Cozy up with a bowl of White Bean Chicken Chili made with tender shredded chicken, poblano chilies, white beans, cilantro, coriander, and lime. Flavorful and hearty, this one-pot meal is nourishing and delicious! Serve it up with Skillet Cornbread and dinner is ready. Video.
Learn the secret to making the best white chicken chili recipe with my chef's perfected tips and tricks! This Southwest favorite is hearty, healthy, and delicious – made with tender chicken, hearty white beans, fresh poblano chili peppers, cilantro, and lime.
There are a couple of secret ingredients and techniques that truly elevate this recipe, taking it up a notch and adding depth and zippy brightness.
Poblano Chicken Chili Ingredients
This flavorful one-pot meal is made with the following key ingredients:
- Shredded Chicken: Tender and juicy chicken (either skinless chicken thighs or boneless skinless chicken breasts) is braised in a flavorful cooking liquid until it becomes tender and falls apart. You can also braise a leftover rotisserie chicken, separating out the bones and skin after it simmers a while.
- White Beans: Creamy white beans, such as cannellini beans, white kidney beans or great northern beans, are added to the chili to add heartiness and a smooth texture. They complement the chicken and absorb the delicious flavors of the other ingredients.
- Poblano Chilies: Fresh Poblano chili peppers are mild and slightly spicy, adding a pleasant heat to the chili. Feel free to swap out canned green chiles!
- Cilantro: Fresh cilantro leaves bring a vibrant and aromatic flavor to the chili. They add a fresh and herbaceous note that complements the other ingredients.
- Coriander, Cumin and Chili Powder: Fragrant and warming spices add flavor to the chili.
- Soy sauce: This may seem like a strange addition, but it adds a tasty depth to the chili!
- Lime: Freshly squeezed lime juice adds a bright and tangy element to the chili.
How to Make Chicken Chili Verde with Beans
Saute. Heat oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and poblano peppers and sauté until tender, about 8 minutes.
Add cumin, coriander, and chili powder and lightly toast for about 1 minute.
Combine. Add the chicken broth, scraping up the brown bits. Turn the heat to high. Add soy sauce, vinegar, oregano, and salt. Add chicken breasts or thighs (whole) and bring to a boil.
Simmer. Cover and turn the heat to medium-low and keep at a gentle simmer for 20-30 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through, tender, and breaks apart easily.
Shred. Once the chicken is tender, shred it with two forks and return it to the pan. (If it is not shredding easily, it may need longer to cook.)
Add the drained white beans and juice of 1 lime. (For a creamy texture, you could mash 1 cup of the white beans, or blend the soup a bit, either using a blender or an immersion blender.) Simmer over medium heat, uncovered, for 10 minutes, until it reduces and thickens just a bit.
Season. Taste, adjust salt and spice level -adding a pinch of chipotle powder or cayenne if you like.
Serve. Divide among bowls and garnish with sour cream, cilantro, and avocado.
Poblano Chicken Chili Variations
- For a creamy consistency, blend half the white beans with some broth before adding to the soup.
- This recipe can be made without beans; increase the chicken by one pound for a low-carb bean-free version.
- Instead of fresh poblano peppers, use two 4-ounce cans of diced hatch chilies or diced green chilies.
- Try other beans! This recipe will work with black beans, cannellini, and pinto beans.
Can I use boneless, skinless chicken breasts instead of chicken thighs?
Yes, you can use boneless, skinless chicken breasts instead of chicken thighs in this recipe. Just keep in mind that chicken breasts may cook faster, so adjust the cooking time accordingly.
Can I use dried beans instead of canned beans?
Yes, you can use dried white beans instead of canned, just be sure to cook them ahead.
Can I make this chili vegetarian or vegan?
Yes, you can make this chili vegetarian or vegan by omitting the chicken and using vegetable broth instead of chicken broth. You can also add additional vegetables like bell peppers or corn for extra flavor and texture.
Best White Chicken Chili Recipe Tips
- Use chicken thighs for the rich flavor and deep savory flavor!
- Fresh Poblano Chilies add bold flavor and vibrant color.
- For even more flavor, sear the chicken thighs in the pot first, letting them get golden and caramelized; set aside while you continue with the recipe.
- Add a splash of soy sauce and vinegar for added depth and brightness.
Serving White Chicken Chili With Poblano Peppers
While the chicken chili is simmering, why not make a batch of skillet cornbread or these Vegan Cornbread Muffins to go with the meal? Top the chili with any of the following:
- sour cream or avocado- to add a creamy element
- tortilla chips – for crunchy, crispy texture.
- grated cheddar cheese – for extra richness
- hot sauce – for extra heat.
- Cilantro, chopped white onions and lime wedges – texture and flavor!
