This Healthy White Chicken Chili is packed with tender chicken, beans, and a spicy broth. A full-flavor chili that fits low-calorie and low-fat diets.
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Originally named "Low-Fat High-Taste Chicken Chili" by my wife, who is not a chili person, as she finished her second serving. It's everything you want in great white bean chicken chili.
👍Why you should make this recipe
- This healthy chili has tender chicken and beans in a spicy broth.
- It is low-fat and low-calorie, with only about 250 calories and 2 grams of fat per serving qualifies as healthy for almost any diet.
- Use either raw chicken or precooked rotisserie chicken.
- This Healthy White Chicken Chili recipe can be done in about an hour, even with raw chicken. Or slower as a dump-and-go crock pot recipe.
- Take it out for a spin today for one of the best-tasting white chicken chilies you will ever make. You won't regret it.
This is based on my Excellent White Chicken Chili, which is a modification of a Pioneer Woman recipe. I simplified, added a crock pot version, and adjusted the spices in addition to making it healthy.
🐓Ingredients
- Chicken—skinless boneless chicken breasts
- Broth—low-sodium chicken broth
- Aromatics—onion and garlic
- Jalapeno pepper—optional
- White beans—I prefer Great Norther but Navy beans or cannellini beans will be fine.
- Green chiles
- Pantry ingredients—cumin, paprika, chili powder, cayenne pepper (optional), salt, and pepper
👨🍳How to Make Healthy White Chicken Chili
- Trim and prep chicken breasts, onion, garlic, and jalapeno.
- Saute the onion until starting to clear, then add the garlic and cook one more minute. Sauting is required for the stovetop and optional for the crock pot.
- Add the broth and all spices to the crock pot or a Dutch oven on the stovetop.
- Cook on high in the crock pot for 1 ½ to 2 hours or simmer on the stovetop for 20-30 minutes until chicken is tender.
- Remove the chicken and shred it with a fork.
- Return the chicken to the crock pot and cook for 1 ½ to 2 more hours on high. Or simmer on the stovetop for another 20-30 minutes.
✔️Tips and Variations
- The chicken needs to reach 165° to shred easily. Crock pots can vary some. In most crock pots, it will be 1 ½ to 2 hours on high.
- If you are not going for "low-fat," chicken thighs will be fine.
- You can use precooked rotisserie chicken. 4-5 cups will do nicely, but even 2-3 cups will be enough. As long as you pre-cook the onion and garlic, skip the first part of cooking and proceed from where you add the shredded chicken.
- You can use broth or stock. I prefer to buy name brands since I have seen quality issues with others. I also try to get low sodium, if available, so that I can adjust the sodium myself.
- This is a thinner chili, like a thick soup. You can make it thicker by cutting the broth in half
- You can also thicken it with a tablespoon of cornstarch in two tablespoons of cold water. Mix to make a smooth slurry and stir in the last 20 minutes of cooking.
- If you rinse and drain the beans to lower the sodium, replace the liquid with two cups of water or chicken broth.
- Add a can of Rotel or diced tomatoes for additional taste. A great variation.
- Make it vegetarian by eliminating the chicken and using vegetable broth.
↕️How to make this a "for two" or "family size" recipe
This is an easy recipe to cut in half or double. The full recipe makes about 10 cups (8 servings) and fits in a 3 ½ quart crock pot. Note: to cook correctly, a crock pot should not exceed 75% capacity.
- Use the recipe card and adjust the number of servings to half or double.
- Use the amount of ingredients in the ingredient list, not the instructions—those do not adjust.
- For a crock pot: The half recipe will fit in a 2-quart mini crock pot. A double recipe fits in a 6 ½ quart crock pot.
- Cooking times remain the same.
❓FAQs
This recipe fits most reasonable diets, like low-fat and low-calorie diets, with only about 250 calories and 2 grams of fat per serving.
The main contributing factors to the sodium are the added salt and the cooked beans. If you need lower sodium, you may decrease the salt by half, but more will significantly affect the taste. That will save about 150 mg of sodium. You can save about the same by rinsing the beans. I have already suggested low-sodium broth.
❄️How to store leftovers
Seal leftovers in an airtight container, refrigerate for 4 days, or freeze for 3-4 months. Reheat on the stovetop but thaw first if frozen.
📖Crock Pot Chili Recipes
Ultra Simple Crock Pot White Chicken Chili
Crock Pot Three Bean Turkey Chili
This recipe is listed in these categories. See them for more similar recipes.
🖼️Step-by-Step Photo Instructions
Trim two medium-sized skinless boneless chicken breasts.
Chop 1 medium onion, mince 1 jalapeno, and mince or crush 3 cloves of garlic.
Saute the onion until starting to clear, then add the garlic and cook one more minute. Sauting is required for the stovetop and optional for the crock pot.
Add to the crock pot or a large desktop pot like a Dutch oven; one 14 oz can low sodium chicken broth, 1 tablespoon cumin, 1-2 teaspoons of paprika, 2 teaspoons of chili powder, 3 garlic cloves minced, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, and optionally ½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper. Add chicken and cook on high for 1 ½ to 2 hours in the crock pot. Or on the stovetop, bring to a boil, then decrease to simmer and cover for 20-30 minutes. Cook until chicken is 165°.
