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This 5-ingredient white chicken chili recipe is super quick and easy to make, full of great flavor, and always a crowd fave!
After sharing a new recipe for easy (red) chicken chili, I thought I would circle back today to share one of my all-time favorite recipes for easy white chicken chili.
Even better — my favorite easy white chicken chili recipe that is made with just FIVE easy ingredients. ♡
This recipe is as easy as it gets. Simply stir all of the ingredients together, bring the soup to a simmer, ladle it up while it’s nice and hot, then pile on your favorite toppings and enjoy! I’ve probably made this recipe at least a hundred times over the years, and it always has a way of hitting the spot. It also freezes and reheats well if you would like to save the leftovers or make and save a big batch for easy meal prep.
I’m telling you — this recipe is always a winner. Let’s make a batch!
5-Ingredient White Chicken Chili Ingredients:
To make this white chicken chili recipe, you will need the following five ingredients (plus I highly recommend going big on toppings):
Salsa verde: Either homemade or store-bought, whichever you prefer. I will note that store-bought brands of roasted salsa verde can vary pretty dramatically in terms of heat. So if you prefer a milder soup, I would definitely recommend finding a salsa that is on the milder side.
Beans: You are welcome to use whatever type of beans you love best for this chicken chili. I typically use white beans (such as Great Northerns), but pinto, garbanzo or black beans would be delicious too.
Chicken stock: Because this ingredient list is so short, I recommend using a good-quality brand of chicken stock or veggie stock, whichever you prefer.
Cumin: We will also add in a hint of cumin to the broth to helps round out the seasonings in the salsa verde.
Toppings: Finally, I recommend using a generous amount of whatever toppings you love best! I almost always add cilantro and fresh avocado to my soup. But a crumble of tortilla chips, diced red or green onions, sour cream, shredded cheese (sharp cheddar, Monterrey Jack or a Mexican-blend), crumbled cotija cheese, and/or sliced jalapeños would also be delicious additions!
How To Make This Soup:
To make this 5-ingredient white chicken chili recipe, simply…
Combine ingredients. Stir together chicken stock, shredded chicken, beans, salsa and cumin in large stockpot.
Bring to a simmer. Cook on high heat until the soup reaches a simmer. Then reduce heat to medium-low to maintain the simmer briefly for 5 minutes.
Serve. Then ladle the soup up into serving bowls, garnished with your favorite toppings.
Possible Variations:
There are so many ways that you could get creative with this soup recipe! For example, feel free to…
Add extra veggies. If you would like to add some extra veggies to this soup, diced poblano peppers, onions and/or potatoes (feel free to use frozen hash brown potatoes as a shortcut) are some of my other favorite additions.
Make it in the Crock-Pot or Instant Pot. This soup really just needs to be stirred together and warmed. So feel free to let it simmer on low in the Crock-Pot or use the sauté button on your Instant Pot, if you would prefer to use one of those appliances.
More Favorite Chili Recipes:
Here are a few more of my go-to chili recipes, if you would like to give them a try!
This delicious and easy white chicken chili recipe can be made with just 5 ingredients in 15 minutes!
Ingredients
Scale
6 cups chicken stock
3 to 4 cups cooked shredded chicken
2 (15-ounce) cans beans of your choice, rinsed and drained (I used Great Northern beans)
2 cups (16 ounces) salsa verde (store-bought or homemade)
2 teaspoons ground cumin
optional toppings: diced avocado, chopped fresh cilantro, shredded cheese, chopped red or green onions, sour cream, crumbled tortilla chips, fresh jalapeño slices
Instructions
Combine ingredients. Stir together chicken stock, shredded chicken, beans, salsa and cumin in large stockpot.
Bring to a simmer. Cook on high heat until the soup reaches a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue simmering for 5 minutes.
Serve. Serve immediately, garnished with lots of your favorite toppings.
