This Quick and Easy White Chicken Chili made with ground chicken, salsa verde, white beans and corn is ready in just 30 minutes and is perfect for a busy weeknight dinner!
That’s right…30 minutes! It’s thick, hearty, satisfying, comforting, full of fantastic flavor, and a recipe that you’ll definitely want to put on repeat all fall and winter long (or even all year long)!
Don’t you just love a steaming bowl of chili on a cold day? Me too. It warms you up, fills you up and tastes sooo good.
And you can’t go wrong having a few different types of chili recipes on hand to change it up and keep things interesting.
Traditional red chili made with ground beef or turkey is always a winner. A good veggie/meatless chili can be a serious contender too.
This super speedy white chicken chili rounds out my top three. It’s so yummy that it’s hard to believe it’s ready in just a half an hour!
Although it’s not exactly white in color, it’s called white chili because it’s made with chicken instead of beef and white beans instead of red or black beans. There’s also no tomatoes or chili powder.
I use onions, green bell peppers, garlic, chicken broth, salsa verde and cumin to flavor it up, and I add corn for a little sweetness and color. A splash of lime juice and some sour cream are the perfect finishing touches.
And while many recipes for white chicken chili seem to be on the thin and soupy side, I like a thicker chili, and so I add some cornmeal which thickens it up beautifully!
Hungry yet?
Ingredients You Need:
Note: Ingredient amounts are in the recipe card below.
- Olive oil
- Onions
- Green bell peppers
- Ground chicken
- Garlic
- Chicken broth or stock (I use roasted chicken base + water)
- Salsa verde
- Great Northern beans (or any white bean of your choice)
- Corn (frozen, canned or fresh)
- Cumin
- Cornmeal
- Lime juice (fresh or bottled)
- Sour cream
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Your favorite chili toppings (such as cheese, onions, cilantro, corn chips, sour cream, avocado, etc.)
Note: The above video is just a brief overview of the steps. Scroll down to the recipe card for the full printable recipe with detailed instructions.
Recipe Tips & Tidbits:
- I try to use a ground chicken that is not all white meat if I can get it, as breast meat can more easily dry out. But, since this is such a quick-cooking dish, I have also used ground chicken breast with very good results.
- When adding salt, keep in mind that the salsa verde and the chicken broth will have salt in them. I suggest starting off with less than you might think you need and adding more at the end if needed.
- The heat level of your salsa verde will determine how spicy your chili is.
- If you want more heat, you could add some diced jalapeño or other hot peppers along with the onions and bell peppers or you could add some cayenne pepper along with the spices.
- I used Great Northern beans, but any white bean will do (such as cannellini, white kidney beans or navy beans).
- I like to use roasted chicken base mixed with water instead of canned/boxed broth or stock because I think it has more flavor. Of course, homemade broth or stock is always best if you have some!
- If you’d like your chili to be a little lighter in color, add more sour cream.
Make-Ahead, Leftovers and Freezing:
- Make-Ahead: This chili is delicious immediately, and it’s even better the next day! Once cooled, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days.
- Reheat gently in a pot on the stove over low heat, stirring occasionally, just until heated through.
- Leftovers: Once cooled, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days (if you made it ahead, take that time into consideration).
- Reheat as directed above.
- Freezing: Yes! But since dishes with dairy (sour cream in this case) can sometimes end up with an odd grainy texture after being frozen, I recommend freezing it without the sour cream (add it on serving day).
- Once cooled, transfer the chili to freezer bags or freezer containers, remove as much air as possible, and freeze.
- For best quality, use within 2 months.
- Thaw completely in the refrigerator and reheat as directed above.
I am a HUGE fan of chili toppings, and I say don’t skip them! They take this already-super-delicious chili over the top. My favorites are cheese (Monterey Jack, Pepper Jack or cheddar), corn chips, green onions, and fresh cilantro.
And I love serving this up with some of my Easy Homemade Cornbread Muffins!
I hope you try this Quick and Easy White Chicken Chili recipe and love it as much as I do. Thanks for visiting today!
More Recipes You Might Like…
- Slow Cooker Turkey Chili
- Quinoa Veggie Chili
- Homemade Chili Cheese Dogs
- Black Bean and Sweet Potato Soup
- Cowboy Caviar (Small Batch)
If you make this recipe, I’d love to know how it went! Please leave a star rating and comment below. Thanks!
Quick and Easy White Chicken Chili
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cups chopped onions, about ¼ to ½-inch pieces
- 2 cups chopped green bell peppers, about ¼ to ½-inch pieces
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 4 cloves garlic, minced (about 4 teaspoons total)
- 2 cups chicken broth or stock, I use a roasted chicken base + water
- 1 (16-ounce) jar salsa verde
- 2 (15.5-ounce) cans Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed (or any other white bean of your choice)
- 1½ cups corn kernels, frozen, canned (drained), or fresh
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 2 tablespoons cornmeal
- 1 tablespoon lime juice, fresh or bottled
- ½ cup sour cream
- salt, to taste (I use kosher salt)
- black pepper, to taste
- your favorite toppings, such as cheese, green onions, fresh cilantro, corn chips, additional sour cream, avocado, etc.
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot (I use a 5-quart pot) over medium heat. Add the onions and green bell peppers and sauté, stirring frequently, just until they begin to soften (about 3 to 4 minutes)
- Add the ground chicken and season lightly with salt and pepper (keep in mind that the salsa verde and chicken broth will have salt; I add about ½ teaspoon kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper); cook, stirring frequently and breaking up the meat as you go, until the chicken is cooked through (about 3 to 4 minutes). Drain off any excess grease.
- Add the garlic; cook, stirring frequently, for one minute.
- Add the chicken broth, salsa verde, beans, corn, cumin, and cornmeal; stir to combine.
- Increase the heat and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and add the lime juice and sour cream; stir to combine.
- Taste and adjust the seasonings if needed.
- Serve with your favorite chili toppings.
Notes
- I try to use a ground chicken that is not all white meat if I can get it, as breast meat can more easily dry out. But, since this is such a quick-cooking dish, I have used ground chicken breast with very good results.
- The heat level of your salsa verde will determine how spicy your chili is.
- If you want more heat, you could add some diced jalapeño or other hot peppers along with the onions and bell peppers or you could add some cayenne pepper along with the spices.
- Store leftover chili in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days. Reheat gently in a pot on the stove over low heat, stirring occasionally, just until heated through.
- Estimated calories shown do not include any toppings.
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