Easy White Bean Chicken Chili Recipe
This white chicken chili is hearty, comforting, and so EASY to make.
There’s nothing better than a bowl of chili to warm your soul!
This simple recipe is super comforting and was passed on to me by my sister-in-law many years ago. This undoubtedly yummy dish quickly became a family favorite soup! I keep this one on our meal rotation year-round because it’s that GOOD, but it’s particularly comforting during colder months.
I love that you can use pantry staples to turn inexpensive beans into an awesome one-pot dinner! The combo of white beans and chicken is a nice change from traditional ground beef and tomato-based chili for a totally different take on this popular comfort food.
The result is a hearty soup bursting with tons of green chili, cilantro, and cumin flavor. The broth is my favorite part, and this recipe adds a little ground clove for a warm, comforting flavor. Leftovers heat up perfectly, making this a must-try easy meal!
Tips for making the best white bean chicken chili:
- In this recipe, I cook a couple of chicken breasts in the broth first, but you can use leftover rotisserie chicken and just dump everything in to let it all simmer together.
- Want to make this as a simple slow cooker meal? I have done that many times too. To make this soup in the slow cooker, skip the first step and just add everything except for the olive oil into your slow cooker. Cook on high for 3-4 hours or low 6-8 hours. Shred the chicken and stir every once in a while.
- I don’t find this chili to be over-the-top spicy as written, but it would be easy to omit the one jalapeño or add fewer green chilis. Just about every ingredient can be modified to your liking in this soup!
- This is a great gluten-free and dairy-free soup idea, but sometimes I will add about 4 oz. of cream cheese to the soup to thicken it up a bit and make it creamy! Shredded cheese on top along with sour cream and tortilla chips are also great additions.
White Bean Chili with Chicken
yield: 6 SERVINGS
prep time: 15 MINUTES
cook time: 40 MINUTES
total time: 55 MINUTES
Warm up with this delicious and easy chili recipe, great for fall and colder weekdays.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 jalapeño, chopped and seeded (optional)
- 4 cloves fresh garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 cup fresh chopped cilantro
- 4.5 oz can diced chilies
- 1 1/2 pounds raw chicken breasts
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 3 - 15.5 oz cans great northern beans, drained
Directions
1
Heat a large pot to medium heat with olive oil. Add onion and chopped jalapeño, and cook for a few minutes until soft. Stir in garlic for about a minute. Add cumin, oregano, salt, and ground cloves, and stir.
2
Add the cilantro, green chilis, chicken breasts, chicken broth, and stir. Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat slightly and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the chicken is tender and ready to shred.
3
Remove the chicken, shred it on a plate or cutting board, and add it back into the pot.
4
Add in the beans and let simmer for about another 15 minutes. Enjoy warm with any desired toppings like sour cream, shredded cheese, or crushed tortilla chips.
White chicken chili is an absolute crowd pleaser!
This recipe makes your home smell amazing and it tastes SO good. Over the weekend, I made a pot of white chicken chili while we had football on the TV and enjoyed our first real cooler day of fall weather.
I love traditional chili, but this white bean version is a fun change of pace, and so simple to make. Enjoy!
Here’s what my teammate Emily thought of my white bean chili recipe:
“This white bean chicken chili is so tasty! I love that it uses fresh cilantro since it brightens the recipe and adds wonderful flavor. I wasn’t sure I would love the clove, but it was delicious so definitely don’t omit it. I let my husband take this hunting with him over the weekend and he came back with great reviews!
This makes a perfect weeknight meal and the leftovers were excellent! Highly recommend!”
I have made this recipient before with leftover turkey and today that sounds like a great idea
Oh yum! Yes it does!
I love this recipe. I make a similar easy version in a 6 quart crockpot and freeze it. I throw in the chicken breasts, beans, onions, seasoning and 2 jars of salsa verde! It makes great tasting liquid. Halfway through I shred the chicken and throw it back in.
Oh great idea on the salsa! Yum.
This looks amazing!