White Chicken Chili

White Chicken Chili

White Chicken Chili is a version of chili with shredded or diced chicken breasts, beans, Mexican seasoning, and tomatoes. From the base there are many variations. Some add dry Ranch dressing mix, some add different broths or tomato sauce, some add whole cream. It’s really a blank canvas, and I tend to vary how I make mine. This is the version I make most often.

I definitely have an affinity for chili, white chili, white chicken chili, beef chili…I could go on and on.

White Chicken Chili
I know I’ve already shared a version of White Chicken Chili here on the blog before. I do have a habit of making recipes, reinventing them, only to reinvent them again. It’s a good thing I keep record.

(Well, most of the time).

However, this one is different.

As much as a I despise winter and cold weather, I love the opportunity to make a good soup or pot of chili.

When I was growing up my mom always made the best chili. She would typically use Chili-O mix and Bush’s Chili Beans , along with everything else she put in it, but no one else’s compared to hers. There was nothing like a bowl of that chili with shredded sharp cheddar and crushed saltines.

I would go to friends’ houses and their parents would make chili with kidney beans. WHY, why, why would anyone ruin their chili with those nasty things? They actually look like little kidneys; not to mention they’re gross as all hell. They have this unappealing *snap* when you bite into them that just so does not blend seamlessly with the rest of the soup.

And, no, it definitely is NOT a “good contrast”. 

I’m so not a picky eater; I love all beans and peas, but those little bastards contain a special kind of ruin-my-appetitedness.

That reminds me –  I have a chili recipe that involves some crazy good stuff that I’ll be posting soon!

White Chicken Chili

WHAT DO YOU SERVE WHITE CHICKEN CHILI WITH?

I typically serve it with tortilla chips or Frito’s, along with shredded cheeses, sour cream, avocado, more cilantro, etc. I love lots of options, but that’s just me. A little squeeze of lime is good, too. It’s really about personal preference. You could even do cornbread if you wanted to.

When it comes to preparing my own personal chili bowl – I completely whore it out with as many beautiful and delicious adornments as humanly possible –  cheese, sour cream, jalapeños, avocado, fresh cilantro, Cholula, Fritos, etc. I can’t eat it if I don’t have all the things in place.  

Sometimes I just want cheese and sour cream and Frito’s, but it just depends on my mood; I might just want cheese, avocado and hot sauce, but Frito’s are a necessity no matter what.

Yes, I said adornments.

Here’s a pro tip – squeeze some lime on your avocado before you put it in the fridge if you have any left. It will keep it from turning brown.

My food deserves crazy descriptive names.

White Chicken Chili
Whore out your chili and enjoy.

Here’s your printable-

White Chicken Chili

White Chicken Chili

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour

A chicken twist on traditional chili with white beans, chiles and cilantro.

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp oregano*
  • 1 tbsp cumin
  • 1 tbsp chili powder
  • 1 tbsp seasoned salt (like Lawry's)
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 tsp all purpose flour
  • 2 tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 tsp minced garlic
  • 2 small yellow onion, diced
  • 2 small or medium sized fresh jalapeno peppers (depending on how much heat you like), washed, seeded and diced
  • 8 oz. diced green chiles, drained (they usually come in 4 oz. cans; so two cans)
  • 1 tbsp. sea salt
  • 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, removed of fat and boiled, grilled or baked until done and shredded
  • 1 can Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed

Instructions

  1. Combine the oregano through flour in a small bowl; set aside.
  2. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large dutch oven.
  3. Add garlic, onion, jalapenos and green chiles, then sprinkle with salt.
  4. Saute, stirring, until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Feel free to add a little water if it starts to dry out.
  5. Add chicken, followed by dry seasoning mixture, making sure everything is incorporated.
  6. Add beans, corn, broth and salsa verde, stir it all together and bring to a slow boil.
  7. At this point go ahead and add more chicken broth if you feel it's too thick. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  8. Add whole cream and fresh cilantro, stir and simmer for 5 more minutes and remove from heat.
  9. Serve with tortilla chips and icy margaritas!

Notes

*For a shortcut, instead of ingredients #1-6, you can use a packet of Chili-O mix (in the seasoning aisle at the grocery store). It's very important that it's the actual Chili-O made by French's, and not another version.

Recommended Products

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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 504Total Fat: 22gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 88mgSodium: 3756mgCarbohydrates: 43gFiber: 9gSugar: 8gProtein: 38g

The provided nutrition calculated may not always be accurate.

Did you make this recipe?

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Author

  • Shea

    Shea Goldstein is a writer and the voice behind Dixie Chik Cooks. She's also a recipe developer and brand ambassador. She has been published in several media platforms such as Redbook, Parade, Food Blogger Magazine and more. She has been developing recipes and writing since 2009. Shea is a Southern Belle Who's Thinking About What's For Dinner While Eating Lunch

This Post Has 4 Comments

  1. Susan@LunaCafe

    Looks wonderful. Great photos too. Wish I was eating a bowl right now. 🙂

  2. Christie

    Love that you called the toppings adornments. It is perfect. We adore adornments on top of chili. This bowl looks so inviting.

    1. Shea

      Thank you Christie 🙂

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