Easy White Chicken Chili Recipe (2024)

Tips And Variations

• You can always decide to jazz it up even more if you like. Toss in some frozen corn to add more texture.
• You could throw in a dash of chili powder to give it an extra tex-mex kick. You could even use leftover rotisserie chicken. Just make sure to shred the chicken before you toss it in.
• Shred some Monterey Jack cheese and put it on top.
• A squeeze of a lime wedge is a nice touch too. The lime juice really comes through and brightens up the dish.

Key Ingredients

This recipe doesn’t call for too many crazy ingredients or steps, which makes this a perfect weekday recipe. Check to make sure you have these:

• Skinless, boneless chicken breasts (you can use chicken thighs if you like)
• Cannellini beans (Great Northern Beans will work as well)
• Chopped green chilies

Making the White Chicken Chili

As previously stated, the steps are so easy.

But if you can do the smallest of prep work before cooking, it’s as easy as dumping in the ingredients.

Dice the chicken into 1/2 inch pieces. Discard any fatty pieces and set them aside.

Dice one medium onion and 1/2 a jalapeno. Remove the seeds and veins of the jalapeno to reduce the heat. If you like the heat, leave it in. Set aside.

Finely chop the garlic and set it aside. If you like, place all your spices in a ramekin and set them aside.

Heat one tablespoon of oil over medium heat in a large saucepan or dutch oven. Once heated, add the diced chicken, onion, and jalapeno to the pan.

Cook until the chicken is done and the juices run clear, about 10 -12 minutes. Keep the temperature around medium to avoid burning.

Add garlic and stir it in when you feel the chicken is nearly done. Continue to cook for approximately two minutes or until the garlic becomes fragrant.

Next, add the chicken stock, green chiles, white beans, and all the spices to the pot. Mix until well combined.

Increase the heat to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Continue to cook uncovered for 30 minutes.

Remove the chili from the heat and stir in 1/4 cup of sour cream and 1/4 cup of heavy cream. Stir until it is all incorporated.

Serve in bowls with your favorite toppings. Chopped cilantro, some crushed tortilla chips, and some sliced jalapeno and/or avocado go very well.

This is an incredible recipe because it tastes so good, and it’s so easy to make. In less than an hour, you can hammer out a fantastically delicious dish that feeds the entire family with no fuss or muss.

The flavors are all on point, and the creaminess is wonderfully different than the standard tomato-based chilis.

How do you make white chicken chili thicker?

You can smash some beans with a serving spoon to thicken the chili. You can also make a corn starch slurry of 1 tbsp of corn starch and 2 tbsp of water.

Is white chicken chili supposed to be thick or thin?

It should be thick and meant to be a meal in itself.

Are cannellini beans the same as white beans?

Yes. They are also called white kidney beans. Other white beans are Navy, Great Northern, and Baby Lima.