🍲🙌🏻🍗 My Easy White Chicken Chili is hearty, healthy, loaded with tender chicken, beans, and packed with bold flavor! Fast and easy comfort food that everyone loves, it’s a one-pot EASY chili recipe that’s ready in just 30 minutes. It’ll be on rotation all fall and winter!
Simple White Chicken Chili Recipe
Chili is the ultimate fall and winter comfort food. Who can say no to a bowl of warm, thick chili that’s loaded with tender chicken and hearty cannellini beans? This white chicken chili recipe was some of the best chili I’ve ever had and is now in our rotation and should be in yours, too.
- It’s robustly flavored from sweet Vidalia onions, jalapeño peppers, and green chilis.
- It’s so easy and ready in 30 minutes. No need to stand over a simmering pot for hours. Many ingredients get tossed into the pot all at once, and in no time, this hearty, healthy, and comforting chili is ready.
- My family loved this easy white chicken chili recipe, and I love that it’s ready so quickly and with very minimal effort.
This was as good as ALL of Averie’s recipes!! I added a glug of green salsa because I had it in the fridge and I think it added a little zing, but it was wonderful without it. I took it to a potluck and it was gone ..no leftovers for me!
Florida
Ingredients and Notes
For this white bean chicken chili recipe, you’ll need:
- Olive oil
- Yellow onion
- Jalapeño – This white bean chicken chili has a mild to medium kick, but you can make it spicier by using the jalapeno seeds or by adding more red chili flakes or cayenne pepper
- Canned green chilies
- Garlic
- Chicken broth
- Cooked shredded chicken – To save time, use a store-bought rotisserie chicken or leftover chicken that you have on hand. However, you can also make my Sheet Pan Whole Roasted Chicken or my Poached Chicken Breasts, shred them, and use them in the recipe
- Cannellini beans – Substitute great northern beans, if preferred
- Lime juice
- Dried herbs and spices
- Fresh cilantro
Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.
How to Make 30 Minute White Chicken Chili
This is a quick and easy white chicken chili recipe that comes together in about half an hour. You’re welcome to simmer the chili longer for added flavor, but I’m always in a rush to get dinner on the table on weeknights, so 30 minutes is good enough for me!
- Add the olive oil to a large stockpot or Dutch oven and sauté the onion, chiles, and jalapeño until softened.
- Add the garlic and continue cooking until fragrant.
- Dump the remaining ingredients into the pot and bring to a boil. Let the mixture simmer for 10 minutes, then stir in the cilantro.
- Ladle into bowls and garnish with tortilla chips, cheese, cilantro, avocado slices, and/or sour cream.
Cooking Tip: Salt to Taste
Make sure to salt your chili to taste. I use low-sodium chicken broth and low-sodium beans, and add a bit of salt to the chili so I can control the overall salt level. The saltiness of low-sodium broth, beans, rotisserie chickens, and personal preferences for salt all vary, so salt to taste.
Recipe FAQs
I prefer my white chicken chili to be fairly thick. To achieve this, I blend about 1 cup of the cannellini beans in a food processor to make a bean paste of sorts. This gets added to the white chili to make it even heartier. For a super thick chili, let it simmer uncovered for longer than the recipe calls for. You can also try stirring in cream cheese, which is found in many recipes.
I’m sure you ‘could’ but I don’t see the point because it’s ready in 30 minutes. Why lengthen an already rapid cooking time is my question? You’re just lengthening (and complicating) the amount of time it will take from start to finish for you to be enjoying this fabulous chili.
If you want to keep it warm in a slow cooker for an event or something along those lines, go for it. But prepare it on the stove as written is my advice.
Yes! Like all chili, it tastes better the day or two after you make it and the flavors marry, making this a perfect make-ahead meal. Make a batch over the weekend and you can enjoy it during the week.
Or you can stash half of it in the freezer for nights when pulling something out of the freezer for dinner is all you can muster.
This white bean chicken chili will keep fresh in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5 to 7 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Classic chili recipes, like my slow cooker beef chili and smoky beef and black bean chili, are made with beef or turkey and a tomato base. However, white chicken chili recipes are made with chicken, a broth base, white beans, and green chiles. As a result, they’re creamier with a slightly lighter flavor.
What to Serve with White Chicken Chili
Recipe Video Tutorial
More Easy Chili Recipes:
All of my chili recipes!
Easy 30-Minute Beef Taco Chili – Don’t have all day for chili to simmer? No problem! This EASY, hearty chili full of Mexican-inspired flavors is ready in 30 minutes! If you like TACOS, you’ll LOVE this chili!
Easy 30-Minute Smoky Beef and Black Bean Chili – Don’t have all day for chili to simmer? No problem! This EASY, hearty chili with lovely SMOKY heat is ready in 30 minutes! PERFECT for busy weeknights!
