White Hen Chili is a staple in our home and has been for years! This white chili has a creamy broth base as an alternative of the standard tomato base of normal chili. It’s loaded with juicy rooster and hearty white beans—and filled with tons of Tex-Mex taste!

This chili is beloved by everybody in our household, and now it’s made even simpler and sooner due to an Instant Pot (or one other electrical strain cooker). This recipe is immediately tailored from my household recipe, which has been handed down three generations! Because it’s been cooked by of us in my household hundreds of instances through the years, you possibly can understand it’ll end up good in your personal kitchen. Let’s get cooking.
What you’ll love about this White Hen Chili recipe:
What do I have to make this chili?
To make the Immediate Pot model of our white chicken chili, you’ll want:
- Hen: We like a combo of boneless skinless rooster breasts and boneless, skinless rooster thighs
- Onion
- Garlic
- Canned diced gentle inexperienced chiles
- Jalapeño
- Nice Nothern Beans: Both from canned or dried beans cooked within the strain cooker (we’ll train you ways!)
- Floor cumin
- Chili powder
- Canned whole-fat coconut milk
- Hen broth
- Cream cheese
- Finely floor cornmeal
- Salt and pepper


What sort of beans go in white chili?
We sometimes go for Nice Northern beans as a result of they’re massive and hearty, however in a pinch, you could possibly additionally sub in Navy beans. Simply remember that Navy Beans are smaller and have a extra delicate texture—so they might break down extra because the soup cooks.
How do I thicken up my white rooster chili?
Simple peasy! We use finely floor cornmeal (such as you’d use to make cornbread) whisked right into a slurry with rooster broth to not solely thicken the chili but additionally give a slight corn taste to the soup.

How do I make this chili dairy-free?
Now we have a dairy allergy in my home and normally make it dairy-free! The one swap it is advisable make is to make use of dairy-free/vegan cream cheese instead of the common cream cheese—we sometimes use Kite Hill plain almond cream cheese.
Protip: Use the precise coconut milk!
Be sure you are utilizing the sort of coconut milk that’s shelf-stable and is available in a can, not the refrigerated stuff that is available in a carton! The canned sort is thicker and creamier, providing you with a significantly better remaining chili.
What toppings work greatest with white rooster chili?
This chili is truthfully tremendous flavorful and scrumptious by itself, however it additionally shines when piled excessive together with your favourite chili toppings! We love piling on avocado, minced cilantro, and bitter cream. You additionally should have a giant bowl of tortilla chips to dip.
Can I freeze the leftovers?
Sure—we like to maintain some soup or chili within the freezer for sick days or last-minute dinners. Portion some chili right into a freezer-safe container, leaving some area on the prime (it might broaden because it freezes!), and freeze with out the lid on. As soon as the chili is frozen strong, label the lid and seal the container closed. The chili can be greatest eaten inside 4-6 months.

Need extra recipes like this one?
Components
For the Beans:
- 1 pound dry Nice Northern Beans (no have to soak)
- 4 cups water
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
For the Chili:
- 2 1/2 cups rooster broth, divided
- 1 massive onion, diced
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 pound boneless, skinless rooster breast
- 1 pound boneless, skinless rooster thighs
- 2 4-ounce cans gentle diced chiles
- 1 jalapeño, minced
- 3 tablespoons cumin
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon salt, plus extra to style
- 1/2 teaspoons pepper, plus extra to style
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 13.5-ounce can full-fat coconut milk
- 8 ounces cream cheese, reduce into chunks (dairy-free cream cheese works nice)
- 6 cups drained Nice Northern Beans (about 4 cans, or use cooked from dried)
- 1/4 cup finely floor cornmeal
- Topping choices: diced avocado, shredded cheese, bitter cream, tortilla chips, sliced jalapeños, minced cilantro, tortilla chips
Directions
For the beans:
- Mix all elements within the basin of an Immediate Pot.
- Set to cook dinner for 25 minutes on excessive strain. When time is up, permit for a ten minute pure strain launch, then manually launch the strain.
For the chili:
- Mix 2 cups rooster broth with onion, garlic, rooster breasts, rooster thighs, diced chiles, jalapeno, cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper within the basin of an Immediate Pot. Shut lid and set to seal. Prepare dinner on excessive strain for 10 minutes, after which do guide strain launch.
- Take away the rooster breasts and rooster thighs to a plate or small baking dish. Use two forks to shred the rooster. Add it again to the Immediate Pot.
- Set the Immediate Pot to the medium-low sauté setting. Add within the coconut milk, cream cheese, and beans. Stir till the coconut milk and cream cheese are melted and properly mixed.
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk collectively the cornmeal and remaining 1/2 cup of rooster broth. Pitch combination into the soup. Convey to a simmer and cook dinner till barely thickened, about 5 minutes. Add extra salt and pepper, to style.
- Serve soup topped together with your favourite toppings!
Notes
- You’ll be able to substitute Navy beans for Nice Northern beans: simply know that you just may need a slight change in texture as a result of Navy beans are usually creamier.
- Should you aren’t a fan of coconut, 1 1/2 cups of complete milk might be substituted for the coconut milk.
- We all the time serve our white rooster chili with cornbread for dipping!
Diet Data:
Yield: 8
Serving Dimension: 1
Quantity Per Serving:
Energy: 763Whole Fats: 25gSaturated Fats: 10gTrans Fats: 0gUnsaturated Fats: 12gLdl cholesterol: 152mgSodium: 1056mgCarbohydrates: 79gFiber: 25gSugar: 6gProtein: 61g
At Wholefully, we consider that good vitamin is about far more than simply the numbers on the vitamin details panel. Please use the above info as solely a small a part of what helps you determine what meals are nourishing for you.