White Chicken Chili Recipe (2024)

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Full of flavor with tasty and easily available ingredients, this White Chicken Chili Recipe is the perfect comfort food when you want to warm up and switch up your chili routine.

White Chicken Chili Recipe (1)

I’m a chili fan, always have been and always will be. I don’t discriminate on any types of chilis at all and this White Chicken Chili is super tasty and we love it.

Now when you think of chili you always think your normal chili with kidney beans, ground beef, etc. Well think outside the box with this one.

With a fun southwest twist we just can’t get over the flavor of this White Chicken Chili Recipe and neither will you, it will become a regular dinner recipe.

This is also the perfect recipe to make if you have any leftover shredded chicken! We cook up batches of chicken at the time and shred it and freeze it for other uses.

This Chili would be perfect for that, or you could boil or bake your chicken or use rotisserie chicken as well for this! The possibilities are endless.

Some of our other favorite chili recipes that we have on our site include: Instant Pot Chicken Chili, Crockpot Taco Chili and Sweet Heat Chili!

White Chicken Chili Recipe (2)

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:

  • Readily available ingredients that are easy to find at your local grocery make this super easy.
  • This makes a large batch to serve a crowd.
  • This can made in the slow cooker for a fix it and forget it option.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED (FULL RECIPE AT BOTTOM):

Onion
Garlic
Butter
Shredded chicken
Rotel
White beans
Fire roasted corn
Green chiles
Ranch seasoning
Salt
Black pepper
Chicken stock
Cream cheese
Cilantro, jalapeños, limes, tortilla strips, Shredded cheese (optional)

White Chicken Chili Recipe (3)

HOW TO MAKE THIS WHITE CHICKEN CHILI RECIPE, STEP BY STEP:

  1. Sauté́ diced onions, minced garlic, and butter in a large Dutch oven or large pot until onions are translucent.
  2. Add in shredded chicken, Rotel, white beans, corn, green chilies, ranch seasoning, salt, pepper, and chicken stock.
  3. Stir and let simmer over medium heat for 35 minutes.
  4. Turn heat to low and add in cubed cream cheese.
  5. Stir until melted.
  6. Serve with all your favorite chili toppings.

White Chicken Chili Recipe (4)

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ON WHITE CHICKEN CHILI:

WHAT KIND OF CHICKEN SHOULD I USE?

You can use rotisserie chicken, chicken breast or even canned chicken. I have made a crockpot of chicken breast and use the shredded chicken throughout the week.

You can also boil or bake chicken breasts as well and shred them up to use for this recipe! There are so many possibilities!

CAN THIS WHITE CHICKEN CHILI BE MADE IN THE SLOW COOKER?

Yes! To make this in the slow cooker, just add all the ingredient and cook for 4-6 hours on low. Then you will add in the cream cheese right before serving.

I would use an 8 quart slow cooker for this recipe to make sure everything fits.

If you are halving this recipe you can use a smaller slow cooker.

CAN I USE A DIFFERENT TYPE OF ROTEL?

Absolutely, while we default to the regular Rotel for this recipe, we have also used Chili Fixins and Mexican Style. But there are about 6 different kinds of Rotel and all will work for this depending on your flavor preference.

White Chicken Chili Recipe (5)

HOW TO STIEE:

This White Chicken Chili Recipe can be storeD in an airtight container in the refrigerator where it will keep for up to 1 week.

This can also be frozen, place your cooled chili in a freezer container or freezer bag and place in the freezer where it will keep for up to 3 months.

To defrost, remove your chili from the freezer and let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Heat up on the stove until heated through.

TIPS AND TRICKS:

  • Use any kind of shredded chicken you have, see my tips above on some uses.
  • There are many different Rotels, we use regular in this recipe but all will work depending on your flavor profile.
  • This can be frozen, see my tips above.
  • White beans can either be Great Northern or Cannellini.
  • You can top this with any of your favorite toppings, we like cilantro, sliced jalapeños, limes, tortilla strips an shredded cheese.
  • This can be made in the slow cooker, see my instructions above on how to do that.
  • Fresh green chiles can be used if you have them, just sauté then with your onions.

