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!
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.
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!
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.
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
- The Best Chili Recipe (Classic Chili)
- 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
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
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
Nutrition Information
This recipe was updated on 10/30/2024 to include new information and photos. Originally published on 5/19/2014.
Banks says
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!
Mike Hultquist says
Extra roasted poblanos for me, too, please! Haha, thanks, Banks! Glad you enjoyed it!
Dennis Olson says
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!
Mike Hultquist says
This is so great to hear!! Nice! Thanks so much, Dennis. Glad you enjoyed it, and I hope you enjoy my cookbooks, too.
Nevine Powell says
Just made this for dinner and it’s yummy!! Quick and easy and so flavorful. Thank you.
Mike H. says
You are very welcome, happy to hear it!
Sean E. says
Another of your recipes that looked great - and sure enough, it was! Made this today, 3 cans of great northern, 1 of pinto. Doubling the recipe was just perfect for my 6 quart dutch oven. Prep time, at least for me, was a bit longer than your estimate, but I do everything by hand rather than using a food processor, including the garlic, so that's probably my own fault.
The flavors in this are so good, and my wife loved it as well - excellent recipe!
Mike H. says
Sean, your wife and you both enjoyed it - that's what matters =) Appreciate the review!
Marc Felker says
never had or even thought of chili like this. served it up with corn bread and a simple green salad, a couple of frosty adult beverages, football on tv. life is good!
Mike Hultquist says
Awesome! Glad to introduce you to it, Marc! I agree, life is good!
Jeffry says
We added some sweet potato to chunk it up, nice addition! Great recipe!
Mike Hultquist says
I love that! Thanks, Jeffry.
Dave v. says
Such a good recipe, Mike! The touch of cream cheese is nice to tone down the spice for folks who want less. Not me, of course, but my wife . . . Diced tomatoes are another good topping add along with the cilantro and cheddar. Thanks as always!
Mike H. says
Of course! =) You are very welcome, Dave - enjoy!
Denise B says
I would like this for my ladies bunco group but wondered if I could add a starch to it like tortellini?
Mike Hultquist says
Absolutely, Denise! Tortellini would be an interesting addition. I'd try it!
Shane says
This was so good. Quite spicy after cooking it, but it mellowed out somewhat after spending a day in the fridge. Don’t cook much with Poblanos but they are quite tasty and just the right spice level.
Mike Hultquist says
Nice! Glad you enjoyed it, Shane!
Chrispie says
This is one of our most favorites! It even comes out wonderful without roasting the poblanos. Add some rice and it's a great meal!
Mike Hultquist says
Awesome! Glad you enjoyed it, Chrispie!
Tracy says
I don't normally leave comments, but oh my this is the best Chili we have had, and believe me, I have tried many! It has just the right kick of heat and is great as leftovers! I made it just as listed and again, it was fantastic! Thanks so much for such a great recipe!!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Perfect! Glad to hear, Tracy. Thanks for sharing!!!
Diana says
I made this last night. It was very delicious and not difficult. For mine, I used pinto beans. I could make this again with the white beans or the black beans or kidney beans and it would still be delicious. It's just a lovely adaptable recipe.
As far as the chili powders go, I did omit the general chili powder and just added the ancho because of my husband. It was plenty spicy, but my son would have enjoyed both chili powders in there. Again, very adaptable dish.
I did use the cornmeal and I liked the thickness of the chili.
We all loved it. Thank you. It will be my go-to chicken chili recipe.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Diana. I agree, very easy to customize! I love it. Glad you enjoyed it.
Gary Finch says
Hi Mike, being from the UK cornmeal isn't in a great deal of use over here so the tip to use it as a thickener is great - have also seen in curries, Bangladeshi friends toasting a tbs of rice with spice seeds and then grinding up as this also thickens - have a question for you - i really like the tex-mex style food as does my wife, however a jalapeño is her level of heat tolerance whereas i like the stuff getting up to a naga level of heat - do you have a recipe for something i could add to my portions after its all been cooked? Many of the 'hot sauces' available commercially have too much vinegar or sugar for my liking.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Hey, Gary. Many couples have this issue, with different heat preferences. The best way is to make it her level, then adjust yours by either simmering the pot longer with more spices, or just adding something like powders or hot sauce after. Or, you'll have to make 2 pots.
David says
Try using masa harina to thicken. I think you'll like it!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Yes, masa is great, too!
B says
Loved this chili!
I did't use the cornmeal in fact I had to add more water.
The spice was perfect.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Excellent, B!