🍲🙌🏻🍗 My Easy White Chicken Chili is hearty, healthy, and full of tender chicken, white beans, and bold flavor. This one-pot comfort food is fast and simple — ready in about 30 minutes — so it’s perfect for weeknights and will be on repeat all fall and winter.
Simple White Chicken Chili Recipe
White chicken chili is a lighter, creamier alternative to classic tomato-based chilis. This version combines savory shredded chicken, creamy cannellini beans, sweet Vidalia onions, jalapeño heat, and canned green chiles for a balanced, comforting bowl. It’s flavorful without being fussy, and most of the ingredients can be added and simmered together for a quick finish.
- Bold flavor: sweet onions, jalapeño, and green chiles give this chili a fresh, savory profile.
- Quick and reliable: ready in about 30 minutes from start to finish — ideal for busy evenings.
- Family-friendly: it’s hearty and approachable, and easy to adapt for milder or spicier preferences.
Ingredients and Notes
For this white bean chicken chili you will need the following basic ingredients. Exact amounts are listed in the recipe card below:
- Olive oil
- Sweet Vidalia or yellow onion, diced
- Jalapeño pepper — seeds optional, depending on desired heat
- Canned green chiles (do not drain)
- Garlic, minced
- Low-sodium chicken broth
- Cooked shredded chicken — rotisserie or leftover chicken saves time
- Cannellini beans (or great northern beans)
- Lime juice
- Ground cumin, dried oregano
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- Red chili flakes and optional cayenne for extra heat
- Fresh cilantro for finishing
- Optional garnishes: tortilla chips or strips, diced avocado, shredded cheese, sour cream
Note: If you prefer a thicker, creamier chili, blend about 1 cup of the drained beans with a splash of broth or water into a paste and stir it back into the pot. Simmering uncovered will also reduce and thicken the chili.
How to Make 30-Minute White Chicken Chili
This recipe is designed for speed without sacrificing depth of flavor. You can simmer longer if you like, but it comes together nicely in about 30 minutes.
- Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or stockpot over medium-high heat.
- Sauté the diced onion, jalapeño, and canned green chiles until the vegetables soften, about 5–7 minutes.
- Add minced garlic and cook 1–2 minutes, until fragrant.
- Stir in the chicken broth, shredded chicken, whole drained cannellini beans, and the blended bean paste (see notes). Add lime juice, cumin, oregano, salt, pepper, red chili flakes, and cayenne if using.
- Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat and simmer 7–10 minutes. If the chili looks too thin, simmer uncovered until it reaches the desired thickness. If it’s too thick, add a splash of water or broth and re-season to taste.
- Stir in the minced cilantro and cook for another minute to brighten the flavors.
- Ladle into bowls and garnish as desired with tortilla strips, chips, avocado, shredded cheese, and sour cream.
Cooking Tip: Salt to Taste
Start with low-sodium broth and drained beans, then adjust salt at the end. Rotisserie chicken and canned ingredients vary in saltiness, so final seasoning should be tailored to your taste.
Recipe FAQs
Blend about 1 cup of the drained cannellini beans with a splash of chicken broth or water until smooth and stir that paste back into the pot. Simmering uncovered will further reduce and thicken the chili. Some recipes also use a bit of cream cheese for extra richness.
Yes, but this recipe is quick on the stove and ready in about 30 minutes. If you prefer slow cooking for hands-off preparation or to keep the chili warm at an event, transfer the finished chili to a slow cooker set on low.
Absolutely. Like many chilis, this one often tastes even better the next day after the flavors meld. You can refrigerate for several days or freeze portions for easy future meals.
Store airtight in the refrigerator for 5 to 7 days or freeze for up to 4–6 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Traditional chili is usually tomato-based and uses beef or turkey, while white chicken chili uses chicken, a broth base, white beans, and green chiles. The result is a creamier, lighter-flavored chili.
What to Serve with White Chicken Chili
Classic Skillet Cornbread
Texas Roadhouse Rolls
Sweet Potato Cornbread
House Salad
Recipe
Easy White Chicken Chili (30-Minute, Creamy & One-Pot)
Hearty, healthy, loaded with tender chicken, beans, and packed with bold flavor. Fast and easy comfort food ready in just 30 minutes.
Prep Time: 10 minutes • Cook Time: 20 minutes • Total Time: 30 minutes • Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cups sweet Vidalia or yellow onion, peeled and diced small (about 2 medium/large onions)
- 1 large jalapeño pepper, diced very small (seeds optional)
- 7 to 8 ounces canned green chiles, do not drain
- 4 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 32 ounces low-sodium chicken broth
- 4 cups shredded cooked chicken (about 1 whole rotisserie chicken)
- Two 15-ounce cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed (reserve 1 cup to blend with a splash of broth)
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon red chili flakes
- ÂĽ teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
- â…“ cup fresh cilantro leaves, finely minced
- Optional garnishes: tortilla strips, chips, crackers, diced avocado, shredded cheese, sour cream
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or stockpot over medium-high heat.
- Add the onion, jalapeño, and canned green chiles. Sauté about 7 minutes, until vegetables begin to soften.
- Add the garlic and cook 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
- Blend 1 cup of the drained cannellini beans with a splash of chicken broth or water until smooth. Add the blended bean mixture plus the remaining whole beans to the pot along with the chicken broth, shredded chicken, lime juice, cumin, oregano, salt, pepper, red chili flakes, and optional cayenne. Bring to a gentle boil.
- Allow to simmer gently for 7–10 minutes. If the chili is too thin, simmer uncovered until reduced to your desired thickness. If too thick, add a little water or broth and re-season.
- Stir in the cilantro and simmer 1 more minute.
- Taste and adjust salt and seasoning as needed. Serve immediately with your choice of garnishes.
Storage
Store airtight in the refrigerator for 5 to 7 days or freeze for up to 4 months.
Notes
If you’re not using a rotisserie or leftover chicken, roast or poach chicken breasts and shred them, then use in the recipe. Blending a portion of the beans creates a creamy texture without adding dairy.
Nutrition (approx.)
Serving: 1 bowl • Calories: 340 • Carbohydrates: 32 g • Protein: 29 g • Fat: 11 g • Fiber: 7 g
More Easy Chili Recipes
Try these other quick, hearty chili options for variety:
- Easy 30-Minute Beef Taco Chili — a Mexican-inspired beef chili ready in 30 minutes.
- Easy 30-Minute Smoky Beef and Black Bean Chili — smoky heat and hearty beans, fast and flavorful.
- Slow Cooker Beef Chili — great for hands-off cooking and deep, developed flavor.
- Easy 30-Minute Turkey Chili — lean, flavorful, and ready quickly for busy nights.
- Easy 30-Minute Chicken Enchilada Chili — enchilada-style flavors in a speedy chicken chili.
- Triple Pork Chili — bold pork flavors with bacon, pork roast, and chorizo.
Originally published October 19, 2015 and republished February 19, 2020 with updated text.