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Last year, I posted one of my all time favorite White Chicken Chili recipes on the blog. But while I love it, there’s also a little shortcut white bean chicken chili recipe that I make even more often when I’m short on time. It is super easy and only calls for 5 ingredients. So I thought I would share it with you today and give it an extra creative name — 5-Ingredient Easy White Chicken Chili.
In addition to only calling for a handful (get it, a handful) of ingredients, this easy white chicken chili recipe also can be made and on the table in just 15 minutes. Definitely a perfect busy weeknight meal, and it also makes great leftovers and can be frozen for later. So if you love it, consider making a double or triple batch and you will have multiple dinners prepared and ready to go in minutes.
Ok, are you ready for the secret ingredient?
It’s salsa verde!!!
This delicious salsa singlehandedly provides pretty much all of the seasoning you need for white chicken chili! It’s flavorful, has a bit of heat, and a bit of tang, and pairs perfectly with delicious chicken broth, shredded chicken, and white beans. I do like to add a little ground cumin to the mixture just to round things out. But when I discovered the salsa trick a few years ago, I was amazed. Such a great shortcut!
Also, when I’m in a hurry, I tend to buy pre-made salsa verde for this. But if you want to make homemade tomatillo salsa verde, I have a delicious recipe on the blog that I recommend. It’s so simple to make at home, and so good!
If you want to get fancy and add a few toppings to this soup, I love throwing in some diced avocado, fresh cilantro, green onions, and occasionally some sour cream or shredded cheese. But it’s also delicious as-is with just five ingredients.
Stovetop Method: Add chicken stock, shredded chicken, beans, salsa and cumin to a large stockpot, and stir to combine. Heat over medium-high heat until boiling, then cover and reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for at least 5 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if needed. Serve warm with desired toppings.
Slow Cooker Method: Add chicken stock, chicken, salsa and cumin to a slow cooker, and stir to combine. Cook on low for 6-8 hours, or high for 3-4 hours. Add the beans during the last half hour of cooking. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if needed. Serve warm with desired toppings.
Instant Pot Method: Add chicken stock, chicken, salsa and cumin to an Instant Pot pressure cooker, and stir to combine. Close lid securely and set vent to “Sealing”. Press “Manual”, then press “Pressure” until the light on “High Pressure” lights up, then adjust the +/- buttons until time reads 8 minutes. Cook. Once the soup has cooked, very carefully turn the vent to “Venting” for quick release, and wait until all of the steam has released and the valve has dropped. Remove the lid, and stir in the beans. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if needed. Serve warm with desired toppings.
Notes
*4 cups shredded chicken is equivalent to approximately 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts. Feel free to use the raw chicken breasts in the slow cooker method, then shred them once the soup (and chicken) is fully cooked.
This was delicious, and the perfect dinner for the cold winter night we were having. It’s a little soupier than I would like for a chili but it’s workable. I used chicken thighs, mashed the beans up a bit to make it thicker, and also added a can of corn at the end. So good!
I have made this in slow cooker and instant pot. It is great. But if you are using already cooked canned beans, decrease the chicken broth to 4 cups or it’s too watery. I add sour cream, cheese, avocados, green onion and tortilla chips when I am ready to eat. Yum!
I enjoy your site and recipes. Some beautiful food photography! I like this simplified recipe. I did make a slurry mash of 1/2c of beans (in food processor) to help thicken the soup more to chili texture. I ended up adding a lot more cumin and salt. but I think that’s due to my broth was fairly watered down. This is a good base recipe and allows for more customization (like spicier peppers, etc) as desired.
For frugality I used dried beans (1 heaping cup) hydrated them for 4 hours, cooked them for 50 minutes in water. Then changed the water out for 4c chicken stock, added the chicken, cooked that for about 10m, shredded it, added it back with the rest of the ingredients. I agree it didn’t need the extra 2c stock, but it was really delicious! Would definitely make again! Next time might add some limes and maybe more chicken and beans! Excellent, and easy.
Great recipe but I definitely recommend using only 4 cups of chicken stock and one extra cup of chicken and two extra can of beans to make it more like a Chili consistency because it will come out very soupy like if you don’t green onions and cilantro was very good as a topping cheese makes it very good if you sprinkle it all over
So, quick and delicious. I’ve made more complicated versions of white chicken chili but this one is great. I need more recipes that don’t take all day to make. I did roast the chicken beforehand (we have whole chickens from our farm) but putting the rest of the ingredients together was a breeze. I love that it took salsa verde – so much flavor!
