This shortcut white chicken chili recipe is ready in under an hour and you won’t miss any of the flavor! It’s the perfect easy dinner on a cold winter night.
Often, chili is cooked for hours in a slow cooker, but I wanted to be able to enjoy a delicious chili even on days when I didn’t remember to start a slow cooker meal. Enter, this shortcut white chicken chili recipe.
What ingredients do I need for white chicken chili?
- Boneless skinless chicken breast
- Yellow onion
- Cannellini beans
- Salsa verde
- Cumin
- Cilantro chopped
- Salt
- Chicken broth
What makes this a shortcut chili?
- In this recipe, you need under an hour and you’ll have a white chicken chili made on the stovetop.
- This recipe uses a jar of salsa verde to really amp up the flavor, without having to make a salsa tomatillo salsa from scratch.
When cooking chicken chili in a slow cooker, the end product will result in chicken that is falling apart; almost shredded. With the stovetop method, you can shred the chicken with two forks to get that same consistency.
How do you make shortcut chicken chili?
- Simply, put everything in a pan and cook for 45 minutes on med-high heat. While the chili is simmering, stir occasionally.
If you want to spend a bit of extra time making this chili, you can cook the onions in a little bit of olive oil and then complete the recipe from there. This just helps develop the flavors slightly more.
You can also make this shortcut white chicken chili, put it in a freezer bag (like these) and just pop it in the slow cooker when you’re ready to eat it.
You can read more about that method here. Plus, you’ll read tips on freezing meals and cooking them properly from frozen.
Shortcut White Chicken Chili Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken breast boneless, skinless and cut into large chunks. About 3 chicken breasts.
- 1 yellow onion small, diced. About 1 cup
- 2 cans cannellini beans 15 oz. each. Rinsed and drained.
- 1 jar salsa verde 16 oz.
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons cumin
- 1 bunch cilantro chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups chicken broth for cooking
Instructions
Make Now:
- Put everything in a large saucepan. Cook for 45 minutes on medium-high heat. While it is simmering, stir occasionally.
Freezing Instructions:
- Label gallon freezer bag with title and include “for cooking add 2 cups chicken broth or water”. Combine all ingredients except chicken broth into a gallon size freezer bag. Squeeze out any excess air.
Cooking From Frozen Instructions:
- Remove gallon bag from freezer. Allow to thaw overnight in the refrigerator on a plate or in an empty baking dish. Put contents of the bag in a slow cooker along with 2 cups of chicken broth and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-5 hours.
Serve with:
- Sour cream, crushed tortilla chips and avocado and cilantro
Jenny Catrine says
My all time favorite chili recipe is the Johnsonville Touchdown Italian Sausage Chili recipe!!!
Sweetphi says
I’ll have to look it up, sounds delicious!
Kim Henrichs says
I love an old school hamburger, beans, diced tomatoes, chili seasoning kind of chili with lots of fritos and cheese on top!
Sweetphi says
Oh yum – the fritos on top though, now I’m craving chili lol
Tracey A says
This looks delicious and I am printing it now! I love the color as well as the ingredients. I have been craving this, so definitely making this within the week! THANK YOU! 🙂
Sweetphi says
You’re so welcome, I think you’ll absolutely love this soup!
Brittani Weber says
I’ve made a recipe similar to this and it is a dream – the salsa verde gives it a wonderful flavor. I also love a good creamy white chicken chili (has cream cheese & Rotel in it) topped with corn chips & avocado! My absolute favorite though is a homemade cheddar broccoli soup! It’s so warm & cozy when it’s cold out!
Sweetphi says
I completely agree – the salsa verde really amps up the flavor.
Amy Cooley says
I’ve tried many different chili recipes and loved them all, but I always go back to a ground beef chili as my favorite.
Sweetphi says
A good classic beef chili is so good!
Mary W says
I plan to make your Chicken Chili recipe this week. Everyone loves my Election Day traditional chili. I make it a day before I leave to work the Elections and keep the chili in the fridge overnight. I take my crockpot and bag of chili and set it up at 6am. Us poll workers nosh on the chili all day. It tastes better and better as the day unfolds. 16 hours later the pot is empty and everyone is happy. And yes, we often worked 16 to 18 hours at the Precinct – pre-Covid.
Sweetphi says
Aw, I love this story!! Thank you for sharing, and thank you for working at the polls!!!
Nancy S. says
I have this in the crockpot right now. I did modify it a bit. I used dried onions (3 TBL), 2 tsp cumin, 1 tsp dried oregano, 3 garlic cloves and 2 little cans of diced green chilis and a couple dashes of cayenne pepper, because why not. I also doubled the beans to 4 cans and plan to mash them up a bit with my potato masher once it’s all done. It smells amazing in here!
Sweetphi says
Oh yum, I love the sound of the modifications you made, I hope it all turned out great!
Shawn Parent says
I love your white chicken chili the most!! It’s a staple around this house … my mouth is watering even thinking about it … it’s such a satisfying and comforting soup for these cold winter days
Sweetphi says
Thank you so much for those kind words, I’m so happy to hear that you love this white chicken chili!!!!
Denise L says
I prefer white chicken chili but my family like spicy beef chili with beans. So I usually make both and freeze leftovers for the next time.
Sweetphi says
So smart to make both and then freeze!
April Meiller says
I love the white chicken chili, but for sometimes, I just want more veggies!
Funny you had this questions, as I love soaking a red chili with more and more veggies. Surely this is our Chili weather!
Sweetphi says
I loooove a good veggie chili, in fact, I sometimes make vegetarian chili (I have a recipe for vegetarian chili made with eggplants and its SO good!
Sharon says
I love black bean chili, really spicy!
Sweetphi says
Oh yum, sounds amazing!
Lisa Burkhart says
My favorite chili is my mom’s spicy meaty chili with lots of beans. She has been gone for thirty years, and I continue to make the same chili. I’m making a batch on Sunday. Always make enough for the week, plus some to freeze. No less than 3 pounds of ground beef. Nice and thick Yum
Sweetphi says
That sounds like such a special memory and recipe, thank you for sharing Lisa.
Monica says
My favorite is BBQ Chicken Chili. Don’t make it much because it’s to spicy for the rest of the family.
Sweetphi says
Oh yum, I love a nice heat to a dish, I usually just freeze leftovers and then have them later if my family doesn’t like something 😉
Linda Bick says
White chicken chili is a favorite in our family also!
Sweetphi says
Isn’t it amazing? Topping options are endless
Susan L Craig says
That looks delicious. It reminds me of the White Chicekn Chili from Clyde’s restuarant. I miss it so!
Sweetphi says
Thank you so much, white chicken chili is definitely a favorite around here.