This white chicken chili is one of my most-made dinners once the weather turns cold, and honestly, I don't see that changing anytime soon. It's cozy, it's just so flavorful, and it's BEYOND easy to make - just one pot and minimal chopping. Serve it with a slice of my easy skillet cornbread and you've basically got the ultimate cozy night dinner. 🌶️
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Not Your Average Chili
Most chili recipes go tomato-heavy and beef-based. This one doesn't. White beans, green chiles, and shredded chicken make it lighter and creamier, and a little Greek yogurt at the end gives it that rich, tangy finish without weighing you down.
Building out a full chili lineup? My vegetarian chili and chili and cornbread skillet need to be in the rotation too.
Why You’ll Love This White Chicken Chili
- It's ready in under 40 minutes on the stovetop, or hands-off in the crockpot if you'd rather set it and forget it.
- Mashing a cup of the beans creates a thick, creamy texture without any cream or flour needed.
- It's endlessly toppable, cheese, cilantro, jalapeño, tortilla chips, you really can't go wrong.
- It freezes beautifully, so it's an easy one to double for future-you.
- Multiple people I've made this for have asked for the recipe on the spot. No misses here!!
Ingredient Notes
Most of what's here is straightforward pantry and freezer stuff, but a couple of things are worth flagging before you shop.
- White beans: Mash one cup of these before adding them in, that's the whole trick to a thick, creamy chili with zero dairy doing the heavy lifting up front.
- Green chiles: Mild, tangy heat. Want more spice? Cayenne and a diced jalapeño on top will get you there. Want it milder? Use just one can of chiles instead of two.
- Greek yogurt: Stands in for sour cream, both in the chili and on top. Full-fat or 2%, either works.
- Making it vegetarian: Skip the chicken and swap the chicken broth for vegetable broth. The beans and chiles still give you plenty to work with.
Erin's Expert Tips
Mash one cup of the white beans with a potato masher until soft before adding them to the pot, this is THE secret to that thick, creamy consistency, no heavy cream or flour needed.
Add the chicken breasts in raw and let them cook right in the broth for 15-20 minutes, no need to cook them separately first.
Wait until the heat is completely off before stirring in the Greek yogurt and lime juice. Adding dairy to a boiling pot can cause it to curdle, and nobody wants that in their chili!
How to make white chicken chili
Three easy stages: build the base, cook the chicken right in the broth, then shred and finish it off with yogurt and lime. Minimal prep, mostly hands-off simmering.
- Step 1: Sauté the onion in olive oil until soft, then add the garlic and spices.
- Step 2: Stir in the broth, mashed and whole beans, green chiles, tomatoes, corn.
- Step 3: Add raw chicken breasts. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook 15-20 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
- Step 4: Remove the chicken, shred it once cool enough to handle, then add it back to the pot.
- Step 5: Turn off the heat and stir in the lime juice and Greek yogurt.
- Step 6: Assemble and serve!
Frequently Asked Questions
Below are some common questions about this white chicken chili. Don’t see the answer you’re looking for? Leave a comment at the bottom of this post!
Yep! Place all the ingredients in the crockpot and cook on low for 5-6 hours. Shred the chicken with a fork once done and stir it back in before serving.
Yes, boneless skinless thighs work well here and tend to stay a little juicier. The cook time is about the same, just check that they're cooked through before shredding.
Mashed beans are the easiest no-extra-ingredient method, but a spoonful of cream cheese or a splash of heavy cream stirred in at the end will also thicken things up if you want an even richer chili.
You can, you'll just miss out on the chicken soaking up flavor from the broth. If you go this route, stir in about 3 cups of shredded rotisserie chicken at the same point you'd add the lime juice and yogurt.
100%, this is a great make-ahead meal. Chop everything and store it in a freezer bag, then thaw before cooking on the stove or in the crockpot. If you're freezing leftovers of the finished chili instead, freeze it before stirring in the Greek yogurt if you can, dairy doesn't always thaw back to the same texture. Stir it in fresh after reheating. It'll keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Yes. Sauté the onion and garlic right in the pot, then add the broth, beans, chiles, tomatoes, corn, and raw chicken. Cook on Manual/High Pressure for 8 minutes, then let the pressure release naturally for 15 minutes before shredding the chicken and stirring in the lime juice and yogurt.
Storing leftovers
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. It reheats great on the stove or in the microwave, and honestly? Even better the next day.
If you tried this recipe or any other recipes on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Follow @erinliveswhole on Instagram and tag me in any of the recipes you make so I can repost them!
Easy White Chicken Chili Recipe (Stovetop or Crockpot)
Ingredients
Method
- Saute onions in olive oil until soft. Add in garlic for one minute and then add in all spices.
- In a separate bowl, mash 1 cup of beans with a potato masher until soft, we will use this to thicken the soup.
- Add broth, mashed and regular beans, green chiles, fire roasted tomatoes, and corn into pot. Then add in the chicken breasts and cook at medium-high heat.
- Once it comes to a boil, reduce heat to simmer and cook 15-20 minutes until chicken is cooked through, this will vary depending on the size of the chicken breasts.
