Can I just start with the most exciting part of this recipe? Y’all, this White Bean Chicken Chili recipe is so good it’s literally award-winning.

This no-fuss, hearty white bean chicken chili comes together in 30 minutes, but you'll swear it was cooked all day since every bite is packed with flavor.

I kid you not: it recently took first place in a chili cook-off at my church’s trunk or treat event! I mean, I know it’s delicious since we make it and devour it like every other week during chili (fall/winter) season, but to have other people say it’s the best is just super exciting.

Okay, now that I’m done tooting my own horn (TOOT): make this.

Like, put the ingredients on your shopping list now, and plan on making it sooner rather than later.

First of all, it comes together ridiculously fast, which is a huge plus. Technically it takes 35 minutes, but for the sake of sounding cool and to channel my inner Rachael Ray: you can totally start eating it at the 30-minute mark.

Second, there aren’t many ingredients, which means you don’t have to spend a ton of time prepping everything. And lastly, this is a one-pot meal if there ever was such a thing. Win/win/win.

I mentioned it’s basically a 30-minute meal, but if you wanted to make it ahead of time—or during nap time when you actually have time to cook, you could always cook it in the Rockcrok, and then put it over on your slow cooker and leave it on warm or low if you want to make it during nap time or earlier in the day.

We all know the best part of a soup is eating it a day or two later anyway since the flavors all join together for a party to get even tastier over time.

Make This White Bean Chicken Chili:

White Bean Chicken Chili

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Course Main Course

Ingredients

4 cans Great Northern beans undrained, 15 ounce
1 Tbs olive oil
1 large onion finely diced
4 cloves garlic minced
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp dried crushed red pepper optional depending on green chile heat
1 cup chopped green chile roasted and pealed (OR 2 cans of green chile)
4 cups chicken broth
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
4 cups cheese (cheddar, or mixture of monteray jack/cheddar) shredded, 16 ounce

Instructions

Drain and rinse three cans of beans (don’t drain the fourth).
Add oil; heat a large pot over medium heat until hot (1-2 minutes).
Saute onion in hot oil for 5 minutes; add garlic and next four ingredients; saute 5 minutes or until onion is soft and slightly browned.
Stir in chile, broth, and all the beans.
Bring to a simmer, and cook 10 minutes.
Add chicken and cheese; cook, stirring occasionally—until cheese melts and chicken is heated. Remove from heat.
Top with crushed tortilla chips and avocado, or eat plain!

Notes

Leftover suggestion
If soup is too thick for leftovers, thin with a dash of milk before reheating in the microwave.

Top it with some blue corn chips and chunks of avocado for some added texture, but no biggie if you don’t have those on hand. It’s perfect just the way it is.