Description
White chicken chili brings together tender chicken, creamy beans, and mild spices in a bowl that feels like a warm hug on cooler days. You simply combine everything in one pot and let it simmer until the flavors blend together into something comforting that your family keeps coming back for.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein and Produce:
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 cup onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can diced green chilies
Liquids and Dairy:
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Seasonings:
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Warm 1 tablespoon of olive oil in your large pot at medium heat for about 1 minute until it shimmers slightly.
- Toss in your 1 cup of chopped onion and 2 minced garlic cloves, letting them cook together for 3 to 4 minutes until they turn soft and fragrant.
- Place your 1 pound of boneless, skinless chicken breasts into the pot along with 1 teaspoon of ground cumin and 1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano, cooking for 5 to 7 minutes at medium heat until the chicken loses its pink color.
- Pour your 2 cups of chicken broth into the pot, then add 1 can of drained and rinsed cannellini beans and 1 can of diced green chilies.
- Bring everything to a boil over medium-high heat, which typically takes 4 to 5 minutes, then lower your heat and let it simmer gently for 30 minutes.
- Take your chicken breasts out of the pot and pull them apart using two forks until they shred into bite-sized pieces, then return them to your chili.
- Reduce your heat to low and stir in your 1/2 cup of sour cream and 1/2 cup of shredded Monterey Jack cheese, stirring constantly for 2 to 3 minutes until everything melts together smoothly.
- Taste your chili and add salt and pepper as needed to suit your preference.
- Ladle your finished chili into bowls and serve it hot to your table.
Notes
- Cook your onions and garlic low and slow so they soften without browning, which keeps the broth from getting bitter.
- Shred your chicken while it’s still warm right after removing it from the pot, as the meat tears apart more easily and stays tender.
- Stir in the sour cream off the heat or over very low heat to prevent it from curdling and breaking apart in the chili.
- For a vegetarian version, swap the chicken for extra cannellini beans and use vegetable broth instead, keeping the same spices and cooking time for that same savory depth.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Simmered Chicken
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 295 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 14 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 65 mg