This delicious, healthy chicken chili recipe is full of flavor and will warm you up on any cold night. There’s no cream cheese to be found here – just savory broth, juicy chicken, beans, veggies, and spices. Top it with your favorite toppings like cilantro, tortilla strips, and greek yogurt for a hearty and delicious yet healthy meal. YUM!
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HEALTHY WHITE CHICKEN CHILI RECIPE
I grew up in a chili and soup family, and as soon as the temperatures start to drop, I want to make at least one hearty soup or stew per week. My husband, however, grew up in a “soup is an appetizer, not a meal,” family so we often debate the validity of a good soup meal.
As the cook of the family, let’s just say I have won that battle and we eat lots of yummy soups all throughout the fall and winter. To accommodate my husband’s views, I do make sure I serve hearty and filling soups so we’re all full and satisfied at the end of the meal.
While we mostly ate traditional beef chili at my house growing up, as an adult I have also grown to love white chicken chili.
My version is quite simple and perfect for a busy day. I love to put it in the slow cooker while I’m preparing breakfast or lunch so it’s ready to go for dinner.
White Chicken Chili is an all-around winner. A filling, delicious, and well-balanced meal. You’ll love it so much, you’ll even look forward to leftovers!
This meal is a great option for any night because it works great on the stove or in a crockpot or pressure cooker!
Make it your own by serving it with any of your favorite Mexican inspired toppings! We love a squeeze of lime juice, a dollop of sour cream or plain greek yogurt, and some fresh cilantro.
WHY THIS HEALTHY CHICKEN CHILI RECIPE WORKS
Hands Off Preparation: If you’re in a hurry, you can toss all your ingredients in a slow cooker, set it and forget it. There’s NOTHING better than coming home after a long day to a delicious meal ready to go!
Hearty: The lean protein of the chicken, the complex carbohydrates in the beans, and the bulk from the optional veggies, make this a very filling dish. My husband always strongly believed that soup isn’t a meal, but I’ve changed his mind with the hearty and filling soups like this chicken chili!
Freezer Friendly: One of the best parts of making this chicken chili is that it reheats beautifully! I love making a large batch and freezing half for a night when future me just needs a little help from past me.
INGREDIENTS:
- Boneless Skinless Chicken: I prefer chicken breast but you can also use thighs!
- White Beans: Great Northern or Cannellini work great!
- Better Than Bouillon and Water or Chicken Broth: Better Than Bouillon is a great staple to keep on hand to add depth of flavor to your dishes. It’s essentially a highly concentrated chicken stock you can mix with water. I will use regular chicken stock if I have it on hand but Better Than Bouillon works great in a pinch!
- Corn: Fresh is great but we always have frozen on hand. I prefer fresh or frozen to canned but you can use canned if necessary.
- Green Chiles: We use mild when feeding the kids but feel free to use hot if your family prefers!
- Seasonings: Freeze dried cilantro, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper. You can also use McCormick White Chicken Chili Seasoning in a pinch.
- Optional: Additional veggies such as sauteed onions, bell peppers, zucchini, carrots, jalapenos, etc.
HOW TO COOK THIS HEALTHY WHITE CHICKEN CHILI:
Slow Cooker:
- If you are adding the optional vegetables such as onion, bell peppers, and zucchini, sauté those in one tablespoon of cooking oil such as avocado oil prior to adding them to the crockpot.
- Add all ingredients into the slow cooker and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6-8 hours.
- After cooking, remove chicken from the slow cooker, shred, and return. Gently stir then serve.
Stovetop:
- Heat a dutch oven or large soup pot with lid over medium heat.
- Add one tablespoon of oil to the pan then add any of the optional vegetables such as onions and bell peppers. Cook until translucent.
- Add all seasonings and stir for an additional 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add chicken broth and chicken breast and simmer with lid for approximately 15 minutes.
- Remove lid and add remaining ingredients (beans and corn). Simmer for an additional 10 minutes.
- Remove chicken and shred. Return, stir, and serve.
Pressure Cooker:
- Turn on the saute function and add one tablespoon of cooking oil such as avocado oil. Add any vegetables such as onion and bell pepper and saute until translucent. Then add all seasonings and continue to stir for approximately 30 seconds until they are fragrant.
