This easy white bean chili with shredded chicken is the perfect comfort food. Slow cooked on the stovetop in a crockpot dutch oven, this stew is sure to warm your soul. It's the best recipe for make ahead meals and comes together easily. Meal prep for the week with this vegetable loaded and flavorsome chili.
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In the week, I am all about the batch cooking, I make a big pot of something yummy that can be kept and reheat throughout the week for no fuss easy dinners. My Roasted Ground Beef Chili is in regular rotation along with my Green Lentil Daal but I'm always trying out new recipes to add in.
This white bean chili was a hit! It's packed full of veggies and I can't begin to tell you how loaded with flavor it is!
This shredded white chicken chili requires a long and slow cook to really bring out those delicious flavors, but the actual prep is easy and straight forward. I'll also give you some tips to speed up the process if you need your chicken chili in a hurry!
Be sure to try my Sausage, Kale and White Bean Soup and Sausage and Bean Casserole too!
Why you will love this recipe!
- Make ahead: This recipe makes enough for eight servings. The leftovers keep well in the fridge, and dare I say taste better the next day, and it is freezer friendly too. Make up a big batch on the weekend and enjoy it during the week.
- Healthy: This chili is jam packed with protein and fiber as well as a host of vitamins and minerals from the veggies. One serving is under 500 calories and is low in saturated fat, so it's a great well balanced weeknight meal.
- Easy: Despite the long cooking time, this is super simple to make all in one pot, and most of the time is hands off.
Ingredients
- Oil: For cooking. Olive, vegetable and canola all work well.
- Seasonings: Chili powder, pepper, cumin, oregano, salt and bay leaves.
- Jalapeños: These mild green peppers and more flavour than heat. I prefer to use fresh, but you can substitute them with jarred jalapeños in a pinch.
- Vegetables: Onion, garlic, bell pepper and mushrooms.
- Beans: This chili is made with white beans, I used white kidney beans, also known as cannellini beans. Great Northern beans will also work well, they are slightly smaller, but they are firm and will hold up well. Avoid Navy beans in this recipe though, as they are pretty small and cook too quickly.
- Shredded chicken: Cooked shredded chicken breast is the protein in this dish. You can either buy pre shredded chicken in packages, buy a rotisserie chicken, use leftover roasted chicken or make your own.
- Chicken stock: You can use store bought or homemade stock. Vegetable stock can also be used.
- Cream: Use table cream, also known as light cream for a rich and smooth texture. Half and half will also work, but ideally you want a cream that is around 18%.
- Sugar: A little sugar helps to balance out the finished dish. It's optional, but I much prefer it with it.
- Lime juice: Use fresh lime juice rather than bottled for the zingiest flavor.
How to make White Bean Chili
Be sure to scroll down for the full recipe!
- First up, mash one of the cans of white beans in a bowl (photo 1) and prep your veggies.
- Add the oil and spices to a pot on a medium heat, then add in the onions, garlic and jalapenos. Cook until softened then add the bell pepper and mushrooms and stir well to ensure everything is well coated in the spices (photo 2).
- Add the rest of the ingredients to the pot, mix well and bring to the boil (photo 3).
- Simmer for 1 ½ to 2 hours (photo 4).
Topping and serving suggestions
Let's be honest, chilis are all about the toppings! For sure you want to be adding a dollop of sour cream to each bowl and shredded cheddar is never a bad idea. I like to use a sharp cheddar to really cut through those flavors. I also added some sliced avo, fresh jalapenos and, cilantro and a lime wedge. Feel free to add some tortilla strips, shredded lettuce or sliced tomatoes.
You can easily eat this white bean chili by itself with the toppings, or serve it over rice or cauliflower rice for a more filling meal.
Short cut
This chicken chili is slow cooked for maximum flavor with least effort, and if you can I implore you to take it nice and slow. However, if you need dinner in a hurry, mix two tablespoons of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water and pour it into the chili when you are simmering it. This will help to thicken up the sauce quickly so it's ready for serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe requires you to use pre-cooked shredded chicken. You can cook up the chicken whilst the veggies are sautéing. These cooking methods all work great:
Oven: Cook the breasts in the oven at 350ºf / 180ºc for around minutes and then shred them with two forks.
Instant Pot: Check out this recipe for Instant Pot Shredded Chicken.
