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White Bean Chicken Chili Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.8 from 668 reviews
  • Author: Villerius
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 45 minutes
  • Total Time: 50 minutes
  • Yield: 6 servings
  • Category: Soup
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: Mexican American

Description

This White Bean Chicken Chili is a hearty, flavorful dish featuring tender shredded chicken, creamy white beans, sweet corn, and a blend of spices simmered in a mild green enchilada sauce. Perfect for cozy dinners, it offers a comforting twist on traditional chili, garnished with fresh lime juice and customizable toppings like sour cream, avocado, and tortilla strips.


Ingredients

Scale

Base Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 small yellow onion, chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 2 pounds)
  • 3 cups chicken stock
  • 1 (19-ounce) can mild green enchilada sauce
  • 1 (4-ounce) can green chilies
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

Beans and Vegetables

  • 2 (14-ounce) cans white beans (Great Northern or cannellini), drained and rinsed
  • 1 (14-ounce) can sweet whole kernel corn, drained
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced

Finishing Touches

  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from 1 lime)

Optional Toppings

  • Sliced jalapeño
  • Sour cream
  • Avocado
  • Tortilla strips
  • Cotija cheese
  • Fresh cilantro


Instructions

  1. Sauté Aromatics: Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Once shimmering, add the chopped onion and cook, stirring often, until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
  2. Add Chicken and Liquids: Stir in the chicken breasts, chicken stock, mild green enchilada sauce, green chilies, cumin, chili powder, salt, and black pepper. Increase heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil.
  3. Simmer Chicken: Reduce heat to low, cover, and let it simmer for 25 to 30 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked and tender. Remove chicken to a plate.
  4. Shred Chicken and Blend Chili: Use two forks to shred the chicken. For a thicker chili, transfer 2 cups of the chili, including beans and vegetables, to a blender and puree until mostly smooth, then return it to the pot. Alternatively, use an immersion blender directly in the pot to blend about a quarter of the chili.
  5. Add Beans, Corn, and Bell Pepper: Stir in the drained white beans, corn, and diced red bell pepper. Cover and cook over medium-low heat for 5 to 10 minutes until bell pepper is tender and beans are warmed through.
  6. Finish Chili: Stir the shredded chicken and fresh lime juice into the pot, mixing well.
  7. Serve: Divide the chili evenly among 6 bowls. Top with optional garnishes such as sliced jalapeño, sour cream, avocado, tortilla strips, cotija cheese, and fresh cilantro if desired.

Notes

  • You can use an immersion blender to thicken the chili instead of transferring to a blender for convenience and less cleanup.
  • To make this recipe in an Instant Pot, sauté onions and garlic using sauté mode, then add all ingredients and cook at high pressure for 15 minutes, followed by manual release.
  • Adjust the heat by adding more or fewer chilies or jalapeños according to your spice preference.
  • Leftover chili stores well in the fridge for up to 4 days and freezes nicely for up to 3 months.
  • For vegetarian variation, omit chicken and increase beans and vegetables, using vegetable stock instead of chicken stock.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 bowl (approximately 1 1/2 cups)
  • Calories: 320
  • Sugar: 4g
  • Sodium: 550mg
  • Fat: 7g
  • Saturated Fat: 1g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 6g
  • Trans Fat: 0g
  • Carbohydrates: 32g
  • Fiber: 7g
  • Protein: 35g
  • Cholesterol: 75mg