Notes
Chicken: 4 cups shredded chicken is equivalent to approximately 2 medium-sized boneless skinless chicken breasts. I often shred a rotisserie chicken for this recipe, or use leftover chicken from my Baked Chicken Breasts or Instant Pot Shredded Chicken recipes.
We were staying in an Airbnb over the weekend and I wanted to make an easy recipe that didn’t require a bunch of ingredients since we weren’t in our own kitchen. So happy I found this recipe – it was delicious! I followed the recipe as is – using just 4 cups of chicken stock like the other reviews suggested. I also put in a small dash of chili seasoning and black pepper. I tossed in the skin from our rotisserie chicken and I don’t think I would do that again because it just got soggy. I topped the chili with shredded medium cheddar cheese, avocado, red onion, cilantro and served some Doritos (because what doesn’t go with Doritos?) on the side since I didn’t have tortilla chips. Will definitely make again!
I make this dish often! It’s great to have such a minimal list and create something delicious. Follow the recipe and add additional recommendations such as sour cream, cilantro, and avocado for garnish.. Boom!
I have been following you and using your recipes since the dawn of time 😃 I’m sure this will be another wonderful meal that will be added to our list of favorites! Thanks for all the great dishes!
Hi – could you sub green enchilada sauce for salsa verde or would that be too watery? Thanks!
Susan —
This is a great recipe! My daughter doubled it for her husband’s birthday party, and it was a big hit! I was just wondering if you can freeze the chili?
DELISH! Everyone loved it, even my super picky husband and my meat-averse toddler. I did it in the crock pot. Subbed 1 can for kidney beans because I had them. The color was nice. Also was short on cumin but it still had great flavor. High on 3-4 hours or low 5-6. so yummy and easy. Will definitely make this again!
I loved it, adjustments made. I used the carton of stock (about 4 cups) also. I used 2 cans of white cannellini beans and 1 of small white beans. I didn’t have the ingredients nor the salsa verde so went without. Was still fine. I added onion & onion powder since I was without the salsa verde. One thing I could use, a nutritional sidebar for calories, macro / micro nutruients, etc. I am going to try and just come up with my own count with an app, but it will take some time. Thanks again for sharing the recipe, super easy. I am on a weight loss / muscle up course (since March 2021) so I didn’t add the garnishments but next time I will likely add cheese and have the salsa verde on hand. Happy New Year.
This was VERY GOOD, which surprised me considering it has only five ingredients. But I usually adjust recipes based on my own preferences and others’ comments so this is what I did: sauteed a bit of red onion and garlic and added spices to my own taste, then decreased broth and added carrots. Definitely a keeper!! thank you
I love your recipes (enchiladas with homemade sauce is a family fav). For this recipe I start with a sautéed onion (sixth ingredient) which I add the cumin and some garlic salt to, then dump in everything else. I do substitute canned hatch chilis for the salsa verde. It’s so easy and delish both ways!
I recently retired & became a part time cook for my now work from home spouse. Since I didn’t have most of your ingredients, I sauteed 1/2 small chopped onion and 2 cloves of garlic on olive oil then added 12.5 oz drained chunk chicken breast and tossed with pinch of salt and 2 pinches of black pepper for 5 min. I added a 15oz can of Bush’s low Na mild chili pinto beans and 24oz water with a tsp of chicken boullion base, 1 green onion, cilantro, 1 small celery stick, 2 tsp taco seasoning, cup of sharp cheddar, 2 doleful tbsp of sour cream, 2 tbsp whipped cream, 2 pieces of chopped wheat tortilla and half of jalapeño pepper. I brought it to a quick boil and simmered for 10 min. My wife who’s a very good cook loved it. Thank you very much!
