White Bean Chicken Chili
This cozy white chicken chili is a creamy, comforting crowd-pleaser packed with tender chicken, white beans, green chilies, and warm spices. It’s mild enough for kids, hearty enough for adults, and perfect for feeding a group or stocking your freezer. This recipe is a great example of how simple ingredients can come together to create a nourishing, flavorful meal — especially when you use foundational cooking skills to build layers of flavor.
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 308kcal
Ingredients
- ¼ cup (½ stick) butter
- 1 small onion, diced ¼” (~1 cup)
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 Tablespoons chili powder
- 1 Tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 quart low-sodium chicken broth or stock
- 3 cups whole milk
- 4 - 15 oz cans navy or cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 cups shredded cooked chicken
- 2 - 4 oz cans diced green chilies, drained
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 6 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (~1 ½ cups)
Toppings to YOUR Taste
- 1 Tablespoon Cholula or other hot pepper sauce
- Chopped fresh cilantro
- Diced avocado
- Sour cream
- Shredded cheese
Instructions
- Melt butter in a large saucepan or stockpot (~5-6 quart) over medium heat. Add diced onions and sauté until translucent, ~5-7 minutes.
- Add garlic and flour, and stir for ~3-4 minutes (do not brown). Add the chili powder and cumin during the last 30 seconds.
- Gradually whisk in chicken broth, milk, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer over medium to medium-high heat (it will take a while!). Once simmering, continue to cook until slightly thickened, ~10 minutes.
- Add white beans, shredded chicken, and green chilies. Simmer gently to blend flavors, ~20 minutes. Turn off heat.
- Add shredded cheese to chili and stir until cheese is melted. Ladle chili into bowls and garnish with hot sauce, cilantro, and avocado. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Serving: 1cup | Calories: 308kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 48mg | Sodium: 968mg | Potassium: 278mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 737IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 289mg | Iron: 4mg