Creamy Stovetop White Chicken Chili

Name: Creamy Stovetop White Chicken Chili
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil; 1½ cups (210 g) yellow onion, finely chopped (about 1 large); 4 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, minced; 1 medium (30 g) jalapeño, seeded and finely diced; 2 teaspoons (4 g) ground cumin; 1 teaspoon (1 g) dried oregano; 1 teaspoon (2 g) ground coriander; 2 tablespoons (16 g) all-purpose flour; 2 cans (4 oz each) (227 g) canned diced mild green chiles, undrained; 4 cups (960 ml) low-sodium chicken broth; 1½ pounds (680 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed (about 3 medium breasts); 3 cans (15 oz each) (1275 g) great northern beans, drained and rinsed; 1 teaspoon (5 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste; ½ teaspoon (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground; ½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream, at room temperature; ¼ cup (60 g) sour cream, at room temperature; 1 large (70 g) lime, half juiced (about 1 tablespoon), half cut into wedges for serving; ¼ cup (10 g) fresh cilantro, chopped; 1 cup (100 g) Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A cozy, one-pot white chicken chili with tender poached chicken, great northern beans, mild green chiles and warm cumin, finished with a touch of cream for a silky, spoonable broth.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 45 min
Wait: 5 min
Total: 1 hr 10 min
Makes: About 9 cups (6 generous servings)

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Ingredients

6 servings

2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil
1½ cups (210 g) yellow onion, finely chopped (about 1 large)
4 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, minced
1 medium (30 g) jalapeño, seeded and finely diced
2 teaspoons (4 g) ground cumin
1 teaspoon (1 g) dried oregano
1 teaspoon (2 g) ground coriander
2 tablespoons (16 g) all-purpose flour
2 cans (4 oz each) (227 g) canned diced mild green chiles, undrained
4 cups (960 ml) low-sodium chicken broth
1½ pounds (680 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed (about 3 medium breasts)
3 cans (15 oz each) (1275 g) great northern beans, drained and rinsed
1 teaspoon (5 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste
½ teaspoon (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground
½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream, at room temperature
¼ cup (60 g) sour cream, at room temperature
1 large (70 g) lime, half juiced (about 1 tablespoon), half cut into wedges for serving
For serving
¼ cup (10 g) fresh cilantro, chopped
1 cup (100 g) Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (optional)

Equipment (6)

5½–6-quart (5–5.7 L) heavy pot or Dutch oven with lid
Chef's knife and cutting board
Instant-read thermometer
Wooden spoon
Two forks or tongs for shredding
Ladle

Steps

Before you start

Drain and rinse the canned beans, and open the cans of green chiles before you start so the cooking moves quickly.
Use a heavy 5½- to 6-quart pot or Dutch oven so the chili simmers gently without scorching.
Chicken breasts vary in thickness; if one is much thicker than the others, cut it in half horizontally so everything cooks evenly.
Bring the cream and sour cream to room temperature while you cook so they blend in smoothly.

1
Sauté the aromatics
- Set a 5½–6-quart pot over medium heat and add the olive oil.
- Add the chopped onion and jalapeño with the 1 teaspoon salt.
- Cook, stirring often, for 6–7 minutes until the onion is soft and translucent but not browned.
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Ready when: Onion is soft and translucent with no brown edges.
Tip: Salting early draws out moisture so the onion softens instead of browning.
2
Toast spices and garlic
- Stir in the garlic, cumin, oregano, coriander and black pepper.
- Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, until the mixture smells fragrant and toasty.
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Ready when: Strong, warm spice aroma; garlic is pale gold, not brown.
Tip: If the pot looks dry or the garlic starts to darken, lower the heat immediately.
3
Add flour and chiles
- Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir for 1 minute so no dry streaks remain.
- Stir in the canned green chiles with their liquid and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
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Ready when: Vegetables look coated in a pasty, lightly sticky film.
4
Add broth and chicken
- Slowly pour in the chicken broth while stirring to dissolve the flour paste.
- Nestle the whole chicken breasts into the liquid so they are mostly submerged.
- Raise the heat to high and bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low.
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Ready when: Liquid is steaming and just beginning to bubble before you lower the heat.
Tip: Slice any very thick breast in half horizontally so all pieces finish at the same time.
5
Poach the chicken
- Cover the pot and keep at a gentle simmer (small bubbles breaking the surface occasionally) for 15–20 minutes.
- Check the thickest part of a breast with an instant-read thermometer; it should read 165°F (74°C).
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Ready when: Thermometer reads 165°F (74°C) and the juices run clear.
Tip: A hard boil makes chicken tough; keep the simmer lazy.
6
Shred the chicken
- Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let it cool for 5 minutes.
- Shred it into bite-size pieces with two forks.
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Ready when: Meat pulls apart easily into tender strands.
7
Simmer with beans
- Add the drained beans to the pot.
- Use the back of a wooden spoon to mash about ½ cup of beans against the side of the pot to thicken the broth.
- Simmer uncovered over medium-low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
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Ready when: Broth coats the back of a spoon and has reduced slightly.
Tip: Keep it at a gentle simmer so the beans stay whole.
8
Finish with cream
- Return the shredded chicken to the pot.
- Reduce the heat to low.
- Stir in the cream and sour cream until fully blended, then add the juice of half the lime.
- Heat for 3–4 minutes until hot; do not let it boil.
- Taste and add more salt if needed.
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Ready when: Chili is creamy, uniformly pale, and steaming hot with no curdled bits.
Tip: Boiling after adding sour cream can make it separate.
9
Serve
- Ladle the chili into bowls.
- Top with cilantro and shredded Monterey Jack, if using, and serve with the lime wedges for squeezing.

Good to know

Tips

Mashing some of the beans gives body without extra flour or cornstarch.
For more heat, leave the jalapeño seeds in or add ¼ teaspoon cayenne with the spices.
Don't boil the chili after the dairy goes in; keep it at a gentle heat to stay smooth.
The chili thickens as it sits; thin with a splash of broth when reheating.

Make ahead

Make the chili through step 7 up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate. Reheat gently over low heat, then stir in the cream, sour cream and lime juice just before serving.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: no more than 2 hours. Refrigerator: up to 4 days in an airtight container. Freezer: up to 3 months (best frozen before adding the cream and sour cream). Reheat over low heat, stirring often, adding a splash of broth if too thick; thaw overnight in the fridge first.

Substitutions

boneless, skinless chicken breasts → boneless, skinless chicken thighs or 4 cups shredded rotisserie chicken. Thighs need 20–25 minutes of poaching; with rotisserie chicken, skip poaching and add it in step 8.
great northern beans → cannellini beans. Similar size and creamy texture; a 1:1 swap.
heavy cream → half-and-half. Lighter result; add it off the boil and don't simmer it.
sour cream → plain full-fat Greek yogurt. Adds the same tang; keep the heat low to avoid curdling.