Cozy up with a bowl of White Chicken Chili made with chicken thighs, white beans, poblano chilies, cilantro, coriander and lime. Flavorful and healthy, this one-pot meal is hearty and delicious! Serve it up with this Skillet Cornbread! Video.
This recipe for White Chicken Chili is hearty, healthy and delicious and full of so much flavor! Made with white beans, fresh poblano peppers, cilantro, coriander and lime giving it a delicious mild heat and brightness.
Watch How to Make White Chicken Chili!
How to make White Chicken Chili!
- Braise whole chicken thighs in the flavorful cooking liquid, then simply pull apart with two forks before adding the white beans.
- Although the cooking time on the stove is about 45- 50 minutes, the actual hands-on time is relatively short. And in the end, you’ll have a healthy, delicious, one-pot meal, made from scratch, perfect for Sunday dinner. . . and lunches thereafter.
- You can also make this in an Instant Pot or slow cooker!
While the chili is simmering, why not make a batch of skillet cornbread to go with the meal?
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 around 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.
Give the White Chicken Chili a whirl and see what you think. I personally love these flavors. For even more flavor you can always toast whole cumin and coriander seeds and blacken the poblanos over a gas flame, removing the skin. But for ease and time, the recipe is simplified. Feel free to experiment.
If you try this recipe, let me know below!
Happy week, friends!
PrintWhite Chicken Chili Recipe
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 50 mins
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 mins
- Yield: 4-6
- Category: Main
- Method: Stove top
- Cuisine: Mexican
Description
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 cumin
- 1 tablespoon coriander
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 4 cups water (or chicken broth)
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce or GF Bragg’s liquid amino acids
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt, more to taste
- 1 tablespoon dried Mexican oregano ( or regular)
- 1 ½ lbs chicken thigh – boneless, skinless
- ——–
- 3 cups white beans, cooked. ( 2 14-ounce cans drained –or 1 ½ cups dry, soaked and cooked)
- 1 bunch cilantro, chopped, divided
- 2 limes
- —–
- Garnishes: cilantro, sour cream, lime, avocado
Instructions
- 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, about 1 minute.
- Add water, scrapping up the brown bits. Turn heat to high.
- Add soy sauce, vinegar, oregano and salt.
- Stir, add chicken thighs, whole, and bring to a boil. Cover turn heat to low and keep at a low simmer for 30 minutes.
- Once the chicken is tender, shred into smaller pieces with two forks.
- Add the cooked beans and juice of 1 lime ( 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 a bit. Taste, adjust salt and spice level -adding a pinch of chipotle powder or cayenne of you like.
- Stir in half the cilantro and 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.
- 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.
Keywords: white chicken chili recipe, best white chicken chili, chicken chili verde , white chili, white bean chili, white bean chili recipes
Just made this for my sister! She loved it. Made with poblano pepper and did all exact (had no chipotle powder). Used the instant pot, Very easy!
Thanks!
★★★★★
Absolutely fabulous soup! I used chicken broth, green chiles, did add a pinch of chipotle, and did not have a lime so had to skip that. Also had to substitute dried cilantro for fresh but even so—really great! This is the second of your recipes I have tried and I think the have “intelligent design” as in they are a pleasure to cook and are streamlined or “well thought out”. Can’t think of how to say it exactly but it is noticeable. Can’t wait to try even more of your recipes!
★★★★★
thanks Holly. 😉 xo
Just Mae this tonight and both my partner and I thought it was fabulous! Highly recommend!
★★★★★
Another fav at our house! I used fresh Pasilla peppers since that what what I had. I love the options that Sylvia gives for the recipes – almost always, I have either the main or alternate ingredient on hand which makes shopping for these recipes way easier than others I have tried. I used one can of Great Northern Beans and one can of Cannellini Beans and it was super!!
★★★★★
Perfect Lisa- Thanks!
My husband and I enjoyed this delicious chicken chili last night. A perfect fall meal – in Maine! Acadia is near and dear to our hearts, so I just had to make this after reading about your trip to my favorite place in the whole state. Thanks for another wonderful recipe.
★★★★★
Thank you for this delicious recipe. My 10 year old son exclaimed he would like to have it often. I took the suggestions: did add about a half cup of frozen corn kernels near the end; added the pinch of chipotle powder; mashed about a cup of the beans before adding them. For sure I will be making this again!
★★★★★
Oh cool! Thanks and great to hear!
I would also like to get a bit more instruction for Instant Pot, you just say sautés and add remaining ingredients but what do you sautés?
Sorry about that- I added more in the notes!
Perfect autumnal meal. Warming, colorful, full of flavor!
★★★★★
4 ooh that chicken soup was the best dude that chicken soup was the best
★★★★★
I have this on the stove as I am writing this! My house smells amazing!i did add a chopped and seeded jalapeño, only to use it up. I am tempted to add some fresh corn for a bit hardier meal? Besides cornbread does anyone serve over rice? ( adding a few calories, I know but need to for my son.
Corn would be great! I’ve never served over rice but feel free.
I used the recipe as written to make ahead, freeze and take along with me to visit my injured mom (and kitchen helpless dad) to feed them and her hardworking caregiver dinner. It was delicious outcome, a big hit with all, and worked really well in ‘travel mode’. As note, I like to cook beans from scratch so used that option here as well rather then choose canned bean option. My husband and I love to cook – it has always been a ‘keeps us sane’ activity and particularly now – and often use your recipes. Thanks as always for such good ones in the healthy focused way we prefer to eat and for the great photos and instructions.
★★★★★
Thanks Michelle. I love seeing the food here on the blog being shared with the people you love. It warms my heart and brings me joy. xo
I read this recipe and the background of a fall weekend. It’s the middle of summer here now on the central coast. Mark Twain once said, “The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco.” 😁
So true! And this chili recipe sounds great mid July! I absolutely love this simple dish (chili is a crazy fav in my family) And this recipe did not disappoint! So much flavor! I am a big fan of pablano chili’s and will use it in every recipe possible. Toasting the spices… amazing.! It was quick to prepare, full of flavor! Adding To my favorites! Thanks again!
Awesome! Glad you liked this! 🙌
Delicious. Made it for myself twice already. Now the true test: making it for my husband and kids.
Delicious! Uncomplicated goodness with a wonderful depth of flavor.
★★★★★
Thanks so much Sharlene, glad you liked this!
Love this recipe! Its easy & full of flavor. I like when you include the nutrition information. I log all my food & it helps me keep track.
Thanks Karen, I updated to include the Nutritional info.
We so love your recipes! This was another winner with my husband and me. Delicious and quick to make. We don’t get poblanos here in Spain, so I added two green Italian peppers (that’s a pointed, thin-fleshed pepper without heat), one not too spicy green chili and a tiny bit of chipotle powder. Just mentioning this in case anybody else can’t get hold of poblanos.
★★★★★
Oh great to hear! Thanks so much Bettina!!!
This turned out so good- loved every bite!
★★★★★
Where’s the recipe for the skillet cornbread? Looks delish!
HEY!
do you think you can expand on instructions for using a slow cooker. i’m a newbie with the slow cooker so detailed instructions would be awesome 🙂
-thanks
Ashley