This White Chicken Chili is super flavorful with filling white beans and tender chicken in a delicious broth.  

white chicken chiliPin

I assume that almost everybody has at least a few favorite recipes they grew up eating. For me, it was my mother’s White Chicken Chili. No matter what time of year it was, a bowl of this stew-like soup always made me feel comforted and happy. Like so many family recipes, the ingredient list for this delicious chili has never been written down. At my insistence a few years ago, my mom rattled off a list to me of what she put in it and ever since, using a little this, a little of that, and a lot of love, I’ve been creating my own version of this heart warming stew.

Even now when we’re on the phone with each other from across the country and I ask my mom what she and my dad are having for dinner, more times than not she’ll tell me she pulled a batch of this delectable stew out of the freezer to warm up for dinner. It’s that easy, and it’s that good.

sour cream topping chiliPin
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How to Make Easy White Chicken Chili

See recipe card below for measurements and in depth instructions.

  1. Sauté: Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat and cook onions for 4 to 5 minutes or until translucent. Add garlic and cook an additional minute.
  2. Start the Chili: Add the whole chicken breasts, stock and salt to the saucepan, cover, bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook for 18-20 minutes, remove chicken to a plate and allow to cool.
  3. Finish the Chili: While the chicken is cooling, add the remaining ingredients to the pot. Remove the chicken from the bone, chop into bite-size pieces, and add back to the pot.
  4. Serve: Ladle into bowls and top with sour cream or green onions if desired. Enjoy!
A spoonful of white chicken chiliPin

Storage and Freezing Instructions

  • Storage – Allow to cool, place leftover soup in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
  • Freezing – Allow to cool, place in appropriate tupperware or ziploc bag, label and freeze up to 4 months. Defrost in a pot over low-medium heat when ready to eat. 
white chicken chili with ciabatta bread on the sidePin

More Soups with Chicken

I love making soups because it’s a great way to get kids to eat when they’re feeling resistant, and also soups don’t require a ton of active cooking time so you can put them on the stove and get to doing other things. If you’re looking for more soups with chicken to try:

close up shot of soupPin

White chicken chili is a hearty, flavorful, and easy-to-make meal that is sure to become a family favorite. Whether you’re looking for a comforting weeknight dinner or a satisfying dish to feed a crowd, this recipe is sure to hit the spot. Leave a comment below and let me know what you think!

Images by Ivan Solis

Pin

White Chicken Chili

This White Chicken Chili is super flavorful with filling white beans and tender chicken in a delicious broth.
3.80 from 10 votes
Servings: 6
Author: Catherine McCord
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients  

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 2 pounds chicken breasts, bone-in, skinless (about 2 large breasts)
  • 1 quart (32 ounces) low-sodium chicken stock
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 15 ounce can white beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup frozen shoe peg white corn
  • 1 jar diced green chilies these are mild
  • 1 small lime juiced (about 2 tbsp)

Instructions 

  • Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat and cook onions for 4 to 5 minutes or until translucent.
  • Add garlic and cook an additional minute.
  • Add the whole chicken breasts, stock and salt to the saucepan, cover, bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer.
  • Cook for 18-20 minutes, remove chicken to a plate and allow to cool.
  • While the chicken is cooling, add the remaining ingredients to the pot.
  • Remove the chicken from the bone, chop into bite-size pieces, and add to the pot.
  • Serve.

Video

Notes

To Freeze: Allow to cool, place in appropriate tupperware or ziploc bag, label and freeze up to 4 months. Defrost in a pot over low-medium heat when ready to eat. 

Nutrition

Calories: 280kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 75mg | Sodium: 730mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 2g
Did you make this recipe?Mention @Weelicious or tag #weelicious!

About the Author

Catherine is a mama of three. A Kentucky girl living in California. Here’s what I know: all kids can be great eaters and mealtime must be easy. I create simple, healthy recipes the whole family will love.

Comments

  1. I made a couple of small changes but my whole family loved this! 1) I couldn’t find diced chiles so I used about 1/2 cup of pepperoncini. It was just barely on the verge of being spicy but nobody minded (my daughter and I are very sensitive to spicy foods). 2) I tied some cilantro up in cheesecloth with kitchen twine and added it in step 5. It added great flavor without my kids complaining about green stuff int heir soup. 3) I didn’t have low sodium broth on hand and the regular broth did make it a bit too salty 4) I totally forgot to add the lime juice and we didn’t miss it.

  2. This chili recipe is excellent! It is so easy to prepare and very delicious.
    The combination of all the ingredients is quite perfect.
    Thanks so much for sharing.

  3. Yum. But this is a soup, not a chili. I had to add flour to thicken it as my kids don’t eat soup. Good alternative to tomato-based though.

  4. This is yummy! Adding it as one of our staples!! I am 2 for 2! Loving the fruit and seed bars too!!

  5. Could this be made in a crockpot? Maybe cook on low for 6 hours then shred the chicken? I would love to make this recipe, but I work a full day! It looks so healthy and yummy!

  6. This was super easy to make. I used chicken wo bones bc we had no organic choices. So next time i will reduce the cook time for those. My son and I feel as if there is something missing from this. Might be the lack of flavor we lost not using bone in meat! I added cholula hot sauce and aour cream to mine. It was delicious!! Will make this again soon.

  7. I made this tonight for my family. It was a big hit!! I will be making it again:)
    Thank you for your great recipes and ideas!

  8. Made this chili tonight and my whole family loved it, even my 2 year old daughter and 5 yr old son who is a very picky eater. It is more like a soup consistency but i already guessed that since the base is chicken broth so i wasnt expecting a thick chili like most tomato based ones are. I thought this chili had an absolutely delicious favor, and was not spicy at all with the mild green chilis added. I will definely be making it again! I might add more white beans next time but it was good as is.

  9. I loved the flavor but would love to have something a little thicker and creamier – this was more like a soup than a chili. I tried adding corn starch but it didn’t thicken it much..great dinner still!

  10. Yes, the heat is in the RoTel. Can’t say exactly why but had that experience when I made Mexican lasagna.

  11. I loved this dish but it was a bit too spicy for my little one (19 mos). I could not find organic green chilis so we used rotel. Would that have caused a problem. I thought it was the green chilis that gave the rotel it’s spiciness.

  12. This is one my new favs! My 2 yo & husband are in love with this one, just the perfect, fast dinner!

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