Chicken White Bean Chili Recipe

This easy, flavorful chicken and white bean chili recipe has been a favorite soup recipe at our house for years!

This simple white bean chili is modified from an old favorite Betty Crocker recipe. I used to make this A LOT when we were newlyweds, but I had sort of forgotten about it until recently. This weekend I wanted to make something the whole family would like, and white chicken chili seemed to be a good bet. It doesn’t have tomatoes (which will please my 7-year-old), isn’t spicy, and the only green vegetable is a sprinkling of cilantro. That has kid-friendly dinner written all over it!

We served big bowls of this white chili with green salads and (non-blog-worthy) homemade dinner rolls, and everyone loved it! Well, my little one would have loved it if he had sat at the table for more than a few minutes. Dinner is not his strong suit, which is why I usually feed the kids early before they are wiped out at the end of the day. It was nice to all eat together though, and this white chili will surely make an appearance at family dinner again!

This is written as a 30-minute stovetop recipe, but it would also translate well to the slow cooker. If you’d like to make it that way, leave out the olive oil, and put everything but the cilantro in your crockpot. Cook it for 6-8 hours on low or 4-6 hours on high (chicken breasts cook quickly!). Before serving, carefully remove the chicken, shred the meat, and stir it back in with the cilantro. You could also opt to use chicken thighs instead of breasts to make this meal even more affordable.

Don’t forget to leave me a comment to let me know how you make yours and how you liked it!

Print Recipe

White Chili: An easy, family-friendly dinner!

This simple soup loaded with chicken and great northern beans is a perfect dinner for a cool night.

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Rating: 5
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Course

Main

Prep Time

3 minutes

Cook Time

35 minutes

Servings

MetricUS Imperial

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 yellow onion diced
• 2 garlic cloves minced or crushed
• 4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 3 15-oz. cans great northern beans drained
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• kosher salt and cayenne to taste

Course Main Prep Time 3 minutes Cook Time 35 minutes Servings MetricUS Imperial Ingredients 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 yellow onion diced 2 garlic cloves minced or crushed 4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth 1 tablespoon chili powder 2 teaspoons dried oregano 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts 3 15-oz. cans great northern beans drained 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro kosher salt and cayenne to taste

Votes: 2 Rating: 5 You: Rate this recipe!

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in a dutch oven or stockpot over medium-high heat. Add onion and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, and cook 2 minutes longer.
2. Add chicken broth, chili powder, oregano, and cloves. Bring to a boil. Add chicken, cover, and reduce heat to medium. Simmer for 20 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.
3. Uncover pot, and transfer chicken breasts to a cutting board. Add drained beans, and continue simmering soup while shredding chicken with two forks.
4. Return shredded chicken to the pot with the cilantro, and return soup to a simmer. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve.

Recipe Notes

You can serve over rice or topped with crushed tortilla chips if desired.

Here are some other quick and easy chicken soup recipes your family will enjoy:

Creamy Chicken Wild Rice Soup

Green Chicken Enchilada Soup