White Chicken Chili (with Cooking Video)

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Tender chicken with cannellini beans and chilies topped with Monterrey Jack cheese. Yum!

Simple and delicious White Chicken Chili. This chili has no tomatoes in it, which is one of the reasons for its name.

I was first introduced to White Chicken Chili years ago when we lived in the farmhouse in North Carolina.

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We were going away for a couple days and one of my husband’s soldiers house sat for us while we were gone. We had pets – and chickens – who needed caring for and we couldn’t take them with us to where we were going. We offered to pay her for house sitting, but instead, she asked for me to make her a pot of “White Chili” as payment.

bowl of white chicken chili

Back then I had never even heard of it and had to search online for a recipe. I don’t remember what recipe I made back then, but this is the version I came up with since.

Watch me make this White Chicken Chili in the Video below.

In the video I reference that I made it differently than I had it on the website here. However, I realized the way I made it in the video was quicker and simpler. So I updated this recipe to reflect those simplified instructions.

chicken, onion and a jalapeno pepper on a cutting board with a chef knife

To begin, heat the butter and oil in your Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Toss in cubed chicken, onion, jalapeno pepper and minced garlic.

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Cook until the chicken is opaque and the onions are tender. About 5 minutes.

chicken, onion and pepper cooking in a Dutch oven

Add in oregano, cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, black pepper, green chilies, and broth.

cannellini beans in a colander

Bring the soup to a boil, reduce the heat and cook for about 10 – 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.

Turn the heat up for a few minutes to bring the soup to a boil.

Whisk the cold water and corn starch together in a small dish. Add half of the mixture to the boiling soup to thicken. If you would like it thicker, add the rest of the cornstarch slurry.

Serve topped with shredded Monterrey Jack cheese.

Serve this with some homemade Skillet Cornbread if you like.

This recipe can easily be made with leftover cooked chicken or turkey. Simply add the diced chicken or turkey in after sautéing the onion & pepper.

Tender chicken with cannellini beans and chilies topped with Monterrey Jack cheese.

White Chicken Chili

Constance Smith – Cosmopolitan Cornbread
Tender chicken with cannellini beans and chilies topped with Monterrey Jack cheese.
5 from 25 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course Entrées – Main Dishes, Soups and Stews
Cuisine American
Servings 6
Calories 407 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded & minced
  • 1 lb chicken breasts, boneless, skinless – cubed in 3/4 inch pieces
  • 1 Tb butter
  • 1 Tb extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 ounces diced green chili
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • 2 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 quart chicken broth
  • 45 ounces canned cannellini beans, rinsed & drained
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/3 c cold water
  • 3 Tb corn starch

For Serving

  • Monterrey Jack cheese, shredded

Instructions
 

  • To begin, heat the butter and oil in your Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Toss in the chicken, onion jalapeno pepper and garlic until the chicken is opaque and the onions are tender. About 5 minutes.
  • Add in the oregano, cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, black pepper, green chilies, and broth.
  • Bring the soup to a boil, reduce the heat and cook for about 10 – 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
  • Turn the heat up for a few minutes to bring the soup to a boil.
  • Whisk the cold water and corn starch together in a small dish. Add half of the mixture to the boiling soup to thicken. If you would like it thicker, add the rest of the cornstarch slurry.
  • Serve topped with shredded Monterrey Jack cheese.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cCalories: 407kcalCarbohydrates: 53gProtein: 34gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 57mgSodium: 970mgPotassium: 1358mgFiber: 11gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 183IUVitamin C: 12mgCalcium: 193mgIron: 8mg

Nutritional information is auto-generated and the accuracy is not guaranteed.

Did You Try This?I’d Love For You to Share it on Instagram and tag me! @CosmopolitanCornbread

This recipe was originally written in 2014, and updated with simplified instructions in 2022.

21 thoughts on “White Chicken Chili (with Cooking Video)”

  1. Oh my goodness this white chili is so, so good. My husband and I are both too full because we had to have another bowl. Made cornbread to go with it. Thank you so much for an awesome recipe that will be made again and again.

    Reply
  2. I made my first white chili last year, I had never heard of it either but it was so good it will definitely be something I make more often.

    Reply
  3. I have never tasted white chili, but would LOVE to! Your recipe sounds delicious and I am sure I would love it! Thank you for sharing Constance!

    Reply
  4. White chicken chili is really delicious, those who won’t try it because it’s not the traditional beef kind (*cough* some Texans *cough*) are really missing out. Thanks for posting!

    Reply
  5. I’ve always enjoyed white chili and sometimes wonder if it is also good with turkey (I prefer turkey over chicken). Great that you got to use a batch of chili as payment for house sitting.

    Reply
  6. First of all, may I have that blue pot? Second of all, may I have a bowl of your delicious chili? Yes to both?

    Reply
  7. This was the first time I ever made chicken chili and i love it! I love your chili, it is beautiful, loaded with flavor and looks just amazing! I love it!

    Reply

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