Chicken Chili with White Beans
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This chicken chili is a hearty, healthy dish you can feel good about eating.
If you’re looking for a lighter alternative to my classic chili recipe, this chicken chili is just the ticket. It’s made from scratch, loaded with veggies, and packed with protein-rich chicken and beans. But don’t worry—it’s still hearty and satisfying, even for the biggest football fanatics in your life. The ingredient list might look a bit long at first glance, but don’t let that scare you off. It’s mostly spices, and the active cooking time is only about 30 minutes, though it simmers on the stove for nearly two hours to develop that deep, rich flavor. And here’s a tip: be sure to use regular ground chicken, not the lean variety, for the best texture and taste. For a tasty variation, check out my favorite turkey chili recipe too!
Table of Contents
What You’ll Need To Make Chicken Chili With White Beans
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step-by-Step Instructions
To begin, heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or nonreactive soup pot over medium heat. Add the onions and red bell pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring to prevent garlic from burning, about two minutes more.
Increase the heat to medium-high. Add the ground chicken, chili powder, cumin, coriander, red pepper flakes, oregano, cayenne pepper, and salt.
As the chicken cooks, use a wooden spoon to break the meat into very small clumps; cook until no longer pink, about 5 minutes.
Add the tomatoes, chicken broth, and sugar.
Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, partially covered with lid ajar, for about one hour, stirring occasionally. Stir in the white beans and simmer, uncovered for about 50 minutes more, or until the meat is tender and the flavors are well combined.
For a soupier chili, you can add additional water. For a thicker chili, simmer uncovered until the desired consistency is reached. Taste and add more salt if necessary. Note that this chili is moderately spicy; feel free to adjust to your liking by increasing or decreasing the cayenne and red pepper flakes.
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Chicken Chili with White Beans
This chicken chili is a hearty, healthy dish you can feel good about eating.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 cups chopped yellow onions, from 2 medium onions
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 6 medium garlic cloves, minced
- 2 pounds ground chicken (preferably not labeled "lean")
- 3 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (omit for milder chili)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 (26 oz.) cartons Pomi chopped tomatoes or two (28 oz.) cans chopped or diced tomatoes
- 2 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 (15 oz.) can Cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large nonreactive pot over medium heat. Add the onions and red bell pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring to prevent garlic from burning, about two minutes more.
- Increase the heat to medium-high. Add the ground chicken, chili powder, cumin, coriander, red pepper flakes, oregano, cayenne pepper, and salt. As the chicken cooks, use a wooden spoon to break the meat into very small clumps; cook until no longer pink, about 5 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes, chicken broth, and sugar. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, partially covered with lid ajar, for about one hour, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in the white beans and simmer, uncovered for about 50 minutes more, or until the meat is tender and the flavors are well combined. For a soupier chili, you can add additional water. For a thicker chili, simmer uncovered until desired consistency is reached. Taste and add more salt if necessary.
- Note: Pomi boxed tomatoes are available at some regular grocers, Whole Foods and gourmet food shops.
- Note: A nonreactive pot is made of a material that will not react negatively with acidic ingredients. Stainless steel, enamel, glass and nonstick (as long as there are no scratches in the nonstick coating) are all safe to use. Do not use cast iron or aluminum.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The chili can be frozen for up to 3 months. Reheat it on the stovetop over medium-low heat until hot. (The chili will thicken up some when frozen, so you’ll likely need to add some broth when reheating.)
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (1 3/4 - 2 cups servings)
- Calories: 374
- Fat: 17 g
- Saturated fat: 4 g
- Carbohydrates: 29 g
- Sugar: 9 g
- Fiber: 9 g
- Protein: 31 g
- Sodium: 1110 mg
- Cholesterol: 111 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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I have made this twice. The seasoning was perfect, which I have always found hard to get right for chile – the seasoning for some of the chile that i have made have always been hit or miss. The second time I made this I reduce by half the ground chicken and substituted chicken thighs that I grilled with hickory chips. It gave it a nice smokey twist and the chicken broke down nicely into the chile.
What a great substitute for usual beef and bean chile. I amped up the heat a bit for hubby. Great dish on a cold winter day!
I make this recipe every time I make chili anymore. I use a 1lb bag of dried white beans that have been soaked, and then cooked for an hour+ until tender. I have also tossed 2 lbs of boneless chicken pieces in my food processor along with about half the spices for my own courser ground chicken.
Super Bowl, Election Night… It’s always a huge hit!
My kids love this chili and I feel good about making it for them because it is healthy. I use either ground chicken or ground turkey. Your recipes are always my go-to recipes. Thank you!!!
In the words of my boyfriend and his family, “BEST CHILI EVER!” I loved everything about this dish, the overall taste, spice, and healthiness of the whole thing! I doubled up on the spice as you suggested and added a can of golden sweet corn. I served it with light sour cream, some grated cheddar cheese, and chopped green onions. AND, I made it with your corn muffins, also a hit!
This is the second dish of yours that I have made (the first was the middle eastern chicken), and I have tricked everyone into thinking that I can cook! So, thank you so much for making me look good 🙂
I stumbled upon your website and this recipe while searching for a way to make a more flavorful chili. When I read the ingredient list, I knew I had found what I was looking for. I make this frequently, sometimes substituting turkey for the chicken. I have shared this recipe with family and friends and everyone loves it. I tend to use two cans of beans along with whatever peppers I have on hand (green or orange). I also leave out the red pepper flakes. Thanks for such a great recipe. I even have a few servings in my freezer right now!
This is now my go-to chili. Love it!! I used the spice combination tonight to make Spanish rice (scaled down two thirds). It was really yummy!
This is a much requested dish in my house. My son’s friend was over for dinner and told his mom that I make the best chili ever!
Jennifer, once again another winning recipe from you!
Made it recently on a cold winter day and it was delish!
Thanks!
I’m not usually a big chili lover, but I made this recently and had two heaping bowlfuls, topped with a small amount of cream cheese and a sprinkling of cheddar. Otherwise I followed the recipe exactly and it turned out perfectly! No more ground beef chili for this bunch!