So you want the creamy comfort of a soup and the hearty satisfaction of a chili? We got you. This white bean chicken chili is the best of both worlds.
Tender chicken gets simmered in a creamy, subtly spiced, flavorful broth. And mild green chiles, corn, and kale add plenty of fiber and gorgeous color.
The best part? It’s a 1-pot meal ready in less than 1 hour that’s dairy- and gluten-free! Let us show you how it’s done!
How to Make White Bean Chicken Chili
This soups starts by sautéing best friends onion and garlic in a pot along with chicken thighs or breasts until slightly browned. Easy peasy.
Then it’s truly a dump, stir, and simmer situation: Add chicken broth, coconut milk, green chilies, corn, white beans, and spices.
We love how the coconut milk adds richness and a creamy texture without infusing a strong coconut flavor. It’s dairy-free magic.
Pair this gorgeous soup with our perfect vegan cornbread (check the gluten-free version here) and prepare to go to Cozyville (the land where stretchy pants are the only acceptable uniform and time does not exist).
We hope you LOVE this white bean chicken chili! It’s:
Creamy
Hearty
Balanced
Comforting
A little spicy
Easy to make
& SO delicious!
More Cozy Soup Recipes
- Super Garlicky Tomato Soup with Smashed White Beans
- 1-Pot Everyday Lentil Soup
- Creamy Tuscan White Bean & Kale Soup
- Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup (Instant Pot Friendly!)
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo @minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
Creamy White Bean Chicken Chili (1 Pot!)
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp olive oil (or avocado oil)
- 1 cup diced white or yellow onion (1 medium onion yields ~1 cup or 130 g)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 ½ lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into small bite-sized pieces or ~3/4-inch cubes (or sub chicken breasts)
- 1 cup chicken broth or stock (or store-bought)
- 1 cup canned full-fat coconut milk* (or sub homemade cashew cream)
- 2 (15-oz.) cans white beans, drained and rinsed (we like cannellini // or sub ~3 cups homemade)
- 2 (4-oz.) cans diced green chiles (we used hot // or sub 1/2 cup diced fresh roasted hatch chiles)
- 1 cup frozen corn (or sub drained and rinsed canned corn)
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp sea salt (plus more to taste)
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 pinch cayenne (plus more to taste)
- 2-3 cups loosely packed chopped kale
FOR SERVING optional
- Freshly chopped cilantro
- Thinly sliced green onion
- Crushed tortilla chips
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Once hot, add onion and sauté for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and beginning to soften. Add garlic and cook until fragrant — about 30 seconds.
- Add cubed chicken and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned.
- Add stock or broth, coconut milk, drained and rinsed beans, green chiles, corn, cumin, oregano, salt, pepper, and cayenne. Stir and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Once simmering, reduce heat slightly, cover, and cook for 15-20 minutes to let the flavors develop.
- Stir in the kale and use the back of a wooden spoon to mash some of the white beans against the side of the pot to thicken. Cook for 3-5 minutes, or until the kale is wilted and tender.
- Taste and adjust as needed, adding more cayenne for heat, cumin for smokiness, or salt and/or pepper to taste.
- Serve warm garnished with cilantro, green onion, crushed tortilla chips, and/or lime wedges (all optional).
- Leftover soup will keep stored in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop until hot, adding water to thin as needed.
Video
Notes
*Loosely adapted from Taste of Home.
Carla says
I made this last night and everyone loved it. Great flavor and I loved that it included kale. Make sure to put some fresh scallion slices on top!!
I made corn bread to go with it and it was the perfect accompaniment.
Yay! We’re so glad everyone enjoyed it. Thank you for the lovely review, Carla! xo
Kelly says
Wow! This is so delicious. I coupled it with some crusty bread for dipping. Yum yum I’ll definitely make this again.
Yay! We’re so glad you enjoyed the recipe and will be making it again. Thank you for the lovely review, Kelly! xo
Jen says
Excellent and a huge hit with a family of 5 (kids 5-12) with one vocal bean hater that cleaned his bowl (I went heavy on the bean smashing to help). I would insist that the lime is essential and not optional. It sent the flavor over the top for me. Also good over brown rice if you want some carbs without the tortilla chips. Going into regular rotation.
Whoop! We’re so glad it was a hit with the whole family, especially the bean hater. Thank you for sharing, Jen! xo
Stephanie says
This turned out great! I used jackfruit instead of chicken and I shredded some leftover carrots I found in the fridge. So good and savory. White bean chili has always been my favorite dish. Just starting the plant-based life and this recipe will be in permanent rotation.
