I can already hear the objections: "That's not chili!" But something, something rose by any other name, so call it white chili, call it Southwestern-inspired chicken stew, as long as you go out and give it a try.
Classic White Chicken Chili
This is the template white chicken chili, with chunks of chicken thigh instead of beef and white beans instead of kidney beans. The diced green chilis provide the necessary spice and lift.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and brown the chicken with 1 teaspoon salt for 6 to 8 minutes until it reaches 165°F; transfer it to a plate.
- Cook the onion in the same pot for 5 minutes, then stir in the garlic, cumin and oregano for 30 seconds.
- Mash 1 can of beans with 1/2 cup broth until coarse and add it to the pot with the whole beans, green chiles, remaining broth and salt.
- Simmer uncovered for 18 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the broth lightly coats a spoon.
- Return the chicken for 3 minutes, remove the pot from the heat and stir in the lime juice.
Creamy White Chicken Chili
For a richer version of white chicken chili, try incorporating some cream cheese. Make sure to whisk it in slowly at the end to prevent clumping.
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Ingredients
Method
- Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and cook the chicken with 1 teaspoon salt for 6 to 8 minutes until it reaches 165°F; transfer it to a plate.
- Cook the onion for 5 minutes, add the garlic and cumin and stir for 30 seconds.
- Blend 1 cup beans with 1 cup broth until smooth, then add it with the remaining beans, broth, green chiles, corn and salt.
- Simmer for 15 minutes, lower the heat and whisk in the cream cheese a few cubes at a time until smooth.
- Return the chicken, warm for 3 minutes without boiling and finish with lime juice.
Salsa Verde White Chicken Chili
Salsa verde goes great on chicken and can easily be incorporated into a chili. I'd strongly recommend making your own if possible, and experimenting with spooning it on top of each bowl instead of dumping it all at once.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and cook the chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt for 6 to 8 minutes until it reaches 165°F; transfer it to a plate.
- Cook the onion for 5 minutes, then stir in the cumin for 30 seconds.
- Mash 1 cup beans and add them with the whole beans, salsa verde, broth, corn and remaining salt.
- Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes until the chili is lightly thickened.
- Return the chicken for 3 minutes, remove from the heat and stir in the lime juice.
Roasted Poblano White Chicken Chili
If you want an alternative to the jarred chilies in a white chicken chili, try roasted poblanos. This version seeds the poblanos, but I like my spice, so feel free to keep the seeds in.
Ingredients
Method
- Broil the poblanos 4 inches from the heat for 8 to 10 minutes, turning, until blistered; cover for 10 minutes, then peel, seed and dice.
- Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and cook the chicken with 1 teaspoon salt for 6 to 8 minutes until it reaches 165°F; transfer it to a plate.
- Cook the onion for 5 minutes, add the garlic and cumin for 30 seconds, then stir in the poblanos, beans, broth and remaining salt.
- Mash about 1 cup of beans against the side of the pot and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Return the chicken, lower the heat, stir in the cream and lime juice and warm for 3 minutes without boiling.
Rotisserie Chicken Shortcut White Chili
Cooked rotisserie chicken from the supermarket is great when you're in a rush to get dinner on the table, and white chicken chili is a good option for it. Your chili can be ready to go in as little as half an hour.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat and cook the onion and jalapeno for 6 minutes until soft.
- Stir in the garlic and cumin for 30 seconds.
- Blend 1 can of beans with 1 cup broth until smooth and add it with the remaining beans, broth, green chiles, corn and salt.
- Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, then add the chicken and heat it to 165°F for about 4 minutes.
- Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the lime juice.
Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili
Like all chili variants, white chicken chili works great in a slow cooker too. Thighs are near indestructible, but incorporate the sour cream and lime juice finish after the cooking is done.
Ingredients
Method
- Place the chicken, salt, onion, garlic, cumin, oregano, beans, green chiles and broth in a 6-quart slow cooker and cover immediately.
- Cook on low for 5 1/2 to 6 hours until the chicken reaches 165°F and pulls apart easily.
- Transfer the chicken to a plate, shred it and mash about 1 1/2 cups of beans against the side of the crock.
- Return the chicken, add the corn and cook on high for 15 minutes.
- Turn off the cooker, whisk in the sour cream and lime juice and rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Instant Pot White Chicken Chili
If you have an Instant Pot, it's a natural fit for chili. This recipe finishes the chili with Greek yogurt for a lighter version than one with sour cream.
Ingredients
Method
- Set a 6-quart electric pressure cooker to saute, heat the oil and cook the onion for 4 minutes; stir in the garlic and cumin for 30 seconds.
- Add the chicken, salt, beans, green chiles and broth without mashing the beans, then lock the lid.
- Cook at high pressure for 8 minutes and allow a 10-minute natural release before venting the remaining pressure.
- Confirm the chicken has reached 165°F, stir in the corn and mash about 1 cup of beans while simmering on saute for 4 minutes.
