White Chicken Chili

This scrumptious white chicken chili recipe is one of the most outstanding spicy chicken recipes in my arsenal and nothing tastes better on a cold blustery day. Chicken chili is wholesome, nutritious, and economical and it just happens to be one of the most delicious chicken recipes of all time (imho).

When the weather outside chills me to the bone, I start pulling out my chili recipes to see which one strikes my fancy and this recipe hits a chord every time. There’s a reason this dish is so popular. Come and taste why!

If you’re feeling more like a “red” version of chicken chili, check out my chicken chili or my crockpot chicken chili!  If you want white chicken chili to have on the dinner table quickly, my Instant Pot white chicken chili is your answer. My family adores chili so it’s always is in our dinner rotation.

Oh, you also might want to try the most popular, reader-favorite chili recipe on my site, Texas chili…the perfect “Bowl o’ Red”…… smokey, beefy, and of course, no beans!

What I Love About White Chicken Chili Recipe

• Loaded with wholesome veggies
• Lots of great spices
• Easy to customize the recipe
• No crazy kitchen gadgets required

White Chicken Chili Ingredients

The good news is that this white chicken chili recipe doesn’t require any type of crazy ingredients. You may even have everything already in your kitchen cupboards. Here’s a little bit about the main food items that will build your incredible dish.

• Boneless Chicken Breast – Well, chicken is chicken and you need it for this white chicken chili recipe. I think it tastes best with boneless skinless chicken breasts, but the dark meat will work too if that’s what you prefer. Just be sure to cut the pieces the same way according to the directions.
• Better Than Bouillon – Better Than Bouillon is a seasoning paste made from veggies, meats, and spices. It packs sooo much more flavor than those salty little cubes and it’s easier to measure since it’s a paste.
• Salsa Verde – Salsa Verde is a type of green salsa made from tomatillos and roasted green chiles among other things. It’s a tangy zesty concoction that gives your white chicken chili recipe a refreshing flavor.
• Roasted Green Chiles – These guys are little flavor bombs on steroids. If you can’t technically find roasted green chiles in the grocery store, you can always buy them fresh and roast your own. Just make sure you don’t skip them!
• Instant Masa – Masa is a corn product that is typically used in Latin American dishes. In this white chicken chili recipe, it is used as a thickening agent that has sweet undertones which add a much better flavor than flour.
• Aromatic Veggies – You’ll be sautéing your aromatics as you build your white chicken chili recipe. Sautéing your veggies before you add them to your dish helps reduce any bitterness while coaxing out the really great milder flavors we love so much.
• Spices – A little time in a hot pan helps perk up your herbs and spices, too! This white chicken chili with corn is as delicious as it is beautiful.

Tips

• Overcrowding: When you’re browning your chicken cubes, be careful not to overcrowd the pot. They pieces of chicken should not touch each other so you may have to brown in multiple batches. Overcrowding prevents air from circulating properly which can cause your chicken to burn.

HOW TO STORE AND MAKE AHEAD

• How Long Can You Keep This In The Fridge? If stored according to FDA recommendations, your white chicken chili recipe should stay fresh for up to 4 days in the fridge. Just be sure to observe the 2-hour serving rule and let your chili cool completely before tossing it in the fridge.
• Can You Freeze This?  Yep! This white chicken chili recipe makes a fantastic freezer meal! I try to keep a batch in the freezer during the cold-weather months, so I’ve always got a ready-made meal. The good news is that this is one of those dishes that tend to get better as it sits because the flavor continues to develop!
• Make-Ahead Tips:I like to prepare this up to the part where you add the chicken and juices back to the pot. Instead of bringing everything to a boil, I’ll go ahead and prepare it for the freezer and toss it into the frozen abyss.

How To Make White Chicken Chili

1. Season chicken cubes generously with salt and pepper. Brown chicken on both sides in batches.
2. Sauté onions, garlic, and jalapeño until onions are translucent.
3. Add spices and herbs, until the spices become fragrant about 1-2 minutes.
4. Add the rest of the ingredients and add browned chicken into the pot.
5. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat immediately and simmer for 40-45 minutes.
6. Add toppings. Stir in lime juice and cilantro then ladles into individual bowls. Top with toppings and serve.

See full instructions below.

Can I Make This In A Crockpot?

Yes Here’s How:

1. Season chicken cubes generously with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, on the stovetop, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat and brown chicken on both sides in batches, do not crowd the pot. Remove browned chicken onto a plate; set aside.
2. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the skillet, reduce heat to medium, and sauté onions, garlic, and jalapeño until onions are translucent. Add cumin, coriander, and oregano continuing to sauté, stirring constantly so spices don’t burn, until spices become fragrant about 1-2 minutes.
3. Transfer sautéed vegetables and spices into a crockpot, using a rubber spatula to scrape everything out of the skillet. Add browned chicken and any juices that have accumulated on the plate to the crockpot.
4. To the crockpot add chicken broth, dissolved Better Than Bouillon, salsa verde, diced tomatoes, corn, green chilis, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, masa, and both types of beans.
5. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.
6. Stir in lime juice and cilantro then ladle into individual bowls. Top with toppings as desired and serve.