Amazing! Thank you for sharing, Stephanie! xo
Jamie says
is there another ingredient I can substitute for the green chilies?
Hi Jamie, it won’t be quite as good without them, but you could add jalapeño or more cayenne. Hope that helps!
Genevieve says
I made this today, and the flavors are fabulous. Perfect for a cold winter day. For me, it didn’t make sense to cut the raw chicken into cubes. I just put the (seasoned, gotta actually season the meat) whole thighs in with the liquids and other ingredients, and let them cook that way. Then I took them out, and while they cooled, I used an immersion blender to very lightly chunk up part of the soup (did this instead of mash them with the wooden spoon). Finally, I shredded the chicken and added it back it with the kale. Stir and it’s ready to go.
Sounds delicious, Genevieve! Thanks so much for sharing. xo
Lindsay says
Great recipe! I swapped the meat with vegan chicken bits and used jalapeños instead of green chili’s. It was delicious, and spicy! I’ll definitely be making it again!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Lindsay! Thank you for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications! xo
lisa says
This was delicious and a wonderful alternative to my old recipe which contains a ton of grated cheese. My husband had a heart attack and since then we have been trying to really cut down on animal fat. I doubled the recipe with my own cooked beans, subbed the cashew cream, and used left over whole stewed chicken. I also roasted 2 poblano chilis, peeled and chopped them, instead of the canned chilis. Will make again and again! Thank you!
Thanks so much for sharing, Lisa! We’re so glad you both enjoyed it!
Taylor says
This is SO GOOD!!!!!!! Made as written- just doubled it to have a bunch of extra. Pretty easy to make. Definitely will make again.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Taylor! Thanks for the lovely review!
Leptosiphon says
Terrific! So much interesting flavor! I did triple the amount of cumin, oregano, and green chili, and added a jalapeño. But this is definitely one to put on repeat!!
We’re so glad you enjoyed this recipe. Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Lydia says
Yum! I found this because I was wondering if coconut milk would make chicken chili taste weird, glad I found this! I played it pretty fast and loose with the recipe, I added a whole jar of creamy avocado salsa instead of adding the recommended spices. I also used pre-cooked rotisserie chicken.
We’re so glad it turned out well, Lydia! Thank you for sharing! xo
Allison in CB says
Delicious, balanced flavors. I didn’t have a pot big enough at our rental. So I used a CrockPot MultiCooker instead. Sautéed the garlic, onion & meat using the brown/saute setting. Also chose to ‘bloom’ the spices a little before adding in everything else. Since some of the ingredients were frozen, I let them warm up a bit on the brown/saute setting. Then I sealed the lid and used the ‘soup’ setting for pressure cooking. After it heated up, it took about 20 minutes to cook. Results were great.
Lovely! Thanks so much for sharing, Allison! xo
Catherine says
This turned out wonderfully! I used Great Northern Beans as that’s all Trader Joe’s has. My fiancé and I ate about half the recipe over a couple nights and I froze the rest. Can’t wait to make this again!
We’re so glad you both enjoyed it, Catherine! Thanks so much for sharing! xo
Maddie says
Do we have any notes for making in a crock pot/instant pot?
Hi Maddie, we haven’t tried this recipe in a crock pot or instant pot, but we think it could work. You can reference our instant pot chicken tortilla soup if it’s helpful!
Sherry says
This came out delicious and is easy to make. I used homemade cashew milk. At the end of cooking, I added fresh chopped cilantro. Will make again:)
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Sherry. Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Jennifer says
Thanks for creating such flexible and forgiving recipes, and for including suggested substitutions. I tried this with cashew cream. Also, I used extra cayenne for the green chiles, and broccolini (stems, leaves, flowers, all chopped fine) for the kale. It was a huge hit! Like some others we have never had white chili before…so thanks also for broadening our horizons. :)
Yay! So glad you enjoyed. Thanks so much for the great review and for sharing your modifications, Jennifer!
Sarah says
This recipe was great!! I can’t have cumin, but used chili powder and smoked paprika instead. Also subbed 1/2 cup heavy cream for the coconut milk can and added another cup of chicken broth to compensate. Topped with lime juice, avocado, and green onion yum!! Never had a white chili before but I loved this. I could see where if you’re in a pinch ground turkey could be a good time saver and just as delish.
