Easy White Chicken Chili

Once you pull your sweaters out of storage and start seeing pumpkins and squash in the grocery store, you know it’s time for comfort foods to enter the weekly menu lineup.

When it comes to soups, stews and chilis, it can be hard to decide what to make. They’re all so cozy! If you have 30 minutes or less to cook dinner, this easy white chicken chili recipe is just the thing. Using common ingredients like ground chicken, cannellini beans, chicken broth and onion, this chili is an approachable weeknight dish.

The secret to an easy recipe for white chicken chili is in the beans—half of them are mashed, which is a great way to thicken soups and chilis. The mashed beans help create the hearty texture that chili is known for. Finish it all off with a dollop of sour cream, chopped cilantro and shredded cheddar.

Ingredients for Easy White Chicken Chili

• Chicken broth: Homemade broth is the best option if you have any available, but store-bought broth will still make a delicious chili.
• Ground chicken: Ground chicken is a lean and affordable option for this easy white chicken chili recipe.
• Cannellini beans: Use a can of rinsed and drained cannellini beans, or substitute great northerns.
• Onion: Aromatics are important when flavoring soups. Yellow onions are the best type of onions here since they hold up well to cooking.
• Chopped green chiles: This ingredient is what makes chili different from soup or stew. Use one can of chopped green chiles to flavor the broth.
• Vegetable oil: Saute the chicken and vegetables in vegetable oil before adding the other ingredients.
• Seasonings: Add dried cumin, oregano and pepper for a simple blend of spices.
• Optional toppings: Toppings are arguably the best part of chili recipes. Try topping this easy recipe for white chicken chili with sour cream, chopped cilantro and freshly shredded cheddar cheese.

Directions

Step 1: Saute the chicken

Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the ground chicken and onion and cook over medium-high heat, breaking the chicken into crumbles. Cook until the chicken is no longer pink, six to eight minutes.

Step 2: Add the remaining ingredients

Pour one can of beans into a small bowl and mash them slightly, using either a potato masher or a fork. Stir the mashed beans into the chicken mixture, along with the remaining can of beans, chiles, seasonings and broth. Bring everything to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the flavors are blended, 12 to 15 minutes. Serve with toppings as desired.

Easy White Chicken Chili Variations

• Add other vegetables: This chili is delicious as is, but you can also personalize it to your taste—or to whatever you have in your fridge that needs to get eaten. Try adding corn, chopped up bell peppers or cubed potatoes. You can also add greens like spinach or sauteed kale to get in some extra veggies.
• Try different beans: Any white bean will go great with this chili, whether it’s cannellini, great northern, navy or even lima beans. You can also mix and match white beans with darker ones like pintos or kidney beans.
• Change up the protein: Try this easy white chicken chili recipe with shredded chicken instead of ground, especially if you’re looking for ways to use up leftover chicken. For a different flavor altogether, try ground beef. It’ll make a heartier chili.

How to Store Easy White Chicken Chili

Chili stores super easily and is going to taste just as good after a couple of days. Store it in an airtight container in the fridge, or freeze it for a rainy day.

How long does chicken chili last?

Easy white chicken chili lasts for up to four days in the fridge. Store the toppings separately so you can sprinkle fresh toppings over your chili on day two or three.

Can you freeze chicken chili?

Your future self will thank you for freezing this easy recipe for white chicken chili. It will keep in the freezer for up to four months. Let it thaw overnight in the fridge when you’re ready to serve it.

How do you reheat chicken chili?

Reheating your white chicken chili recipe is easy on the stovetop. Stir it occasionally until it is boiling and everything is fully heated through. Add extra broth as needed if the chili has thickened up too much.

Easy White Chicken Chili Tips

Can you use shredded chicken in chicken chili?

You can definitely use shredded chicken instead of ground chicken in this chili. For shredded chicken, saute the onions on their own in Step 1, and then add the shredded chicken in Step 2 along with the remaining ingredients.

What can you serve with chicken chili?

This white chicken chili recipe is easy to serve with a batch of freshly made cornbread. If you like a bit of heat, serve it with jalapeno cornbread. I like to have a variety of colors on my plate, so I usually pair chicken chili with broccoli or a kale salad on the side.

Can you make this chicken chili with dried beans instead of canned beans?

Recipes with dried beans are so much easier to cook than they seem, and they’re also lower in sodium and super tasty. Substitute freshly cooked dried beans for canned ones for an elevated take on this chili.