So much flavor depth!

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      November 24, 2024 at 11:26 am

      Extra roasted poblanos for me, too, please! Haha, thanks, Banks! Glad you enjoyed it!

      Reply
  6. Dennis Olson says

    November 07, 2024 at 5:12 pm

    5 stars
    Loved every spoonful of this chili recipe. The cream cheese is a great touch. Just purchased your two cookbooks and looking forward to putting them to good use.
    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      November 07, 2024 at 6:13 pm

      This is so great to hear!! Nice! Thanks so much, Dennis. Glad you enjoyed it, and I hope you enjoy my cookbooks, too.

      Reply
  7. Nevine Powell says

    November 03, 2024 at 5:08 pm

    5 stars
    Just made this for dinner and it’s yummy!! Quick and easy and so flavorful. Thank you.

    Reply
    • Mike H. says

      November 04, 2024 at 5:16 am

      You are very welcome, happy to hear it!

      Reply
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