White Chicken Chili

When the temperature drops, which is pretty much anytime between the months of October and March, I’m a chili kinda gal. Especially when there are leftovers to enjoy for lunch the next day.

And even though red and beefy chili is pretty darned delicious, White Chicken Chili is equally comforting but also much easier to make. Plus, it’s a lot lighter, not heavy and tomatoey like traditional chili.

The things I’m particular about making sure you do to make this recipe are sautéing the chicken and onions together, which gives the broth some really great flavor from what’s left in the pot after the meat is removed, and adding the sour cream and heavy cream with the heat off, as adding them with the pot still on can result in separated, curdled dairy.

Why I Keep Coming Back to This

I love that there’s only one pot and that it’s done in 45 minutes, and how creamy and bright and flavorful this recipe is. Those great northern beans are the perfect complement to all of the other ingredients, and the two cans of green chiles give it that Southwestern flair that isn’t overbearing or super hot.

The flavors are amazing and they meld together even more perfectly the next day.

Why the Chili Needs to Simmer for 30 Minutes

It takes 30 minutes for the great northern beans to soften and break apart just enough to make the chili thicker, and for all of the flavors and spices to soak into the chicken. The starchiness of the beans is what makes this recipe thicker and chunkier and more delicious.

Why the Sour Cream & Heavy Cream Get Added with the Heat Off

Adding them with the pot off ensures that the sour cream/heavy cream will melt into the chili and make it perfectly creamy. If you add it with the pot still on, it will separate and make the whole thing really grainy and curdled.

Turning off the burner leaves plenty of heat in the chili to incorporate the sour cream/heavy cream and bring them up to temp.

What you’ll need: chicken, great northern beans, sour cream, green chiles, etc.

• 1.5 lbs. boneless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into ½-inch cubes
• Two 15 oz. cans of Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed*
• Two 4 oz. cans of chopped, mild green chiles (do not drain)**
• One 14 oz. can of chicken broth (see tip about broth below)
• 1 tsp. each ground cumin and oregano***
• ¼ tsp. ground cayenne (see tip about cayenne below)
• 1 cup sour cream*****
• ½ cup whipping cream
• Great Northern beans work great in this recipe, but cannellini beans, which have a creamier texture, are good too. I actually prefer to use cannellini myself. Navy beans work as well, but break down easier, so you’ll probably end up with a thicker chili. ** It’s important that you don’t drain the liquid from the green chiles before adding them to the pot. The chiles and their flavorful liquid provide much of this recipe’s seasoning. If you want more heat, swap one can for the hot variety, and it will be MUCH spicier.

*** Either kind of oregano is fine, and the kind that’s labeled “Mexican Oregano” has a stronger, more pungent flavor.

**** I like the heat of cayenne in this recipe, but you can tone it down or leave it out if you’re spice-challenged (you can always add more after tasting the finished product, but can’t take it out). Use only ⅛ of a tsp., or leave it out altogether, if you’re spice-challenged.

The green chiles do provide some heat themselves.

***** Light sour cream doesn’t stand up to simmering as well, so full-fat is recommended. Plain, full-fat Greek yogurt will work as a sub too, and it will make it a tad more tangy.

Heavy whipping cream is easiest to find, but half-and-half works as well.

That’s ok because the beans and chiles do have salt in them. You can also use Better Than Bouillon mixed with water (1 tablespoon paste for 1 cup water).

In a large pot or Dutch oven, cook chicken and onion in the oil over medium-high heat about 15 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through (no more pink) and onion is softened, stirring frequently. Add the garlic powder for the last few minutes of cooking, as it could burn if added with the onions.

Add the drained great northern beans, green chiles (undrained), broth, salt, pepper, cumin, oregano and cayenne and stir to combine. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer uncovered over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until beans begin to fall apart and chili has a slight thickness, 30 minutes.

Give it around 20 minutes and it should start smelling like chili. Remove from heat, stir in sour cream and cream until smooth, adjust seasoning and spoon into bowls.

Serve with your favorite toppings.

Slow Cooker Directions: Transfer sauteed chicken and onion to a minimum 4-quart crockpot. Add beans, chiles, broth, salt, pepper, cumin, oregano and cayenne and stir to combine.

