White Chicken Chili
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This white chicken chili is made with charred fresh poblano peppers as well as green chilies. While many chili recipes rely on dried chilies or chili powder for their depth of flavor, this recipe is made with green, fresh and canned varieties. The soup has fire roasted corn and a combination of great northern and pinto beans, which are both types of white beans. Great northern beans are larger and have a creamier texture, while pinto beans are smaller and have a more earthy flavor. The corn has been roasted over an open flame giving it a smoky flavor that pairs well with the beans and other ingredients in the soup. I use frozen corn though fresh can be used as well. If this is your type of meal then don’t miss my green chili and corn seafood chowder and 3-bean vegetarian chili.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Comfort in a bowl! This protein-loaded soup is hearty, warming, and perfect for chilly nights.
- Meal prep friendly. Stores well in the fridge, freezes beautifully, and reheats without losing flavor.
Key Ingredients in This Recipe
- Poblano peppers – Poblanos are a mild, deep green pepper frequently used in Mexican cooking, named after Puebla where they were first cultivated. Because they’re so flavorful they’re a great versatile pepper. They’re less spicy than jalapeños, ranging from 1,000 to 2,000 Scoville (for comparison jalapeños range from 2,500 to 8,000 Scoville Heat Units). I char them on the stove and let them steam, then peel the skin off before dicing them and adding them to the chili.
- Spices – Seasoning the white chili with a combination of coriander and oregano deepens the flavors.
- Green chilies – Canned diced green chilies are typically made from mild chilies like Anaheim (New Mexico chili), poblano or pasilla varieties. They add a great flavor to any recipe without adding much heat.
- Corn – Frozen corn provides a sweet addition to the chili and adds a nice texture. I like using frozen corn in this recipe because it cuts down on prep and there’s no need to spend time shucking it.
- Beans – I use a combination of pinto beans and great northern beans for the chili. Great northern beans have a smooth and creamy finish with a nutty and earthy flavor and hold their shape fairly well when cooked. Pinto beans are a common variety of bean with an earthy flavor and creamy texture. They turn a reddish-brown color when cooked.
- Chicken – Cook the lean boneless, skinless chicken in the chili until they are poached then shredded and added back to the pot. Cooking the chicken in the broth adds to the flavor and keeps the recipe to one pot.
- Cream – I finish the chili with a touch of cream for added richness, however, if you prefer, you can omit.
A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Swaps and substitutions
- The frozen corn can easily be swapped for canned or fresh corn kernels cut off the cob.
- Any combination of your favorite beans can be used in place of the great northern and pinto beans.
- Rather than cooking the chicken breasts in the broth you can use leftover shredded rotisserie chicken.
How to Make White Chicken Chili (Step-by-step)
Char poblano chilies over gas flame or in a broiler until blackened on all sides.
Next enclose the charred chilies in a paper bag for 10 minutes. After roasting the poblanos, carefully peel off the charred skin, being careful to keep the stem intact. Remove the stem and discard along with the seeds. Dice the roasted poblanos.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat, add the oil and heat through. Add onions and garlic and sauté until tender, about 6 minutes. Then add the fire-roasted poblano peppers, diced green chilies, coriander and oregano, stirring to combine.
Add the chicken stock and nestle in the chicken breasts. Bring the mixture to a boil then cover and simmer over medium-low heat. Wait about 45 minutes until you cook the chicken.
Remove the chicken to a cutting board and shred it.
Season the chili with salt. Return the shredded chicken to the pot with the corn and beans. Add the cream and stir to combine.
Ladle into bowls and serve topped with sour cream, cheese, avocado, jalapeño peppers, cilantro and tortilla chips. Serve warm.
How to store white chicken chili
Store this soup refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days or freeze in resealable plastic bags for up to 3 months. Label each bag with the recipe name and date, then remove as much air as possible and seal. Lay out flat on a small baking sheet, then freeze until solid. Remove from the baking sheet and stack in the freezer.
How to make this recipe dairy-free
I finish the soup with a bit of cream for richness though it can easily be omitted. For a non dairy option, I recommend lightly mashing some of the beans to add a creamy texture. Serving with pickled jalapeño peppers adds a nice acidic touch to complement the other rich and smoky flavors.
FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions
While many chili recipes rely on dried chilies or chili powder for their depth of flavor, this recipe is made with green, fresh and canned varieties along with chicken and beans.
Yes! I finish the soup with a bit of cream for richness though it can easily be omitted. For a non-dairy option, I recommend lightly mashing some of the beans to add a creamy texture.
Yes! Simply omit the chicken breasts in favor for additional beans and swap vegetable broth for chicken stock.
Yes! This method is perfect for hands-off cooking – use boneless chicken, beans, chiles, and spices, then shred the chicken toward the end. Cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.
Store this soup refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days or freeze in resealable plastic bags for up to 3 months.
Warm gently on the stovetop or microwave, adding a splash of broth or cream to refresh consistency.
Other Recipes to try
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White Chicken Chili
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Ingredients:
For the white chicken chili:
- 2 medium poblano peppers
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 (7-ounce) cans diced green chilies
- 1 tablespoon ground roasted coriander
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 6 cups chicken stock
- 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Kosher salt, as needed
- 2 cups frozen roasted corn, thawed
- 1 (12-ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (12-ounce) can great northern beans, drained and rinsed
- ½ cup heavy cream
For serving:
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
- 1 medium haas avocado, pitted, peeled and sliced
- ¼ cup pickled jalapeño peppers
- Small bunch cilantro
- 1 cup crushed tortilla chips
Instructions:
For the white chicken chili:
- Char poblano chilies over gas flame or in a broiler until blackened on all sides.
- Enclose the charred chilies in a paper bag for 10 minutes. After roasting the poblanos, carefully peel off the charred skin, being careful to keep the stem intact. Remove the stem and discard along with the seeds. Dice the roasted poblanos.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat, add the oil and heat through. Add onions and garlic and sauté until tender, about 6 minutes. Add the fire-roasted poblano peppers, diced green chilies, coriander and oregano, stirring to combine.
- Add the chicken stock and nestle in the chicken breasts. Bring to a boil then cover and simmer over medium-low heat until the chicken is cooked through and tender, about 45 minutes.
- Remove the chicken to a cutting board and shred it.
- Season the chili with salt. Return the shredded chicken to the pot with the corn and beans. Add the cream and stir to combine.
For serving:
- Ladle into bowls and serve topped with sour cream, cheese, avocado, jalapeño peppers, cilantro and tortilla chips. Serve warm.
Notes:
Nutrition:
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We made this recipe for dinner last night, and it was delicious! I think that even people who are not fans of traditional chili would like this white chicken version. Great recipe!
I had the white chicken chili for dinner last night, and it was excellent – a wonderful combination of flavors and ingredients. I recommend it to anyone – chili lover or not!
I notice that we had this two years ago, and I commented on it. I had the white chicken chili again last night and still love it and recommend it once again!