I can’t believe this quick and easy white bean chicken chili recipe takes less than an hour to toss together! I cook up tender chicken breasts in a flavorful chili broth filled with corn, green chiles, white beans, lime juice, and the most delicious seasonings, then shred the chicken and add sour cream. This stovetop recipe for creamy white chicken chili is one of my favorite dinners because it’s so comforting!
Top Reader Review
This recipe was so good!!! My husband is not a fan of white chicken chili but he had seconds! I followed the recipe and I only added extra salt and pepper to our liking. I garnished with cilantro and cut tortillas in strips and broiled with an a drizzle of oil olive for a few minutes. I will definitely make this again!
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Creamy White Bean Chicken Chili
This one pot recipe for white chicken chili is my favorite thing to whip up on busy weeknights because it’s just so easy! I love red chicken chili, but the Tex-Mex flavors of this creamy chicken chili with white beans are unbeatable. Juicy chicken breasts, green chiles, jalapeños, and corn make the perfect combination, and I add sour cream to this chili right at the end to create a wonderfully silky consistency.
My Crockpot white chicken chili has been a family favorite for years, but this stovetop version is much quicker to throw together in the evenings, without much planning.
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Use Shredded Chicken
I always have shredded chicken in my fridge, so on extra busy nights, I use leftover chicken in this white bean chili recipe instead of cooking chicken breasts from scratch. Just stir the cooked chicken into the chili broth with all the other ingredients and let everything simmer on the stove until warmed through. The simplest dinner idea ever, and just as comforting.
Easy White Chicken Chili Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 yellow onion (diced)
- ½ jalapeno pepper (seeded and minced)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- 4 ounces diced green chiles (1 can)
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cut into thirds*)
- 5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- salt and pepper (to taste)
- 30 ounces white beans (2 cans, drained and rinsed**)
- 1½ cups frozen corn (***)
- ½ cup sour cream (****)
- 2 limes (juiced)
Optional Garnishes:
- diced avocado
- chopped fresh cilantro
- tortilla chips
Instructions
- In a large pot set over medium-high heat, add the olive oil, onion, and jalapeno and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, oregano, cumin, and chili powder and cook for 1 minute more.1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 yellow onion, ½ jalapeno pepper, 2 cloves garlic, ½ teaspoon dried oregano, ½ teaspoon chili powder, ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- Add the can of green chilis, chicken breasts, and chicken broth to the pot. Add salt and pepper to taste. Bring the pot to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer covered for 10-12 minutes. The chicken should be tender and cooked through.4 ounces diced green chiles, 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 5 cups low-sodium chicken broth, salt and pepper
- Transfer the chicken to a plate and use a fork to shred it into bite-sized pieces.
- Add the shredded chicken back to the pot along with the white beans and corn. Simmer over low heat, uncovered, for 10 more minutes.30 ounces white beans, 1½ cups frozen corn
- Remove the pot from the heat, stir in the sour cream, and squeeze in the juice of 2 limes.½ cup sour cream, 2 limes
- Serve while hot, garnished with avocado, cilantro, or tortilla chips if desired.diced avocado, chopped fresh cilantro, tortilla chips
Notes
- To make this more or less spicy, add more or less green chilis or jalapenos.
- Bring the sour cream to room temperature before using. This will prevent curdling, and ensure it mixes into the broth seamlessly.
- Skip the sour cream if you want a more liquid-y broth. Use heavy cream if you want it even creamier.
- Leftover/cooked chicken can be added in Step 4
- Nutritional information does not include optional garnishes.
Note: Water, salt, pepper, oil, and broth are not counted as ingredients on this site.
Make it Extra Creamy
Stirring a little bit of sour cream into this white chicken chili right at the end gives it a slightly creamy, silky texture that I just love. But if you want to make this white bean chili recipe even creamier, add an extra spoonful of sour cream, or ¼ cup of whole milk. Plain Greek yogurt is a good sour cream alternative if you want a lighter option without missing out on the creaminess.
How to Make White Chicken Chili on the Stovetop Step by Step
Prep: Gather the ingredients for this white bean chicken chili recipe. Dice the onion, mince the garlic, de-seed and mince the jalapeño, and drain and rinse the cans of white beans. Then cut the chicken breast into thirds. Cutting it into smaller pieces will help it cook through faster.
Sauté the Veggies: In a large pot set over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 1 diced yellow onion, and ½ of a jalapeño pepper (de-seeded and minced). Cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Next, add 2 cloves of minced garlic, ½ teaspoon of dried oregano, ½ teaspoon of ground cumin, and ½ teaspoon of chili powder, then cook for 1 more minute.
Cook the Chicken: To the pot, add a 4 ounce can of green chiles, 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, and 5 cups of chicken broth. Add salt and pepper to taste. Bring the pot to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer covered for 10-12 minutes. The chicken should be tender and cooked through.
Shred the Chicken: Take the cooked chicken breasts out of the pot, and shred it on a plate using two forks. If you’re starting with leftover chicken, you can simply shred and add it to the pot in the next step.
Add Beans and Corn: Add the shredded chicken breast back to the pot, along with 30 ounces of white beans (drained and rinsed) and 1½ cups of frozen corn. Simmer chili over low heat, uncovered, for 10 more minutes, or until everything is warmed through.
Make it Creamy: Remove the pot from the heat, stir in ½ cup of sour cream, and squeeze in the juice of 2 limes. To make it extra creamy, add another ½ cup of sour cream. Or if you prefer, use heavy cream instead.
Serve: Serve bowls of white bean chicken chili while hot, garnished with avocado, cilantro, or tortilla chips. Enjoy!
How to Store, Freeze, and Reheat
Store leftover white chicken chili in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time, stirring between intervals, until heated all the way through. To reheat larger portions, heat on the stovetop over medium-high heat, stirring until warmed throughout. This chili can be frozen in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Let it slowly thaw in the refrigerator prior to reheating.
More Chicken Chili Recipes we Love
Note: This recipe is one of those few exceptions on our site that has more than 10 ingredients. We try to keep things VERY easy around here, and limiting ingredients and time spent is one of our favorite ways. That being said, this recipe is too delicious to leave out of our recipe box! It’s an exception that is so flavorful and worth the extra ingredients if you have the time and resources to make it.
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