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This Healthy White Chicken Chili is creamy, comforting and perfect as a family meal on a cold winter's night. It packs in chicken, green salsa, coconut milk and white beans, and comes together in 20 minutes in just one large pot!
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Chili is my absolute favorite during the colder months of the year. It’s just so hearty and comforting- the kind that sticks to your ribs. I’ve actually tried quite a few chili recipes, right from the classic slow cooker black bean chili to a delicious Crock Pot Cajun chili. And this easy dairy-free white chicken chili is my latest best!
It’s simple enough to be a quick weeknight dinner, meal prep in advance and even to enjoy as a healthy lunch on the go! It also makes a great freezer friendly meal for those busy nights, when you just want to reheat and serve!
Why You’ll Love This Healthy White Chicken Chili Recipe
- Easy and healthy: The chili is packed with wholesome, healthy ingredients and barely takes any time or effort to make.
- Family favorite: The simple, hearty and delicious flavors of this healthy chicken chili makes it perfect for everyone, even kids! It is surely going to be a hit with everyone in the family.
- Freezer friendly: It’s freezer-friendly too, so you can store your leftovers for later or make big batches to prep for lunch or dinner for the upcoming weeks.
- Customizable: You’ll have lots of room to experiment with the mix-ins and use your favorite toppings too. It’s really the best comfort food!
Ingredients
- Chicken: Start with boneless, skinless chicken breasts, chopped into 1 inch cubes. I used chicken breasts because they have a nice meaty texture, but you could also use chicken thighs if you prefer those.
- White beans: I’m partial to S&W Beans. Their quality is so much better, and they’ve become a personal favorite. Plus, you’ll have different varieties to pick from. There’s 50% less sodium and organic, so you can go ahead and take your pick.
- Salsa: You’ll need to use green salsa here. It's bright, almost citrusy flavors, pair well with the chicken and white beans.
- Hatch chiles: Two hatch chiles add a bit of heat. If you can't find hatch chiles fresh, take a peak on the canned goods aisle at the store. They're often hidden there.
- Coconut milk: To lend a bit of creaminess to the chili. It replaces the dairy that's often used in white chili to make it creamy. You can also replace this with regular cream or a milk you prefer.
- Vegetable broth: Low-sodium vegetable broth is best! You could use chicken broth as the base too, if that’s what you prefer.
- Aromatics: Fresh garlic and onion are a must! They lend a beautiful aroma and flavor to the chili.
- Seasonings: Just a dash of coriander, cumin and some salt.
- Toppings: Use your favorites! I love using sliced avocados, lime wedges and chopped cilantro.
- Lime juice: To bring a nice citrusy tanginess to the chili.
- Olive oil: Preferably extra virgin.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations & Dietary Modifications
- Bean swap: Great Northern beans, cannellini beans and white chickpeas are all great options to use here. You can also use a mix of two if you want!
- Low-carb: Leave out the beans if you're looking lower carb option.
- Vegetarian: Ditch the chicken and add an extra can of white beans.
- Extra hot: Add some chopped green chilies or jalapenos to lend an extra kick of heat to the white bean chicken chili.
- Veggie delight: Add more chopped veggies like zucchini, carrots and bell peppers to bulk up the chili and make it healthier!
- Extra protein: Swap the vegetable or chicken broth in the recipe for bone broth to make it more rich in protein.
- Make it smoky: Add a dash of smoked paprika into the mix to lend this healthy white bean chicken chili a bit of a smoky aroma.
How to Make Healthy White Chili with Chicken
Step 1: Saute. Heat the oil in a large pot and saute onions, garlic, and chilies for 3-4 minutes or until the onions turn translucent.
Step 2: Add the chicken. Add the chicken to the pot and season with some cumin and coriander. Cook for 5-6 minutes or until the chicken is done.
Step 3: Make the Broth. Add the salsa, lime juice, coconut milk, broth, and some water to the pot. Bring this to a boil and then cover and cook for about 12 minutes.
Step 4: Finish up. Add the beans to the pot and cook for a few more minutes.
Step 5: Serve and enjoy. Serve the soup up hot in bowls with your choice of toppings.
Storage Directions
- Storing: You can refrigerate your leftover low calorie white chicken chili for up to 4 days. Make sure you use a clean container with an airtight lid to preserve its freshness.
- Reheating: Reheat the white chili in the microwave or in a pot over medium heat. If it thickens during storage, add some broth or water to thin it out.
- Make Ahead: You can also make this in a larger batch and freeze it for up to 3 months. Just make sure you allow it to cool down completely and then use freezer-safe containers or bags to freeze it.
Serving Suggestions
This hearty and wholesome white chicken chili tastes fantastic on its own. If you really want to serve it with a side dish, keep it simple and choose a salad like my tomato cucumber salad. And of course, if you can’t resist cornbread, try my almond flour pumpkin cornbread recipe.
Finish it up with some low calorie flourless greek yogurt brownies or this protein banana pudding.
Recipe Tips
- Load it up: Top your bowl of white chicken chili with lots of toppings to bring a mix of fun textures and flavors. Crunchy tortilla chips, shredded cheese and diced jalapenos are great options.
- Make a double batch: This soup is ideal for meal prep, so feel free to make an extra batch to freeze for later.
Recipe FAQs
You can! Just shred the rotisserie chicken and add it into the mix towards the end, along with the beans.
To thicken the chili, you can add a slurry made using cornflour and water and let it simmer for a few minutes. Another great idea is to mash or puree some of the beans and add it to the chili to thicken it up.
More Delicious Chicken Recipes
If you tried this healthy chicken chili recipe or any other recipe on my website, please please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you go in the 📝 comments below.
Healthy White Chicken Chili
Ingredients
- 1 lb Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts diced into 1 inch pieces
- 15 oz White Beans can 50% less sodium
- 16 oz Green Salsa
- ½ cup Unsweetened Coconut Milk or milk of choice
- 1 cup Water
- 2 cups Vegetable Broth no sodium added
- 1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 cup White Onion diced
- 2 tablespoons Garlic minced
- 2 Hatch Chiles diced
- 1 tablespoon Coriander
- 1 teaspoon Cumin
- 1 tablespoon Lime Juice
- Optional toppings: limes, cilantro, avocado
Instructions
- Place a large pot over medium heat with extra virgin olive oil, garlic, chiles and onion. Sauté 3-4 minutes until the onion is slightly translucent.
- Place the chicken breasts pieces into the pot with coriander and cumin.
- Cook the chicken 5-6 minutes until cooked fully then add green salsa, lime juice, coconut milk, broth and water.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover 12-15 minutes.
- Place beans with their liquid in the pot and stir to combine.
- Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator up to 1 week or store in the freezer up to 60 days.
Notes
- Each serving is approximately 1 1/2 cups.
- Load it up: Top your bowl of white chicken chili with lots of toppings to bring a mix of fun textures and flavors. Crunchy tortilla chips, shredded cheese and diced jalapenos are great options.
- Make a double batch: This soup is ideal for meal prep, so feel free to make an extra batch to freeze for later.
Nutrition
Love this! Very easy and delicious!
Hi is it one cup for a serving?
Hi Rebekah, The amount per serving is listed in the notes section after the recipe instructions!
Can you fix this and put in the crock pot?
Are you asking if you can make this recipe in a crockpot?
If one can of corn has approximately 416 mg of potassium, how can you say that this is potassium-free?
There is no corn in this recipe.