White Chicken Chili

5 from 1 vote

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Creamy and chunky, filled with flavor, this chicken chili is just the ticket on a chilly (ha!) winter night.

White Chicken Chili

White chicken chili is a great alternative to the tomato-based chilies many of us know and love. It’s creamy and flavorful and feels a little less heavy but no less satisfying or comforting!

The classic chili topping works beautifully here: avocado or guacamole, sour cream, chopped tomatoes, chopped onions or scallions, salsa, and crumbled or shredded cheese. Also, serve the chili over white rice, brown rice, or quinoa.

Four bowls of White Chicken Chili on a table.

White Chicken Chili: Creamy and chunky, filled with flavor, this chili is just the ticket on a chilly (ha!) winter night.

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Ingredients

  • Onion and garlic – The base of any good, warming soup, stew, or chili.
  • Jalapeño and green chilies – For a bit of heat. 
  • Chili powder, cumin, and oregano – For a cascade of earthy, sweet, and savory seasoning.
  • Diced chicken – You can use dark or white meat; see below.
  • Chicken broth – Creates a creamy and hearty base for the soup.
  • White beans – You can use navy, cannellini, Great Northern, or whatever you have on hand.
  • Sour cream or Greek yogurt – I prefer whole milk Greek yogurt or full-fat sour cream in this recipe, but it’s up to you.
Forkful of White Chicken Chili from a bowl.

How to Make White Chicken Chili

  1. Heat oil and spices: In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and jalapeño and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the flour, chili powder, cumin, and oregano and stir until you can smell the spices.
  2. Add chilies and chicken: Add the green chilies and chicken and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken starts to turn white, about 3 minutes.
  3. Add broth and beans: Turn the heat up to medium-high, add the broth and beans, and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally and lightly crushing some of the beans with a spoon against the side of the pot to thicken the chili.
  4. Serve: Remove from the heat and stir in the sour cream. Ladle into bowls and garnish with the desired toppings.

FAQs

Bowl of White Chicken Chili topped with shredded cheese and red onion.
How do you thicken white chicken chili?

Adding flour to the oil and sautéed vegetables in the pot creates a roux, which is a combo of toasted flour and fat. The roux will thicken the chili as it cooks. Additionally, crushing some of the beans against the side of the pot as the chili cooks will also lend more body and creaminess to the chili.

What’s the best chicken for white chicken chili?

You can use either chicken thighs or breasts in this chili, depending on whether you and your crew are more partial to white or dark meat. Because the chicken is cut into small dice, the cooking time will be about the same for either.

What is the difference between white chili and regular chili?

For starters, white chilis have no tomatoes. They also usually contain white beans and often chicken or another white meat rather than beef. The color of the chili isn’t really a true white or even cream color. The spices and seasonings will add a pinkish tone to the mixture. Some white chilies contain heavy cream and/or cream cheese, but I wanted to keep this on the lighter side, so I stuck with chicken broth and some sour cream of Greek yogurt at the end.

Make-Ahead, Storage, and Reheating

The sour cream is added at the end of the cooking time and stirred in off the stove, which prevents it from making the sauce separate. This is ideal, so if you are planning to make the chili ahead of time, hold back on adding the sour cream. You can then store the chili in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze it in an airtight freezer-proof container for up to 6 months.

When you reheat the chili, don’t add the sour cream until the chili is hot. Then reheat the chili in a pot over medium heat, stirring frequently. Stir in the sour cream and serve.

If you have leftover chili with the sour cream already added, that’s fine! Just make sure to reheat the chili over low heat just until it’s warmed throughout. Don’t let the chili come to a boil or even a rolling simmer. You just want the chili to be heated through, and that will give you the best consistency without the sauce breaking. But if the sauce starts to separate, that’s ok! It will still taste great.

What to Serve With White Chicken Chili

White Chicken Chili topped with avocado, sour cream, and shredded cheese.

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5 from 1 vote

White Chicken Chili

Creamy and chunky, filled with flavor, this chicken chili is just the ticket on a chilly (ha!) winter night.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 8 People

Ingredients 

  • 2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
  • 1 large onion (chopped)
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1 jalapeno (seeded and minced)
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 2 (4.5 ounce) cans green chilies
  • 2 pounds diced chicken (breast or thigh meat)
  • 3 cups chicken broth (preferably less-sodium)
  • 2 (15.5 ounce) cans white beans (such as navy or cannellini; drained and rinsed:
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper (to taste)
  • 1 cup sour cream or plain whole milk Greek yogurt

To Serve:

  • Diced avocados, sour cream, salsa, shredded lettuce, crushed tortilla chips, grated cheddar, Monterey Jack, or Mexican blend cheese, fresh cilantro leaves

Instructions 

  • In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and jalapeño and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the flour, chili powder, cumin, and oregano and stir until you can smell the spices.
  • Add the green chilies and chicken and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken starts to turn white, about 3 minutes. Turn the heat up to medium-high and add the broth, beans, and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally and lightly crushing some of the beans with a spoon against the side of the pot to thicken the chili.
  • Remove from the heat and stir in the sour cream. Ladle into bowls and garnish with the desired toppings.

Notes

The sour cream is added at the end of the cooking time and stirred in off the stove, which prevents it from making the sauce separate. This is ideal, so if you are planning to make the chili ahead of time, hold back on adding the sour cream. You can then store the chili in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze it in an airtight freezer-proof container for up to 6 months.
When you reheat the chili, don’t add the sour cream until the chili is hot. Then reheat the chili in a pot over medium heat, stirring frequently. Stir in the sour cream and serve.
If you have leftover chili with the sour cream already added, that’s fine! Just make sure to reheat the chili over low heat just until it’s warmed throughout. Don’t let the chili come to a boil or even a rolling simmer. You just want the chili to be heated through, and that will give you the best consistency without the sauce breaking. But if the sauce starts to separate, that’s ok! It will still taste great.

Nutrition

Calories: 340kcal, Carbohydrates: 27g, Protein: 18g, Fat: 18g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 7g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 60mg, Sodium: 646mg, Potassium: 568mg, Fiber: 7g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 583IU, Vitamin C: 14mg, Calcium: 112mg, Iron: 4mg
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About Katie Workman

Katie Workman is a cook, a writer, a mother of two, an activist in hunger issues, and an enthusiastic advocate for family meals, which is the inspiration behind her two beloved cookbooks, Dinner Solved! and The Mom 100 Cookbook.

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