- Cancel saute mode and add chicken breast, broth, and all other ingredients. Add the lid and ensure it is set to the “sealing” position.
- Pressure cook on high for 20 minutes then let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes.
- Remove the chicken from the pot to shred. Return and stir before serving.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS: WHAT TO EAT WITH WHITE CHICKEN CHILI
Top this soup with a squeeze of lime, fresh chopped cilantro, and a dollop of sour cream or plain greek yogurt.
This meal is great served with chips and guacamole or salsa, cornbread, homemade tortilla strips, or a side salad. You can also make it as part of a soup and sandwich night by serving it with your favorite sandwich option.
STORAGE
This recipe reheats beautifully! Allow the chili to cool completely to room temperature before storing in the refrigerator in an airtight container. It can be stored for up to four days.
To freeze, completely cool to room temperature and store in a freezer safe container. I love using gallon size Ziploc freezer bags as a space saving freezer storage solution. This can be frozen for up to three months.
To reheat, thaw in the fridge overnight and then reheat on the stove on low, or in the microwave in individual servings.
FAQ
Can I omit beans?
Yes! You can add extra chicken or veggies to bulk up the soup if you don’t prefer beans. You can also add diced sweet potato as a delicious substitute.
Can I use dry beans?
Yes! I love using dried beans in my soups. I do prefer to cook the dried beans in advance and use them already cooked in my soups and stews. I keep beans on hand in the freezer for this reason.
Can I use chicken thighs?
Yes! You can use boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead of chicken breast.
Can I use frozen chicken?
Yes, although this will require additional cooking time.
Can I use rotisserie chicken?
Absolutely! I LOVE using leftover rotisserie chicken in soups and stews. It makes this meal even easier!
HEALTHY CHICKEN CHILI RECIPE (NO CREAM CHEESE)
- Total Time: 4 hours 5 minutes
Description
This delicious, healthy white chicken chili is full of flavor and will warm you up on any cold night. There’s no cream cheese to be found here – just savory broth, juicy chicken, beans, veggies, and spices. YUM!
Ingredients
- 1 T Avocado Oil
- Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast (5 tenderloins or two breasts)
- 2 c Great Northern Beans drained and rinsed
- 2 T Chicken Better Than Boullion
- 1 T Dried Cilantro
- 1/2 T Cumin
- 1 T Garlic Powder
- 1/2 T Onion Powder
- 1/2 T Salt
- 1/2 T Pepper
- 1 bag frozen corn
- 4 oz. can diced green chiles (mild or hot)
- Optional: Additional veggies such as sauteed onions, bell peppers, zucchini, carrots, jalapeno, etc.
- Water to fill pot
Instructions
Slow Cooker:
- If you are adding the optional vegetables such as onion, bell peppers, and zucchini, sauté those in one tablespoon of cooking oil such as avocado oil prior to adding them to the crockpot.
- Add all ingredients into the slow cooker and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6-8 hours.
- After cooking, remove chicken from the slow cooker, shred, and return. Gently stir then serve.
Stovetop:
- Heat a dutch oven or large soup pot with lid over medium heat.
- Add one tablespoon of oil to the pan then add any of the optional vegetables such as onions and bell peppers. Cook until translucent.
- Add all seasonings and stir for an additional 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add chicken broth and chicken breast and simmer with lid for approximately 15 minutes.
- Remove lid and add remaining ingredients (beans and corn). Simmer for an additional 10 minutes.
- Remove chicken and shred. Return, stir, and serve.
Pressure Cooker:
- Turn on the saute function and add one tablespoon of cooking oil such as avocado oil. Add any vegetables such as onion and bell pepper and saute until translucent. Then add all seasonings and continue to stir for approximately 30 seconds until they are fragrant.
- Cancel saute mode and add chicken breast, broth, and all other ingredients. Add the lid and ensure it is set to the “sealing” position.
- Pressure cook on high for 20 minutes then let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes.
- Remove the chicken from the pot to shred. Return and stir before serving.
Notes
Serve with plain greek yogurt or sour cream, tortilla, strips, cilantro, jalapeno or other Mexican inspired toppings.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours
