I have a lot of favorite soups, but most people who know me know that this White Chicken Chili is at the top of my list, partly due to the fact that I make it from things my pantry very rarely runs out of, so I end up making it a lot when other meal plans get tossed out the window. It’s really fast, and really easy, and it’s major comfort food for me. I often make a pot at lunch time and just keep it warm until dinner, grabbing a bowl or two in between! Kids love it because they can put chips and cheese on it. Heck, I love it because you put chips and cheese on it.
Ingredients Needed
This is just a preview of ingredients and method, keep scrolling for full printable recipe.
Chili
- Olive oil – You could also use non-stick spray.
- Chicken – This recipe calls for raw boneless, skinless chicken breasts. If you want to speed dinner up or use up leftovers, rotisserie or previously cooked chicken works great, simply add it to the pot during the last 5-10 minutes of simmering to heat up.
- Onion
- Fresh garlic
- Great northern beans – This recipe calls for raw boneless, skinless chicken breasts. If you want to speed dinner up or use up leftovers, rotisserie or previously cooked chicken works great, simply add it to the pot during the last 5-10 minutes of simmering to heat up.
- Great Northern Beans – Any white bean will do! Look for great northern, large white, or cannellini.
- Green chiles
- Cumin
- Dried oregano
- Coriander
- Salt
- Fresh cilantro and lime – These flavors add so much to the soup, but they also mellow quickly. If making ahead to refrigerate or freeze, omit the lime juice and cilantro. Add them after the soup has been reheated, just prior to serving.
- Chicken broth – This makes up the main body of the soup so make sure to use one you love. Canned or boxed broth is great, or Better Than Bouillon. Avoid bouillon cubes or powder.
Toppings
The possibilities are endless here. Don’t feel like you have to have every one of them available, just pick your favorites!
- Sour cream or Greek yogurt
- Cilantro
- Green onions
- Shredded Jack, pepper Jack cheese
- Cotija or queso fresco
- Diced avocado
- Tortilla chips or strips
- Bread – I LOVE this soup with a loaf of warm, crusty bread smothered with this Creamy Jalapeno-Lime Butter. When you dip the bread into the hot soup, the butter melts and it is seriously the most amazing thing.
- Spice – This is not a spicy dish. If you want to add some heat, add some diced jalapeños in while cooking your onions, or add some Tabasco sauce near the end of cooking or as a condiment.
How to Make White Chicken Chili
- To start, you’ll cook up some chicken, onion, and garlic really quickly. You would do this in a large soup pot or Dutch Oven.
- When that’s mostly done cooking, you’ll add in some white beans (great northern or cannellini work) and some diced green chiles. These are mild, so they don’t add heat, just tons of flavor. Don’t drain them, you’ll want all those good juices, too. Add a handful of seasonings, and then let it simmer away.
- After a quick simmer, add in some fresh lime juice and chopped cilantro. Then serve it in bowls with allllll the toppings. Seriously, guys. Don’t forget the toppings.
Storing and Other Tips
- Store cooled leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator and enjoy within 3-4 days for best results.
- Like most soups, White Chicken Chili freezes well. Freeze in individual portions for a quick meal when needed!
Frequently Asked Questions
I LOVE soups as freezer meals. Most of them freeze and reheat beautifully. Simply prepare the White Chicken Chili but omit the lime juice and cilantro. Cool completely and transfer to your preferred freezer container. I love freezing individual servings in my Souper Cubes molds to pull out for an easy lunch. Once reheated, add lime juice, cilantro, and toppings.
Yep! Just add it in the last 5-10 minutes of cooking to heat through.
I call this a chili, but it’s really a soup consistency. If you want it thicker, just reduce the amount of broth. Or, alternatively, take an additional can of beans (drained and rinsed) and place them in a blender. Ladle in a cup or 2 of the finished broth (avoid the chicken pieces, etc.) and puree until smooth. Add this mixture to the soup.
Another way to make this a creamier, heartier soup is to add about 1/3 cup dry rice with the broth and let it simmer until soft (about 20 minutes). You can also add a can of evaporated milk at the very end after the heat has been turned off.
White Chicken Chili
Equipment
Ingredients
Chili
- 1 tablespoon olive oil extra virgin, or non-stick spray
- 1 pound chicken, boneless cubed (about 3-4 boneless, skinless breasts)
- 1 onion, medium diced
- 3-4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 cans Great Northern Beans
- 1 3.5-ounce can green chilies
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon oregano leaves dried
- ½ teaspoon coriander
- ½ teaspoon salt
- fresh cracked pepper
- 1 lime
- ½ cup cilantro chopped
- 32 ounces chicken broth
Toppings
- sour cream or non-fat Greek yogurt
- cilantro chopped
- pepperjack or Jack cheese shredded
- avocado
- tortilla chips
- Also great served with crusty bread and Creamy Jalapeno-Lime Butter
Instructions
- In a large pot, heat olive oil. Add chopped onion and cook for about 2 minutes- just until it starts to become translucent. While onions are cooking, drain beans, rinse with cold water, and set aside.