Amazing! Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Sarah!
Hiwot Ekuban says
I substituted coconut milk for half and half (since I didn’t have coconut milk) and it still turned out really good! I used 1/2 cup. I also added: onion/garlic powder, chili powder, and Chicken bullion instead of salt. Also used collard greens instead of kale since collards were on sale, but I should have added them after I cooked the chicken to allow them to soften enough!!
Amazing! Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications!
Alei says
Thank you for such a wonderful recipe. My mom made it for us tonight, the only change was she used three poblano peppers, roasted and seeded and what a nice flavour as everything came together!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Alei! Thanks so much for sharing! xo
Melayna Grassi says
Honestly this was the perfect comfort food for my day. I love that it has flavor and not too much spice. I topped mine with avocado and green onion. I added extra oregano too. Super easy and delicious.
Woohoo! Thanks so much, Melayna!
Tori Gile says
Any ideas for a veg substitute for the chicken? I feel like all white beans would be kind of boring. Maybe pinto or black beans? Tofu? What would be best? Thanks! LOVE your recipes!!
Hi Tori, we think beans might be best – the spices and broth make this super flavorful! Tofu could also be tasty.
Kay D. says
Such a great recipe that can be easily modified. I love having it for lunch at work since it’s such a quick recipe and makes a large amount.
Yay! We’re so glad you’re enjoying it. Thank you for sharing! xo
Sally says
Another great recipe by you. This was so good I made it again! I didn’t have corn so I added celery to it. Also, the second time I used green salsa. Very yummy and oh so healthy.
Woohoo! Thanks for the great review, Sally. So glad you’ve already enjoyed this twice!
Shane says
I made this two nights ago and it was a hit! So delicious, and it was better the next day. My only modifications were double the onion and a little extra oregano and cumin (three of my favorite ingredients/flavors).
This will definitely be a staple of our fall-winter-spring meal rotation!
Thank you so much for sharing.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Shane. Thanks so much for the lovely review!
Sara says
This is the third time in four weeks that I’ve made this. I’m dairy free & sometimes good, hearty recipes are hard to find. This recipe is excellent!!
Woohoo! Thanks for the great review, Sara. So glad you enjoyed!
Michelle says
This chili is AMAZING!!! I made it with the cashew cream and you’d never know there wasn’t dairy in this. The chili is thick and hearty, not too spicy. I made it with chicken thighs, a can of great northern, can of cannellini beans (that’s what I had on hand) and this chili was a hit with the whole family. Will definitely make again.
Woohoo! Thanks for the great review, Michelle. So glad you all enjoyed!
Molly says
Any other suggestions for something that could sub full-fat coconut milk other than cashews? We have a 5yo that’s allergic to both :( Thank you in advance!
Hi Molly, you could try almond milk or another neutral-flavored milk. It won’t be quite as creamy, but should still be tasty!
Alicia says
I blend a third can of beans in their juice and throw that in to thicken it. (I use a can of northern and a can of garbanzo in the recipe and then blend a third can of northern beans.)
Natalie says
The best receipt from MB I have ever made!! Wow wow wow! Ok but I did make a few adjustments… I didn’t use corn and use cashew cream instead of coco milk. Instead of green Chili’s I used my favorite brand of hatch green chili’s. Mine turned out suuuuuuper creamy and the chicken/hatch green chili combo was insane. I had a hard time not finishing the entire pot in one night. And definitely finished all left overs for breakfast the next morning. This will be my go to fall/winter recipe this season. Thank you!!
Amazing! Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Natalie! We are so glad you enjoyed it!
F.D. says
I opted to roast the corn and kale carefully, and it was next level! Also, extra roasted kale can be used in place of tortilla to pack that extra healthy punch. Thanks for the recipe, this one is a keeper. Can you adapt for a crockpot?
Amazing! Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications. We will add a crockpot version to our requests list!
Catherine Warr says
I would like to make this in the crockpot. I see you mentioned you would add that version, but I haven’t seen it. Also, is it better to use thighs than breasts?
Love your recipes. Looking forward to making this for company along with your cornbread recipe!
Hi Catherine, chicken thighs are often a bit more flavorful and tender than breasts, which we prefer for this soup. Let us know what you think when you give it a try!
