This healthy white bean chicken chili is loaded with cannellini beans, corn and green chiles. It has a ton of flavor and cooks up in just 30 minutes.
You asked, I listened! A few weeks ago I asked what recipes you wanted to see from me and I had a ton of requests for soup! Ask and ye shall receive. 😉
Prior to this recipe, I had never made a white bean or a chicken chili before, so I decided that this would be a fun one to test! I gravitate towards soups that somehow feel relatively light and refreshing while also being comforting. This soup is just that. It’s packed with vegetables and flavor while also being dairy and gluten-free.
Make a Thicker Broth With Mashed White Beans
This chili is broth-based and doesn’t feel as thick or heavy as chili usually does. That said, if you like a thicker broth you can always use a fork or potato masher to mash one can of the cannellini beans before adding them into the pot. This is a great trick for thickening up any broth-based soup!
ALSO, fair warning: my version of this soup turned out quite spicy because the jalapeños I purchased were extra strong. I love spice and it gave the chili a great flavor, but if you don’t love spicy or have kids who will be eating this too, I recommend using less jalapeño.
Here’s What You Need:
vegetables – garlic, yellow onion, jalapeño
green chiles – I used mild canned diced green chiles – they’re not too spicy but add a nice, complex flavor
boneless skinless chicken breasts
low-sodium chicken broth – I prefer using low-sodium so I can control the amount of salt in the recipe!
cannellini beans or another white bean like navy beans or great northern beans
corn – I like using frozen corn and there’s no need to thaw before adding to the chili
spices and seasonings – dried oregano, ground cumin, chili powder, sea salt and pepper
optional toppings – chopped cilantro, green onion, avocado and additional jalapeño slices
How to Freeze (and Thaw!)
This chili is freezer friendly… aka perfect for weekly meal prep or meal prepping before a baby. To freeze, allow the chili to cool completely. Place in a freezer-safe storage container and freeze. Soup will be good for up to three months.
When you’re ready to enjoy, place the frozen chili in the refrigerator the night before to partially thaw. The next day, add to a saucepan and heat until warm, stirring occasionally. If the soup is too thick for your liking at this point, feel free to add a little broth or water to thin.
What to Serve With Chicken Chili
This chicken chili is a full meal on it’s own – especially if you add all the toppings! That said, I love serving this chili with a little something extra like tortilla chips. If you want something more filling, it’s also delicious with cornbread. My pumpkin cornbread would be perfect!
If you try this white bean chicken chili please be sure to leave a comment and star rating below letting me know how it turned out. Your feedback is super helpful for the EBF team and other readers.
Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add garlic, onion and jalapeño and cook until soft and fragrant, about 5-6 minutes. Add oregano, cumin, chili powder and cook about 1 minute more. Add green chiles, chicken, and broth and season with salt and pepper.
Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered for about 10 to 15 minutes, until chicken is tender and cooked through.
Use a fork or tongs to remove chicken from the soup, place on a plate and shred with two forks.
Place shredded chicken back in the pot and add beans and corn. Bring soup to a simmer and let cook another 10 minutes. Taste soup at this point and season with additional sea salt and pepper if needed.
Portion chili into bowls and garnish with chopped cilantro, green onion, extra jalapeño and/or avocado.
This chili is great served with tortilla chips or cornbread.
Notes
Feel free to use a full jalapeño. I used 1/2 of a deseeded jalapeño and the chili had a nice kick.
To make the chili thicker, you can mash 1 can of the drained and rinsed beans before adding them to the pot.
To freeze: cool chili, place in a freezer-safe storage container and freeze. To use, partially thaw chili in the refrigerator overnight. Add to a saucepan and heat until warm, stirring occasionally. If soup is too thick you can add a little broth or water to thin.
Category:Soup
Method:Stove-top
Cuisine:American
Nutrition
Serving Size:1/6 of recipe without toppings
Calories:285
Sugar:4g
Sodium:1160mg
Fat:5g
Carbohydrates:32g
Fiber:9g
Protein:28g
Keywords: white bean chicken chili
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This is by far the best healthy Tortilla Soup I’ve ever made. I took 1 can of white northern beans and pureed with a little chicken broth in the blender, then stirred into the soup (I tried mashing at first but still had too many chunks of beans, so pureed did the trick!) Added in extra chili powder and cumin and beyond that, followed all your topping suggestions. Everyone raved about it at home! Will make a again (and again).
Wonderful! I made it successfully in the crockpot (I added everything to the crockpot except the green chilis and 1 can of beans -just didn’t have room in my small crockpot!). After 4 hours on high I shredded the chicken then added in the green chilis and 2nd can of beans, mixed it all together and voila! A great meal prep recipe for lunches all week. Thanks!
Ohh good to know that it turned out well in the crockpot. Thanks so much for sharing and for coming back to leave a review, Anna. I really appreciate it!!
Made this recipe with just a little twist and added 1/2 tsp turmeric
And only removed the seeds from the Jalpeno leaving in the vain giving it a little heat!
Thank you!
Hey Jeff – I haven’t made this in the slow cooker, but I imagine it would work just fine! You should be able to just toss everything in the slow cooker and cook on low for 7-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours or once the chicken is cooked and shreds. Let me know how it turns out if you try it!
That was a very flavorful and tasty chili. Even my lovely wife said it was great. Put in a can of spicy green salsa to sub for green chilies. Served with cornbread. Thanks for recommending the avocado and cilantro. I think that put it over the top.
Yay! That makes me so happy to hear, Wayne. I’m so glad this chili was a hit. Thanks for making it and for coming back to leave a comment + star rating. I really appreciate it. 🙂
Outstanding. Simple. Common Ingredients that I had on hand. Everyone in the family LOVED this. This is going into my weekly rotation for sure! Thank you!
So glad this chili was a hit with your family, Tracy! Thanks for making it and for coming back to leave a comment + star rating. I so appreciate it. <3
This was SO good and full of flavor. I used low sodium chicken stock and found myself adding more salt at the end. Our avocado wasn’t ripe so we left that out and garnished it with a dollop of Greek yogurt and sprinkled with cilantro and had tortilla chips along side. Will definitely be a repeat recipe in my house!
I really enjoyed this recipe! For those looking for a vegan-ized version, this is what I did for a half batch. I replaced the chicken broth with vegetable broth and the chicken with about 3/4 of a package of Comrade Cluck (I chopped it roughly first and just left it in the pot after step 2). I halved all the ingredients except for the garlic and jalapeno (because yum). After I added the beans and corn, I also added the juice from half a lemon and 1 tbs nutritional yeast. It was delightful! Thanks, Brittany!
Thank you so much for sharing the subs you made with us, it’s super helpful to other readers!! I’m so glad you enjoyed this soup, Katherine. Thanks for trying it and for coming back to leave a comment + star rating. <3
Yay!! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Christina!! Thanks for taking the time to come back and leave a comment + star rating. I really appreciate it. <3
This chili is AMAZING. Seriously the perfect amount of spice and it is so wholesome and filling. I made it for meal prep and ate it for lunch this week and I enjoyed every single bite.
Ahh that makes me so happy to hear, Lauren!! So glad you enjoyed this chili. Thanks for coming back to leave a comment and star rating, I so appreciate it. <3
SO good. My family doesn’t love spice, so I used green and yellow pepper instead and added some red chili pepper flakes for a little heat! I tripled the recipe and everyone loved it.
Yay!! So glad this recipe was a hit with your entire family. 🙂 Thanks so much for coming back to leave a comment and star rating. I really appreciate it. <3
Made this last night for dinner–it was sooo good! My 7 year old actually ate 2 helpings, which doesn’t happen often. Definitely keeping this one on hand!
Ahh that makes me so happy to hear, Larissa!! I’m so glad this soup was a hit. Thanks for trying it and for coming back to leave a comment + star rating. I really appreciate it. 🙂
Hey Michelle! I haven’t made this without the chicken yet, but I bet you could add more types or white beans or chickpeas instead of the chicken. Let me know if you try it and how it turns out!!
Can’t wait to make this soup this weekend. One thought: before adding shredded chicken back to the broth, you could add and purée a few of the beans using an immersion blender to thicken the soup!
Leave a Comment
So delicious. Topped it with avocado and cilantro as suggested. Looking forward to lunch tomorrow.
★★★★★
So glad you loved this chili, Debora! Thanks for the review. I so appreciate it!
This is by far the best healthy Tortilla Soup I’ve ever made. I took 1 can of white northern beans and pureed with a little chicken broth in the blender, then stirred into the soup (I tried mashing at first but still had too many chunks of beans, so pureed did the trick!) Added in extra chili powder and cumin and beyond that, followed all your topping suggestions. Everyone raved about it at home! Will make a again (and again).
★★★★★
Ahh yay!! That makes me so happy to hear. I’m pumped this recipe was a hit. Thanks so much for coming back to leave a review. I so appreciate it!
Wonderful! I made it successfully in the crockpot (I added everything to the crockpot except the green chilis and 1 can of beans -just didn’t have room in my small crockpot!). After 4 hours on high I shredded the chicken then added in the green chilis and 2nd can of beans, mixed it all together and voila! A great meal prep recipe for lunches all week. Thanks!
★★★★★
Ohh good to know that it turned out well in the crockpot. Thanks so much for sharing and for coming back to leave a review, Anna. I really appreciate it!!
This soup/chili was amazing! It had so much flavor and was fun to make. Adding the avocado at the end really makes a difference
★★★★★
So glad you loved this chili, Ali!! Thanks for the review. I really appreciate it. <3
SO GOOD! Nuff said 🤤🤤🤤
★★★★★
Made this recipe with just a little twist and added 1/2 tsp turmeric
And only removed the seeds from the Jalpeno leaving in the vain giving it a little heat!
Thank you!
★★★★★
This recipe is easy and delicious! After finding it, we make it every other week!
★★★★★
Ahh yay!! That makes me so happy to hear. I’m so glad this chili is a hit. Thanks for coming back to leave a review. I so appreciate it.
Can you make this in a slow cooker?
Hey Jeff – I haven’t made this in the slow cooker, but I imagine it would work just fine! You should be able to just toss everything in the slow cooker and cook on low for 7-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours or once the chicken is cooked and shreds. Let me know how it turns out if you try it!
That was a very flavorful and tasty chili. Even my lovely wife said it was great. Put in a can of spicy green salsa to sub for green chilies. Served with cornbread. Thanks for recommending the avocado and cilantro. I think that put it over the top.
★★★★★
Yay! That makes me so happy to hear, Wayne. I’m so glad this chili was a hit. Thanks for making it and for coming back to leave a comment + star rating. I really appreciate it. 🙂
This recipe was very easy to make and tastes amazing! Very bold flavors! I will be making this again.
★★★★★
Yay!! Glad this chili was a hit, Tracey. Thanks for coming back to leave a comment + star rating. I so appreciate it!
Outstanding. Simple. Common Ingredients that I had on hand. Everyone in the family LOVED this. This is going into my weekly rotation for sure! Thank you!
★★★★★
So glad this chili was a hit with your family, Tracy! Thanks for making it and for coming back to leave a comment + star rating. I so appreciate it. <3
This was SO good and full of flavor. I used low sodium chicken stock and found myself adding more salt at the end. Our avocado wasn’t ripe so we left that out and garnished it with a dollop of Greek yogurt and sprinkled with cilantro and had tortilla chips along side. Will definitely be a repeat recipe in my house!
★★★★★
Ahh yay!! I’m so glad this chili was a hit. Thanks for making it + for coming back to leave a comment + star rating, Andrea. I so appreciate it.
This recipe is delicious! Do you have any suggestions for increasing the healthy fat? I was thinking about doubling the olive oil.
★★★★★
Yes, more olive oil or more avocado added to the top!
I really enjoyed this recipe! For those looking for a vegan-ized version, this is what I did for a half batch. I replaced the chicken broth with vegetable broth and the chicken with about 3/4 of a package of Comrade Cluck (I chopped it roughly first and just left it in the pot after step 2). I halved all the ingredients except for the garlic and jalapeno (because yum). After I added the beans and corn, I also added the juice from half a lemon and 1 tbs nutritional yeast. It was delightful! Thanks, Brittany!
★★★★★
Thank you so much for sharing the subs you made with us, it’s super helpful to other readers!! I’m so glad you enjoyed this soup, Katherine. Thanks for trying it and for coming back to leave a comment + star rating. <3
Loved this recipe! Perfect just the way it is.
★★★★★
Yay!! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Christina!! Thanks for taking the time to come back and leave a comment + star rating. I really appreciate it. <3
This chili is AMAZING. Seriously the perfect amount of spice and it is so wholesome and filling. I made it for meal prep and ate it for lunch this week and I enjoyed every single bite.
★★★★★
Ahh that makes me so happy to hear, Lauren!! So glad you enjoyed this chili. Thanks for coming back to leave a comment and star rating, I so appreciate it. <3
So easy and delicious! Thank you!
★★★★★
SO good. My family doesn’t love spice, so I used green and yellow pepper instead and added some red chili pepper flakes for a little heat! I tripled the recipe and everyone loved it.
★★★★★
Yay!! So glad this recipe was a hit with your entire family. 🙂 Thanks so much for coming back to leave a comment and star rating. I really appreciate it. <3
Delicious recipe! So balanced and clean taste. I added roasted corn instead of regular. Definitely a fave at our home.
★★★★★
Ahh that makes me so happy to hear! Thanks for trying my recipe and for coming back to leave a comment and star rating, I so appreciate it!
Loved this recipe, added stewed tomatoes with green chiles and red pepper instead of the jalapeños.
★★★★★
Yay!! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Katie. Thanks for trying it and for coming back to leave a comment and star rating. I so appreciate it. <3
Made this last night for dinner–it was sooo good! My 7 year old actually ate 2 helpings, which doesn’t happen often. Definitely keeping this one on hand!
★★★★★
Ahh that makes me so happy to hear, Larissa!! I’m so glad this soup was a hit. Thanks for trying it and for coming back to leave a comment + star rating. I really appreciate it. 🙂
This sounds great! Is there any way to make this vegan?
Hey Michelle! I haven’t made this without the chicken yet, but I bet you could add more types or white beans or chickpeas instead of the chicken. Let me know if you try it and how it turns out!!
Can’t wait to make this soup this weekend. One thought: before adding shredded chicken back to the broth, you could add and purée a few of the beans using an immersion blender to thicken the soup!