Description

This White Chicken Chili recipe is a hearty and flavorful comfort meal featuring tender chicken, white beans, and green chilies simmered together with aromatic spices. Creamy and slightly tangy with sour cream and fresh lime juice, it’s perfect for a cozy dinner and easy to customize with favorite toppings like shredded cheese, avocado, and tortilla chips.

Ingredients

Scale

Main Ingredients

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or thighs)
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 (15-oz) cans white beans (cannellini or great northern), drained and rinsed
2 (4-oz) cans diced green chilies
1 cup frozen or canned corn, drained
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

Spices & Seasonings

1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon chili powder
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional, for extra heat)
Salt and black pepper, to taste

Finishing Touches & Garnishes

½ cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Fresh cilantro, chopped (for garnish)
Shredded cheese (optional, for serving)
Avocado (optional, for serving)
Tortilla chips (optional, for serving)

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Instructions

Sauté Aromatics (Stovetop Method): Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced onion and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Then stir in the minced garlic and cook for an additional 1 minute until fragrant.
Build the Chili: Add ground cumin, dried oregano, chili powder, and cayenne pepper to the pot. Stir and cook for 1 minute to release the spices’ flavors. Next, add the chicken breasts, drained white beans, diced green chilies, corn, and low-sodium chicken broth. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
Simmer & Shred Chicken: Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot and let it simmer gently for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken from the pot, shred it with two forks, then return the shredded chicken to the chili.
Add Creaminess & Serve: Stir in the sour cream or Greek yogurt along with fresh lime juice. Let the chili simmer for another 5 minutes to blend the flavors. Ladle the chili into bowls and garnish with freshly chopped cilantro, shredded cheese, slices of avocado, and crunchy tortilla chips as desired.

Notes

Use chicken thighs instead of breasts for a juicier, more flavorful chili.
Adjust the cayenne pepper amount or omit for less heat.
Sour cream can be substituted with Greek yogurt for a healthier option.
For thicker chili, mash some of the beans before adding the chicken back in.
Leftovers store well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and freeze nicely for up to 2 months.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Category: Soup
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: American