Fall days call for cozy meals and almost nothing is more cozy and satisfying than our Amazing Easy White Chicken Chili, with a hint of spice to amp up chicken and veggies. This is a healthy chili dish that warms you up without weighing you down!
We love chili and soup of all kinds and eat them all year round. But chili has a special place in our hearts when fall rolls around. There’s just something about a warm bowl of chunky veggies and meat when the leaves are turning and a chill is in the air. It feeds the soul just as much as the body. And when you can find a bit of joy in your food, you bring that joy with you everywhere. Who doesn’t want more joy?
The trouble with some comfort foods is their tendency to weigh you down with heavy ingredients. Sometimes you need that, but sometimes you want something that will warm you to the core without feeling heavy. This white chicken chili is the answer to that dilemma. It’s light broth and veggies gives you exactly what you need – warmth plus nutrition that will keep you going.
Making Easy White Chicken Chili
Like all chilis and soups, the technique here is building flavor one step at a time. We’re starting with the chicken to cook it through and leave bits of flavor in the pot. Next, we infuse that flavor into our veggies by cooking the onion, jalapeno, and mushrooms with a bit of butter in the same pot, followed by flavorful garlic and chili flakes.
The next layer is the broth, which we thicken with a bit of flour and flavor with more spices. Add the beans and cooked chicken at the end to warm through and soak up the flavors you’ve built.
Topping your White Chicken Chili is the best way to personalize it and create fun around the table. Offer up a host of toppings, which you can prep while your chili cooks, and allow each person to top their own bowls as they please. There are so many tasty options! Choose what you like best! And if you like something that’s not on our list, by all means, serve it up and let us know about it. We may want to try it too!
Handy Tools for Making Chili
Soup doesn’t require much, but there are some tools that make the experience a whole lot nicer and easier.
Chef’s Knife – The first is a good knife. There are a few items we will recommend again and again (and again) because they really do make such a huge difference. One is a nice chef’s knife. Is it an investment? Absolutely. Will it be worth it? Yes Yes Yes. A well-made knife will last a lifetime, will make dinner prep so much easier, and will reduce your risk of injury. This Wusthof 8-Inch Chef’s Knife is one of the best out there.
Dutch Oven – A cast iron dutch oven will be a workhorse in your kitchen. It is so versatile! Use it on the stovetop for soups, stews, and chilis, and use it in the oven, too. We like this 5-quart dutch oven from Le Creuset. It is also an investment that will pay off in spades. Le Creuset is a tried-and-true brand that will last a lifetime. If you’d like one but need a less expensive option, this one from Amazon Basics has great reviews.
*As Amazon Affiliates, we may earn a small commission when you purchase through one of our links. This helps support what we are doing here and we are truly grateful if you choose to make a purchase. Please know that we only recommend items we truly believe in!
Serving Your Easy White Chicken Chili
This is a meal all on it’s own, with no need for sides. Especially if you have an array of toppings! We love the idea of serving it up as a huge chili board with the pot of chili surrounded by all of the toppings. This would be great for a fall party, too! And just as great for your own family. Or maybe for feeding the kids after a chili evening of trick-or-treating at Halloween.
Except at Halloween when we’ve binged on candy, we definitely need dessert with our chili! Here are some of our fav fall options:
Enjoy!
Amazing Easy White Chicken Chili
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1-1/4 pounds cubed boneless skinless chicken breasts (2 large chicken breasts)
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup diced yellow onion (1 small onion)
- 1/4 cup diced jalapeno, stem and seeds removed (2 small peppers)
- 6 ounces 1-1/2 cups button mushrooms, roughly chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1-1/8 ounces (1/4 cup) all purpose flour
- 32 ounces (4 cups) low-sodium chicken stock
- 1-1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- 1-1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 can (15-1/2 ounces) pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 4 ounces (1/2 cup) whole milk
- 1 tablespoon lime juice (from 1 small lime)
Toppings:
- Sliced green onion
- Shredded Cheddar Cheese
- Chopped Cilantro
- Sliced or Diced Avocado
- Tortilla Chips
Instructions
- Cook Your Chicken: Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the chicken and sprinkle it with a pinch of coarse kosher salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until cooked through. Remove to a plate or bowl and set aside.
- Cook Your Veggies: In the same pot, add the butter and turn the heat to medium-low. If no oil remains, add an additional teaspoon. When the butter has melted, throw in the onion, jalapeno, and mushrooms. Cook until the vegetables are tender. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes, then saute for one minute before stirring in the flour. Cook, stirring constantly, for an additional minute.
- Thicken Your Chili: Slowly whisk in the chicken stock, then add the salt, cumin, oregano, paprika, and pepper. Turn the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, until the soup comes to a boil and thickens slightly.
- finish and Serve: Return the heat to low, then stir in the milk, beans, and the cooked chicken along with any of its juices. Simmer over low heat for 5 minutes, then remove the pot from the heat and stir in the lime juice.Serve topped with green onion, cheese, cilantro, avocado, and/or tortilla chips.
Notes
- Store this chili in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- You can use 2% or skim milk instead of whole milk if that is what you have, though you will lose a bit of creaminess.
- Make this recipe dairy free by using additional olive oil instead of butter and substituting a non-dairy milk such as soy or oat milk. Also omit the cheese topping.
