Fast White Chicken Chili
Creamy, cozy chili with chicken, beans, and corn—ready fast, no long simmer required.
If you want something warm and filling but do not have the energy for a long simmer, this is the move. It gives you the familiar comfort of white chicken chili in a faster, low-friction version that starts with cooked chicken and pantry staples. You still get a creamy broth, tender beans, and enough spice to feel like dinner, but it comes together in about 20 minutes instead of waiting around for a slow cooker. It is best on a night when you are tired, hungry, and want one bowl to do the job. Serve it with tortilla chips, bread, or just a spoon.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 unit yellow onion — diced
- 2 unit garlic cloves — minced
- 2 cup cooked chicken — shredded or chopped
- 2 cup cannellini beans — drained and rinsed
- 1 cup corn kernels — fresh, frozen, or drained canned
- 4 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup salsa verde
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 0.5 tsp chili powder
- 0.5 tsp salt — plus more to taste
- 0.25 tsp black pepper
- 4 oz cream cheese — cut into cubes
- 2 tbsp lime juice
Method
- 1 Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it starts to soften. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- 2 Add the chicken, beans, corn, broth, salsa verde, cumin, oregano, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 8 to 10 minutes.
- 3 Stir in the cream cheese until melted and the chili looks creamy. If it seems too thick, add a splash more broth.
- 4 Turn off the heat and stir in the lime juice. Taste and add more salt if needed. Serve hot.
Variations
- Vegetarian swap — Skip the chicken and add 2 extra cups of beans plus 1 extra cup of corn. Use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
- Faster swap — Use a rotisserie chicken or any leftover cooked chicken, and skip the onion if you are truly exhausted. The chili still works well.
- Substitutions — Swap cannellini beans for great northern beans, use poblano salsa instead of salsa verde, or add a handful of chopped spinach at the end if you want more greens.
Notes
If your cooked chicken is cold from the fridge, the chili may need an extra minute or two to heat through. For a thicker chili, mash a few beans against the side of the pot before adding the cream cheese.
Equipment that helps
- Large pot — Gives the chili enough room to simmer and stir without spilling.
- Wooden spoon — Makes it easy to break up the cream cheese and scrape the bottom of the pot.
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