This Chicken White Bean Chili Soup recipe is quick, easy, and so flavorful. I originally shared this recipe back in 2012, but it has gotten a photo upgrade, and now that fall weather has set in I wanted to re-share it because it’s such a great weeknight meal. Tip: try using rotisserie chicken as a shortcut – it makes for a super quick dinner that you can have on the table in no time!
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This recipe originally came from one of my good friends – I loved how flavorful and rich it was, but still so easy because of the healthy shortcut ingredients! Canned green chilies, spices, and chicken broth add tons of flavor, while canned white beans and pre-cooked rotisserie chicken means you don’t have to spend hours over the stove. Chopping onions and garlic are the only prep you need to do – check out my tips at the end of the post for how to chop an onion in 15 seconds flat!
This is a cross between chili and soup – perfect for when you’re in the mood for something filling and hearty, but not too heavy! It’s great topped with cilantro and scallions to freshen things up, or with plain greek yogurt to add some creaminess.
Here’s the recipe:
Chicken & White Bean Chili Soup
Ingredients
- 2 small or 1 large onion(s), diced
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 2 cans (4 oz. each) diced green chilies
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 tsp. cumin
- 1 tsp. oregano
- 1/4 tsp. pepper
- 1/4 tsp. cloves
- 3 cans (14.5 oz. each) chicken broth (lower sodium if possible)
- 4 cups pulled rotisserie chicken
- 2 to 3 cans (15.5 oz. each) Great Northern white beans, drained and rinsed – use 2 or 3 depending how much you like beans!
Instructions
- In a large soup pot, saute onions and oil together until onions are transparent.
- Add green chilies, garlic, cumin, oregano, green chilies, pepper, cloves, and saute 2 to 3 more minutes.
- Add chicken broth, chicken, and beans. Bring to a boil; cover pot and simmer 15 minutes.
- Serve hot and enjoy!
Making this recipe for a quick weekday dinner? Here’s a tip that will help!
How to Dice an Onion in 15 Seconds Flat
Simply chop off one of the ends of the onion and place the uncut end on the cutting board. Then, slice down through the onion, stopping just before you reach the bottom so it stays intact. Continue to slice horizontally across the onion about every quarter inch (depending how large you want the diced pieces). Then, rotate the onion so you are slicing perpendicular to the first set of cuts (again stopping before you reach the onion bottom), creating a grid pattern. Then turn the onion on its side, and simply slice!
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Voila — perfect diced onions, with minimal effort!
Love soup and chili? Here are some other recipes to try:
- Sweet Potato Lentil Chili (vegan) –
- Cantaloupe and Avocado Soup (vegan, gluten free – served chilled)
- Chunky Turkey & Vegetable Soup (gluten free)
- Creamy Mexican Chicken Chili Soup (gluten free)
- Creamy Tomato Basil Soup (made with yogurt!)
- Curried Carrot Soup (vegan)
- Butternut Squash & Turkey Chili (gluten free)
- Homemade Minestrone Soup (vegan)
- Thai Coconut Chicken Soup
- Turkey, Veggie, & Barley Chili
I’m definitely going to try this recipe without chicken. Looks so filling!
My mom has a recipe exactly like that and I love it!! I make it at least once a month and then save leftovers for lunch during the week. So delicious!
Oh yum! That soup looks so delicious, and so easy, which is a huge plus! I bet this would make a nice crock-pot dish too. Thanks for sharing! :-)
I love making soups! I am going to try this one very soon, thanks for sharing :)
I can’t wait to try that soup! AND, I LOVE that onion tip. THANK YOU! I’ve been wondering how everybody cuts onions so perfectly.
I’ve always chopped onions, cucumbers, tomatoes (you need a good knife!), etc, that way! I guess there’s an advantage to being lazy in the kitchen and you learn how to do things quick?
Ooo I like the idea to cut tomatoes like that, too! We really need to get our knives sharpened, though. They have gotten super dull.
This is very similar to my favorite soup recipe! My recipes only difference is the addition of chopped kale (or whatever greens you have on hand!)
Delicious!!
Oooo yum I’ll have to add that next time!
I’ll have to try that recipe – looks yummy! Also, my boyfriend already dices his onions like that! I haven’t caught on yet, maybe because I hate dicing onions to begin with and always beg him to do it :)
Haha yeah I always try to get someone else to do it, too!
Recipe sounds great! I’m already hungry and it’s not even half way through the morning yet! Hey, I wonder if you could share your garlic secrets? I received a garlic press for Christmas, but am unsure how to use it. Not to mention that just in general I’ve always been pretty horrible about chopping/dicing/mincing my garlic. Any suggestions would help! Also wondering if you know anything about overtraining and runner’s mental fatigue. I’m training for my first half marathon and am at Mile 10 this week and am having a hard time getting motivated. My husband thinks I may be experiencing overtraining. Thanks for all your wonderful advice and indirect support!
I have a garlic press, too! I basically just cut off tiny bits of the ends of the garlic bulb so that way I can easily peel off the outer layer (the inside is nice and smooth). Then I pop it into the garlic press and squeeze – super easy! Regarding overtraining – how often per week do you run? I stick to 3 days a week (one speed workout, one hills workout, one longer run) and that really helps me to not get burned out – I spend the other days cross training (yoga, elliptical/weights, swimming, biking, whatever), and take 1 rest day per week, too.
Sounds delicious! My mom makes a mean white chicken chili but I still have yet to try and recreate it.
Thanks for sharing!
I made your chili recipe Sunday and it was a hit. My family loves beef and kidney beans in their chili, and they turned their noses up when I served a white chili.I forced them all to try it or else. I hadn’t figured out what the or else was going to be, though. THEY LOVED IT. By the way, I love that deep bowl you are holding.
Hooray – glad it was a hit! :)
This recipe looks absolutely perfect for this time of year. And I love the white beans – such a fiberlicious addition. :)
Chili looks delicious! I’ll have to make some soon, especially since I’m about to roast a ton of chicken for one of my dogs (she’s super picky, arthritic, has glaucoma and is underweight thanks to her medicine killing her appetite but I’ve successfully gotten 2 pounds on her in the last 6 months…2 more to go)! When I make broth for her (she likes it on her dry kibble) I freeze it in ice cube trays, 1 cube per bowl–also good when I’m cooking and veggies need more flavor.
So my version will be homemade broth, dried beans, and fresh roasted chicken! Can’t wait, know exactly who I want to cook it for! Thanks for the delicious recipe.
Let me know how you like it! :)
This looks really good. It never gets cold enough down here for chili though! I may have to try it anyways :)
Def make it anyways ;)
Hi Anne – the soup looks fantastic! I will certainly be trying it soon. Any soup with beans is a good soup in my book :-)
Anne, Soup looks delicious and for this weather little cold… hummm yumi! I will try to do it. Oh you looks good with that apron..I’m happey to hear that you and Matt think to come hear for a honey moon. If you need some help here in CR, please let me know! ;)
Thanks again for the sweet gift! :)
I’m always trying to find different bean recipes. This looks fantastic! I must try this. Thanks Anne!
I make a version of this with 1 enchilada sauce can and some milk and sour cream. This seems just as tasty but healthier!!!
-TA
Yum that sounds good, too!
This is very similar to my white chicken chili recipe, only I include a little cream, so it’s not quite as healthy. ;) I love it so much, we even had it at the chili + bonfire night we had in lieu of a rehearsal dinner before our wedding!
Normally your recipes are a bit too healthy for me… but this looks like one I’m going to have to try out, sis. Looks really good!
That track picture looks gorgeous!
I’ve always wanted to try and make my own healthier, chicken chili but have never found a recipe I liked. Thanks for making my dinner this weekend possible. And an extra thank you for the incredibly detailed step-by-step pictures!!
Glad you enjoyed it! :)
Currently reading this as I’m sitting in a chilly room! this would warm me up!
Woohoo! I know this recipe!
So yummy!!
Hi Anne,
Your soup recipes from today’s post look awesome. I just got an Instant Pot but I’ve only used it once so I’m no expert. Do you think this recipe would work in the IP with raw chicken that you shred after?
Thanks!
I’m not sure, I’m not quite an expert with the IP either! I’m guessing it would probably work just fine though – if you try it let us know, please!
Hi there! I had fun cruising around your website/blog. Your recipe for Chicken White Bean Chili Soup caught my eye. I happened to have a rotisserie chicken in the fridge and had all the other ingredients on hand. We have an herb garden down behind the condo, also. I had fun making this soup and it was a hit for dinner the next night. Seems like soups and stews are always better the next day! Thanks for sharing!
Wonderful – I’m so glad to hear it was a hit! Thanks for taking the time to let me know you enjoyed it :)