White Chicken Chili

The first pot of white chicken chili I ever made was a complete accident.

Jump to:

• Why You Will Like This White Chicken Chili
• What Goes Into This White Chicken Chili
• White Chicken Chili
• How To Make White Chicken Chili Step By Step
• Storage And Reheating
• Tips And Variations For White Chicken Chili
• White Chicken Chili Questions I Get Asked
• Recipes You May Like
• Final Thoughts On This White Chicken Chili

I had leftover roast chicken, one giant can of white beans, and a produce drawer full of peppers I bought on a Sunday with big plans and no actual recipe. Forty five minutes later, Alex asked for seconds before I had even sat down at the table.

That was three winters ago in our little Manhattan kitchen. Since then this white chicken chili has shown up on our table more times than I can count, usually on the kind of Tuesday where homework and dinner are happening on the same counter.

Here is the thing about this pot. You get a creamy, thick broth without any fussy steps, real warmth from three kinds of chiles, and enough food for four to six people in under an hour.

Honestly? It tastes like something that simmered all afternoon. It did not.

If your family goes through soup season the way mine does, you will probably like my easy chicken tortilla soup too, since it leans on a lot of the same pantry staples and comes together just as fast on a weeknight.

Why You Will Like This White Chicken Chili

• Ready in 45 minutes from start to bowl, with only 15 minutes of chopping
• Uses cooked chicken, so a rotisserie bird or Sunday leftovers do most of the work
• Thickens itself with mashed cannellini beans instead of a heavy sauce
• Warm and a little spicy, but easy to tone down for younger eaters
• One pot, which means one pot to wash later
• Freezes well, so a double batch covers you for a future rough night

What Goes Into This White Chicken Chili

Everything here is real food you can find at any grocery store. Nothing fancy, I promise.

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 medium yellow onions, finely chopped
• 2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and finely chopped
• 2 poblano peppers, seeded and finely chopped
• 2 Anaheim peppers, seeded and finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1½ teaspoons chili powder
• ¾ teaspoon smoked paprika
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt, divided
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 4 cups (960 ml) chicken stock
• 45 oz (1.28 kg) can cannellini beans, rinsed, drained and divided
• 3 cups (420 g) chopped cooked chicken
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• ½ cup (119 ml) heavy cream

For the top:

• Lime wedges
• Shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• Fresh cilantro
• Sour cream

A few notes from my kitchen. The three peppers each do a different job, so try to keep all of them if you can. Poblanos bring the smoky part, Anaheims are mild and sweet, and jalapeños carry the heat.

Cannellini beans are my pick, but Great Northern beans work just as well. Rotisserie chicken saves me twenty minutes on a rough night, and I never feel bad about it.

Print

How To Make White Chicken Chili Step By Step

I split this into three short stages so nothing feels rushed. Read through once before you start.

Cook The Peppers And Spices First

Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until it shimmers.

Add the onions, all three peppers, cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, cayenne and ½ teaspoon of the salt. Cook until everything softens, about 7 minutes.

Stir in the garlic and cook 30 seconds longer. Your whole apartment will smell incredible at this point, and Donald always wanders in around now to ask what is happening.

Thicken The Base With Mashed Beans

Sprinkle in the flour and stir until no raw flour is left and it smells a little nutty, about 1 minute. This step matters, so do not rush it.

Slowly pour in the chicken stock while stirring.

Add half the beans, then grab a potato masher and mash them right in the pot. That is the whole trick behind the creamy body of this white chicken chili, and it means you skip cornstarch completely.

Simmer And Finish With Cream

Stir in the rest of the beans, the chicken, the lime juice and the remaining salt. Bring it to a gentle simmer.

Lower the heat and let it bubble quietly for 20 minutes. Give it a stir every few minutes so the bottom does not stick.

Pour in the heavy cream and warm it for 5 more minutes. Do not let it boil after the cream goes in.

Serve right away with lime wedges, shredded Monterey Jack, cilantro and a spoonful of sour cream.

Storage And Reheating

Let the chili cool, then move it to an airtight glass container. It keeps in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

For the freezer, cool it completely and store it in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the fridge.

Reheat gently on the stove over low heat, stirring now and then. The microwave works too, just go in 60 second bursts.

Day two is somehow better. The spices settle in and the broth gets thicker, so I usually splash in a little stock when I warm it up.

Tips And Variations For White Chicken Chili

I have made this pot enough times to learn a few things the hard way.

• Too spicy for your kids? Leave out the cayenne. If you want zero heat at all, skip the jalapeños too. Sarah eats it happily that way with extra cheese on top.
• Slow cooker version: cook through the pepper and flour steps, then move everything to the crockpot and set it on low for 4 to 6 hours. Stir the cream in during the last 30 minutes. My slow cooker chicken chili follows the same idea if you want a hands off night.
• Want it richer? Swap 4 oz of softened cream cheese for the heavy cream. It gets thick fast, so add it slowly.
• No chicken on hand? Ground turkey works. Brown it with the onions and peppers in the first step, then keep going as written.
• Do not skip the lime. I forgot it once and the whole pot tasted flat. One tablespoon wakes everything up.

Ever notice how the pot always looks too thin at minute 10? Give it the full 20 minute simmer before you judge it.

White Chicken Chili Questions I Get Asked

How do you thicken white chicken chili?

Mash about half the beans directly in the pot with a potato masher. The starch does all the work naturally.

The tablespoon of flour cooked into the peppers helps too. If you still want it thicker, simmer it uncovered for 5 extra minutes.

What beans are best for white chicken chili?

Cannellini beans are my first choice because they hold their shape and mash into a smooth base. Great Northern beans are a close second.

Navy beans work in a pinch, though they break down more. Rinse and drain any canned bean well so the broth stays clean tasting.

Can white chicken chili be made in a slow cooker?

Yes, and it is my go to move on school days. Build the pepper and spice base on the stove first, since that step brings out the flavor you cannot get from raw spices.

Then transfer everything to the crockpot on low for 4 to 6 hours. Add the cream in the final half hour so it does not split.

Can you freeze white chicken chili with cream?

You can, but I freeze it before the cream goes in whenever I plan ahead. Dairy sometimes separates a little after thawing.

If it is already made, freeze it anyway and just stir it well while reheating over low heat. It comes back together fine.

Recipes You May Like

• Creamy chicken corn chowder in the slow cooker is the sweeter, milder cousin of this chili and another easy chicken night.
• Creamy black bean soup with a fresh lime twist hits those same warm spices if you want a meatless bowl.
• Creamy sausage and white bean soup uses the same bean mashing trick with a heartier, smokier base.

Final Thoughts On This White Chicken Chili

So there it is. Soften the peppers and spices, mash half the beans into the stock, simmer for 20 minutes, then finish with cream and lime.

I love this white chicken chili because it feeds my whole family from one pot and asks almost nothing of me on a hard night. My mom taught me to build flavor at the start, and this recipe is that lesson in a bowl.

Make it this week and tell me how it went in the comments. I read every one.

Save this to your dinner board on Pinterest so it is waiting for you the next cold night.