I love this recipe, so thanks for sharing! I’ve probably made it a dozen times in the past few years. This weekend I added orzo at the end to make it a bit more like chicken noodle soup and it was sooo yummy! I’m eating leftovers of it now and just had to let you know.
Made this while I lived in Ireland ALL the time, now attempting to make it back home in my local college town back in the states for friends, it’s easy enough that even a college student in a tiny flat can make it easily and filled me up when I was so broke! Cannot wait to jazz it up tomorrow.
Quick and easy and very yummy! This will be my new “go to” recipe for white chili. Used 4 cups stock and 4 cans of beans. Added mozzarella cheese on top and served with cornbread muffins.
Going to make this next week and would like to know if I use the same IP cooking time if I double the recipe and cooked chicken?
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This was delicious, and the perfect dinner for the cold winter night we were having. It’s a little soupier than I would like for a chili but it’s workable. I used chicken thighs, mashed the beans up a bit to make it thicker, and also added a can of corn at the end. So good!
★★★★★
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Made this today in the crockpot. Was delicious. Next time I think I’ll decrease the chicken stock to 4 cups and add more chicken.
★★★★
Just tried this recipe for dinner and it was delicious and just “off the charts Delicious”!
Thanks so very much.
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Very flavorful! Will make again. Especially yummy with added cheese and GF tortilla chips. My 1.5 year old loved it!
★★★★
Delicious & so easy! The whole family loves it!
★★★★★
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I have made this in slow cooker and instant pot. It is great. But if you are using already cooked canned beans, decrease the chicken broth to 4 cups or it’s too watery. I add sour cream, cheese, avocados, green onion and tortilla chips when I am ready to eat. Yum!
★★★★★
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I enjoy your site and recipes. Some beautiful food photography! I like this simplified recipe. I did make a slurry mash of 1/2c of beans (in food processor) to help thicken the soup more to chili texture. I ended up adding a lot more cumin and salt. but I think that’s due to my broth was fairly watered down. This is a good base recipe and allows for more customization (like spicier peppers, etc) as desired.
★★★★★
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Very easy to make and tasty, too! I used the slow cooker but will try it on the stove next time.
A coworker brought me some Mexican limes. I added a squirt to my leftovers. Easy six ingredient chili was good, too!
I would second the suggestions to reduce the stock or add more chicken.
★★★★
Love this. I make it often.
★★★★★
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For frugality I used dried beans (1 heaping cup) hydrated them for 4 hours, cooked them for 50 minutes in water. Then changed the water out for 4c chicken stock, added the chicken, cooked that for about 10m, shredded it, added it back with the rest of the ingredients. I agree it didn’t need the extra 2c stock, but it was really delicious! Would definitely make again! Next time might add some limes and maybe more chicken and beans! Excellent, and easy.
★★★★
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Love love love this recipe!
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Great recipe but I definitely recommend using only 4 cups of chicken stock and one extra cup of chicken and two extra can of beans to make it more like a Chili consistency because it will come out very soupy like if you don’t green onions and cilantro was very good as a topping cheese makes it very good if you sprinkle it all over
★★★★★
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So, quick and delicious. I’ve made more complicated versions of white chicken chili but this one is great. I need more recipes that don’t take all day to make. I did roast the chicken beforehand (we have whole chickens from our farm) but putting the rest of the ingredients together was a breeze. I love that it took salsa verde – so much flavor!
★★★★★
I love this recipe, so thanks for sharing! I’ve probably made it a dozen times in the past few years. This weekend I added orzo at the end to make it a bit more like chicken noodle soup and it was sooo yummy! I’m eating leftovers of it now and just had to let you know.
★★★★★
Made this while I lived in Ireland ALL the time, now attempting to make it back home in my local college town back in the states for friends, it’s easy enough that even a college student in a tiny flat can make it easily and filled me up when I was so broke! Cannot wait to jazz it up tomorrow.
Quick and easy and very yummy! This will be my new “go to” recipe for white chili. Used 4 cups stock and 4 cans of beans. Added mozzarella cheese on top and served with cornbread muffins.
★★★★★
This is one of my favorite recipes! Just made it with leftover thanksgiving turkey stock – it is fantastic!!! (and so simple) love it 😍
★★★★★