White Bean Chicken Chili

Name: White Bean Chicken Chili
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil; ½ cup onion (minced finely); 1 tablespoon garlic (minced finely); 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts (cut in ¼ inch square cubes); 1 15 oz can cannellini beans (rinsed & drained - no or low salt); 4 oz diced green chiles; 1 15 oz can petite diced tomatoes; 2 cups chicken broth ( no or low salt); 1 teaspoon chili powder; 1 teaspoon paprika; ¼ teaspoon pepper; ¼ teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes; 1 cup frozen corn (defrosted); 1/4 cup fresh cilantro (chopped, for serving - optional); lime juice (for serving)

The easiest healthy White Bean Chicken Chili! Make it in the crockpot, instant pot or on the stove for a delicious, protein packed dinner!

Two bowls of white bean chicken chili in white bowls on a grey background with fresh cilantro and lime wedges on the side.

If you’re looking for a protein packed meal that tastes amazing and will keep you full, this white bean chicken chili is for you!

Chili is one of my favorite comfort foods when we move into the colder months and this white bean chicken chili is a great option when you don’t want to cook with ground turkey or ground beef.

Make it in your instant pot, crockpot or on the stove for an easy weeknight dinner.

Two bowls of white bean chicken chili in white bowls on a grey background with a hand cupping one of the bowls.

Table of Contents

This white bean chicken chili is so warm and nourishing that it will become a staple for your family this fall and winter! This chili has incredible flavor and is so easy to make.

Why we love this recipe:

We love a healthy chili and this chicken chili is no different! Here are some of the reasons we love it:

Easy to Make – This recipe takes just a few simple ingredients and some spices and comes together in less than an hour if you make it in your InstantPot or on your stovetop.
One Pot – This means the clean-up is very minimal!
Cozy and Yummy – There is nothing like a warm bowl of chili on a cold day and this one is so incredibly cozy and flavorful!

Ingredients

Most of the ingredients for this recipe are pantry staples, so you might not even have to run to the store to make this delicious soup! You will need:

boneless chicken breasts (you can use boneless chicken thighs too for a little more flavor)
cannellini beans (these are also referred to as white kidney beans)
diced green chiles
petite diced tomatoes
frozen corn
chicken broth (homemade is great but store bought works well too, we opt for low sodium)
onion
garlic
extra virgin olive oil (our favorites are Bono and Garcia De La Cruz)
chili powder, paprika, red pepper flakes
salt & black pepper
lime wedges

Substitutions

Olive Oil: Olive oil can be substituted for melted butter, avocado oil, or coconut oil.

Chicken Breasts: You can substitute chicken breasts for boneless skinless chicken thighs or even chicken tenders. You can also use cooked chicken. If using cooked chicken, cut the cook time in half. Rotisserie chickens from the supermarket would work well, just cube the chicken and add to your sauce!

Cannellini Beans: Any white beans (Cannellini, Great Northern, or Navy beans) would work in this recipe. You can also add other types of beans if you’d like (black, pinto, kidney, etc).

Diced Green Chiles: We can’t recommend a substitution for diced green chiles. They’re sold in most grocery stores in the canned goods section. You could try substituting a deseeded, minced jalapeño but they are often far spicier. It’s ok to omit them but the chili will not have as much flavor.

Chicken Broth: Chicken broth can be substituted with vegetable broth or beef broth. Any broth will work, but we recommend a low sodium chicken broth of beef broth.

Frozen Corn: Frozen corn is optional, but recommended.

Creamy White Bean Chili: We like this recipe as is, but if you’d like a creamy white bean chili, you can add 4 oz of cubed Neufchatel cream cheese when the chili is finished cooking/right before you serve it. It will give it that creamy texture. Topping this with some sour cream would add some great flavor and creaminess as well!

Vegetarian: Try Vegetarian Chili!

How to make White Bean Chicken Chili

You can make this white bean chicken chili on the stove or in the crockpot or instant pot. Pictured below you’ll see step-by-step instructions for White Bean Chicken Chili Stovetop Method. See below for instructions on how to make in the crockpot/instant pot

A dutch oven with cubed cooked chicken, garlic, and diced onion in it on a grey background.

In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Sauté cubed chicken for 5-7 minutes until lightly browned. Add onions and garlic and sauté for another 3 minutes until translucent and softened.

