This White Chicken Chili will quickly become your go-to for lunch or dinner on cold nights. Make it in the slow cooker, Instant Pot or on the stove.
*Originally published 10/2015. Update 2/2026*
Hi Friends!
I have been making this White Chicken Chili for over 10 years now and it’s still a household favorite. Soup is perfect for the cold winter months but it can also be a great year-round addition to your weekly food prep.
Healthy White Chicken Chili
This White Chicken Chili is a slight twist on one of my mother-in-law’s recipes and I love it because it’s high in protein and fiber and despite using several canned ingredients, you do have some control over the amount of sodium. You can choose low-sodium broth and no-salt-added beans and tomatoes if you prefer.
The chicken adds protein and the beans also add protein and fiber.
Can You Make White Chicken Chili For Meal Prep?
Yes! Soup is great for food prep because it’s easy to make in big batches. You can even double the recipe and freeze half for later. Using Souper Cubes (aff link) makes it easy to freeze in small portions to thaw as needed.
The great thing about soup is that the flavor of most soups deepens as it sits in the fridge so making it ahead of time is always a good idea. Plus it’s easy to pack and reheat for a quick lunch!
Why is this White Chicken Chili Different?
This recipe is a little different from other white chili recipes because it doesn’t use cream cheese. It’s light and fresh and gets a lot of its flavor from the salsa verde in the broth. If you like spice, don’t be afraid to use a medium or hot jar of salsa verde.
How To Thicken White Chicken Chili // How To Make White Chicken Chili Creamier without Dairy
If you’re craving creaminess without cream cheese, try grabbing an extra can of Great Northern beans and pureeing them with some of the broth! This adds creaminess without the need for a dairy-based product like cream cheese or sour cream.
Why Make White Chicken Chili with Salsa Verde?
A lot of white chicken chili recipes use canned green chilis which help add some flavor, but adding the salsa verde directly to the broth allows you to add all of those flavors into each bite of soup!
Serving Ideas for White Chicken Chili
Another fabulous thing about this soup is that the possibilities for toppings are pretty much endless. Some of my favorites include:
- Avocado
- Shredded cheese,
- A squeeze of fresh lime juice
- Crushed tortilla chips
You could also serve with a side of rice or quinoa or some crusty bread or corn tortillas for dipping.
Spicy White Chicken Chili
If you’re looking to make this chili spicier, you have several options. You can:
- Add diced fresh jalapenos or serrano peppers, both before cooking and as a topping.
- Use hot diced green chilis.
- Use hot salsa verde.
No Bean White Chicken Chili Option
Yes, you can easily leave the beans out of this recipe. You can also mash or puree them into the broth to make them less noticeable.
If you don’t like beans you could try adding some cooked rice or quinoa to the recipe as well.
How To Make Kid-Friendly White Chicken Chili
To make this soup more kid-friendly you can:
- Use mild salsa verde and green chilis.
- Leave out the jalapenos.
- Puree the beans into the broth instead of leaving them whole.
- Let them add lots of shredded cheese and crushed tortilla chips as toppings.
Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili Tips
My favorite way to make this soup is in the crockpot. It really couldn’t be simpler, just dump everything in and set the timer! A few tips:
- How long you need to cook this soup really depends on how thick your chicken breasts are. If you want them to cook more quickly, cut them in half horizontally or pound them thinner before adding them to the crockpot.
- You’ll know the chicken is done because you can shred it easily with a fork.
- To thicken the broth, use an immersion blender or regular blender to puree an extra can of great northern beans with 1 cup of broth before adding to the slow cooker.
- If you prefer stew vs soup, you can start by adding less broth. You can always add more after it’s done cooking.
Instant Pot White Chicken Chili Tips
If you don’t have all day to let things simmer in the crockpot, the Instant Pot is your best option. This is the one I have (aff link). A few tips:
- Since this is a soup, you don’t have to worry too much about messing up the timing. Your main goal is to cook the chicken.
- You can let the pressure release naturally or manually release the pressure.
- I always start with less liquid when using the Instant pot vs the crockpot. You can always add more!
- Be sure not to fill past the max liquid line.
- If you want to add some extra flavor, you can use the saute function to saute the onions and brown the chicken before cooking.
Stovetop White Chicken Chili Tips
Making this chili on the stovetop is similar to making it in the crockpot. You can pretty much just putting everything into the pot, bring it to a boil and then reduce the heat and let it simmer until the chicken shreds easily.
Best Chicken Cuts for White Chicken Chili
Any boneless cut of chicken will work well for this recipe. It’s totally up to you whether you prefer using breasts or thighs. I typically prefer breasts for this recipe.
Here’s how you make it:
White Chicken Chili Without Cream Cheese
White Chicken Chili
This Easy White Chicken Chili is the perfect lunch or dinner soup and a nice change from traditional tomato-based chili.
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4-6
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup diced onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1.5 pounds chicken breast (sliced in half horizontally to make them thinner)
- 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 can no-salt-added cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, drained
- 1 jar salsa verde (mild, medium or hot)*
- 1–2 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp oregano
- salt, to taste
- optional: juice from one lime and a jar of canned green chilis, diced jalapenos
- optional toppings: fresh cilantro, cheese, avocado, salsa, sour cream, tortilla chips
Instructions
- To make in the crockpot: Add all ingredients, stir, cover and cook on low for 8 hours. Shred the chicken and serve with toppings
- To make in the Instant Pot: Add all ingredients except toppings to the instant pot and cook for 12 minutes. Release pressure manually, remove the chicken to shred and return to the pot. Add toppings and serve.
- To make it on the stove: Saute onion and garlic in a large pot for 5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients, bring to a boil, reduce heat and let simmer until chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken to shred and return to pot. Spoon into bowls, top as desired and serve warm.
Notes
*Use 1-2 cups of salsa verde – whatever size your jar is should be fine
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White Chicken Chili FAQs
What makes white chicken chili different from regular chili?
Regular chili is typically made with ground beef and is tomato-based. This chili is made with chicken and although it uses tomatoes, the broth remains light and most of the flavor comes from the salsa verde vs tomatoes and chili powder.
Can you make white chicken chili without cream cheese?
Yes! Although most white chili does have a creamier broth, thanks to the addition of cream cheese, you can definitely make it without. This recipe adds salsa verde to the broth to add flavor and if you want creaminess, you can puree beans into the broth!
Is white chicken chili healthy?
Yes! It’s full of lean protein and the beans add an extra dose of protein and fiber!
Can I make white chicken chili in a slow cooker?
The crockpot is my favorite way to cook this soup. The flavors will deepen as it cooks all day and it truly is a dump-and-go recipe, perfect for busy families!
How do you thicken white chicken chili?
Traditionally, white chicken chili is thickened with cream cheese. If you prefer a dairy-free option, puree white beans with broth and add them to the soup to help thicken!
Can you freeze white chicken chili?
Yes! This recipe freezes beautifully. You can combine all the ingredients in a ziploc bag and freeze so that all you have to do is dump it in the crockpot later. Or you can cook as directed, let it cool and then freeze in a bag or freezer-safe storage container.
What’s the best salsa verde for white chicken chili?
You can use whichever is your favorite! My favorite is Herdez Roasted Salsa Verde.
Can I make white chicken chili without beans?
Yep. You can easily leave the beans out of this recipe if you prefer, or puree them to make them less noticeable. You can also replace them with rice or quinoa.
How spicy is white chicken chili?
This chili can be as spicy or mild as you prefer. Use mild salsa and chilis if you don’t like spice or try hot diced green chilis, hot salsa verde and top with freshly sliced jalapenos for an extra kick.
Can I make white chicken chili ahead of time?
Yes. This recipe can easily be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge or frozen.
Enjoy!
–Lindsay–