- Sprinkle chopped chicken with a little salt and pepper and add to pot. Add garlic as well. Cook until there’s no more visible pink on the chicken, probably 3-4 minutes. Then add green chills – along with all of the juices in the can.
- Add beans, cumin, oregano, coriander, salt, and a few turns of fresh cracked pepper. Stir to combine and then add chicken broth. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer uncovered for 10-15 minutes.
- Remove from heat and add the juice from one lime and the ½ cup chopped cilantro. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Ladle into bowls and top with toppings.
Notes
- ROTISSERIE CHICKEN – if you’re using precooked chicken, just add it along with the broth and let it simmer. Easy!
- I call this a chili, but it’s really a soup consistency. If you want it thicker, just reduce the amount of broth. Or, alternatively, take an additional can of beans (drained and rinsed) and place them in a blender. Ladle in a cup or 2 of the finished broth (avoid the chicken pieces, etc.) and puree until smooth. Add this mixture to the soup.
- Another way to make this a creamier, heartier soup is to add about 1/3 cup dry rice with the broth and let it simmer until soft (about 20 minutes). You can also add a can of evaporated milk at the very end after the heat has been turned off.
- Store cooled leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator and enjoy within 3-4 days for best results.
- Like most soups, White Chicken Chili freezes well. Freeze in individual portions for a quick meal when needed!
Questions & Reviews
I find it so funny that you posted this NOW. I really wanted white chicken chili on Friday night so I was searching the house for the recipe. I almost called you to get it, but I was too hungry and I pretty much remembered the spices so I just threw some stuff together and luckily it turned out just as good as I remembered 🙂
I was going to email you and suggest you put it on the blog so I could find it more easily next time!
I think it should also be added that my favorite “condiment” is really a side- butter, garlic, lime juice and cilantro all whipped until fluffy and spread on chewy warm dipping bread- YUM!
Yum! My recipe calls for cayenne pepper which gives it QUITE a kick, so that’s something else to try if you want it spicier. In fact, I started cutting it in half (but my DH always adds a few extra shakes to his bowl).
Cami- good question. We actually need to do an entire post on oils because we get so many questions about it.
I need to be better at always writing “Extra virgin olive oil” because that’s really the only kind you should use. I get lazy and just write olive oil assuming everyone can read my mind, lol.
the “Extra” in the name means, premium, or the best. It’s the highest grade you can buy. I’ll go into the specifics in a later post, but that’s always what you should use.
Plain olive oil is actually a blended product. It starts with a really low-grade virgin oil, but then it’s chemically altered and refined so they can sell it as olive oil. Yuck.
There’s also “light” olive oil, but all that is, is the above chemically refined oil with *less* of the good stuff in it so it has a more mild flavor. It’s not light in calories or anything.
Bottom line- always use extra virgin olive oil. You’ll find tons of different varieties and price tags, which can be kind of confusing. Olive oil is kind of like wine. Every brand will have a different look and taste depending on the olive harvest and flavor etc.
Fall’s hitting the Seattle area with temperatures in the 60’s. I prefer white chili to the typical red chilis, so maybe I’ll try this sometime.
Yay! I finally have a google account so I can leave comments. I can’t wait to try this soup. And I am hosting a cooking class at my home this Thursday so I can demonstrate your BBQ grilled pizza.
It is definately not fall here in California. I am getting so tired of summer clothes!
I’m one of those who has the “old” recipe so I’m definatly going to have to try it again. But we loved it the first time around! And no, fall has not hit in north central Utah! The mountains are beautiful red, but for Becka’s birthday on Saturday it was in the 80’s!! I’m decorating today so I at least feel like it’s fall!
This looks great! Can’t wait to try it.
P.S. What is the difference between pure olive oil, and extrta virgin olive oil? And which do you use?
I think I’ve had this 50 times and it’s still great! Such a good, filling meal esp on a cold day!
Oh my goodness! I was just looking through a soup cookbook this afternoon deciding that we NEED a soup week! My family might revolt if all they get is soup this week but if I start with this one how can they complain? Yum!
Ooh, I actually have all these ingredients on hand (my cupboards are a little bare). Thank you for your perfect timing! I love a good soup that’s hearty enough for my husband to eat. This looks perfect.
By the way, Kate, my roommate from college found your site so your buttons must be working!