Storing leftover Chicken Chili Verde With Beans
Leftovers will keep up to 4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator or can be placed in the freezer for up to 3 months.
If you have any leftovers, simply reheat them on the stove or in the microwave until warm. Freeze chili for up to 3 months, thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
On the home front: We’re back home after taking a couple of weeks off, exploring Boston and the coast of Maine. The fall color was absolutely astounding and we were incredibly lucky with the weather – blue skies and sunshine – perfect for kayaking and exploring Acadia National Park. So beautiful! I fell in love with the area. But home is nice too and it feels good to hunker in and get cozy. Brian lit a fire in the fireplace and is bundled in a blanket, watching the game, while I fiddle around in the kitchen, making this chili and cornbread. All feels well in the world. I savor these simple moments, grateful when they come, knowing how quickly the tides can change.
Happy week, friends!
More chili recipes you may like:
- Vegan Chili Verde with Jackfruit
- Homemade Chili Seasoning
- Homemade Instant Pot Chili
- The BEST Vegan Chili
White BEAN Chicken Chili Video
Chicken Chili Verde With Beans
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 50 mins
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 mins
- Yield: 4-6 1x
- Category: Main
- Method: Stove top
- Cuisine: Mexican
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
A flavorful recipe for White Chicken Chili using white beans, fresh poblano peppers, cilantro, coriander and lime. Serve with cornbread!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 6 garlic cloves, rough chopped
- 1–2 poblano peppers, finely diced (or sub 1–2 x 4 ounce cans green chilies – please see notes)
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce or GF Bragg’s liquid amino acids
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, more to taste
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano ( or 2 tablespoons fresh)
- 1 1/2 lbs chicken breasts or thighs – boneless, skinless
- 3 cups white beans, cooked. ( 2 x 14-ounce cans, drained –or 1 1/2 cups dry, soaked and cooked.)
- 1 bunch cilantro, chopped, divided
- 2 limes
- pinch cayenne or chipotle powder to taste
- —–
- Garnishes: cilantro, sour cream, lime, avocado, sliced jalapeno
Instructions
- Saute. Heat oil in a large heavy bottom pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and poblano pepper and sauté until tender about 8 minutes. Add cumin, coriander and chili powder and lightly toast, for about 1 minute.
- Simmer. Add broth, scraping up the brown bits. Turn the heat to high. Add soy sauce, vinegar, oregano and salt. Stir, add whole chicken breasts or thighs, and bring to a boil. Cover, turn the heat to low, and keep at a low simmer for 20-30 minutes, until chicken is cooked through and breaks apart easily.
- Shred. Once the chicken is tender, shred it with two forks into bite-sized pieces and return it to the pot. (If it is not shredding easily, it may need longer to cook.)
- Combine. Add the cooked white beans and juice of 1 lime (for a thicker consistency, you could mash 1 cup of beans). Bring to a boil, then simmer over medium heat, uncovered, for 10 minutes, until it reduces and thickens slightly.
- Season. Stir in half the cilantro, and taste it, adjusting salt, lime and spice level and adding a pinch of chipotle powder or cayenne if you like.
- Serve. Divide among bowls, serve with more cilantro, a dollop of sour cream, avocado, and lime wedges.
Notes
- If using canned green chilies, add when you add the chicken, no need to sauté. Fire-roasted canned chilies add good flavor, although I prefer the vibrant color of fresh poblanos.
- Feel free to add 1-2 cups corn for extra heartiness.
- Feel free to use whole seed cumin and coriander, toasted and ground
- SLOW COOKER: place everything in the slow cooker (including beans) and cook on LOW 7-8 hours or high for 6 hours.
- INSTANT POT: Saute and stir the onion, garlic and fresh poblano chilies (if using) in oil until fragrant, about 4-5 minutes, then add the spices, soy sauce, water or broth, vinegar, salt, oregano, chicken, and canned beans, scraping up any browned bits. Pressure cook on high for 12 minutes. Naturally release 10 minutes. Shred the chicken with two forks, returning it to the pot. Taste for salt, adjusting and adding a pinch of chipotle powder if you like. Stir in half the cilantro and serve with any garnishes.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 ½ cups
- Calories: 313
- Sugar: 3.2 g
- Sodium: 789.3 mg
- Fat: 9.4 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.4 g
- Carbohydrates: 24.7 g
- Fiber: 7.2 g
- Protein: 33 g
- Cholesterol: 82.7 mg
This white chicken chili was fantastic. Highly recommended
Awesome to hear!
Love this recipe. Just a note that the step for adding back the shredded chicken is missing–might be helpful for people to know they shouldn’t include it in that last bit of simmering!
Hi Savannah! Thanks for pointing that out- updated the recipe!