Remove the chicken shred with forks. Place back in the liquid.
Add one 48 oz jar of pre-cooked Northern beans and one small can of green chiles. Rinse beans if desired to decrease the sodium and replace the liquid with 1-2 cups of water or low-sodium broth.
Cook on high for 1 ½ to 2 hours more. Or simmer covered for 20-30 minutes on the stovetop.
Recipe
Healthy White Chicken Chili
Ingredients
- 2 skinless boneless chicken breasts
- 14 oz low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 onion - medium chopped
- 1 jalapeno pepper - minced - optional
- 3 cloves garlic - crushed or minced
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 to 2 teaspoon paprika
- 2 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper - optional
- 1 teaspoon salt - to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Part Two
- 48 oz Northern Beans - precooked a large jar
- 4 oz diced green chiles - a small can
Instructions
- Trim two medium-sized skinless boneless chicken breasts.
- Chop 1 medium onion, mince 1 jalapeno, and mince or crush 3 cloves of garlic.
- Saute the onion until starting to clear, then add the garlic and cook one more minute. Sauting is required for the stovetop and optional for the crock pot.
- Add to the crock pot or a large desktop pot like a Dutch oven; one 14 oz can low sodium chicken broth, 1 tablespoon cumin, 1-2 teaspoons of paprika, 2 teaspoons of chili powder, 3 garlic cloves minced, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, and optionally ½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper. Add chicken and cook on high for 1 ½ to 2 hours in the crock pot. Or on the stovetop, bring to a boil, then decrease to simmer and cover for 20-30 minutes. Cook until chicken is 165°.
- Remove the chicken shred with forks. Place back in the liquid.
- Add one 48 oz jar of pre-cooked Northern beans and one small can of green chiles. Rinse beans if desired to decrease the sodium and replace the liquid with 1-2 cups of water or low-sodium broth.
- Cook on high for 1 ½ to 2 hours more. Or simmer covered for 20-30 minutes on the stovetop.
Your Own Private Notes
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips:
- The crock pot can be 3 ½ qt minimum, but bigger is ok. A double recipe needs 6 ½ quarts or larger. A half recipe needs 2 quarts or larger.
- If your crock pot runs hot, use the short times. Normal crock pots are fine at the suggested times.
- I have the recipe written for cooking on high. Double times if using low.
- To decrease the sodium, rinse the beans and reduce or skip the salt.
- I like 2 teaspoons of paprika, one jalapeno, and ½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper.
- This is a thinner chili, like a thick soup. You can make it thicker by cutting the broth in half
- You can also thicken it with a tablespoon of cornstarch in two tablespoons of cold water. Mix to make a smooth slurry and stir in the last 20 minutes of cooking.
- Good in the refrigerator for 3-4 days and freezes well for 3-4 months.
- A serving is a little under 1 ½ cups, a nice serving size.
- Heat note: this has some heat in it, so adjust it to your taste.
To adjust the recipe size:
You may adjust the number of servings in this recipe card under servings. This does the math for the ingredients for you. BUT it does NOT adjust the text of the instructions. So you need to do that yourself.
Nutrition Estimate
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Editors Note: This is one of my best and most healthy chili recipes. This is one of those unusual dishes which combines great taste with a low calorie and fat profile — originally published September 21, 2014. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.
Michael
Hi, Dan! If I need to add all ingredients and leave the house until the dish is done (so can't shred chicken and add chilis and beans in the middle), can I cube the chicken and add green chilis and beans in the beginning - then cook it all for roughly 7 hrs on low? Essentially completely set it and forget it?
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
Hi Michael,
Welcome to the blog and the answer is yes. Or you can leave the chicken whole, shred it when you get home and add back to absorb some flavor for a few minutes. The beans and chilis can go in at the beginning either way.
Dan
Tor Hembre
Hi again Dan :-)
I’ve made this chili several times now, and I love it !!
Today I noticed that the “instructions” says 1 teaspoon of paprika, while the “recipe” says 2 teaspoons.
I’ve been using 2 teaspoons every time, but how much of a difference would it make to do only 1 teaspoon ?
Either way, this is a solid 5 on the rating !
Thnx again for your fantastic blog !!
Tor :-
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
Hi Tor,
Thanks for the note. I was to be 1 teaspoon which is double the Pioneer Woman recipe. But I also noted to increase if you want. And I usually do two teaspoons. So I'm officially changing the discussion to 2 teaspoons. It has a much better taste.
Dan
Fitting
Just checking, 14 oz of chicken broth? Will it be a thick chili?
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
Hi Fitting,
Welcome to the blog.
This is not a thin nor thick chili. If you want to make it thicker, drain the beans which will make it thicker. You need to leave the broth to cook the raw chicken.
Dan
Tiffany
Do I drain the jar of beans or add it directly to the crock? Super excited to eat this!!
DrDan
Hi Tiffany,
Welcome to the blog.
Just dump the whole thing in. There is a lot of taste in the liquid.
Dan