White Chicken Chili Soup

Name: White Chicken Chili Soup
Prep time: 26 min
Cook time: 49 min
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Ingredients: 2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil; 1 large (about 2 cups) (300 g) yellow onion, peeled and cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) dice; 1 medium (40 g) jalapeño, stemmed, seeded and finely minced; 4 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, minced; 2 tsp (4 g) ground cumin; 1 tsp (2 g) ground coriander; 1 tsp (1 g) dried oregano; 2 tbsp (16 g) all-purpose flour; 4 cups (960 ml) low-sodium chicken broth; 8 oz (two 4-oz cans, with liquid) (226 g) canned diced mild green chiles, undrained; 30 oz (two 15-oz cans) (850 g) cannellini or Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed; 1½ lb (680 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed, left whole; 1 cup (140 g) frozen corn kernels, no need to thaw; 1 tsp (5 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste; ½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground; ½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream, at room temperature or cool, not ice-cold; 2 tbsp (30 ml) lime juice, freshly squeezed (about 1 large lime); ¼ cup (10 g) fresh cilantro, roughly chopped; 1 cup (100 g) Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A creamy, gently spicy white chicken chili soup built in one pot: chicken poaches right in a cumin-scented broth with white beans, green chiles and corn, then gets shredded and finished with cream and lime.

Prep: 26 min
Cook: 49 min
Wait: 5 min
Total: 1 hr 20 min
Makes: About 9 cups (2.1 L), 6 generous bowls

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Ingredients

6 servings

2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil
1 large (about 2 cups) (300 g) yellow onion, peeled and cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) dice
1 medium (40 g) jalapeño, stemmed, seeded and finely minced
4 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp (4 g) ground cumin
1 tsp (2 g) ground coriander
1 tsp (1 g) dried oregano
2 tbsp (16 g) all-purpose flour
4 cups (960 ml) low-sodium chicken broth
8 oz (two 4-oz cans, with liquid) (226 g) canned diced mild green chiles, undrained
30 oz (two 15-oz cans) (850 g) cannellini or Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed
1½ lb (680 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed, left whole
1 cup (140 g) frozen corn kernels, no need to thaw
1 tsp (5 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste
½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground
½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream, at room temperature or cool, not ice-cold
2 tbsp (30 ml) lime juice, freshly squeezed (about 1 large lime)
For serving
¼ cup (10 g) fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
1 cup (100 g) Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (optional)

Equipment (7)

5- to 6-quart (4.7–5.7 L) Dutch oven or heavy soup pot with lid
Wooden spoon
Chef's knife and cutting board
Instant-read thermometer
Two forks or tongs for shredding
Potato masher
Colander

Steps

Before you start

Open, drain and rinse both cans of beans, and open the green chiles, before you turn on the stove.
Pat the chicken dry and trim any visible fat; chicken breasts of similar thickness cook evenly.
Wear gloves or wash your hands well after seeding the jalapeño. Leave the seeds in only if you want extra heat.
Use a 5- to 6-quart (4.7–5.7 L) pot so the chicken is mostly submerged while it poaches.

