White Chicken Chili is the perfect bowl of comfort. Juicy chicken, hearty beans and yellow corn make for a meal both filling and delicious.

This White Chicken Chili is a spin-off of TacoTime’s beloved recipe. Whenever you are in the mood for something hearty and wholesome, this easy recipe is the perfect meal to have in your back pocket.
Chili is the ultimate comfort food, but it’s also healthy for you. As long as you don’t go crazy with the cheese at the end (and so what if you do?), consider this chili a great addition to any low-calorie diet.

How to Make White Chicken Chili
Making White Chicken Chili is super simple. You only need one pot, which means minimal mess and clean-up. Follow the steps below to having a piping hot bowl in no time:
- Dice chicken and brown it in a pot. Add diced onions and cook until softened. Bonus Ingredient: Add a can of diced green chilis at this stage for an extra kick of flavor.
- Add butter and flour to pot and cook until flour turns smooth.
- Add beans, corn, seasoning and hot water. Let simmer for 30 minutes.
- Add milk. Simmer an additional 10 minutes.
- Serve garnished with cheddar cheese, tortilla chips and a lime wedge.
Hot Tip: For this recipe, you can use our homemade Chicken Broth or chicken stock instead of bouillon seasoning. It will make for a richer, more hearty soup!






Make Chicken Chili in Instant Pot
In a rush? Pop all the ingredients into the Instant Pot or Crock Pot to speed up the cooking process. Cook on the stew setting in the Instant Pot, being sure to sauté the chicken on Sauté Mode first. If using the Crock Pot, brown the chicken in a pan first and throw all the ingredients into the pot, minus the milk, and cook on low for 2-3 hours. Stir in the milk with 30 minutes left.
Hot Tip: On a time crunch and have leftover rotisserie chicken hanging around? Turn it to shredded chicken and pop into the soup to speed up the process.
FAQ
What foods compliment chili?
Chili goes great with cast iron cornbread, a side garden salad, or some roasted potatoes. But, since it’s packed with protein and fiber, it’s filling as a meal all on its own.
Is white chicken chili supposed to be thick?
It can be thick or thin depending on the broth to bean ratio. We like to keep our soup more on the broth-y side, but if you want it to be a bit thicker add in an additional can of beans.
How to make white chicken chili spicier?
Adding a bit more red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper will make your chili more spicy. Feel free to play around until you get the level of spice that you like! Just be careful, chili flakes can bring a lot of heat!
Making White Chicken Chili in Advance
If you’re in the mood for meal prep, you can make a large batch of chili several days in advance. In fact, the longer it sits the better it gets…
- Refrigerating Chili – Allow your chili to cool down completely. Transfer it to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to a week.
- Freezing Chili – Allow your chili to cool down completely. Transfer it to an airtight container and store in the freezer for up to three months. When you are ready to eat it, take it out and allow it to thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Heat through in a saucepan over medium-heat.
More Soup Recipes
Love the slurpy goodness of soups and stews?
- Simple Instant Pot Chili Recipe – This Instant Pot chili tastes like it has been slow cooked for hours.
- Gnocchi Zuppa Toscana Recipe – One of the most comforting soups for when an Italian craving hits.
- Minestrone Soup – Vegetarian and packed to the gills with veggies and pasta.
- Chicken Noodle Soup – A true classic beloved by adults and kids alike.
Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken
- olive oil for frying
- 1/2 large onion
- 14 oz canned pinto beans drained
- 14 oz canned white kidney beans drained
- 14 oz canned corn drained
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 3 qt hot water
- 1 tbsp chicken better than bullion
- 2 tbsp Unsalted Butter
- 2 tbsp flour
- 1 cup whole milk
Instructions
- Dice chicken into one inch cubes and sauté it in a preheated pot until the chicken is golden brown. To the chicken, add in diced onions and cook until softened.
- Add butter and flour. Sauté until the flour has no lumps.
- Add beans, corn, all the seasonings and hot water. Let soup simmer for about 30 minutes.
- Add milk and let the soup cook for an additional 10 minutes.
- Serve chili while it's hot and season to taste with salt and pepper. Top with shredded cheddar cheese, tortilla chips and a squeeze of lime.
😋
Is it supposed to be 14 cups of corn or a 14oz can? Can't wait to try this recipe!
Hi Jamie - Ah! Nice catch. It's supposed to be 14 oz canned corn, not 14 cups. We went ahead and updated the recipe to reflect that. Thank you for your close eye - so appreciated! Hope you love the chili. Let us know how it turns out!
Is it supposed to be 3 qts or maybe 3 cups of hot water.
3 qts seems to be a lot for the amount of corn , beans, etc. and the cook time.
Hi Mary - Thanks for the question. It's supposed to be 3 quarts (12 cups) of hot water is correct. Not only do the beans absorb a good amount of liquid, some of the broth cooks off as the soup comes together. Hope this helps!
The "chicken better than bullion" isn't available in our home. Is it okay not to use it?
Yes, you can also replace liquids with chicken broth. Enjoy
This is so perfect for the cold weather we're having right now! I can't wait to sit down with a bowl tonight. 🙂
April, I hope you love the chili!
My family and I love white chicken chili!
It is so simple and hearty!
Super delicious! This chili is one of my favorite soups! Love it with corn bread!
I'm so glad you enjoyed it, Betsy! I love the idea of pairing it with cornbread, a nice hearty meal.
Can beans be substitute it With something else ? Like potato ?
Chili is typically made with beans, if you add potatoes it will no longer be chili 🙂 I am sure it will still taste good.
can i use heavy whipping cream instead of milk?
Yes, but I would use a smaller portion.
Can I use almond milk?
Hi Jennifer, I have never made this recipe with almond milk. I am afraid that it will add almond flavor to the soup and I personally wouldn't like that. If you do try it, let me know. Thanks
Hello, I'm making this recipe right now and 3 quarts of water seems like wayyy too much?
3 quarts of water is how much I use. Chili cooks for so long, it evaporates.
I made this soup and I love it. Thank you very much!
That's so awesome that you loved it! 🙂
Made this soup yesterday it's so delicious and simple. Thank u 🙂
yumm, I am so happy you liked it. I miss chili, we usually eat it in the winter time.
Looks so delicious!
Thank you Natalya! I hope you wil get to enjoy the taste of it too 😉
I LOVE CHILI!!! I have always wanted to try a white chicken chili. I will definantly give it try. Thanks for the post.
Awesome! You will love this version of chili. It's more creamy, pretty bomb 😉