Most of the ingredients for white bean chicken chili in a dutch oven before cooking and stirring together.

Add all other ingredients and spices to the pot except frozen corn, cilantro and lime juice. Cover the pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling, remove the lid, reduce the heat, and simmer for 25 minutes. This will help thicken the chili!

White Bean Chicken Chili in a dutch oven with corn on top that hasn't been stirred in yet.

Once the chili has simmered for 25 minutes, add thawed corn and stir to combine.

An overhead shot of a dutch oven of white bean chicken chili with fresh cilantro and limes on the side.

If you prefer your chili thicker or thinner, you can add more chicken stock to thin out or continue to simmer for another 5 minutes to thicken.

Serve with cilantro and fresh squeezed lime juice. You can also add a dollop of sour cream too!

Cozy up with a bowl and enjoy!

Crockpot Method

Note: If you’re making crockpot white bean chicken chili, the browning of the chicken/onions is optional, but highly recommended.
In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. While the oil is heating up, cube your chicken in ¼ inch pieces. Sauté chicken for 5-7 minutes until lightly browned.
Once the chicken has browned, add onions and garlic. Sauté for another 3 minutes until they’re translucent and softened.
Transfer chicken and onion/garlic to crockpot base. Add all remaining ingredients and spices to the crock pot except frozen corn, cilantro and lime juice.
Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours.
When ready to eat, stir in thawed corn. Serve with cilantro and fresh squeezed lime juice.

If you love your crockpot check out these Easy CrockPot Chicken Recipes.

Instant Pot Method

Set your instant pot to sauté for 5 minutes. Heat olive oil. While the oil is heating up, cube your chicken in ¼ inch pieces. Sauté chicken for 5-7 minutes until lightly browned.
Once the chicken has browned, add onions and garlic. Saute for another 3 minutes until they’re translucent and softened.
Add all ingredients and spices to the instant pot except frozen corn, cilantro and lime. Cover the pot and set to sealing, manual, high pressure for 8 minutes. It will take the pot about 5 minutes to come to pressure and then it will cook for 8 minutes.
Once cooked, let the pot naturally release pressure for 5 minutes, than quick release the remaining pressure.
Add thawed corn to the cooked chili. Stir to combine.
The chili is fine to eat at this point. If you prefer a thicker chili, set your instant pot to sauté and boil for 10 minutes, uncovered.
Serve this instant pot white bean chicken chili with cilantro and fresh squeezed lime juice.

Should this chili recipe be thick or soupy?

This is a more soupy white bean chicken chili. If you want to make it thicker, you can boil the chili with the cover off until the liquid reduces.

If you’d like an even soupier chili, feel free to add more broth.

How can you thicken chili?

Our favorite way to thicken the chili is by bringing it to a boil on the stove with the cover off. The water will evaporate as the chili cooks down.
You can also use a cornstarch slurry by mixing 2 tbsp of cornstarch in a little cold water then adding to the chili and cooking until the chili had thickened.
If you want a thicker, creamy white bean chili, adding 4 oz of cubed Neufchatel cream cheese at the end of cooking will work.

A close up bowl of white bean chicken chili with a spoon in it on a grey background with another bowl of chili on the side.

What goes well with this White Bean Chicken Chili?

This chicken white bean chili is a meal in itself, but also goes great with:

FAQ‘s

What are the best white beans for chili?

Cannellini, Great Northern, or Navy beans will work in this white bean chicken chili

How long does it take to make this white bean chicken chili recipe?

Making white bean chicken chili takes under an hour on the stove. In the crockpot: 6 hours 10 minutes (low) or 3 hours 10 minutes (high) In the Instant Pot: 35 minutes

A close up bowl of white bean chicken chili in a white bowl on a grey background with a bowl of chili, limes, and fresh cilantro on the side.

Storage Options

Storing Chili: White Bean Chicken Chili will last in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Freezing Chili: This white bean chicken chili freezes very well and lasts up to 4-6 months.

We love these airtight containers for freezing chili.

Reheating: You can take the chili out of the fridge or freezer and heat it over the stove or in the microwave. It’s great for a quick meal!

Other healthy chili recipes

We love a hearty and delicious chili and these are some of our other favorites: