Description
Creamy, flavorful White Chicken Chili with tender chicken, great northern beans, and a hint of spice. A perfect, cozy weeknight meal!
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced (optional, for extra heat)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional, for extra heat)
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 2 (15-ounce) cans great northern beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 (4-ounce) can diced green chiles, undrained
- 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded (rotisserie chicken works great!)
- 1/2 cup sour cream, plus more for garnish
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Optional toppings: shredded Monterey Jack cheese, avocado slices, tortilla chips, lime wedges
Instructions
- Sauté Aromatics: Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook until softened, about 5-7 minutes. Add minced garlic, chopped green bell pepper, and jalapeño (if using) and cook for another 2-3 minutes, until fragrant.
- Build Flavor Base: Stir in ground cumin, dried oregano, chili powder, and cayenne pepper (if using). Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, until fragrant. Pour in chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits. Add rinsed and drained great northern beans and undrained diced green chiles. Stir well.
- Simmer and Thicken: Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for at least 15 minutes, or up to 30 minutes. Use an immersion blender to partially blend the chili (about half). Alternatively, carefully transfer about 2 cups of chili to a regular blender, blend until smooth, and return to the pot.
- Add Chicken and Finish: Stir in shredded cooked chicken and heat through. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream and chopped cilantro. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve: Ladle into bowls and garnish with your favorite toppings (shredded Monterey Jack cheese, avocado slices, sour cream, cilantro, tortilla chips, lime wedges). Serve immediately.
Notes
- For a spicier chili, add more jalapeño or cayenne pepper.
- For a thicker chili, add a cornstarch slurry (1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water) during the last few minutes of simmering.
- For a vegetarian version, omit the chicken and use vegetable broth.
- Can be made in a slow cooker or Instant Pot (see original text for instructions).
- Great Northern beans can be substituted with cannellini or navy beans.
- Diced green chiles can be substituted with chopped green bell peppers.
- Sour cream can be substituted with Greek yogurt or cream cheese.
- Make sure to use good quality chicken broth.
- Don’t be afraid to experiment with different toppings.
- Can be made ahead of time or frozen (see original text for instructions).
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes