30-minute, easy white chicken chili

I am always on a quest for easy, healthy, and delicious meals, and this white chicken chili checks all of the boxes.

This recipe uses an insanely- flavorful blend of spices and herbs. Because of this, you can keep the other ingredients, like chicken and beans, simple and nutrient-dense.

I have discovered that eating healthy is SO much more fun when the food is masterfully seasoned. This is something I hadn’t always considered and, boy, does it make all the difference!

Instead of loading up on heavy, cheesy pasta meals, this white chicken chili gives you the same satisfying feel, more nutrients, and has a fraction of the carbs.

Believe me, I love pasta—too much! If I allowed myself I would eat it every night of the week and twice on Sunday! I know that I can’t do that because it would drag me down. Plus, there is so much I’d miss out on (like this white chicken chili)!

I’ve learned to embrace and enjoy alternatives, like beans or quinoa, which has expanded my culinary horizons!

ingredients for white chicken chili

Chicken: it’s easiest to pick up a rotisserie chicken from the store. Pro tip – I always take the chicken off of the bone of the rotisserie right away and keep the chicken in a zip lock bag until I’m ready to use it (sometimes days later). It’s much easier to get all the meat off of the bone when it’s hot.

Another option is to use left-over chicken if you have it.

Lastly, you can use fresh chicken breasts (approx. 2 lbs.). Cut the chicken breasts into bite size pieces and then saute in the pot or dutch oven before starting the onions. Depending on the size of the pieces, it will take 5-10 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pot and then add your onions.

Cannellini Beans (aka white kidney beans): I love the idea of using a cup of these beans as a thickener versus a heavy cream! Genius! (I’d love to take credit but can’t!)

To do this, remove one cup of the rinsed beans and add them to a food processor or blender. Next, add 1/4 cup of the simmering broth from the pot. Puree until smooth. This creates a thickened “paste” that works beautifully in this chili.

fun ways to serve

You have many options to jazz up this chili goodness!

• Monetary jack or Mexican cheese blend
• Fresh cilantro
• Avocado slices or bacon guacamole
• Lime wedges
• Chopped red onion or jalapeño peppers

Don’t forget the chips! I LOVE From the ground up cauliflower tortilla chips, (especially the lime-flavored with this chili)! My husband and kids have always loved Fritos to scoop their chili but once I start eating Fritos, I can’t stop. In my humble opinion, these tortilla chips are a fantastic healthy substitute. They’re grain-free, made with cauliflower & other veggies, plus, I won’t eat the entire bag!

If you like this white chicken chili recipe, be sure to check out my easy chicken fajitas with garlic lime marinade.