Everyone loved your white chicken chili
★★★★★
We were staying in an Airbnb over the weekend and I wanted to make an easy recipe that didn’t require a bunch of ingredients since we weren’t in our own kitchen. So happy I found this recipe – it was delicious! I followed the recipe as is – using just 4 cups of chicken stock like the other reviews suggested. I also put in a small dash of chili seasoning and black pepper. I tossed in the skin from our rotisserie chicken and I don’t think I would do that again because it just got soggy. I topped the chili with shredded medium cheddar cheese, avocado, red onion, cilantro and served some Doritos (because what doesn’t go with Doritos?) on the side since I didn’t have tortilla chips. Will definitely make again!
★★★★★
I made this following this exact recipe and now it’s one of are favorite dishes!!! Thank you for sharing….. The Miller family
I make this dish often! It’s great to have such a minimal list and create something delicious. Follow the recipe and add additional recommendations such as sour cream, cilantro, and avocado for garnish.. Boom!
★★★★★
Does anyone know how much each of the 4 servings yields?
So easy and so delicious! Thank you. (I did use half the cumin but that is my personal taste).
★★★★★
I have been following you and using your recipes since the dawn of time 😃 I’m sure this will be another wonderful meal that will be added to our list of favorites! Thanks for all the great dishes!
Hi – could you sub green enchilada sauce for salsa verde or would that be too watery? Thanks!
This is a great recipe! My daughter doubled it for her husband’s birthday party, and it was a big hit! I was just wondering if you can freeze the chili?
★★★★★
DELISH! Everyone loved it, even my super picky husband and my meat-averse toddler. I did it in the crock pot. Subbed 1 can for kidney beans because I had them. The color was nice. Also was short on cumin but it still had great flavor. High on 3-4 hours or low 5-6. so yummy and easy. Will definitely make this again!
★★★★★
I love this recipe! So delicious and so simple!
★★★★★
I loved it, adjustments made. I used the carton of stock (about 4 cups) also. I used 2 cans of white cannellini beans and 1 of small white beans. I didn’t have the ingredients nor the salsa verde so went without. Was still fine. I added onion & onion powder since I was without the salsa verde. One thing I could use, a nutritional sidebar for calories, macro / micro nutruients, etc. I am going to try and just come up with my own count with an app, but it will take some time. Thanks again for sharing the recipe, super easy. I am on a weight loss / muscle up course (since March 2021) so I didn’t add the garnishments but next time I will likely add cheese and have the salsa verde on hand. Happy New Year.
★★★★★
Really easy and very delicious. I put all ingredients in a crockpot in high for 2 1/2 hours and came back to a great dinner.
★★★★★
This was VERY GOOD, which surprised me considering it has only five ingredients. But I usually adjust recipes based on my own preferences and others’ comments so this is what I did: sauteed a bit of red onion and garlic and added spices to my own taste, then decreased broth and added carrots. Definitely a keeper!! thank you
★★★★
Can you freeze this chili
I love your recipes (enchiladas with homemade sauce is a family fav). For this recipe I start with a sautéed onion (sixth ingredient) which I add the cumin and some garlic salt to, then dump in everything else. I do substitute canned hatch chilis for the salsa verde. It’s so easy and delish both ways!
★★★★★
I recently retired & became a part time cook for my now work from home spouse. Since I didn’t have most of your ingredients, I sauteed 1/2 small chopped onion and 2 cloves of garlic on olive oil then added 12.5 oz drained chunk chicken breast and tossed with pinch of salt and 2 pinches of black pepper for 5 min. I added a 15oz can of Bush’s low Na mild chili pinto beans and 24oz water with a tsp of chicken boullion base, 1 green onion, cilantro, 1 small celery stick, 2 tsp taco seasoning, cup of sharp cheddar, 2 doleful tbsp of sour cream, 2 tbsp whipped cream, 2 pieces of chopped wheat tortilla and half of jalapeño pepper. I brought it to a quick boil and simmered for 10 min. My wife who’s a very good cook loved it. Thank you very much!
This is a great recipe!
★★★★★
Love this recipe and have made it many times. My family likes a little more kick so I add a 4 oz. can of diced green chiles to the mix.
★★★★★