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A bowl of white chicken chili topped with cheese, peppers and cilantro, surrounded by bowls of sour cream, cilantro, and limes, some tortilla chips, and a gold spoon..

White Chicken Chili Recipe

Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Diet: Gluten Free, Low Lactose
Keyword: white chicken chili, white chicken chili recipe
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 8
Calories: 238kcal
This easy white chicken chili recipe turns out thick and hearty and it's a nice change from traditional red chili. Roasted poblano peppers give it a smoky flavor you'll love!
Print Recipe

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • teaspoon kosher salt divided, plus more to taste
  • 2 poblano peppers
  • 2 jalapeño peppers
  • 1 serrano pepper optional
  • 1 yellow onion
  • 3 tablespoon olive oil divided
  • 1 tablespoon cumin
  • 1 tablespoon ground coriander
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 2 quarts low sodium chicken stock
  • 4 15 ounce cans cannellini beans
  • optional toppings: sour cream, cheeses, avocado, etc.

Instructions

  • Lay the chicken thighs on a sheet pan and season both sides with 2 teaspoons of the salt.
  • Turn a gas burner to medium. Place the poblano peppers on the flame and rotate frequently until they are charred all over. WARNING: this will result in bits of the skin wafting up as ash. Be careful and turn your exhaust hoods on. (Alternatively, turn the broiler on high. Place peppers on a sheet pan and broil, turning occasionally until charred. WARNING: Never walk away from something under the broiler as it can burn quickly.)
  • Place the charred poblanos in a glass bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Allow to steam for 10-15 minutes.
  • While the poblanos steam, finely chop the onions, jalapeños, and serrano if using.
  • Remove the poblanos from the bowl and place on a cutting board. Cut them open, cut off the tops and remove the ribs and any remaining seeds. Flip the peppers interior side down and use a knife blade to scrape off the charred outer skin. It may not all come off and that's okay.
  • Cut the poblanos into wide strips, then into ½ inch squares.
  • Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil to a 6-quart Dutch oven over medium heat. Once the oil shimmers, add the onions and chopped peppers and ½ teaspoon of salt. Sweat them until tender and onions are translucent, about 6 - 8 minutes.
  • Push the peppers and onions aside, add one more tablespoon of olive oil, add the cumin and coriander to make a paste with the olive oil and let it sizzle for a minute. Stir the spices into the mixture for about 1 minute.
  • Use a microplane grater to grate the garlic cloves, add to the pan, and stir into the onion mixture until fragrant, about 1 minute.
  • Add the chicken stock, beans including the liquid in the cans, 1 teaspoon salt, and chicken thighs to the pot and stir. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer for about 90 minutes, skimming the fat and stirring occasionally, until it has thickened and reduced by about ¼.
  • Remove the chicken thighs to a plate or small dish. Use two forks to pull the chicken into shreds and add back into the pan.
  • Stir in the chicken, then taste for seasoning. If it needs salt, add some and simmer for about 5 more minutes. Taste and add more salt if necessary. Remove from heat, transfer to bowls and serve.

Notes

  • Don't skip salting the chicken and letting it hang out while you are prepping the other ingredients. This gives the meat time to absorb the salt, so it's seasoned perfectly when you add it to the chili to start cooking. If you salt it right before you throw it in the pan, the salt will just fall off into the broth.
  • It's so important to let those spices sizzle in the oil and stir them around with the onions and peppers for a bit before adding the broth. This allows the spices to bloom for the best flavor, and keeps them from making your broth gritty.
  • Cooking the chicken in the broth adds so much depth of flavor and helps to thicken it for great texture.
  • Wait until the end to add more salt. The chili is going to reduce considerably, you don't want it to be too salty when it's done. You can always add more, but you can't take it out!
 
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Nutrition

Calories: 238kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 108mg | Sodium: 1194mg | Potassium: 589mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 192IU | Vitamin C: 30mg | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 2mg