Description

This White Chicken Chili is a comforting and flavorful soup featuring tender shredded chicken, creamy beans, and a perfect blend of spices. It’s thickened naturally by pureeing some of the beans, creating a rich and velvety texture. Easy to prepare on the stovetop, this chili is an ideal meal for cooler days, garnished with fresh cilantro, cheese, avocado, and crunchy tortilla chips. It can also be adapted for slow cooker or Instant Pot methods for convenience.

Ingredients

Main Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small yellow onion, chopped (about ½ cup)
2 garlic cloves, finely minced (or 1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder)
2 ½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 4 oz cans diced green chilies
1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon paprika
½ small lime, juice from
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 15 oz cans great northern beans
1 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
1 cup corn (frozen or fresh)
2 heaping cups cooked chicken, shredded (rotisserie or leftover chicken)

Topping Suggestions

Fresh cilantro
Shredded cheese
Tortilla chips
Green onions
Avocado slices

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Instructions

Sauté Onion and Garlic: Heat olive oil in a large (5-6 quart) pot over medium-high heat. Add chopped onion and sauté until softened, about 3-5 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds to release its aroma.
Add Broth and Spices: Pour in chicken broth, then add diced green chilies, ground cumin, cayenne pepper, paprika, oregano, and lime juice. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
Prepare Beans: Drain and rinse the great northern beans. Take a large ladleful of beans along with a splash of broth from the soup and puree them in a food processor until smooth. This step is optional but helps to create a creamy and thick chili texture.
Add Beans and Corn, Simmer: Add both the pureed beans and the whole beans into the soup pot, along with the corn. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for 15 to 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld and the chili to thicken.
Finish with Chicken and Sour Cream: Remove the pot from heat, then stir in the sour cream (or Greek yogurt) and shredded cooked chicken to warm through without further cooking.
Serve and Garnish: Ladle the chili into bowls and top with fresh cilantro, shredded cheese, avocado slices, green onions, and crunchy tortilla chips as desired for added flavor and texture.

Notes

Yield: About 6 cups of soup. Serving Size: Approximately 1¼ cups.
Spice Level: Using mild green chilies keeps the chili mild. For less spice, reduce to 1 can of green chilies or omit cayenne pepper.
Green Chilies Substitution: You can use ½ cup of salsa verde instead of diced green chilies for a different flavor profile.
Chicken: For raw chicken, add 1.5 lbs to the pot with broth in step 2 and cook through. Or use pre-cooked rotisserie chicken for ease.
Beans: Any small white beans such as cannellini or navy beans may be substituted; pinto beans can work in a pinch.
Vegetarian Version: Omit chicken and substitute vegetable broth. Additional vegetables like bell peppers and zucchini can be added.
Slow Cooker Option: Add all ingredients except sour cream and cooked chicken to slow cooker. Cook on low for 5 hours or high for 3 hours. Shred chicken if raw and add sour cream before serving.
Instant Pot Method: Sauté onions and garlic using sauté function, then add other ingredients. Cook on manual/high pressure for 8 minutes with natural release. Shred chicken if raw, add sour cream before serving.
Storage: Refrigerate for 3-4 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or microwave.
Freezing: Freeze chili up to step 5 (before adding sour cream) for up to 3 months. Freeze cooked chicken separately. Thaw overnight before reheating and add chicken and sour cream fresh.