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+ servings
5 from 3 votes

White Bean Chicken Chili

The best white bean chicken chili you'll ever eat! Healthy, flavorful, unbelievably easy to make in less than 30 minutes. Freezes well, too!

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 medium sweet onion chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 (4 ounce) can green chilis
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 2 (15 ounce) cans white beans drained and rinsed
  • 2 cups (16 ounces) salsa verde
  • 2-3 cups shredded cooked chicken
  • toppings as desired: shredded cheese, tortilla strips or chips, fresh jalapeno slices, diced avocado, cilantro leaves, sour cream, etc.

Instructions

  • Warm olive oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and cook 3-4 minutes, just until softened. Stir in garlic, green chilis, and cumin. Cook 1 minute more, just until fragrant.
  • Stir in the chicken broth, beans, and salsa. Increase heat to medium-high until liquid comes to a rapid simmer.
  • If you prefer a thick chili, blend part of the mixture at this point — you can either pulse an immersion blender straight in the pot for 5-10 seconds, or scoop out roughly 1 cup of the mixture, blitz in a blender or food processor, and return to the pot. If you prefer a thinner, more soup-like consistency, you can skip this step.
  • Add chicken to the pot. Reduce heat back to medium, and let simmer for another 5 minutes, just until chicken is warmed through. Serve big bowls with all your favorite toppings.

Notes

  • Because salsa verde forms the base of the sauce, the heat profile you choose for your salsa will have a major impact on the heat level of the finished chili. I’ve made it with mild salsa verde (store brands from Target and elsewhere) with great results. A batch made with Frontera’s salsa verde was also delicious but with enough heat that the adults had to pace themselves and it was a no-go for kids.
Did you make this recipe?Leave a review below, then snap a quick picture and tag @nourishandfete on Instagram so I can see it!