- Turn off the heat, wait 3 minutes and stir in the yogurt and lime juice.
Dairy-Free Coconut White Chicken Chili
Whether you're lactose intolerant or just want some tropical flair in your life, coconut milk can be a game changer. Be sure to use full-fat, not light, coconut milk for maximum coconut flavor.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and cook the chicken with 1 teaspoon salt for 6 to 8 minutes until it reaches 165°F; transfer it to a plate.
- Cook the onion for 5 minutes, then add the garlic and cumin for 30 seconds.
- Mash 1 cup beans and add them with the whole beans, green chiles, broth and remaining salt.
- Simmer for 15 minutes, lower the heat and stir in the coconut milk and chicken.
- Warm gently for 4 minutes without boiling and finish with lime juice.
Dairy-Free Pureed Bean Chicken Chili
Pureed white beans are another interesting alternative to dairy here. If you like the texture of refried beans, for instance, this is very much worth a try.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and cook the chicken with 1 teaspoon salt for 6 to 8 minutes until it reaches 165°F; transfer it to a plate.
- Cook the onion for 5 minutes, then stir in the garlic and cumin for 30 seconds.
- Blend 1 1/2 cans of beans with 2 cups broth until smooth and pour the mixture into the pot.
- Add the remaining beans, broth, green chiles, corn and salt and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Return the chicken for 3 minutes, remove the pot from the heat and stir in the lime juice.
Hatch Green Chile Chicken Chili
Hatch chiles are a popular choice for white chicken chili. This recipe also includes potato, which I think is an underused ingredient in chili, especially veggie chili.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and cook the chicken with 1 teaspoon salt for 6 to 8 minutes until it reaches 165°F; transfer it to a plate.
- Cook the onion for 5 minutes, then stir in the cumin for 30 seconds.
- Add the Hatch chiles, beans, potato, broth and remaining salt and bring to a simmer.
- Cook partly covered for 20 minutes until the potato is tender, then mash the potato and about 1 cup beans against the pot.
- Return the chicken for 3 minutes and finish with lime juice off the heat.
Jalapeno Lime White Chicken Chili
Jalapeño and lime are a natural pairing. While many of the recipes on this list have lime juice, lime zest adds flavor here, emphasizing the bright green notes in the jalapeño.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and cook the chicken with 1 teaspoon salt for 6 to 8 minutes until it reaches 165°F; transfer it to a plate.
- Cook the onion and jalapenos for 5 minutes, then stir in the garlic and cumin for 30 seconds.
- Mash 1 cup beans and add them with the whole beans, broth, lime zest and remaining salt.
- Simmer uncovered for 16 minutes until lightly thickened, then return the chicken for 3 minutes.
- Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the lime juice.
Sweet Corn White Chicken Chili
Sweet corn is a natural fit here for a sort of corn chowder-type texture. Excess sweetness is a risk, but smoked paprika helps tamp it down.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and cook the chicken with 1 teaspoon salt for 6 to 8 minutes until it reaches 165°F; transfer it to a plate.
- Cook the onion for 5 minutes, then stir in the garlic, cumin and smoked paprika for 30 seconds.
- Blend 1 cup beans, 1 cup corn and 1 cup broth until mostly smooth.
- Add the puree with the remaining beans, corn, broth, green chiles and salt and simmer for 16 minutes.
- Return the chicken and warm for 3 minutes before serving.
Green Enchilada Chicken Chili
Green enchilada sauce is a natural fit for chicken chili. While jarred enchilada sauce is fine, a DIY version is actually quite simple and worth the effort.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and cook the chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt for 6 to 8 minutes until it reaches 165°F; transfer it to a plate.
- Cook the onion for 5 minutes, then stir in the cumin for 30 seconds.
- Mash 1 cup beans and add them with the whole beans, enchilada sauce, broth, corn and remaining salt.
- Simmer for 15 minutes, return the chicken and lower the heat.
- Remove the pot from direct heat, add the cheese a handful at a time until smooth and finish with lime juice.
Smoky Chipotle White Chicken Chili
Beige chicken chili doesn't sound as nice, so let's call this a white chicken chili. But that addition of smoky chipotles in adobo really does balance nicely with the creamy chili, so whatever you call it, it's bound to be good.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and cook the chicken with 1 teaspoon salt for 6 to 8 minutes until it reaches 165°F; transfer it to a plate.
- Cook the onion for 5 minutes, then stir in the garlic, chipotle and cumin for 30 seconds.
- Mash 1 cup beans and add them with the whole beans, broth, corn and remaining salt.
- Simmer uncovered for 16 minutes, then return the chicken and lower the heat.
- Turn off the burner, whisk in the sour cream and rest for 3 minutes before serving.
White Chicken Chili with Hominy
I live outside the States now, and hominy is, strangely, one of the few things I can't get that I truly miss — it really is an underappreciated ingredient. The hominy in this recipe provides a nice textural contrast with both the chicken and the beans.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and cook the chicken with 1 teaspoon salt for 6 to 8 minutes until it reaches 165°F; transfer it to a plate.