Slow Cooker Beef Chili – Easy, hearty, comfort food! As the chili simmers in your slow cooker it develops so much flavor! A foolproof chili recipe that you’ll want to add into your regular rotation!
Easy 30-Minute Turkey Chili – Don’t have all day for chili to simmer? No problem! This easy, hearty, healthy chili is ready in 30 minutes, and it’s full of flavor! Perfect for busy weeknights!
Easy 30-Minute Chicken Enchilada Chili – Don’t have all day for chili to simmer? No problem! This easy, hearty, healthier chili full of Mexican-inspired flavors is ready in 30 minutes! Perfect for busy weeknights!
Triple Pork Chili — Three types of pork including bacon, pork roast, and chorizo plus black beans and more in this comforting, hearty, and filling chili recipe! Easy and perfect for chilly weather, family dinners, or make it for game day or tailgating parties!
Originally published October 19, 2015 and republished February 19, 2020 with updated text.
Half the onion. I substitute one can of beans for kidney beans and always use bone broth.
Thanks for sharing what you do to make this recipe your own, Shelby! Glad it’s working well!
This was as good as ALL of Averie’s recipes!! I added a glug of green salsa because I had it in the fridge and I think it added a little zing, but it was wonderful without it. I took it to a potluck and it was gone ..no leftovers for me!
Thanks for the 5 star review and that’s awesome to hear there were no leftovers! A glug of green salsa sounds perfect to me!
I have made this at least half a dozen times and shared it just as many! It is EXCELLENT exactly as written. So quick & easy! Comforting, warm and a bit spicy (to taste). Thank you for sharing this delicious recipe!
I love that you’ve made this so many times! Thanks for the 5 star review, Christine, and for your dedication to the recipe as written!
Hi, I want to make this recipe soon, I will be making it for a big crowd, but I noticed when I put in more servings it shows how many ounces plus 4 cups of chicken broth, no matter how many servings I put in…is that an error , or am I reading it wrong? Thanks, it looks great!
There are times when the multiplier tool acts strange and in this case it was because it was written as 32 ounces (4 cups) so I just removed the 4 cups mention. However, I just noticed that the two 15-ounce cans of beans won’t double. There is no way for me to rewrite that on the backside to improve it…. Sorry about that. So you will just have to double, triple, etc. everything by hand. Easy to do though.
I have been using this recipe, as is, for 2 years straight now. I love, love, love it. Thank you for sharing!
Thanks for the 5 star review and I’m glad this is a 2+ year favorite recipe now for you and you love it!
This was really good and easy to fix. I didn’t follow the recipe to the letter but that’s just me. Next time I’ll add the jalapenos. Since I didn’t measure closely, next time I’ll add more chicken broth. But man, that is a very tasty and filling dish. I’ll do that again!
Thanks for the 5 star review, Bob, and I’m glad you put your own spin on it and glad it was tasty, filling, and you’ll make it again!
I make this often and it is very forgiving. I made half a recipe the other night, as I was just feeding two, and accidentally added the whole amount of lime.. it was perfect. A big bowl of yum, and so easy!
I have made a similar recipe but wanted to try yours, it sounds delicious, quick and easy.
Can I substitute store bought chicken breast in the can? Delia🌷
I have made a similar recipe but wanted to try yours, it sounds delicious, quick and easy.
Can I substitute store bought chicken breast in the can? Delia🌷
Yes you can and this is what I say in the recipe: 4 cups shredded cooked chicken (use about 1 whole storebought rotisserie chicken to save time; or roast or cook your own chicken in a skillet)
My question didn’t go to your comment section. I’ll try again.
I was about to make your White Chicken Chili recipe, it looks SO good. I stopped when I saw a sodium amount of 4395mg. Is that for eight servings and not one? I need to watch my sodium intake, but I REALLY want to try this recipe. Please let me know what is driving it up so high so I can try to modify your recipe and still make it. Thank you.
All nutritional info is computer generated and provided as a courtesy only. If you use low or no sodium products, it’s very unlikely the sodium level is as high as is being suggested now.
Made this tonight. Delish! I added grated zucchini and carrots – always try to add extra veggies. I actually followed the recipe otherwise which is something at which I do not excel. I almost always go rogue on recipes especially soup.
But this one is pernearly (my grandmothers word for pretty nearly) perfect.
Made this tonight. Delish! I added grated zucchini and carrots – always try to add extra veggies. I actually followed the recipe otherwise which is something at which I do not excel. I almost always go rogue on recipes especially soup.
But this one is pernearly (my grandmothers word for pretty nearly) perfect.
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad that this was pretty near perfect for you!
Go to chicken chili recipe in our home! DELICIOUS and easy to make!
Go to chicken chili recipe in our home! DELICIOUS and easy to make!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad to hear it’s your go-to chicken chili in your house!
This is the 4th tome I’m making this and it’s always a hit! I love how quick it comes together with so few ingredients. I always trust a recipe from Averie, they never fail!