oMisro: Food Recipe

Best White Chicken Chili Recipe Winner

misrolegit April 30, 2024

It's easy to cook a big pot of this award winning white chicken chili, and it's the absolute best! Tender chicken, chilies, white beans, spices and a few more goodies in this winning recipe.

Bowl of white chicken chili with sour cream, cheese and scallions

Winning the office chili contest is an annual objective for my husband. Eddie has a really great, very meaty chili recipe that he's been perfecting over time. Last year Eddie's chili took first place and time before he came in second. In both cases the contest was decided by one vote and in both cases the other contender was his colleague Dean.

When Dean's white chicken chili took first place, Eddie came home with his empty pot a bit dispirited by his second place status but couldn't stop raving about the winning chili. I said "let's invite Dean over for chili -- his chili!"

Award Winning White Chicken Chili

5 Stars4 Stars3 Stars2 Stars1 Star

4.9 from 127 reviews

Author: Lisa
Total Time: 1 hour 30 mins
Yield: 8-10 1x

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Spicy and delicious white chicken chili!

Adapted from Dean's Award Winning Chili Recipe

Ingredients

UNITS SCALE

3 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast halves
3 tablespoon olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons chile powder,*divided
3 tablespoons cumin, divided
1 teaspoon salt, divided, plus more, to taste
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper or to taste
3 cups chopped onion (2 medium)
3 tablespoons minced garlic or more if you love garlic (4-5 large cloves)
3 15-ounce cans white beans, drained
2 4-ounce cans chopped green chiles (hot or mild, depending on your preference)
2 teaspoons oregano
4-6 cups low-salt chicken broth
6 cups shredded cheese, divided (half Monterey Jack, half cheddar)
2 cups sour cream, divided
Garnish:
Chopped scallions
Chopped cilantro leaves
Your favorite hot sauce
Sour cream
Shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
• A note on chili powder: One of my secrets to great chili is to use two or three different chili powders for a great depth of flavor. For this chili I used New Mexican and Chipotle chile powders.

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Instructions

Spice and Roast the Chicken: Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Spread chicken out in a roasting pan. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with 2 teaspoons chili powder, 1 tablespoon cumin, ½ teaspoon salt and a pinch or two of cayenne. Roast for 30 minutes. Shred or cut into bite sized pieces. Set aside.
Cook the Chili: In a large pot heat remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Sauté onion and garlic over medium heat for 5 minutes or so, until tender. Add beans, shredded chicken, chilies, oregano, 2 tablespoons chile powder, 2 tablespoons cumin, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon cayenne (or more, to taste). Add 4 cups of chicken broth, reserving the rest for thinning the chili to your desired consistency. Stir to combine and simmer gently on low for 20 minutes. (to keep the chicken tender, do not let the pot boil)
Remove the pot from the heat and let it cool for 5 minutes or so before proceeding. With the pot still off the heat, stir 3 cups of cheese into the pot, 1 cup at a time. Then stir in 1 cup of sour cream. (Or for Dean's richer, creamier version, add all 6 cups of cheese to the pot and 2 cups of sour cream) Bring the pot back to a gentle simmer over low heat (to keep the dairy products from separating, don't boil). Simmer the chili for 15-20 minutes, adjusting with additional chicken broth, if you like. A method I like to use for great added texture is to use a potato-masher in the pot to mash half the chicken and beans. Then stir to combine with the rest.
Serve chili in bowls with garnishes on top or on the side.

Notes

Nutritional information for this white chicken chili recipe is calculated assuming you're following the lighter version of the recipe.

Nutrition Information shown is an estimate calculated by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for the advice of a professional nutritionist.

Prep Time: 30 mins
Cook Time: 1 hour
Category: Main Dish
Method: stove top
Cuisine: Tex-Mex

White Chicken Chili (BEST EVER!)

misrolegit April 30, 2024

Flavorful White Chicken Chili made with hearty beans, tender chicken, and a rich and creamy broth. It’s a lighter alternative to traditional beef chili and makes for a super satisfying dinner! If you’re lucky to have any left it will make great leftovers for lunch the next day too.

My Favorite White Chicken Chili Recipe

We’ve all made the classic chili with beef, kidney beans, tomatoes, and the traditional chili spices but have you tried the white chicken chili version yet? This version is perfect for people who prefer chicken over beef, or anyone who wants a creamier soup that is packed with protein.

White chicken chili is one of my favorites because it’s so easy to make—especially for busy weeknights. It’s easy to keep the ingredients on hand (lots of cans or longer lasting fridge and pantry staples) so that you can make this crowd-pleaser at the drop of a hat. I love using a rotisserie chicken to make it even faster!

Want to see how to make this chili recipe? Watch the video!

