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.
This recipe for White Bean Chicken Chili is hearty, healthy and delicious and full of so much flavor! Made with tender shredded chicken, white beans, fresh poblano chili peppers, cilantro, coriander and lime, giving it a delicious mild heat and zippy brightness.
White BEan Chicken Chili Ingredient Notes
This flavorful one-pot meal 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 this adds a tasty depth to the chili!
- Lime: Freshly squeezed lime juice adds a bright and tangy element to the chili.
White BEAN Chicken Chili Instructions
- Heat oil in a large, 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. 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. Cover and turn heat to low and keep at a low simmer for 20-30 minutes, until chicken is cooked through tender, and breaks apart easily. Once the chicken is tender, shred it into smaller pieces with two forks. (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 immersion blender). Simmer over medium heat, uncovered for 10 minutes, until it reduces and thickens just 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.
Serving Suggestions
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
- avocado
- cilantro
- lime
- tortilla chips
- grated cheddar cheese
- fermented hot sauce
FAQS
- 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.
- How spicy is this chili? This chili has a mild level of heat from the poblano chilies. If you prefer a spicier chili, you can add a pinch of chipotle powder or cayenne pepper to adjust the spice level to your liking.
- How long does this chili last in the refrigerator? This chili will keep for up to 4 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container. 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 homefront: 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 Chicken Chili a whirl and see what you think. I personally love these flavors.
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
White Bean Chicken Chili Recipe
- 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
Units
Scale
- 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
- 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.
- Add broth, scraping up the brown bits. Turn heat to high.
- Add soy sauce, vinegar, oregano and salt.
- Stir, add chicken breasts or thighs whole and bring to a boil. Cover turn heat to low and keep at a low simmer for 20-30 minutes, until chicken is coked through and breaks apart easily.
- Once the chicken is tender, shred it into smaller pieces with two forks. (If it is not shredding easily, it may need longer to cook.)
- 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 just 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.
- 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
Amazing recipe as always! I doubled the recipe and used the Instant Pot and it turned out great! Your recipes always turn out perfect and taste spot on, thank you!
Awesome Julie- thanks for the feedback!
I’m making this tomorrow for the 4th time. It has exceptional flavor. It’s my go to soup. Great for company too. I use all the poblanos and add the corn. The additions are great but it’s really good all by itself.
Awesome Susie! Great to hear!
Loved everything about this recipe. Full of flavor and deliciousness. The only thing I would change is to add a little crushed red pepper or diced jalapeno at the end as we like our chili with a bit of a kick. This recipe is surely a keeper. Will definitely be replacing my previous chicken chili recipe, and now I need to look no further. BTW, Acadia National Park is lovely, especially in summer or early fall for a camping trip (A New Englander, I lived in Maine for a few years; it’s a special place)
Glad you enjoyed this one! Yes, a very special place.
I absolutely loved this, so delicious and satisfying.
So did my son when he experienced it today for lunch, so much that he is preparing it tonight for dinner for his partner.
Heather (NZ)
Awesome Heather- glad you both liked it!
I’m wondering if there are any flavor differences between stove top and slow cooker? Has anyone tried?
This recipe was delicious and the leftovers might have been even better! I used chicken stock instead of water, great northern beans (that’s what I had) and cooked it on the stove top. I served it with sour cream, grated cheese, cilantro, lime and corn bread. A 5 star review in my recipe book for next time 🙂
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!
Most grocery stores mislabel the poblano peppers as Padilla’s. Padilla’s are dried … maybe you did actually use poblanos…
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 assume the Cumin if whole cumin not ground Cumin?
You can use either here- whole cumin seeds, toasted, then ground, or use ground cumin.
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