Soups & Stews

Serving

White Chicken Chili

Name: White Chicken Chili
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Soups & Stews
Ingredients: 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 yellow onion, diced; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 2 (4 oz) cans diced green chiles; 1 tbsp ground cumin; 1 tsp dried oregano; 4 cups chicken broth; 3 cups shredded cooked chicken; 2 (15 oz) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed; 1/2 cup sour cream; 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese; salt and black pepper, to taste; lime wedges, for serving

A creamy, mild chili made with shredded chicken, white beans, and green chiles.

45 minutes

Serves 6

Dinner

16 min prep

25 min cook

Contains common allergens

Dairy

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Good to know

One-pot

Matched from this dish's own ingredients and timing. Browse more: one-pot dinners

Instructions

6 steps

1
Heat olive oil in a large pot and sauté onion until softened, about 5 minutes.
2
Add garlic, green chiles, cumin, and oregano and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
3
Stir in chicken broth, shredded chicken, and cannellini beans; bring to a simmer.
4
Simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5
Remove from heat and stir in sour cream and shredded cheese until melted.
6
Season with salt and pepper and serve with lime wedges.

White Chicken Chili — plated and served — Serving moment. How White Chicken Chili looks plated and ready to eat — a representative photo, not a step in the recipe.

Listahan Family Score™

63/100

Works for many families

Allergen-friendly 90

Kid-friendly 35

Weeknight-easy 53

Budget-friendly 80

Great leftovers 87

Pantry-friendly 25

Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.

Nutrition

per serving

320

Calories

26 g

Protein

5 g

Carbs

22 g

Fat

Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.

Listahan cooking guide

Chef notes & practical guide

Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.

Cultural context

White chicken chili is a modern American chili style, built around poultry, white beans, mild green chiles, and a creamy finish instead of the tomato-and-beef base many cooks expect. It fits the same practical tradition as other chilis: a pot of pantry ingredients stretched with beans, broth, and seasoning, then finished at the table with bright or crunchy toppings.

Listahan note

This version keeps the heat gentle and the method weeknight-friendly by using cooked shredded chicken and canned cannellini beans. The main move is adding the sour cream and Monterey Jack off the heat so the broth turns creamy instead of grainy.

Technique cues

Cook the onion until it is fully softened before adding the spices; that small head start gives the chili a sweeter base and keeps the cumin from tasting dusty.
Let the broth, chicken, and beans simmer long enough for the beans to loosen slightly and thicken the pot without needing flour or a separate roux.
Stir in the sour cream and Monterey Jack after the pot comes off the burner. High heat can make dairy separate, especially in a brothy chili.

Kitchen flow

Parallel prep: While the onion softens, drain and rinse the cannellini beans, shred the cooked chicken, and cut the lime wedges.
Make-ahead: Make the chili through the simmer, then add sour cream and cheese when reheating for the smoothest texture.
Leftover move: Spoon thickened leftovers over rice or a baked potato, then finish with lime and extra Monterey Jack.
Cleanup rhythm: Use one large pot and a small bowl for prepped toppings; rinse the bean cans and soaking spoon while the chili simmers.

Ingredient brief

Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.

Diced green chiles

Mild chile base

Purpose: They bring gentle pepper flavor and a little tang without making the chili aggressively spicy.

Handling: Add them with the garlic and spices so their canned edge cooks off before the broth goes in.

Adaptation: A small amount of roasted poblano gives a fresher, greener flavor, but it takes more prep than canned chiles.

Ground cumin

Warm spice backbone

Purpose: Cumin gives white chicken chili its chili-like depth even without tomato or red chile powder.

Handling: Cook it briefly in the oil with the aromatics so it blooms before being diluted by broth.

Adaptation: A little ground coriander can soften the profile, but it will not bring the same earthy flavor.

Shredded cooked chicken

Main protein

Purpose: Using cooked chicken keeps the recipe fast and lets the meat warm through without a long simmer.

Handling: Shred into bite-size pieces so it distributes evenly through the beans and broth.

Adaptation: Chopped cooked turkey works similarly and gives the chili a slightly deeper roasted flavor.

Cannellini beans

Body and creaminess

Purpose: Cannellini beans are soft and mild, so they help thicken the chili while keeping the color pale.

Handling: Drain and rinse them, then simmer until some beans start to break down at the edges.

Adaptation: Great Northern beans work well for a smaller, slightly firmer bean; navy beans make the chili thicker.

Sour cream

Creamy finish

Purpose: It gives the broth tang and a smooth texture that balances the beans and mild chiles.

Handling: Take the pot off the heat before stirring it in, and add it gradually if the chili is very hot.

Adaptation: Plain Greek yogurt gives a tangier finish; add it off the heat just like sour cream.

Shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Melted richness

Purpose: Monterey Jack melts smoothly and reinforces the mild, creamy character of the chili.

Handling: Stir it in by handfuls so it melts evenly instead of clumping at the bottom of the pot.

Adaptation: Pepper Jack adds more chile heat, while mild cheddar makes the chili sharper and less delicate.

Technique notes

If the chili tastes flat before the dairy goes in, season the broth first. Sour cream and cheese soften salt perception, so a bland base stays bland.
For a thicker pot, mash a scoop of cannellini beans against the side of the pot during the simmer, then stir them back in.
Add lime at the table rather than cooking it into the pot; fresh lime keeps the creamy broth from feeling heavy.

Ingredient swaps

Creamy finish without sour cream: Use plain Greek yogurt for more tang or a thick unsweetened plant-based sour cream for a similar finishing step; add either off the heat.
Weeknight shortcut: Use rotisserie chicken and start the rice, cornbread, or salad while the chili simmers.
More heat: Use Pepper Jack instead of Monterey Jack, or add a minced jalapeno with the onion for a sharper chile bite.
Thicker bowl: Mash some of the cannellini beans before adding the sour cream and cheese, then simmer a few extra minutes to tighten the broth.

Serve alongside

Skillet cornbread
Cilantro-lime rice
Avocado and radish salad
Warm flour tortillas
Lime sparkling water
Iced black tea
Mexican lager

Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.

Storage & reheating

Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container with the beans and chicken covered by the broth.
Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat, stirring often and adding a splash of chicken broth if the chili has thickened.
Freeze before adding sour cream and cheese when possible; thaw, reheat, then finish with the dairy ingredients.

Equipment

Large Dutch oven or heavy soup pot
Wooden spoon or heatproof spatula
Can opener
Ladle

Make this household-aware

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