This is a recipe you’ll want to be making year round, even as it starts to get warm outside. The chili itself is delicious, but each person can make it their own with toppings they love.

You’ll love the way the flavors of this chili blend together, those tender pieces of chicken and that creamy broth. It tastes far different from the classic chili but it’s a welcome change. Everyone loves this soup!

And it’s just that much better when you load on the toppings. Who wouldn’t love the addition of fresh avocado slices, crunchy tortilla chips, flavorful cheese and fresh cilantro? Bring on those toppings!

What Ingredients go into White Chicken Chili?

Chicken -I prefer rotisserie chicken but left-over cooked chicken will work great too.
Garlic and onion – these aromatics adds lots of flavor here. Use fresh minced garlic.
Chicken broth – for even more flavor try this soup with a homemade broth.
Green chilies – be sure to buy the mild kind unless you like heat.
Cumin, Paprika, Oregano & Coriander – these creates the perfect blend of spices here.
Cannellini Beans – great northern beans will work great too.
Frozen Corn – canned corn will work too, I just never have cared for the flavor.
Neufchatel cheese – cream cheese will work great too. I usually use Philadelphia but the store was out.
Lime – be sure to use fresh lime not the bottled stuff here.
Cilantro – feel free to add more to taste.
Desired toppings – I like to add avocado, tortilla chips, and cheese.

Ingredients needed to make white chicken chili shown here.

How do You Make the Best White Chicken Chili?

Heat olive oil in a 6 quart enameled Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
Add onion and saute 4 minutes.
Add garlic and saute 30 seconds longer.

Showing how to make white chicken chili. Sauteing onion in oil in a large cast iron pot.

Add chicken broth, green chilies, cumin, paprika, oregano, coriander, cayenne pepper and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Bring mixture just to a boil then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 15 minutes.

Adding broth, spices and green chilis to white chicken chili mixture in pot.

Drain and rinse beans in a fine mesh strainer or colander then measure out 1 cup.
Set whole beans aside, transfer 1 cup beans to a food processor along with 1/4 cup broth from soup, puree until nearly smooth.

Pureeing cannellini beans in food processor for white chicken chili.

Add Neufchatel cheese to soup along with corn, whole beans and pureed beans and stir well. Simmer 5 – 10 minutes longer.
Stir in chicken, fresh lime juice and cilantro. Serve with Monterrey Jack cheese, more cilantro, avocado slices and tortilla chips if desired.

Adding cream cheese, corn and pureed bean mixture to white chicken chili mixture in pot.

The Trick For A Creamy White Bean Chicken Chili

You’ll notice there’s a step in the recipe that instructs you to process some of the Cannellini beans with some of the soup broth. I saw this once while I was watching Giada making a soup on Food Network. She added some pureed Cannellini beans to give the soup a creamy texture without adding too much dairy or thickening with flour.

I thought that idea would be perfect to make this white bean chicken chili extra creamy so I decided to adapt that method and I loved it (if you don’t have a food processor or just don’t want to have to clean a food processor then yes, you could just add all the beans in whole).

When should I make White Chicken Chili?

This chili is a fast and easy option for busy fall and winter weeknights. The crock pot option makes it even easier. It’s a comforting soup that is perfect for Halloween, football Sundays, or any other cozy gathering.

Can I Make White Chicken Chili in a Crockpot?

Yes, this White Chicken Chili can also be made in a crockpot. To do so:

Use 1 lb. raw chicken breasts and add them at the beginning with broth, spices, chilies.
Finely mince the onions or saute first with garlic before adding to crockpot so they don’t end up crunchy.
Cook on high 3 hours or low 5 – 6 hours (or until chicken is cooked through) then remove chicken, add softened light cream cheese and cook until melted.
Stir in pureed bean mixture, beans, corn, shredded chicken, lime and cilantro. Heat through.

Overhead image of white chicken chili in a large white bowl sitting on a brown plate. Chili is garnished with cheese, chips, avocado, cilantro and lime.

My White Chicken Chili is a Top Rated Recipe!

I first shared this in May 2013 and since then it’s become a reader favorite! Please try it for yourself and rate the recipe below I love to hear your feedback!

White Chicken Chili Made with Rotisserie Chicken for an Easier Option

Note that when I first shared this I used chicken breasts, but after many years of perfecting the recipe I’ve realized rotisserie chicken or left-over chicken (either of which are added at the end) are a better option here. It’s easier, has more flavor, and you won’t end up with dry chicken breasts.

White Chicken Chili

This White Chicken Chili is hearty, warming, creamy and perfectly comforting. It's a great alternative to traditional beef chili and makes a simple, yet completely delicious dinner! Makes about 8 cups.

WATCH THE VIDEO

Servings: servings

Prep15

Cook35

Ready in: 50