Cold weather calls for comfort, but that doesn’t mean you have to dive into a pot of heavy beef chili every time the temperature dips. This White Bean Chicken Chili hits all the cozy notes and keeps things light enough to eat on a Tuesday night without throwing your whole health routine off the rails.
It’s hearty, it’s bright with lime, it’s got backbone from cumin and roasted chiles, and it cooks in the amount of time it takes to watch half an episode of Bluey with your kids. Win-win.
Below is how I make it — including a little technique that guarantees tender chicken breast instead of the dreaded rubbery mess.
Chicken breast and chili don’t usually belong in the same sentence. One cooks fast; the other usually simmers forever.
But this recipe flips that dynamic by:
Building flavor up front with aromatics, spices, and roasted chiles
Poaching the chicken gently so it stays juicy
Using white beans two ways: whole for heartiness + partially blended for thickness
Finishing with lime and Maggi (or fish sauce) for depth and brightness
This is weeknight cooking at its smartest.
Base & aromatics
1 tbsp reserved bacon fat (olive oil or any neutral oil also works)
1/2 cup minced onion
2 tsp cumin, plus more to taste
2 (4.4 oz) cans roasted green chiles, drained
2 tsp Mexican oregano
1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
1/2 tsp cayenne, plus more to taste
1.5 tbsp chopped garlic
Protein & bulk
1 lb chicken breast
2 cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
Liquid & finishers
4 cups chicken stock
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 cup lime juice
2 tbsp Maggi sauce (or fish sauce), more to taste
Garnish (optional but recommended)
Avocado
Shredded cheese
Tortilla chips
Heat bacon fat in a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat.
Add the onion and cook until soft and translucent — no browning. You want sweetness, not char.
Stir in the cumin, Mexican oregano, salt, garlic, and cayenne. Cook 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
Everything goes in at once: chicken breast, broth, roasted chiles, and cannellini beans.
Bring the pot to a gentle simmer.
Start checking the internal temperature at the 7-minute mark.
Pull the chicken out when it hits 155°F, not a degree more.
If the broth doesn’t fully cover it, flip it occasionally.
This is the key to chicken that shreds beautifully without turning stringy.
Let it rest on a cutting board for 10 minutes.
Use an immersion blender to partially blend the beans right in the pot.
You’re aiming for about 20–30% blended — enough to give body, while leaving most beans whole for texture.
No immersion blender?
Scoop out a cup of beans + broth, blend in a food processor, and return to pot.
Add lime juice, Maggi sauce (or fish sauce or even Worcestershire), and adjust salt and cumin to taste.
Shred or hand-pull the chicken (my preference) and stir it into the chili.
Serve immediately for the best texture.
The chicken will firm up with every reheat, so this is one of those dishes that’s best eaten fresh — or cooled fully and reheated gently.
This chili is extremely flexible:
Avocado adds richness
Shredded cheese makes it feel more “chili-like”
Tortilla chips add crunch
More lime brightens
A dusting of extra cumin brings warmth
If you want it even heartier, add extra beans or corn.
If you want more heat, bump the cayenne or add a diced jalapeño to the onions.
This White Bean Chicken Chili is exactly what cold weather cooking should be: comforting, flavorful, and light enough to keep you on track. It’s also fast, dad-friendly, and the kind of recipe you can make on autopilot once you do it once.
If you make it, hit me in the comments — and tell me your stance on the eternal question:
Can chicken chili still be called chili?
I know what I think.
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