Description
Most people think chili has to be heavy, beefy, and coma-inducing. White Chicken Chili flips the script: lighter, creamier, and ready in under an hour. Packed with lean chicken, beans, green chiles, and spices, it’s cozy enough to satisfy yet refreshing enough to keep you energized.
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 (4 oz) cans diced green chiles
- 2 (15 oz) cans great northern beans, drained and rinsed
- 4 cups chicken broth (low sodium)
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper (adjust to taste)
- 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- ½ cup heavy cream or half-and-half
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Salt & black pepper, to taste
- Fresh cilantro, lime wedges, sour cream (for garnish)
Instructions
- Cook chicken: Heat olive oil in a large pot. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Cook 5–7 minutes per side until done.
- Shred chicken: Remove, shred with two forks, and set aside.
- Sauté aromatics: In same pot, cook onion until soft. Add garlic for 1 minute.
- Add spices: Stir in green chiles, cumin, oregano, cayenne. Cook 1–2 minutes.
- Simmer: Return shredded chicken to pot. Add beans and chicken broth. Simmer 20–25 minutes.
- Make it creamy: Stir in cream and cheese until melted. Adjust seasoning.
- Serve: Garnish with cilantro, lime wedges, and sour cream.
Notes
Storage: Refrigerate up to 4 days. Freeze up to 3 months (thaw before reheating). Reheat gently on stovetop; add broth if needed. Tips: Avoid overcooking chicken (it’ll dry), don’t add cream too early (curdles), always rinse beans, and don’t skip fresh garnishes. Variations: Vegetarian (extra beans/corn), dairy-free (coconut milk + vegan cheese), spicy (add jalapeños), or time-saving (rotisserie chicken). Slow cooker: Sauté onion/garlic, then cook all (except dairy) 6–7 hrs low; add cream/cheese last 30 mins.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: One-Pot
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 390
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 780mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 8g
- Protein: 32g
- Cholesterol: 95mg
Keywords: white chicken chili, creamy chili, healthy dinner, one pot meal, easy chili recipe