Becca says
My partner and I absolutely loved this recipe! Perfect for cold weather – it warms you all the way through. I used fresh green chilis which I roasted, since I had some from the garden, and half chicken/half steak since that is what I had on hand. I may have made a mistake because I added a small amount of celery, but for some reason, my chili was far too thin and watery at first. No matter, though! I just let it simmer for a full hour (which way enhanced the flavors) and since I am Italian, I always have various pasta shapes on hand – I added about 1/3 cup stelline (soup) pasta at the end which soaked the excess moisture right up. I topped with fresh green onion. So, so good fresh and as leftovers throughout the week, too. Will definitely make again!
Sounds so yummy! Thanks so much for the great review and for sharing your modifications, Becca!
Rebecca King says
This was delicious! I don’t think I have ever made a recipe from this site that the whole family didn’t love. This was no exception. We doubled the recipe so we would have leftovers for a very busy upcoming week. Will definitely be making it again. I only had bone-in thighs so I removed the skin, cooked them bone-in, and removed them towards the end to debone and cut up the chicken. Turned out so flavorful and filling!
Thanks for the consistently delicious recipes!
Woohoo! So glad you all enjoyed this recipe, Rebecca. Thanks for the great review!
Diana says
I made this for my family tonight and they loved it!
My 9 year old even ate the kale! Not that he is wild about kale now – but said “I can’t taste the kale so I ate it all”. I did only use 1 can of green chilies because I was afraid of it being too spicy for the kids and added an extra cup of stock. The coconut milk does mellow out the spiciness, and seems to make the kale tender. I cooked it in an enameled cast iron pot, simmered for 15 mins, then shut off and added tuscan kale with stems removed. Adults added jalapeños. Delish!
Woohoo! So glad you all enjoyed this, Diana. Thanks for the wonderful review!
Lei says
This was so great and I DO appreciate the real meat. I used organic ground turkey. Thank you for another awesome recipe!! 💛
Yay! Thanks so much for the great review and for sharing your modifications, Lei!
Echo says
I made this last night and it was so yummy! I added some cauliflower cause I had some on hand that I needed to use and it was a really good addition. I’m not a big meat eater so I think I will skip the chicken next time and add more beans. It has such a good flavor I don’t think it will feel lacking without the meet at all!
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Echo. We are so glad you enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a star rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! xo
Kate says
This looks really good, and I just picked up ingredients to make it tonight. I’m going to use chipotle powder instead of cayenne, because smokiness!
I also wanted to point out that every time you post a yummy looking meat recipe, I am more likely to try it and eat meat. If you post a yummy vegetarian recipe, I am more likely to eat vegetarian. This is not a critique, but I thought you’d like to know how it can influence. Thought for food!
Thank you for the feedback, Kate!
Lacie says
What would you replace chicken with if vegetarian or vegan? Jackfruit?
Hi Lacie, you could try jackfruit or try adding more beans!
Shae says
How do you think this would be with tofu? But THANK YOU so much for creating, basically, a nightshade free chili!!! I just have to leave out the green chili’s! Its not often I am able to eat many chili recipes so THANK YOU!!!!
Hi Shae, we’re so glad! We haven’t tested it with tofu, but it might work! Let us know if you try it!
Ann says
Recently I tried a tomato based chili recipe that included tofu and it was amazing!! The instructions were to crumble the tofu by hand (I used super-firm), toss the crumbles in chili seasonings & oil, then bake until the crumbles get chewy & a bit crispy. Then you add the tofu to the pot at the end. I think it will work in this too and I can’t wait to try it. White Chicken Chili was one of my favorites before I gave up meat so long ago. Thank You!! This looks delicious!!
Lovely! Thanks so much for sharing, Ann!
Shae says
Ann, thank you for that tofu suggestion! Thats a great idea!
Shae says
Hi ladies! I just wanted to say thank you to Ann for recommending the tofu for this recipe. I made it last night with the seasoned tofu and it was fantastic! My partner and I loved it! I will definitely be making it again ;-)
Yay! Thanks so much for the review, Shae!
Kathy says
Disappointing!! Love your Everyday Cooking book! Thought you were 100% vegan.
😩
Hi Kathy, If you’d like to see only our vegan content, you can subscribe to our vegan-only email list (sign up for the email list and click the subscriber preferences at the bottom of the email) as well as visit our recipe page and select “special diet” “vegan.”
Rosina says
As I was making this I realized I didn’t have cumin and oregano on hand so I substituted curry and dried parsley and decided not to add the cayenne. Love how this turned out! Totally a keeper.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Rosina. Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo