This White Chicken Chili is a quick, easy and hearty one-pot meal that can be made on the stovetop or slow cooker. A great alternative to traditional chili, this version is made with a thick, creamy broth packed with chicken, onions, white beans, green chilis and spices.
Best One-Pot White Chicken Chili Recipe
When the weather gets colder, it’s good to have as many one-pot chili recipes in your back pocket as possible. Our favorite White Chicken Chili recipe is comfy, cozy, filling and can be ready in under an hour!
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One thing we love about this recipe is that you can really pull it together with pantry or meal prep items that you might already have. Instead of cooking chicken breast, toss in leftover chicken or rotisserie chicken from the store. If you need to substitute the type of beans, no problem! You can make substitutions pretty freely here.
Serving Suggestions
A thick and hearty chili makes the perfect base for all of your favorite toppings. Here are some of our suggestions for toppings as well as simple breads for dipping.
Toppings:
- Cheese (Monterey Jack, pepperjack or cheddar taste great)
- Sliced Avocado
- Sour Cream or Greek Yogurt
- Tortilla Strips
- Corn
- Fresh Cilantro
- Sliced Jalapeno
- Lime Wedges
Bread Recipes to Pair with White Chicken Chili:
Ingredients for White Chicken Chili
- Avocado Oil - you can really use any type of cooking oil that you like, including olive oil or vegetable oil.
- Onion - we typically will use white or yellow onions for this recipe, but you could also use red onions.
- Garlic - fresh minced garlic tastes best.
- Chicken - you can cook chicken breast specifically for this chili, or else use rotisserie or even leftover chicken.
- Salt - we like to use sea salt.
- White Northern Beans - you could also use cannellini beans, garbanzo beans, pinto beans or even black beans.
- Chicken Broth - use homemade or store bought.
- Green Chilis - you’ll find these canned in the Mexican aisle.
- Spices - you’ll need chili powder, cumin, cayenne powder, black pepper and dried oregano. Feel free to increase or decrease based on your own personal preferences.
- Half and Half - you could substitute whole milk or even sour cream.
- Cornstarch - this will thicken the soup base.
- Cold Water - you’ll need cold water to whisk into the cornstarch to thicken the soup.
How to Make White Chicken Chili
- Saute. In a large dutch oven over medium heat, add the avocado oil. Once hot, add the diced onions and cook on medium heat until the onions are golden brown, or about 5-7 minutes. Add the minced garlic and continue to cook until garlic is soft and lightly brown, or about 2 more minutes. Add the diced chicken and salt and cook until the chicken is no longer pink, or about 7 minutes.
- Bring to a simmer. Next, add the drained beans, chicken broth, green chilies, chili powder, cumin, cayenne, black pepper and oregano and bring soup to a low simmer. Let the soup simmer for a few minutes, then add the half and half.
- Thicken the soup. In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and cold water and whisk well until smooth. Slowly pour into soup and stir constantly until the broth has thickened.
- Serve. Once the soup has thickened, you may serve immediately. Ladle into bowls and top with shredded cheese, tortilla strips, lime wedges or any of your favorite toppings. Enjoy!
Tips and Tricks
- Use rotisserie chicken, or leftover chicken to save a little time.
- Add extra veggies, such as potatoes or poblano peppers, if you like your chili super chunky.
- For a creamy base without the dairy, blend half of the beans using a blender or food processor until smooth, then add back to the soup.
- For a creamy base with extra dairy, add about 4-oz of cream cheese or sour cream to the broth at the end of the cooking time and allow to melt.
Can I Make White Chicken Chili in the Crockpot?
Yup! It’s simple to make White Chicken Chili in the crockpot. You’ll still want to saute your onions and garlic ahead of time, separately. Then, add into the crockpot along with your chicken, salt, broth, green chilis and spices.
Cook on high for 3 hours, or low for 5-6 hours. About 30 minutes before the end of your cooking time, remove the cover and add in the beans, half and half and cornstarch slurry. Mix well and cook for the remaining time, or until thickened and warmed through.
Storing and Freezing
- Refrigerator: you can store cooled White Chicken Chili in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: you can store completely cooled White Chicken Chili in freezer bags, or an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Reheating: if frozen, transfer to the fridge overnight to thaw. Once you are ready to serve, reheat over medium low heat on the stovetop in a pot, stirring occasionally. Serve with your favorite toppings.
More Easy Chili and Soup Recipes that We Love
- Homemade Creamy Tomato Soup
- Easy Chili
- Best Creamy Cauliflower Soup
- Loaded Baked Potato Soup
- Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup
- Roasted Acorn Squash Soup
White Chicken Chili Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons Avocado Oil or any cooking oil
- 1 Med Onion white or yellow, diced
- 2 cloves Garlic minced (or 2 tsp)
- 1 lb Chicken Breast cut into ½" dice
- 1 tsp Salt
- 2 14-oz cans White Northern Beans drained and rinsed
- 4 cups Chicken Broth
- 1 4-oz can Green Chilies diced
- ½ tsp Chili Powder
- 1 tsp Cumin
- 1 pinch Cayenne (optional)
- ½ tsp Black Pepper
- 2 tsp Oregano
- 1 cup Half and half
- 2 Tablespoons Cornstarch
- 3 Tablespoons Cold Water
Toppings for White Chicken Chili
- 1 cup Monterey Jack Cheese shredded
- 1 large Avocado sliced
- ½ cup Sour Cream
- 1 cup Tortilla Strips
- ¼ cup Cilantro chopped
- 1 med Jalapeno deseeded and sliced thinly
- 1 large Lime cut into wedges
Instructions
- In a large dutch oven over medium heat, add the avocado oil. Once hot, add the diced onions and cook on medium heat until the onions are golden brown, or about 5-7 minutes. Add the minced garlic and continue to cook until garlic is soft and lightly brown, or about 2 more minutes.
- Add the diced chicken and salt and cook until the chicken is no longer pink, or about 7 minutes.
- Next, add the drained beans, chicken broth, green chilies, chili powder, cumin, cayenne, black pepper and oregano and bring soup to a low simmer. Let the soup simmer for a few minutes, then add the half and half.
- In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and cold water and whisk well until smooth. Slowly pour into soup and stir constantly until the broth has thickened.
- Once the soup has thickened, you may serve immediately. Ladle into bowls and top with shredded cheese, tortilla strips, lime wedges or any of your favorite toppings. Enjoy!
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This creamy White Chicken Chili is a great one-pot recipe to keep in your back pocket. It's quick, easy, hearty and can be made either on the stovetop or in the slow cooker.
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