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Creamy White Chicken Chili Recipe
5 from 72 votes

Creamy White Chicken Chili Recipe

Creamy White Chicken Chili blends soaked navy beans with slow-caramelized onions and a simmered whole chicken to develop a rich base. The mixture incorporates poblano, jalapeno, and green bell peppers alongside spices like cumin and coriander, balanced by heavy cream to yield a thick, spicy chili. This hearty stew offers a complex texture and layered flavor, perfect for a filling meal.

Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
2 hrs 30 mins
Servings: 10
Calories: 388 kcal
Course: Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • 1- pound Navy beans cannellini, or great northern beans, dry
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 onion yellow, peeled, medium-diced
  • 1 chicken whole roasting
  • 2 green bell pepper seeded, medium diced
  • 2 poblano pepper seeded, medium diced
  • 2 jalapeno pepper seeded, medium diced
  • 2 celery medium diced ribs
  • 10 garlic finely minced cloves
  • 3 tablespoons cumin ground
  • 1 tablespoon ground coriander
  • 2 tablespoons oregano dry
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • salt to taste
  • black pepper to taste
  • Monterey jack cheese shredded, or pepper jack cheese, for garnish
  • green onion sliced for garnish

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Start by soaking covering the beans in a container and soaking them for 12 to 24 hours.
  2. Next, add the oil to a large rondeau pot (8 quarts) over low heat and add the onions to caramelize. This can take up to 1 hour. Stir them occasionally.
  3. In the meantime, rinse your whole chicken well inside and out with cold water to remove any excess water it was packaged in. Transfer the chicken to a large pot (8 quarts) with 1 gallon of water and cook over medium heat for 60 to 75 minutes or until the chicken is cooked throughout.
  4. Once you add the chicken in there, you can add any fresh or frozen vegetable scraps into the pot to help enhance the flavor of the stock. With about 20 minutes left in the chicken-cutting process, seed and medium-dice the peppers.
  5. Add the peppers, garlic, and celery to the pan with onions and cook over low heat for about 15 minutes to get a light roast. Be sure not to char as the overly cooked skin can cause the soup to be bitter. See Notes.
  6. Stir in the dry spices and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
  7. Remove the chicken from the stock and set it aside to cool. Strain the stock through a fine mesh strainer or chinois.
  8. Deglaze the pan with onions and peppers with 1 cup of chicken stock and cook for 1 minute, scraping the bottom of the pan.
  9. Transfer the roasted onions, peppers, and onions to a blender and puree until smooth. Add the pureed mixture back to the rondeau pot along with the stock, drained soaked beans, and bring it to a boil.
  10. Next, cook the beans for about 45 to 60 minutes over low to medium heat or until the beans are tender.
  11. Remove the meat from the chicken and roughly chop it. Discard the skin and leftover carcass. Add the chopped chicken to the soup and mix to combine.
  12. Finish with cream, salt, and pepper. Adjust any seasonings with cumin, coriander, or oregano.
  13. Garnish with shredded cheese and sliced green onions.

Notes

  • Caramelize onions slowly over low heat to develop natural sweetness without burning.
  • Roast peppers lightly to avoid bitter notes caused by over-charring the skin.
  • Make the chili up to 2 days ahead; refrigerate covered for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 6 months.
  • Reheat gently over low heat, adding stock, salt, and pepper to maintain flavor and texture.
  • Use canned beans by pureeing some with broth to thicken the soup, adding them after heating.
  • Adjust spice levels with cayenne pepper or substitute peppers to match your heat preference.

Nutrition Information

Calories 388kcal (19%) Carbohydrates 22g (7%) Protein 19g (38%) Fat 26g (40%) Saturated Fat 10g (50%) Polyunsaturated Fat 4g (24%) Monounsaturated Fat 11g (55%) Cholesterol 93mg (31%) Sodium 123mg (5%) Potassium 560mg (12%) Fiber 7g (28%) Sugar 4g (8%) Vitamin A 1210IU (24%) Vitamin C 27mg (30%) Calcium 115mg (12%) Iron 4mg (22%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 10 Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 388

% Daily Value*

Calories 388kcal 19%
Carbohydrates 22g 7%
Protein 19g 38%
Fat 26g 40%
Saturated Fat 10g 50%
Polyunsaturated Fat 4g 24%
Monounsaturated Fat 11g 55%
Cholesterol 93mg 31%
Sodium 123mg 5%
Potassium 560mg 12%
Fiber 7g 28%
Sugar 4g 8%
Vitamin A 1210IU 24%
Vitamin C 27mg 30%
Calcium 115mg 12%
Iron 4mg 22%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.