White Chicken Chili

On a chilly Fall evening, nothing satisfies like a warm bowl of white chicken chili and a side of bead. It brings comfort to the body and the soul! Lovingly crafted, this delicious recipe for chili will delight both old and young alike.

Soup is a great freezer-friendly choice, because often all of the ingredients can just be thrown in the bag to cook later. You’ll get all of the chopping and measuring done ahead of time, so that on the day of, you can toss everything in a pan and focus on your people. Be sure to check out our Soup Stack for more freezer meal recipes. It’s a win-win time saver!

White Chicken Chili Recipe

Ingredients

• 2-3 cups cooked, cubed chicken
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Tbsp. taco seasoning
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 1 tsp. paprika
• 1 cup salsa verde
• 2 cans diced green chilies
• 28 oz. can diced tomatoes
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 2x 19 oz. white kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 tsp. lime juice

Optional Ingredients for Garnish on the Day of Cooking

• Cheese
• Sour Cream
• Diced Green Onions
• Tortilla Strips

How to Make White Chicken Chili

Assembly Instructions

1. Place all ingredients in a large resealable freezer bag.
2. Remove excess air, seal, and freeze.

Cooking Instructions

1. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
2. Heat in a stovetop pot until heated through or cook in slow cooker on low for 2-4 hours. You can also use an Instant Pot.

Should I drain the diced tomatoes for chili?

No. The tomatoes should go in the recipe, sauce and all.

How can I bump up the heat for this chili?

Canned green chilis come in variety of heat levels, so one easy way to bump the heat is to go for the hottest variety you can stand. Other ways to kick the heat up a notch include adding red pepper flakes or ancho chili powder, adding diced hot peppers such as habenero with or without seeds, adding dried hot peppers which you can easily crush in the pot, or adding a dash of hot sauce. If handling hot peppers, use gloves and caution.

Is Chicken Chili really chili? I want beef!

Yes, and yes. Try it, and you may find you love this leaner and cleaner variation on the chili theme. It has all the flavors you love with a little twist. However, yes you can switch out the chicken for ground beef, ground spicy sausage, or even roast beef, smoked brisket or steak bites. Just make sure the meat is cooked first. The chili flavor still shines through.

White Chicken Chili Recipe Ideas

Corn Chips, bugles, tortilla strips, wonton strips, crumbled tortilla chips, or oyster crackers are all fun ways to add crunch.

Try different types of cheeses. From a cotija type cheese or queso blanco to cheddar and colby jack, you have lots of fantastic cheese options for this white chicken chili.

For added veggies, try diced zucchini, yellow squash, mushrooms, red pepper, or hot peppers such as jalepeno. Dice everything small so that it can fit on a spoon. If your child has a dislike of veggies, dice them very small. The squash or zucchini takes on the flavor of whatever it cooks in, so it blends right in.

If you aren’t a fan of white kidney beans, try black beans. They are a little smaller, and more firm so kids with an aversion to certain textures might appreciate the switch.

If you don’t have lime juice, lemon juice works just as well. It adds a nice brightness to the finished dish. We use this trick to brighten up many different tomato based dishes such as jambalaya, chili, sloppy joes, etc.

Use a rotisserie chicken and make your life even easier.

Add a handful or two of uncooked rice or pasta noodles to add bulk and calories. You will want to increase the liquid as well, we recommend adding just enough water to hydrate the addition. This is very handy if you find out you need to feed a couple of extra people on the day of.

How do I store White Chicken Chili?

Keep leftovers in the refrigerator in air tight containers. You can either use one big container or several small microwaveable containers. This is a great meal for your lunch box! You can pack a small scoop of sour cream in a disposable container and some cheese or tortilla chips in a baggy to dress up your chili if you want.

Do not freeze the chicken chili a second time.

Ways to Serve Leftover Chili

If you find yourself with loads of extra, consider serving it for lunch over rice, baked potatoes, or pasta for a fun and unique spin. You can also add a box of pasta noodles, a four cup container of chicken broth, extra chili powder, and two cups of chili to your Instant Pot for nine minutes on high pressure, release the pressure and serve your Chili Pasta with cheese and sour cream. Easy lunch!

What to Serve with White Chicken Chili

If you have the time, cornbread is the best possible add-on to a hot bowl of chili. It really doesn’t need anything, but fresh bread even from the grocery store bakery is welcome.

Print

White Chicken Chili

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

30 mins

Total Time

45 mins

 

Servings: 6

Calories: 369 kcal

Ingredients

• 2-3 cups chicken, cooked and cubed
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp taco seasoning
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 cup salsa verde
• 2 cans diced green chilies
• 28 oz diced tomatoes
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 2 19 oz white kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 tsp lime juice

Instructions

Assembly Instructions

1. Place all ingredients in a large resealable freezer bag.

2. Remove excess air, seal, and freeze.

Cooking Instructions

1. Thaw overnight in the fridge.

2. Heat in a stovetop pot until heated through or cook in slow cooker on low for 2-4 hours.