- Cook the onion for 5 minutes, then stir in the garlic and cumin for 30 seconds.
- Mash 1 cup beans and add them with the whole beans, hominy, green chiles, broth and remaining salt.
- Simmer uncovered for 20 minutes until the hominy is tender and the broth lightly thickens.
- Return the chicken for 3 minutes and stir in the lime juice off the heat.
White Chicken Chili with Black-Eyed Peas
If you feel like mixing up your legume rotation, black-eyed peas are a good choice and are underused outside their usual Southern and soul food contexts. A 50/50 balance with white beans works great here.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and cook the chicken with 1 teaspoon salt for 6 to 8 minutes until it reaches 165°F; transfer it to a plate.
- Cook the onion for 5 minutes, then stir in the garlic and cumin for 30 seconds.
- Mash the navy beans and add them with the black-eyed peas, green chiles, broth, corn and remaining salt.
- Simmer uncovered for 16 minutes until the broth thickens slightly.
- Return the chicken for 3 minutes and finish with lime juice off the heat.
Quinoa White Chicken Chili
While most chili uses cornmeal or similar as a thickener, adding quinoa makes thickening unnecessary while adding a healthy whole grain. Be sure to keep an eye out for burning.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and cook the chicken with 1 teaspoon salt for 6 to 8 minutes until it reaches 165°F; transfer it to a plate.
- Cook the onion for 5 minutes, then stir in the garlic and cumin for 30 seconds.
- Add the beans, quinoa, green chiles, broth, corn and remaining salt and bring to a simmer.
- Cover loosely and cook for 18 to 20 minutes until the quinoa is tender, stirring twice to prevent sticking.
- Return the chicken for 3 minutes and stir in the lime juice off the heat.
Lemon Herb White Chicken Chili
It's easy for white chicken chili to get heavy and stodgy. A generous dose of lemon, complete with its zest, keeps flavors light and springy.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and cook the chicken with 1 teaspoon salt for 6 to 8 minutes until it reaches 165°F; transfer it to a plate.
- Cook the onion for 5 minutes, then stir in the garlic, cumin and oregano for 30 seconds.
- Mash 1 cup beans and add them with the whole beans, broth, corn, lemon zest and remaining salt.
- Simmer uncovered for 16 minutes and return the chicken for 3 minutes.
- Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the lemon juice.
Beer-Braised White Chicken Chili
A beer braise adds a pleasant, malty flavor to chili if you're so inclined. However, be careful with your choice of beers — lagers and light ales are best, and absolutely avoid anything too hoppy, like an IPA.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and cook the chicken with 1 teaspoon salt for 6 to 8 minutes until it reaches 165°F; transfer it to a plate.
- Cook the onion for 5 minutes, then stir in the garlic and cumin for 30 seconds.
- Pour in the lager and simmer for 5 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pot.
- Mash 1 cup beans and add them with the whole beans, green chiles, broth, corn and remaining salt; simmer for 15 minutes.
- Return the chicken for 3 minutes and finish with lime juice off the heat.
White Chicken Chili Mac
Is it chili or is it mac and cheese? This version, using chicken breast, cooks quickly, with the macaroni cooking in the broth.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and cook the chicken with 1 teaspoon salt for 6 to 8 minutes until it reaches 165°F; transfer it to a plate.
- Cook the onion for 5 minutes, then stir in the cumin for 30 seconds.
- Mash 1 cup beans and add them with the whole beans, green chiles, broth and remaining salt and bring to a boil.
- Add the macaroni and cook for 2 minutes less than the package directs, adding the corn during the final 3 minutes.
- Return the chicken, remove the pot from direct heat and stir in the Monterey Jack a handful at a time.
Leftover Turkey White Chili
Leftover turkey works great in a white chili instead of chicken. However, turkey breast can get stringy quickly, so it might be best to add the dark and white meat in stages.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat and cook the onion for 6 minutes until soft.
- Stir in the garlic and cumin for 30 seconds.
- Blend 1 can of beans with 1 cup broth and add it with the remaining beans, broth, green chiles, corn and salt.
- Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, then add the turkey and heat it to 165°F for about 4 minutes.
- Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the lime juice.
Small-Batch White Chicken Chili
One of the great things about chili is that you can scale it up or down as you need. I don't have a family to feed, so this is about perfect for two people.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the oil in a 2-quart saucepan over medium-high heat and cook the chicken with 1/4 teaspoon salt for 5 to 7 minutes until it reaches 165°F; transfer it to a plate.
- Cook the onion for 4 minutes, then stir in the garlic and cumin for 30 seconds.
- Mash half the beans and add them with the whole beans, green chiles, broth, corn and remaining salt.
- Simmer uncovered for 14 minutes until lightly thickened.
- Return the chicken for 3 minutes and stir in the lime juice off the heat.