Cover and cook over low heat 2-4 hours. Set crock to Warm and stir in sour cream and cream.

Serve with your favorite toppings.

Build a Bowl or Turn It Into Nachos

If you’re serving White Chicken Chili straight up, serve with crumbled cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese, a few crushed tortilla chips, sliced jalapeño and a dollop of sour cream. If you’re feeling extra, add cilantro and a squeeze of lime.

Other ideas: diced avocado, Fritos, warm cornbread, buttered slices of French bread. It’s also fantastic spooned over a mountain of nachos, baked potatoes, corn chips, crackers, even hot dogs.

The sky is the limit.

Freeze It Before the Dairy Goes In

White Chicken Chili keeps in an air-tight container in the refrigerator up to 4 days, and it’s better the next day, trust me on this one. Expect it to be a little thicker than normal because the beans drink up whatever broth is left and turn into more of a bean stew.

Thin with a splash of broth when reheating. Reheat over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally.

You’re looking for a simmer, not a boil, especially since there’s dairy in this chili that doesn’t reheat well. Microwave is also OK, heat for 90 seconds, stir, repeat as needed.

Can I Freeze White Chicken Chili?

Because sour cream and heavy cream can change texture when they’re frozen, it’s best to leave those out of the freeze. Freeze the rest of the chili and when you’re ready to enjoy it again, thaw, re-heat, stir in the dairy and it’ll be indistinguishable from the original.

Why did my sour cream curdle?

Sour cream curdles if added while the chili is actively hot. To avoid curdling, remove from heat, wait 1 minute for the pot to calm down and stir in sour cream and cream.

The residual heat is plenty to combine the dairy. If it does curdle it’s going to look less smooth but will still taste good.

Can I use shredded rotisserie chicken?

You bet! In place of the first step with the chicken, add onion and cook in the oil 5 minutes until softened and translucent.

Add rotisserie chicken and beans and proceed as directed. Note: Rotisserie chickens are seasoned, so before adding the salt, give the chili a taste.

Can I make this recipe dairy-free?

In place of dairy sour cream, I’d recommend using an equal amount of unsweetened dairy-free yogurt or cashew cream. To replace heavy cream use full-fat coconut cream.

Add both at the end of the recipe off of the heat just like sour cream.

What if it comes out too thin?

There are options for thickening your white chicken chili.

Remove about 1 cup of beans from your chili and mash them up with some of the broth. Add them back into your pot and stir well.

This is a really easy way to naturally thicken soups and chilis without adding starches.

The second option is to reduce the chili by simmering it an additional 10 minutes, uncovered. That will help with an over-abundance of liquid.

NOTE: The trick I shared to thicken barley soups does not apply to this recipe.

Four Ways to Spin This Recipe

Spicy White Chicken Chili – Use a can of HOT green chiles, add 1-2 diced jalapeño with the onion to the initial sautée, add ½ t. cayenne to the broth, serve with avocado slices on top.

White Chicken Chili Verde – In place of the chicken broth, stir in ½ cup salsa verde + ½ cup water, add another can of drained and rinsed green chiles and finish with a squeeze of lime juice in place of sour cream.

Variation for thicker, more stew-like chili: Cut down on broth to 1/2 cup, and before adding beans to chili, take one can of beans and mash them really well with a fork or potato masher. Add them along with the second can of beans, unmashed, to your chili.

The starches from the beans will release into your chili to make a stewier consistency that goes well served over a baked potato, rice, etc.

Make it more like a smokier Tex-Mex chili: Use black beans instead of great northern, add about 1/2 cup frozen corn when you add beans, and serve with lots of extra lime and cilantro.

Want more soups and stews? Check out these favorites:

White Bean Turkey Chili is like white chicken chili, but with cannellini beans and ground turkey.

Crockpot Beef Barley Soup. You can start it when you leave for work in the morning and it will cook for 8 hours.

The barley makes the broth thicker as it cooks.

Crockpot Shredded Chicken Tacos – An incredibly easy way to feed the masses.

Creamy White Chicken Chili comes together easily, and makes for an awesome winter night dinner.