White Chicken Chili Recipe (6)
Wan’t a fun and flavorful chili recipe that is different from your normal routine? Then you have to make my White Chicken Chili Recipe!

If you like this recipe you might also like:

  • Chicken Rice Soup
  • Slow Cooker Chicken Wild Rice Soup
  • Chicken Gnocchi Soup

If you’ve tried thisWHITE CHICKEN CHILI RECIPEor any other recipe on my site, let me know in the comment section how it turned out, we love hearing from our readers! You can also follow along with me on PINTEREST, FACEBOOK and INSTAGRAM to see more amazing recipes and what shenanigans I’m getting into!

White Chicken Chili Recipe (7)

White Chicken Chili Recipe

Full of flavor with tasty and easily available ingredients this White Chicken Chili is the perfect comfort food when you want to warm up and switch up your chili routine.

5 from 1 vote

Print Pin Rate

Course: Chili, Main Course, Soup

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes minutes

Servings: 8

Calories: 439kcal

Author: Tornadough Alli

Ingredients

  • 1 cup onion diced
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 4 cups shredded chicken
  • 30 ounces (2 15. oz cans) Rotel
  • 15 ounce can white beans drained
  • 15 ounces canned fire roasted corn drained
  • 8 ounces (2 4. oz cans) chopped green chiles
  • 2 tablespoon ranch seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 4 cups chicken stock
  • 8 ounces cream cheese cut into cubes

Toppings (optional):

  • Cilantro
  • Sliced Jalapeno
  • Limes
  • Tortilla Strips
  • Shredded cheese

Instructions

  • Sauté́ diced onions, minced garlic, and butter in a large Dutch oven or large pot until onions are translucent.

  • Add in shredded chicken, Rotel, white beans, corn, green chilies, ranch seasoning, salt, pepper, and chicken stock.

  • Stir and let simmer over medium heat for 35 minutes.

  • Turn heat to low and add in cubed cream cheese.

  • Stir until melted.

  • Serve with all your favorite chili toppings.

Notes

  1. Toppings are not included in nutritional value.
  2. Use any kind of shredded chicken you have, see my tips above on some uses.
  3. There are many different Rotels, we use regular in this recipe but all will work depending on your flavor profile.
  4. This can be frozen, see my tips above.
  5. White beans can either be Great Northern or Cannellini.
  6. You can top this with any of your favorite toppings, we like cilantro, sliced jalapeños, limes, tortilla strips an shredded cheese.
  7. This can be made in the slow cooker, see my instructions above on how to do that.
  8. Fresh green chiles can be used if you have them, just sauté then with your onions.

Nutrition

Calories: 439kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 99mg | Sodium: 1138mg | Potassium: 897mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 706IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 131mg | Iron: 4mg

Tornadough Alli is not a nutritionist or dietitian, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and nutritional value is important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and values can vary depending on which brands were used.

Tried this recipe?Mention @TornadoughAlli or tag #TornadoughAlli!

Nutrition Disclaimer

White Chicken Chili Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why is my white chicken chili not thick? ›

Thin chili may just need time to cook down. Cook it uncovered low and slow, at least one hour, for it to thicken on its own. Cooking it uncovered allows for evaporation to reduce and concentrate the chili. For quick weeknight chili, using cornmeal is probably the fastest option.

What is white chili made of? ›

White chili is made with white beans, chicken (sometimes pork), and mild green chiles. (That said, if you must, must have scorching heat in your chili, there are ways to do that while still keeping the chili white.

How to thicken white chicken chili without cornstarch? ›

Cornstarch isn't the only way to thicken chili. You can also use flour, cornmeal, or masa harina as a cornstarch substitute.

What not to put in chili? ›

Beans and non-vegetable fillers such as rice and pasta are not allowed." If that sounds a bit uptight, the ICS's Homestyle Chili competition defines chili as: "any kind of meat, or combination of meats, and/or vegetables cooked with beans, chili peppers, various spices, and other ingredients.

