This best White Chicken Chili recipe will be a huge hit with the whole family! This chili is super easy and comes together in 30 minutes.
Recipe Inspiration
I love chili - it's cheap, easy to make, and delicious. One of the best kinds of chili is a white chicken chili - so I decided I needed to get my own recipe on the blog.
I love this white chili because it has the perfect spice level (with an option to add or decrease heat level), uses leftover or store-bought rotisserie chicken, and it's so flavorful. The chili is creamy thanks to mashed cannellini beans and Greek yogurt - the special ingredient!
I love serving this for a football tailgate or meal prepping when I want an easy, healthy soup to eat throughout the week.
If you're looking for other soup recipes, check out our Lemon Chicken Orzo soup, Turkey Chili, and Pantry Chili recipes.
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Why You'll Love this Recipe
Delicious - This white chicken chili recipe is so delicious. Each bite is packed with flavor that your family will truly love! It's really a perfect dish for the whole family. Great for tailgate parties too!
Approachable - This recipe is approachable and is easy to make. You only need a few kitchen tools to make this great recipe, and it's done in one pot! Plus, it's done in only 30 minutes.
Kid Friendly - This is a great recipe for adults and children!
Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you will need for this recipe:
- Olive Oil
- White Onion
- Garlic Cloves - minced
- Shredded Chicken - Leftover chicken is best. You can use chicken thighs or boneless skinless chicken breasts, whichever you prefer or have on hand. Shredded rotisserie chicken is also a great option!
- Jalapeños
- Diced Green Chilies - one 7-8oz can
- Salt and Pepper - to taste
- Oregano
- Chili Powder
- Cannellini Beans - or navy beans, great northern beans, or your favorite white beans
- Chicken Stock - Or chicken broth/vegetable stock
- Fresh lime juice
- Greek yogurt - This is the secret ingredient that makes the chili creamy without being too heavy
- Fresh Cilantro - For serving
- Sour Cream - For serving
- Sliced jalapeños - For serving
- Cotija Cheese - Or quest fresco cheese, for serving
Directions
Let's make this recipe together!
Step 1
Heat olive oil on medium heat in a large pot or Dutch oven.
Step 2
Add onions and garlic. Sauté for 3-4 minutes.
Step 3
Add shredded chicken, diced jalapeños, green chilies, salt and pepper, oregano, and chili powder. Stir for 1 minute.
Step 4
Add cannellini beans to the pot. Gently mash beans with a wooden spoon. You can also use a potato masher to really break down the beans.
Step 5
Add stock and lime juice and reduce heat to low. Cover and let simmer for 20 minutes.
Step 6
After 20 minutes, remove lid and add Greek yogurt. Stir everything together well and serve with cilantro, sour cream, and sliced jalapeños.
Expert Tips and Tricks
Here are some expert tips to make this delicious recipe perfect.
Check Spice Level - Check the spice level and adjust accordingly. If you don't like spicy chili, leave out the jalapeños! If you do like spicy chili, add in jalapeños until you've reached the right amount of spice.
Complete the Meal - Complete the meal with tortilla chips, a beer, and corn bread!
Utilize Leftovers - Use leftovers for meal prep. This chili recipe is perfect for meal prep and is a great option for freezing!
Kitchen Equipment
Here is some kitchen equipment you will need for this recipe. You can find all of these products on Amazon.
Large Dutch Oven - I love making soup in a Dutch oven. I absolutely love this one! Alternatively, you can also make chili in a large soup pot.
Soup Bowl - These soup bowls are great for any soup. I use them all the time during the fall and winter soup season!
Wooden Spoon - Need some new wooden spoons? Check these out for an upgrade.
Recipe Substitutions/Variations
Here are some common recipe substitutions and variations for this easy recipe.
Add Toppings - There are a wide variety of toppings that are delicious with this white bean chicken chili! Tortilla chips, corn bread, green onion, lime wedges, fresh corn, and red bell peppers are all great toppings for this chili.
Increase Spice - Increase spice level with more jalapeño or cayenne pepper to get the right level of spice. You can also add in different types of peppers, like poblano or Serrano peppers to increase spice and kick up the flavor.
Creamy Chili - You can make creamy white chicken chili by added cream cheese, a splash of heavy cream, or a dollop of sour cream to make the chili even more creamy.
What To Serve With
Here are some suggestion on what to serve this easy white chicken chili recipe with:
- Tuscan Broccoli
- Honey Sriracha Brussels Sprouts
- Sautéed Sweet Potatoes
- Maple Bacon Brussels Sprouts
- Spicy Watermelon Magarita
- Vegan Tofu Tacos
Frequently Asked Questions
Regular chili has a base of red chilies or chili powder seasoning. White chili has green chilies and a creamy broth, often made with cream cheese, sour cream, or Greek yogurt.
If your white chicken chili is watery, try mashing up beans or taking some and blending in a food processor and adding back to the chili. This will help thicken up the broth.
White chicken chili will keep for 4-5 days in a refrigerated airtight container.
Recipe Storage and Reheating
Here are storage and reheating instructions for this recipe.
Refrigerator Storage: Store in an airtight continuer and eat leftovers within 4-5 days.
Freezer Storage: Freeze in a freezer-safe, airtight container and keep for up to 3 months. When you're ready to use, thaw in the refrigerator and reheat as instructed below.
Reheating Instructions: Reheat in the microwave or reheat in a pot on the stove.
Other Recipes to Try
White Chicken Chili
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small white onion chopped
- 4 cloves garlic chopped
- 4 cups shredded chicken
- 2 jalapeños chopped
- 1 can diced green chiles 7-8oz
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 2 cans cannellini beans drained
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- Cilantro for serving
- Sour cream for serving
- Sliced jalapeños for serving
- Cotija cheese for serving
Instructions
- Heat olive oil on medium heat in a large soup pot or Dutch oven.
- Add onions and garlic. Sauté for 3-4 minutes.
- Add shredded chicken, diced jalapeños, green chilies, salt and pepper, oregano, and chili powder. Stir for 1 minute.
- Add cannellini beans to the pot. Gently mash beans with a wooden spoon.
- Add stock and lime juice and reduce heat to low. Cover and let simmer for 20 minutes.
- After 20 minutes, remove lid and add Greek yogurt. Stir everything together well and serve with cilantro, sour cream, and sliced jalapeños.
Jenny Schultz says
First time making white chicken chili and this recipe was as easy as advertised and really delicious. It was a hit with the family! We took advantage of the recommendations for toppings and for adding a little heat. It made enough to feed a family of 4, with 2 teenage boys, with some left over. Looking forward to trying other recipes.
Christina Musgrave says
This makes me so happy, so happy you enjoyed the recipe!
Sophia S. says
This recipe is so easy to follow and dinner came together in just 30 minutes! The greek yogurt is a must, it made the soup creamy yet still light and not heavy at all. Will definitely make again!
Christina Musgrave says
We agree, the Greek yogurt is a must in this chili!