Air Fryer: Cook at 360F for around 15 minutes, flipping half way, then shred with forks.
This white bean chili is great for weekly meal prep and it will keep well in the fridge for up to 4 days. Let the chili cool completely before storing in in an airtight container. Reheat it gently on the stovetop in a pot, adding in a little stock or water if needed to loosen the sauce back up. Take care to only reheat portions of chili once as it contains cooked chicken.
This freezes really well, so don't worry about making too much! Let it cool completely before freezing, and it will keep well for 4 to 6 months.
Thaw frozen chicken chili in the fridge before reheating it on the stovetop. I like to store the chili in portions so you don't have any wastage.
Recipe Variations
This white bean chili is delicious as it is, but you can easily adapt it to make it a little healthier:
- Use a low sodium chicken stock.
- Omit the cream and use an extra cup of chicken stock or use a low fat or skimmed milk.
- Add in some extra veggies, corn and red bell pepper both work well.
Recipe Notes and Tips
- Check that your spices aren't stale before you use them. Rub a little between your fingers and it should release and aroma, if they don't grab some new spices.
- Use good quality free run / organic chicken and fresh ingredients for the best flavor. If you can’t get fresh jalapenos you can use the jarred variety.
- Make the chili in a large heavy bottomed pot or dutch oven. I used my Crock Pot dutch oven which distributes heat really well so you don't end up with hot spots that can burn the ingredients on the bottom of the pot.
- If your chili is too thick for your liking, add in a little extra stock, and thicken it up with a tablespoon of cornstarch mixed with a tablespoon of water.
- This is a mildly spicy chili, if you like things hotter you can add in a teaspoon of cayenne.
- I used canned beans for convenience, you can use dried, just be sure to soak them first.
For more chicken recipes:
- Honey and Sriracha Chicken Wings
- Thai Chicken and Rice Soup
- Tomato and Turmeric Chicken
- Chicken and Chorizo Pie
I love hearing from you!! If you have tried this yummy white bean chili recipe, be sure to scroll down, give it a star rating and let me know what you thought!
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White Bean Chili with Shredded Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 3 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon ground pepper
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 2 tablespoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 jalapenos
- 1 white onion chopped
- 6 garlic cloves minced
- 1 yellow bell pepper chopped
- 8 ounces mushrooms sliced (230g)
- 38 ounces white kidney beans drained (2 cans / 1080ml)
- 21 ounces shredded chicken or 3 chicken breasts (600g)
- 2 ½ cups chicken stock (590ml)
- 1 cup table cream (18%) (237ml)
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- juice of one lime
Instructions
- Take one can of white beans and drain them, then mash them with a fork or masher in a bowl and set to one side. Prep your other ingredients so that they are ready to go.
- Put a large heavy bottomed stock pot or dutch oven onto the stove top and heat the oil in it on a medium heat.
- Once warm add the chili powder, pepper, cumin, oregano, salt and bay leaves and warm them for a couple of minutes.
- Add the chopped jalapenos, onions and garlic, stir them into the spices and cook for 5 minutes until they soften. Stir in the yellow pepper and mushrooms and cook for another 5 minutes, ensuring that all the veggies are well covered in the spices.
- Add the beans to the pot, along with the beans, stock, cream, chicken, lime juice and sugar. Gently stir everything together and bring the pot to a boil.
- Reduce the pot to a simmer, and simmer for 1 ½ to 2 hours until the chili has thickened to your desired consistency.
Notes
- Check that your spices aren't stale before you use them. Rub a little between your fingers and it should release and aroma, if they don't grab some new spices.
- Use good quality free run / organic chicken and fresh ingredients for the best flavor. If you can’t get fresh jalapenos you can use the jarred variety.
- Make the chili in a large heavy bottomed pot or dutch oven. I used my Crock Pot dutch oven which distributes heat really well so you don't end up with hot spots that can burn the ingredients on the bottom of the pot.
- If your chili is too thick for your liking, add in a little extra stock, and thicken it up with a tablespoon of cornstarch mixed with a tablespoon of water.
- This is a mildly spicy chili, if you like things hotter you can add in a teaspoon of cayenne.
- Nutritional values are based on one of eight servings and are an estimate.
Aena Rizvi says
This is quite literally one of the most hearty, delicious comfort foods we've ever cooked at our place. A total hit with everyone! Love how easy it is to make as well!