White Bean Chili With Chicken

5 from 33 votes
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White Bean Chili is a cozy, flavorful meal made with hearty beans, tender chicken or turkey and a little kick from green chilis and jalapeño. You will be hooked on this all season.

White Bean Chili With Chicken in a bowl with avocado and tortilla chips.
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Why Make This White Bean Chili

This is the best change up from the classic beef or turkey chili. It’s a totally different flavor and there are no tomatoes in this. A marriage of flavors giving it a little bit of a southwestern flavor. Light and filling.

The topping options are endless. I always top my with corn, avocado and tortilla chips but you can use anything your heart (and stomach) desire! This is husband approved, my husband was so impressed with this meal, he has been requesting it ever since. It is great for meal prep. It gets more flavorful sitting in the fridge, so you can make it ahead of time and enjoy it throughout the week.

Ingredients Needed

Ingredients needed on a counter in small bowls.

Chicken. Use rotisserie chicken or cook up your own. It adds protein and flavor.

Olive Oil.

Seasoning. Garlic, onion powder. Cumin, paprika, salt, pepper.

Chicken Broth. A low sodium broth.

Green Chilis. They add lots of flavor! Grab mild chilis if you are faint of heart for heat.

Jalapeño. Just one for some extra heat.

Garlic. Fresh is always best!

White Onion.

White Beans. I always use canned.

Sour Cream or Cream Cheese. You can use dairy free sour cream or cream cheese as well! Either will work great.

Milk. You can use any milk, or heavy whipping cream. Unflavored almond milk will also work if you are making this dairy free.

Optional Toppings. Avocado, corn, tortilla chips, cheese.

Steps To Make White Bean Chili

Steps to make this recipe in a large soup pot with a silver spoon.

Step One. Prepare chicken. Be sure it is shredded. Chop onion, jalapeño and garlic. Heat olive oil in a large dutch oven or pot on medium/high heat. Add onion and jalapeños and sauté 4 minutes. Add in chopped garlic and sauté 30 seconds longer.

Step Two. Add chicken broth, green chilies, cumin, paprika, garlic, onion powder oregano, salt, pepper. Bring mixture just to a boil then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 15 minutes.

Step Three. Drain and rinse beans in a fine mesh strainer or colander. Add them to the dutch oven. Then add in the sour cream or cream cheese. Keep the mixture on simmer and make sure the sour cream is spreading in. Add in cooked chicken (or rotisserie). Add milk last. Mix well. Let the mixture return to a simmer.

Step Four. If you are using corn, add it to the chili directly and mix in. Once it is heated through, take chili off heat and serve with toppings.

White Bean Chili, up close in a bowl, with toppings.

Recipe FAQ’s

Can I make this in the crockpot?

yes. Use raw chicken on the bottom. Layer onions, jalapeños, garlic, seasoning, broth, chilis and cook on high for about 3 hours. Then add in beans, corn if using, sour cream or cream cheese. Cook for another hour. Add milk, pull our chicken, shred the chicken, add it back in before serving.

What other toppings are good?

Besides the ones I mentions, you can also add cilantro, a squeeze of lime, tomatoes, extra sour cream.

How long will this keep?

In the fridge for up to 5 days! You can also freeze this meal for up to 3 months. This meal gets better by the day if you want to meal prep it for the week.

Can I use leftover turkey?

YES! Leftover cooked turkey is fantastic in this dish.

Other Soup Recipes To Try

If you loved this recipe let me know! Also, follow me on Instagram & Pinterest for even more fun recipes to make you feel good from the inside out. Thanks for being here.

White Bean Chili With Chicken
5 from 33 votes

White Bean Chili With Chicken

White Bean Chili is a cozy, flavorful meal made with hearty beans, tender chicken or turkey and a little kick from green chilis and jalapeño. You will be hooked on this all season. 
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients 

  • ½ cup yellow onion, chopped
  • 1 jalapeño, chopped
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp garlic
  • 2 -14 oz cans of chicken broth, low sodium , about 3½ cups
  • 2 -7oz cans of mild green chilis
  • ½ tsp paprika
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • ½ tsp onion powder
  • tsp cumin
  • ½ tsp crushed, dried oregano
  • ¼ tsp course salt
  • ¼ tsp cracked pepper
  • 1 -15 oz can cannellini beans
  • 1½-2 lb cooked chicken or rotisserie , *about 3 cups
  • 1 cup sour cream , *see notes
  • ¼ cup milk , *see notes
  • ½ cup corn kernels, *optional for topping
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Instructions 

  • Prepare chicken. Be sure it is shredded. Chop onion, jalapeño and garlic. Heat olive oil in a large dutch oven or pot on medium/high heat. Add onion and jalapeño, sauté 4 minutes. Add in chopped garlic and sauté 30 seconds longer.
  • Add chicken broth, green chilies, cumin, paprika, garlic, onion powder oregano, salt, pepper. Bring mixture just to a boil then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 15 minutes.
  • Drain and rinse beans in a fine mesh strainer or colander. Add them to the dutch oven. Then add in the sour cream or cream cheese. Keep the mixture on simmer and make sure the sour cream is spreading in. Add in cooked chicken (or rotisserie). Add milk last. Mix well. Let the mixture return to a simmer. 
  •  If you are using corn, add it to the chili directly and mix in. Once it is heated through, take chili off heat and serve with toppings. 

Notes

*cook the chicken however you like, use leftover chicken or make it easy and use a rotisserie. 
*cream cheese will also work. You may sub dairy free sour cream and cream cheese if needed.
*whole milk or any milk will work, you may also use unsweetened almond milk. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1.25cup | Calories: 486kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 49g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 199mg | Sodium: 765mg | Potassium: 163mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 413IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 97mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Author: Bailey
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 486
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20 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    AMAZING!!!! I left out the milk and used dairy free sour cream for a non dairy alternative version and it worked just fine! 100% will be making again

  2. 5 stars
    One of the best internet recipes I have ever made, going in my recipe box FOR SURE.

  3. 5 stars
    Hi Bailey, I started not to make it today, but I changed my mind. So glad I did. It all came together nicely. Let me tell you, it is so delicious and flavorful. I recommend to all. Thanks for sharing.

    1. I am so happy to hear you loved this one as much as i do, means the world to me!