- Once chicken is cooked, turn off heat and take out the breasts. When chicken is cool enough to handle, shred with two forks.
- Add the chicken back in, along with the juice of one lime and the Greek yogurt.
- Stir all together and serve with extra toppings such as cilantro, Greek yogurt, cheese, tortilla strips, and jalapenos.
Nutrition
Notes
- Mash One Cup of Beans Before Adding: Before adding the beans to the pot, take 1 cup of white beans and mash them with a potato masher until soft. This is the secret to that thick, creamy consistency without needing any heavy cream or flour.
- Add the Chicken Raw: Drop the chicken breasts right into the pot raw and let them cook in the broth for 15–20 minutes until cooked through.
- Add the Greek Yogurt Off the Heat: Turn off the heat completely before stirring in the Greek yogurt and lime juice. Adding dairy to a boiling pot can cause it to curdle, and nobody wants that in their chili!
Tried this recipe?
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Find more cozy, crowd-pleasing dinners perfect for fall and winter:
Recipe by Erin Morrissey and Photos by The Mindful Hapa
Marissa says
Erin nails another recipe! Super easy to throw in the crockpot, set it and forget it - except you won’t forget it because it smells delicious. Husband ranks this in his top 2 along with the ELW Sausage Tortellini Soup. Thanks Erin for sharing your yummy, wholesome recipes!
Erin says
Hi Marissa, so happy you both loved it! 🙂
Beckie says
So flavorful and easy to make for a weeknight dinner. My husband asked where the recipe was from and I say Erin lives whole, his answer was well, I know it’ll be good then!
I used a fork to mash up white beans and worked out fine. So delicious!
Erin says
Hi Beckie, so happy you both loved it!!
Alexa says
This recipe is sooo good and easy to make for a quick weeknight dinner. In fact, I made it in the crockpot so that all I had to do was shred the chicken after cooking. I added the greek yogurt after the 7 hours of cooking. It was delicious.
Erin says
Hi Alexa, so happy you enjoyed it so much!
Danielle says
I have been wanting to make this for awhile and I wish I made it sooner! Such a great addition to my Sunday football chili line up!
Erin says
Hi Danielle, so happy you loved it! 🙂
Meaghan says
This soup is AMAZING! So warming and hearty while not being heavy (if that makes sense!), and it was so easy to make! Highly recommend 🙂
Erin says
Hi Meaghan, so happy you loved it!!
mcook says
so good but my Greek yogurt got all weird and clumpy once I added it in. Still delicious tho!
Erin says
Hi, you can try warming it up next time. The cold on warm cause sometimes cause it to be clumpy. Hope that helps! Let me know!
Katie T says
Made this in the crockpot for dinner tonight and it was a huge hit, even with my picky husband!! I did brown the chicken a little before putting it in and it still came out juicy at the end. This is definitely going to be a part of our rotation!!
Erin says
Hi Katie, so happy you both loved it! 🙂
Annie says
Just made this and it's delicious! It was super easy to make and also easy to clean up since it was mostly canned stuff lol! So excited to eat it all week.
Erin says
Hi Annie, so glad you loved it! 🙂
Elise says
Made this last night and it was so good!!! Super easy and faster than most chili recipes, definitely adding to our winter soup rotation 😊
Erin says
Hi Elise, so happy you loved it!!
Brandy says
So dang good and easy! Love this “go-to” weekday or any day recipe!
Erin says
Hi Brandy, so glad you loved it!
Kristen says
Erin always nails the trifecta of easy, delicious and nutritious! This will definitely be added to my regular dinner rotation.
Erin says
Hi Kristen, so glad you loved it!
Caity says
So incredibly easy to make (did the crock pot version) and sooo delicious. Hits the spot every time. An easy go to
Erin says
Hi Caity, so glad you loved it!
Veronica says
Easy to make and so delicious!
Erin says
Hi Veronica, so happy you loved it!!
Erin says
My fav white chicken chili!
Erin says
Hi Erin, so glad you loved it!
Ariel says
Hands down the best chicken chili I’ve ever made! Erin, your recipes are my favorite. Easy to make and I almost always have the ingredients on hand! Thanks, Girl!
Erin says
Hi Ariel, so glad you loved it!
Lindsay says
The best white chicken chili I’ve ever made. Just such good flavor in the broth, and I used sour cream instead of Greek yogurt, but the cheese and sour cream mixed in just made it so creamy and delicious. Another one the whole family loved
Erin says
Hi Lindsay, so glad you loved it and made it your own!
Alison says
Soooo good and super easy!
Erin says
Hi Alison, so glad you loved it!
callie says
erin this recipe is perfection! my boyfriend and I made it last week and making it again this week, sub jalepenos for green chilies 😊
Erin says
Hi Callie, so glad you both loved it and made it your own!
Corrin says
Asked my boyfriend to make dinner one night & he crushed this! It was super yummy! Wasn’t too heavy, as some chilis can feel. Will make again 🙂
Erin says
Hi Corrin, so happy you both enjoyed it!
Lisa says
So so good and easy to make!
Erin says
Hi Lisa, so happy you loved it!!