Addicting Creamy White Chicken Chili

Name: Addicting Creamy White Chicken Chili
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 5
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons butter; 1 large onion, diced; 1 serrano (or jalapeno) pepper, minced (+more to taste); 6 cloves garlic, minced; 1 teaspoon ground cumin; 4 cups chicken stock; 1 cup guacamole salsa (see below); ½ teaspoon EACH: dried oregano AND ground coriander; 2 (4-ounce) cans diced green chiles; ½ cup sliced pepperoncini peppers, drained; 2 (15-ounce) cans navy or cannelloni beans, drained + rinsed; ½ cup heavy cream; 2 ½ cups cooked and shredded chicken; 2-4 tablespoons lime juice + zest of 1 lime; 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro

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A hearty, filling bowl of white chicken chili. This chicken chili recipe has beans, three different kinds of green chilies, and is bursting with flavor. Easy enough for weeknight dinner!

White chicken chili like you’ve never had it before.

Loaded with tender shredded chicken, perfectly seasoned lightly creamy, light tangy base, white beans, and a punch of freshness from cilantro. And is a bowl of chili anything without some ripe sliced avocados and a handful of crispy tortilla chips? I think not.

To tell you the truth, this recipe isn’t like the white chicken chili’s you’ve had before. And I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous about that. This one comes loaded with three different types of green chilies and a creamy green sauce. And while I’ll be the first one to point out a couple of unusual ingredients (not weird unusual, unusual in the sense that you may not have seen them used in a chicken chili before), I’ll promise you this much: it’s warm, it’s filling, and it’s perfect for a cold night.

How to make white chicken chili:

What do you need to make the most amazing white chicken chili?

Butter: The butter is used as the base to saute all the aromatics.
Onions: We’ll saute the onions in the butter as the base of this chili recipe.
Green chilies: I’m using three different kinds here. You can use fresh serrano or jalapeño to saute with the onions. Then, we’ll add a couple of cans of diced green chilies and ½ cup of pepperoncini peppers. If you’re feeling skeptical about this, I can understand. But ever since I’ve made pepperoncini chicken, I have loved how well they pair with chicken. And trust me, I wouldn’t lead you wrong; these taste great in this chili recipe.
Garlic: minced garlic helps flavor the soup further. I just use my handy garlic press to press the cloves before adding them into the chili.
Seasonings: I’m using ground cumin, ground coriander, and dried oregano to flavor this chili.
Beans: You’ll need white beans, navy beans, or cannellini beans for this recipe. I used canned beans that I drained and gently rinsed before adding them to the chili.
Green sauce: This and the pepperoncini are the unusual white chicken chili ingredients. The green sauce is called ‘guacamole salsa,’ and I’ve found it at most grocery stores very easily in the same aisle as you find your favorite sauces and salsas. It is also available online here if you aren’t able to find it in stores.
Shredded chicken: You can grab a rotisserie chicken and shred that up for this recipe. Both chicken thighs or chicken breasts would work here. Thighs would undoubtedly give this soup much more flavor.
Heavy cream: Just a drizzle at the end to help make this chili cream and white.
Lime zest + juice: the zest really amps up the lime flavor in this chili. I usually add 2 tablespoons of lime juice to my chili. However, I’ve provided a range in case you usually like a bit more zing!
Fresh cilantro: fresh cilantro is optional. It does add tons of earthy flavor to the chili when we fold in right at the end.

How to make the best white chicken chili or all time:

Saute. Heat the butter in a large dutch oven or soup pot. Once the butter is melted, add the onions and Serranos (or jalapeños) and saute until soft and translucent. Once you’ve done that, season with minced garlic and ground cumin, allow the cumin to bloom in the melted butter, and the garlic to lose that raw flavor.
Let it simmer. Then, add the chicken stock, guacamole salsa, ground coriander, dried oregano, diced green chilies, pepperoncini peppers, beans, and bring the chili to a boil. Once bubbles appear on the surface, lower the heat so that it just simmers and let it hang out for 10 minutes. This will allow all the flavors to blend and become harmonious. If you usually prefer your chili or the thicker side, use your potato masher and mash some of the beans once they’ve softened so that the chili is thicker and heartier.
Finish it off. Add the shredded chicken, lime zest, and lime juice. Once combined, allow the soup to reach a simmer, and continue simmering for 10 minutes. Then, taste the soup and make sure you’re happy with the zing. If you feel it needs more, add it in now. Once we add the heavy cream, it will mellow out the lime flavor a bit more. Add the cream and cilantro and stir to combine. Taste and adjust with salt as need. Serve with chopped avocados and lots of tortilla chips on the side.

FAQ’s about homemade white chicken chili:

What are pepperoncini peppers? They are more commonly used in Italian and Greek food. Sometimes the jar is labeled as “golden Greek peppers.” They are pickled and mild in flavor. They’re often used on Italian antipasto plates, or you have had them in your salad at the Olive Garden.
I’ve never used pepperoncini before. Are they spicy? I usually buy the jar labeled ‘mild’ for this soup so that it isn’t spicy at all. I find the Serranos that I add in the beginning to be the spiciest thing. So if you’re worried, I’d remove the seeds and ribs before sautéing them in the butter with the onions.
Why do you use guacamole salsa? The short answer: I got kind of tired of the regular old white chicken chili. I wanted something that packed a more flavorful punch. So one day, when I was cleaning the refrigerator, I tossed in the last cup of guacamole salsa in the chicken chili I was making for dinner that night. And it came out so good that I decided to ask on Instagram if people wanted to see this version of WCC!
What can I use if I can’t find it? Though this recipe does work best with guacamole salsa, you can use a cup of salsa verde instead if you absolutely cannot find it. Keep in mind that the salsa verde ingredients are a little different, and the chili won’t taste exactly the same.

Other chicken recipes you might enjoy:

Yield: serves 5-6