What is the most important spice in chili? ›

Most Common Chili Spices. Cumin, Chile Powders, and Paprika are the most common spices in chili followed by garlic, onion, coriander, Mexican oregano, and bay leaves. These ingredients can be combined to create a savory and well-balanced pot of top notch comfort food.

What is the best way to thicken white chicken chili? ›

From the Editor
  1. Use a cornstarch slurry: Mix together equal parts cornstarch and cold water, then stir it into the chili.
  2. Simmer the chili longer: The longer you simmer the chili, the thicker it will be. ...
  3. Add more beans: Mash another can of cannellini beans with a potato masher, then stir it into the chili.
Oct 19, 2023

What can I use to thicken up white chicken chili? ›

All-purpose flour and cornstarch are useful for thickening chili, as well as sauces, soups, and stews. However, you'll want to avoid adding these ingredients directly to your recipe, as this will result in clumps. Instead, create a slurry and add it slowly to help the thickener fully incorporate.

Why put sour cream on chili? ›

For an extra tangy, rich bite, incorporate a dollop (or five) into your batch. This is already common practice in many white chili recipes (which, ironically, are often made with green chiles), but a dollop of stirred-in sour cream can benefit red chili, as well.

Why do you put white vinegar in chili? ›

Stirred into the pot right before serving, a spoonful of vinegar brightens up the finished product, and gives it that full, rounded taste that was missing. Even if the chili recipe you're using doesn't call for vinegar, go ahead and add it anyway. You won't actually taste the tang or sharp flavor of the vinegar.

Why is my white chili watery? ›

This can be the result of: Adding too much stock, broth, or water. A base of beef broth, chicken broth, or stock (and occasionally water, milk, or cream), sets the tone for most chili recipes. If your chili looks watery, you may have poured in more than required.

Does tomato paste make chili thicker? ›

Not only will tomato paste add a tangy flavor to the dish, but it will also act as a thickening agent. For this purpose, you can use homemade or store-bought tomato paste. Add 1 can of the paste to your pot of chili, stir the mixture, and let it cook on medium heat for about 30 minutes.

When to add beans to chili? ›

You know the saying, “save the best for last?” To keep your beans nice and plump, add them about 20 minutes before you finish cooking. This will give them plenty of time to impart that perfectly seasoned chili flavor to your recipe without overcooking.

Should chili be thick or soupy? ›

Chili should be thick and hearty enough to be a meal on its own, but sometimes there's just a bit more liquid than you want in the pot. While you can simply keep simmering the chili, that method risks overcooking softer ingredients like the beans, losing all your nice texture to mushy monotony.

Why do you put brown sugar in chili? ›

The brown sugar gave it a sweet/tangy flavor that reminded me of BBQ-sauce! Th chili was so good - it was hard to stop eating it! I did had some extra veggies (1 cl. garlic, 1 celery stalk, 1 carrot, 1 bell pepper, 1 hot pepper) and used a can of diced tomatoes rather than tomato juice.

How does Martha Stewart make chili? ›

Add chili powder, cocoa, and tomato paste; cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes more. Add tomatoes, broth, and cooked beef. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, partially covered, until thickened slightly, 25 to 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper; serve with sour cream and chives.

What ingredient makes chili thick? ›

Use All-Purpose Flour or Cornstarch

"Transfer some warm liquid [from the chili] to a separate bowl. Whisk in the flour or cornstarch, then slowly stir it back in the pot," advises Wofford. Bring the mixture back to a boil, which will "activate" the ingredient, instantly thickening the dish.

What makes the best chili meat? ›

You can really use any meat for chili, but here are the cuts that are most popular for classic chili:
  • Ground beef (80/20) ...
  • Ground sirloin (90/10) ...
  • Brisket. ...
  • Short ribs. ...
  • Tri-tip sirloin. ...
  • Work with your butcher to get multiple textures. ...
  • Use multiple animals to add depth. ...
  • Go for grass-fed and grass-finished beef.
May 11, 2021

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