1
Prep the ingredients
- Dice the onion, mince the jalapeño and garlic, drain and rinse the beans, squeeze the lime, and chop the cilantro.
- Keep the garlic and jalapeño together in one pile and the spices (cumin, coriander, oregano) measured in a small bowl so you can add them quickly later.
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Ready when: Onion is in even ¼-inch pieces; everything is measured and within reach.
Tip: Dicing the onion evenly means it softens at the same rate and disappears into the broth.
2
Soften the onion
- Heat the olive oil in the pot over medium heat for 1 minute until it shimmers.
- Add the onion and ½ tsp of the salt.
- Cook, stirring every minute or so, for 7–8 minutes.
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Ready when: Onion is soft and translucent with only the faintest golden edges.
Tip: If the onion browns quickly, lower the heat; dark onion makes the soup taste muddy rather than clean and creamy.
3
Bloom spices and flour
- Add the garlic, jalapeño, cumin, coriander, oregano, black pepper and flour.
- Stir constantly for 1–2 minutes so the flour coats the onions and the spices smell toasty.
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Ready when: Strongly fragrant, with no raw flour smell and no dark garlic.
Tip: Don't let the garlic brown; it turns bitter. Move straight to the next step when it's fragrant.
4
Add broth and chiles
- Pour in about 1 cup (240 ml) of the broth and scrape up any stuck bits from the bottom of the pot with the wooden spoon, stirring until smooth.
- Add the remaining 3 cups (720 ml) broth and the green chiles with their liquid.
- Stir well.
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Ready when: Liquid is smooth with no flour lumps, and the bottom of the pot is clean.
5
Poach chicken and beans
- Add the chicken breasts and the beans, pushing the chicken down so it is mostly submerged.
- Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to low, cover with the lid slightly ajar and keep at a gentle simmer (small, lazy bubbles) for 18–20 minutes, flipping the chicken once halfway.
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Ready when: Thickest part of the chicken reads 165°F (74°C) on an instant-read thermometer and the juices run clear.
Tip: A hard boil makes poached chicken tough and stringy. Keep the simmer gentle.
6
Shred the chicken
- Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let it rest for 5 minutes, then shred it into bite-size pieces with two forks.
- Leave the pot on the lowest heat.
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Ready when: Chicken pulls apart easily into moist strands with no pink.
Tip: Shred it a little coarser than you think you need; it breaks down more once stirred back in.
7
Thicken and add corn
- Press a potato masher into the beans 6–8 times, just enough to crush about a quarter of them and thicken the broth.
- Add the frozen corn and the shredded chicken, with any juices from the board.
- Raise the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
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Ready when: Broth is lightly creamy and coats the back of a spoon; corn is tender and hot.
Tip: Mash lightly. You want a mix of whole and broken beans, not a puree.
8
Finish with cream and lime
- Reduce the heat to low.
- Stir in the cream, lime juice and remaining ½ tsp salt, and warm for 2–3 minutes without boiling.
- Taste and add more salt, up to ½ tsp, or a splash more lime juice if it tastes flat.
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Ready when: Soup is evenly pale and creamy, steaming but not bubbling, and tastes bright.
Tip: Boiling after adding cream can make it separate and look grainy.
9
Serve
- Ladle into warmed bowls and top each with chopped cilantro and, if you like, a small handful of shredded Monterey Jack.
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Ready when: Cheese softens on the hot soup within a minute.

Good to know

Tips

Keep the simmer gentle when poaching so the chicken stays tender and juicy.
Mash just some of the beans rather than adding more flour; it thickens the soup naturally and adds creaminess.
Finish with lime at the end: acid added last keeps the flavor bright.
The soup thickens as it sits, so thin leftovers with a splash of broth when reheating.

Make ahead

"Make the soup through step 7 up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate. Reheat gently over medium-low heat, then stir in the cream, lime juice and remaining salt 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 cream; stir the cream in after reheating). Reheat in a pot over medium-low heat, stirring often, until steaming hot (165°F/74°C); add a splash of broth if it has thickened."

Substitutions

boneless, skinless chicken breasts → Boneless, skinless chicken thighs, or 3–4 cups shredded rotisserie chicken. Thighs take about 20–25 minutes to poach and are more forgiving. If using rotisserie chicken, skip the poaching and add it in step 7 with the corn.
heavy cream → 4 oz (113 g) cream cheese, softened, whisked in with a ladle of hot broth. Gives a thicker, tangier soup; or use half-and-half for a lighter version.
cannellini or Great Northern beans → Navy beans or canned butter beans. Same weight; butter beans are creamier and more tender.
jalapeño → 1 tsp chipotle or ¼ tsp cayenne. Add more or less to control heat; omit for a milder soup.