Serving Recommendations

I love to serve all of my chili recipes CORNBREAD! You can’t go wrong with classic Southern cornbread. Fluffy, only a little sweet, and excellent at soaking up chili, this is a true chili dinner treat! Or spice things up with my jalapeno cornbread! This is a snap to make and gives your chili a perfect balance of heat. Want an even quicker and easier side dish for dipping? My Bisquick biscuits are the perfect, easy-to-make dippers!

I also like to have a bit of greens on the side. My KFC Coleslaw is always a first-choice side with this chili for me!

More Amazing Chili Recipes

• Classic Chili (My Mama’s recipe!)
• Boilermaker Chili 
• Hot Dog Chili
• Steak Chili
• Turkey Chili

Have You Tried This Recipe?

Leave a review, I love hearing your feedback! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Save Recipe!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

White Chicken Chili

Bold savory white chicken chili is hearty deliciousness full of wholesome ingredients, a little heat, and a whole lotta’ love to warm you up.

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Author: Kathleen

Ingredients

• ▢ 3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
• ▢ salt
• ▢ black pepper
• ▢ 1/4 cup vegetable oil divided
• ▢ 1 1/2 cups yellow onion, chopped
• ▢ 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
• ▢ 2 jalapeno pepper finely chopped-(remove ribs and seeds for a family friendly milder version)
• ▢ 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• ▢ 1 tablespoon coriander
• ▢ 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• ▢ 2 cups chicken broth
• ▢ 1 heaping tablespoon chicken flavor Better Than Bouillon, dissolved in 1/2 cup boiling water
• ▢ 1 (16-ounce) jar salsa verde
• ▢ 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juices
• ▢ 1 (15-ounce) can corn, drained
• ▢ 1 (7-ounce) can mild green chiles,  diced, with juices
• ▢ 1/4 cup instant Masa
• ▢ 2 (15-ounce) cans Great Northern beans,  drained and rinsed
• ▢ 1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• ▢ 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• ▢ 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

Toppings:

• ▢ jack or cheddar cheese, shredded
• ▢ avocado, sliced
• ▢ sour cream
• ▢ jalapeno, sliced
• ▢ cilantro, chopped

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Season chicken cubes (3 pounds) generously with salt and pepper. In a large pot, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat and brown chicken on both sides in batches, do not crowd the pot. Remove browned chicken onto a plate; set aside.
  
• Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the pot, reduce heat to medium, and saute onions (1 1/2 cups), garlic (1 tablespoon), and jalapeno (2) until onions are translucent. Add cumin (1 tablespoon), coriander (1 tablespoon), and oregano (1 tablespoon) continuing to saute, stirring constantly so spices don't burn, until spices become fragrant about 1-2 minutes.
  
• Add chicken broth (2 cups), dissolved Better Than Bouillon (1 heaping tablespoon), salsa verde (1 jar), diced tomatoes (1 can), corn (1 can), green chilis (1 can), 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, masa (1/4 cup), and both types of beans (2 cans Great Northern beans + 1 can pinto beans). Add browned chicken and any juices that have accumulated on the plate into the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat immediately and simmer for 40-45 minutes.
  
• Stir in the lime juice (1 tablespoon) and cilantro (1/2 cup) then ladle into individual bowls. Top with toppings and serve.

Fans Also Made:

• 
  Chicken and Bean Chili Verde
• 
  Creamy White Chicken Chili (One Pot Meal!)
• 
  Crockpot White Chicken Chili (Prep in 15 mins!)
• 
  Green Chicken Chili (One Pot Comfort Food!)

RATE THIS RECIPE

Save Recipe!

Notes

1. Overcrowding: When you’re browning your chicken cubes, be careful not to overcrowd the pot. They pieces of chicken should not touch each other so you may have to brown in multiple batches. Overcrowding prevents air from circulating properly which can cause your chicken to burn.

Nutrition

Serving: 1/4 of the recipe | Calories: 983kcal | Carbohydrates: 92g | Protein: 95g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 218mg | Sodium: 2313mg | Potassium: 1713mg | Fiber: 22g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 413IU | Vitamin C: 30mg | Calcium: 101mg | Iron: 4mg

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? I'D LOVE TO SEE!Tag @GonnaWantSeconds or #gonnawantseconds on Instagram!

© Gonna Want Seconds. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media/website/blog is strictly prohibited.

On your phone? Check the web story here.

Pin

Share

Email