Green Chicken Chili is a delicious alternative to beef chili, with unforgettable flavors and just the right amount of heat. This thick hearty soup is full of juicy pieces of chicken and white beans in a cheesy creamy, perfectly seasoned broth. Garnish with some tortilla strips and a drizzle of fresh lime and this Mexican inspired dish will soon become a family favorite. On repeat!
If Mexican food is commonplace in your home like it is mine, then you’ve got to try both the Homemade Salsa Verde and Green Enchilada Sauce which pretty much pairs well with anything! The fresh tomatillos in these really make the flavor POP. As a side, as a dip, or as a topping, these two sauces will elevate all of your Mexican inspired dishes!
Chicken is a staple in our house, try our delicious Hearty Chicken Cacciatore or Herb Roasted Chicken Recipe! Both are easy recipes but are so full of flavor!
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What is Green Chicken Chili?
Bring your tastebuds on a journey with this green chicken chili with white beans recipe. It’s a true crowd-pleaser not just because it’s out of this world, warming comfort food, but because it is brimming with bold flavors that combine so nicely together. Your crowd will get all of the different tastes and textures in every bite.
Similar to most white chicken chili recipes, this recipe has chunks of chicken and tender white beans, combined with dairy ingredients making the broth thick and creamy. A layer of heat and color is provided by the roasted chili peppers, which is why we call it a green chicken chili. The soup is finished off with a hint of citrus from the lime and added salty crunch from the tortilla strips.
🫘 Ingredients:
- Hatch chiles – Anaheim chilis or poblano peppers will also work.
- Olive oil – You can also use canola oil or avocado oil.
%Tm]\,,,,,,,,,,jjjj - Onion & garlic – Diced and minced.
- Chicken broth – Use homemade chicken broth if you have some on hand; homemade has more flavor and nutrients and less sodium.
- Seasoning – Cumin, paprika, ground coriander, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper to taste. This blend of seasoning is pretty much magic.
- White beans – Drained and rinsed can of beans. Cannellini beans or great northern beans or smaller white beans are readily available at your local grocery store. Canned beans are easy to use; dried beans aren’t necessary, although you can certainly prepare them (they will need to be prepped before adding to this soup)! Beans are a great source of fiber and protein and will give your soup its body and thick consistency.
- Cooked chicken breast – You can use whatever type of chicken you prefer; leftovers work great. Either shred a cooked rotisserie chicken or cut up your leftover herb-roasted chicken. Make some air-fryer chicken breasts if you want quick prep chicken. You can even cut up raw boneless, skinless chicken breast and toss the chunks into the soup to cook – be sure the meat has cooked all the way through.
- Cream cheese – Adds a smooth creamy rich texture to the soup broth.
- Toppings – Avocado, tortilla strips or tortilla chips, grated jack cheese, a dollop of sour cream. The more the better!
- Garnish – Fresh cilantro and lime juice. These garnishes pack a bunch of flavor into every bite of the soup!
For a full list of ingredients and their measurements, 📋 please view my printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Equipment Needed:
- Large Pot – Making chili in a Dutch oven or large stockpot is handy for making big batches of soup.
- Immersion blender – Otherwise known as a hand blender, this handy tool will keep you from having to transfer the soup to a blender for pureeing.
Substitutions and Variations
- If you like a spicier chili, add in a few chopped jalapeño pepper to the ingredients. You can remove the seeds before using them or add in some of those spicy seeds for even more of a punch. Also try a teaspoon of chili powder for an extra kick.
- This is also quite delicious with some zucchini, green bell pepper, fresh corn, or red pepper in it.
- We have tried this with both a rotisserie chicken and with sautéed chicken breasts or chicken thighs and each are wonderful.
🔪 Instructions:
Step 1: Rub the green chiles with oil and roast them under the broiler until each side is blistered. This will give it a nice smoky note to the heat. Once nicely charred, keep on counter until cooled enough to handle.
Step 2: Remove the stem and seeds from the inside of the cooled green peppers. Depending on your heat level, if you want more spice, leave more of the seeds, if you want a mild soup, remove all of the seeds. We like a medium heat and use ½ the seeds. This Mexican Please article has a nice chart to compare the heat level of different types of chile peppers – even specific Hatch chiles.
