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White chicken chili in a blue bowl with avocado, lime and tortilla chips.

White Chicken Chili

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White Chicken Chili is a creamy, flavorful Mexican-American dish from Northern Mexico and Southern Texas. It combines chicken breast, white beans, and green chilis with aromatic spices. Easy to prepare, it offers a comforting alternative to classic beef chili. Perfect for lunch or dinner, it pairs wonderfully with toppings like avocado, sour cream, tortilla chips, and cheese.
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 5 servings
Calories 203
Author Sangeetha Vel

Ingredients

For White Chicken Chili

  • 1½ lb Chicken Breast thinly sliced
  • 3 cups Chicken Broth
  • 2 tbsp Oil
  • 1 Onion chopped
  • 2 tbsp Garlic chopped
  • 2 Serrano Pepper or Jalapeno, sliced, remove seeds for mild heat
  • 1 tsp Paprika Powder or chili powder for more heat
  • ½ tsp Cumin Powder
  • 2 tsp Coriander Powder
  • ½ tsp Black Pepper Powder
  • ¼ tsp Cayenne Pepper Powder
  • Salt to taste
  • 7 oz Green Chili diced
  • 8 oz Whole Corn Kernel
  • 15 oz Northern White Beans
  • 4 oz Cream Cheese
  • ¼ cup Cilantro for garnishing

For Topping

  • Sour Cream
  • Cheddar and Montarey Jack Cheese Blend
  • Cilantro
  • Avocado
  • Tortilla Chips
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Making White Chicken Chili

  • In a wide pot or pan over medium heat, pour in some oil. Add chopped onions, minced garlic, and sliced serrano pepper. Sauté these until they become soft and fragrant, which helps form the flavor base of your chili.
    Onion, garlic and green chili in a pan.
  • Once the aromatics are softened, sprinkle in your spices—paprika powder, cumin, coriander, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and a pinch of salt. Stir everything well to ensure the spices are evenly distributed and begin to release their flavors.
    Sauteing the spices along with aromatics in a pan.
  • Add the chicken breasts and diced green chilis to the pot. Stir them with the spice mixture, cooking until the chicken is no longer pink and starts turning white.
    Chicken breast cooking along with aromatics.
  • Pour in the corn kernels, Northern white beans, and chicken broth. This not only adds substance but also different textures to your chili.
    White beans, corn kernels added to chicken mixture.
  • Give the mixture a good stir and allow it to come to a boil. Let it boil gently for 5 to 7 minutes, ensuring the chicken is fully cooked and the flavors meld.
    Chicken bean mixture boiling in broth.
  • Remove the chicken breasts from the pot. Using two forks, shred the meat into bite-sized pieces. This makes the chili easier to eat and allows the chicken to soak up the flavors.
    Cooked Chicken breast on a black plate.
  • Return the shredded chicken to the pot with the white bean and corn mixture. Stir everything well to ensure the chicken is thoroughly incorporated into the soup.
    Shredded chicken breast on a black plate.
  • Add cream cheese to the pot, stirring until it melts completely. Allow the chili to simmer for 3 to 5 minutes, or until it thickens slightly. For added creaminess, consider stirring in some white bean puree at this stage. Make sure to reserve some white beans earlier if you plan to use this option.
    Stirring the White Chicken Chili mixture.
  • Finally, stir in a generous amount of chopped cilantro, then turn off the heat and remove the pot from the stove. Your comforting White Chicken Chili is now ready to be savored and enjoyed!
    White Chicken Chili mixture with coriander leaves.

Serving

  • Enjoy your delicious White Chicken Chili topped with sour cream, avocado, a blend of cheeses, lime wedges, and some crunchy tortilla chips for added texture and flavor. For more pairing ideas, be sure to check out our Serving Suggestions below.
    Serving White Chicken Chili with avocado, tortilla chips,sour cream, lime wedges and coriander leaves.

Notes

Here are a few tips to elevate the flavor and texture of your White Chicken Chili:
  • Flavorful Chicken: Start by sautéing the chicken breast with aromatics like onions and garlic. This step enhances the chicken's flavor and removes any raw taste.
  • Boiling the Breast: Although using store-bought rotisserie chicken is a quick alternative, boiling fresh chicken breast in a seasoned aromatic broth and then shredding it can significantly enhance the chili's flavor.
  • Quick Alternatives: If you're short on time, using leftovers from roasted, baked, or air-fried chicken breasts is a convenient and flavorful substitute.
  • Creaminess Boost: To add extra thickness to the chili, along with cream cheese, consider blending some of the white beans into a puree and stirring it into the mix.
  • Heat Adjustment: The recipe calls for a moderate amount of diced green chiles, serrano, and cayenne pepper. Feel free to adjust these ingredients according to your taste preferences for spiciness.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 203kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 87mg | Sodium: 365mg | Potassium: 579mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 138IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 14mg | Iron: 1mg

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