White chicken chili filled with a creamy broth, juicy shredded chicken and the perfect amount of spices mixed with corn, jalapeño and white beans.
Yes the chili is creamy! Why it doesn’t show in the pictures is beside me.
What’s important is I know the perfect way to make the best white chicken chili soup. No need for blending the beans or using cream cheese. God knows why would you?
Filled with perfect spices of the classic salt and black pepper but turning up the heat slightly with cumin and chili powder.
A touch of green chilies and jalapeño this white chicken chili soup is easily made and fire to eat.
How To Make White Chicken Chili
Ingredients needed for the chili
- Shredded chicken (highly recommend buying rotisserie chicken to shred)
- Onion
- Garlic
- Diced green chilies
- Corn
- White beans (cannellini beans)
- Chicken broth
- All-purpose flour
- Lime
- Jalapeño
- Heavy cream
Helpful tips for making a better recipe
- You can clearly make shredded chicken at home. But, buying a rotisserie chicken makes things super easy and to add the chicken is always flavorful and tender.
- Why I don’t blend the beans? I am not against it but heavy cream taste better. It’s easier to simple pour in the heavy cream than make an extra dirty dish and the creaminess is guaranteed. Now, I am against cream cheese. Without flour or starting with cream cheese it’s a real pain to mix into liquids.
Making the white chicken chili recipe
- To start, shred the chicken and prep the ingredients. All the can ingredients are drained and rinsed. Chop the onion and jalapeño then mince the garlic.
- A large pot or dutch oven on medium high heat add a little oil for cooking then toss in the diced onion and jalapeño. When those are cooking and the onions become translucent toss in the garlic. Now, once garlic is fragrant lower the heat to medium.
- Add in the flour and mix the flour around a bit cooking off the raw flavor. Then, add in the corn, green chilies, beans and toss the chicken on top. You have to drop the heat or the flour can burn before you can add all the ingredients in. A quick tip, pour a little chicken broth in to buy you more time.
- Now, pour in the chicken broth and turn the heat up to bring the pot to a boil then lower it to a simmer. Then, add in the chili powder and cumin. Cook the white chicken chili on a low simmer covered for 20 minutes. Come back and stir occasionally.
- When 20 minutes is up, turn off the stove and remove from heat. Juice one lime and add in heavy cream then taste for salt and black pepper.
- Serve with sliced avocado, tortilla chips and a white cheese like Monterrey Jack.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What will thicken white chicken chili?
Using something like flour or cornstarch is best. In red or regular chili, tomato paste does the job but with white chicken chili you need a little help. I have seen people blending the beans but they say it works for them and I say that’s great.
If you’d like to make this recipe in the crockpot, I recommend making a slurry of cornstarch instead of flour for the recipe. Use 2 TB of cornstarch with the 4 cups of chicken broth then follow the recipe as follows.
Why is my white chicken chili watery?
You blending the beans didn’t you or used cream cheese. These things have their place but you need something more concrete and that’s where flour comes in. If the chili is already done, create a slurry of a cup of water and 2 TB of cornstarch and simmer the chili until its thick. This method should save the chili for you.
Great winter dishes to try next…
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White Chicken Chili
Ingredients
- 1 pound shredded chicken
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 jalapeño, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 can whole kernel corn
- 2 cans white beans (cannellini beans)
- 7 ounce can of diced green chiles
- 4 cup chicken broth (1 32oz carton)
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- salt & black pepper to taste
Instructions
- To start, shred the chicken and prep the ingredients. All the can ingredients are drained and rinsed. Chop the onion and jalapeño then mince the garlic.
- A large pot or dutch oven on medium high heat add a little oil for cooking then toss in the diced onion and jalapeño. When those are cooking and the onions become translucent toss in the garlic. Now, once garlic is fragrant lower the heat to medium.
- Add in the flour and mix the flour around a bit cooking off the raw flavor. Then, add in the corn, green chilies, beans and toss the chicken on top. You have to drop the heat or the flour can burn before you can add all the ingredients in. A quick tip, pour a little chicken broth in to buy you more time.
- Now, pour in the chicken broth and turn the heat up to bring the pot to a boil then lower it to a simmer. Then, add in the chili powder and cumin. Cook the white chicken chili on a low simmer covered for 20 minutes. Come back and stir occasionally.
- When 20 minutes is up, turn off the stove and remove from heat. Juice one lime and add in heavy cream then taste for salt and black pepper.
- Serve with sliced avocado, tortilla chips and a white cheese like Monterrey Jack.