Step 3: In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, sauté the onion and garlic in a bit of oil.
Step 4: To the pot, add the chicken stock, cumin, paprika, coriander, oregano, salt, and pepper.
Step 5: Add the roasted chilis to the pot until all ingredients are incorporated.
Step 6: Simmer the soup and add just a portion of the white beans, reserving the rest. (If you would like to use raw chicken, add two chicken breasts here and simmer until they are cooked through, then remove from the soup and shred.) Using a hand blender, blend the soup mixture to as smooth a consistency as you desire. Keep in mind, you’ll have added textures included next.
Step 7: Add the reserved beans, shredded chicken, and cream cheese to the pot and stir until combined. Simmer the soup until the cheese melts.
Step 8: Serve warm and garnish with tortilla strips!
GARNISH/SLICE/SERVE: Serve this big pot of Green Chicken Chili soup with all your favorite toppings on top! Squeeze fresh lime wedges on top and serve with warm corn tortillas on the side.
National Chili Day – February 22nd
Chili has become a staple in the US and now has its own day to celebrate! Enjoy chili any day of the year but especially on the 22nd of February.
Recipe FAQs
It will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days stored in an airtight container.
Yes, simply freeze the chili once fully cooled. To defrost, leave in the refrigerator overnight and heat on the stove.
This is a simple green chicken chili recipe, but it is so easy to make! This one-pot meal is done on the stovetop but you can definitely cook this meal in the slow cooker or the Instant Pot! Roasting the chile peppers is the only step done apart from combining everything in the pot!
More Delicious Recipes to Try
If you tried this Green Chicken Chili Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you liked it in the 📝 comments below.
Green Chicken Chili
Ingredients
- 4 Hatch chilis
- 1-2 tablespoons olive or canola oil
- ½ yellow onion diced
- 2 teaspoons garlic minced
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 cans white beans drained and rinsed (15.5 oz cans)
- 2 cups cooked chicken breast
- 4 oz. cream cheese
- 1 cup fresh cilantro for garnish
- 1 avocado for topping
- 1 cup tortilla strips or chips for topping
- 1 cup grated jack cheese for topping
- lime juice for garnish
Instructions
- Rub chiles with oil. Roast under the broiler for 6-8 minutes on each side until blistered.
- In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, saute onion and garlic in one tablespoon of oil.
- Add chicken broth, cumin, paprika, coriander, oregano, salt, and pepper to the pot. Remove the stem and seeds from the roasted chiles and add them to the pot (you can scrape the flesh away from the peel and discard the peel if you'd like).
- Simmer soup for about 10 minutes.
- Drain and rinse white beans well. Add ½ cup of the white beans to the pot of soup, reserving the rest.
- Use a hand blender to blend the soup mixture into a fairly smooth consistency (or as desired).
- Add the reserved beans, chicken, and cream cheese to the pot and stir.
- Simmer soup 5-10 minutes or until the cream cheese is melted and the soup is heated through.
- Top with freshly chopped cilantro, tortilla chip pieces/strips, grated cheese, avocado slices, and a squeeze of lime.
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Notes
- If you like a spicier chili, try to add in a few chopped jalapenos to the ingredients. You can remove the seeds before using them or add in some of those spicy seeds for more of a punch.
- This is also quite delicious with some zucchini or red pepper in it.
- We have tried this with both a rotisserie chicken and with sautéed chicken breast/thighs and each are wonderful.
Nutrition
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Comments & Reviews
BOO says
Oh lordy, was this scrumptious with delicious herbs & spices. Loved the cumin & coriander, tri-colored tortilla chips, fresh avocado was nice, we used the white beans in a jar to cut down on the “can” taste, will just make my own next time. It was wonderful on this cold wintry night. Thanks so much for sharing recipe. The fresh squeese of lime on top was the crowning glory.
Stefanie says
Aw, thanks, Boo! This is such a good comfort meal, I’m so glad you liked it!