Description
This White Chicken Chili recipe is a hearty, dairy-free, and flavorful chili made with tender chicken, aromatic spices, and creamy coconut milk. Perfect for busy weeknights or slow cooker meal preps, it offers comforting warmth without beans unless added as an option, and can be customized with fresh cilantro and lime wedges.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein
- 1 ½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
Vegetables & Aromatics
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 medium bell pepper (any color), diced
- 1 small jalapeno, seeds and membranes removed, finely diced
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
Spices
- 2 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon fine salt, plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Liquids
- 1 ½–2 cups chicken broth (purchased or homemade bone broth)
- 1 (14-ounce) can full-fat coconut milk*
- Juice of ½ lime*
Optional
- 1 (14-ounce) can white beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil or olive oil (for stovetop and Instant Pot versions only)
- ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- Fresh cilantro and lime wedges for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare the Ingredients: Dice the onion, bell pepper, and jalapeno, and mince the garlic. If using beans, drain and rinse them well. Chop fresh cilantro and set aside for garnish or stirring in at the end.
- Sauté Aromatics (Optional): If cooking on stovetop or Instant Pot, heat 1 tablespoon of avocado or olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion, bell pepper, jalapeno, and garlic. Cook until softened and fragrant, about 5 minutes.
- Add Spices and Chicken: Stir in cumin, oregano, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Add the chicken breasts or thighs, searing them lightly if using stovetop or Instant Pot.
- Add Liquids and Simmer: Pour in the chicken broth and coconut milk, ensuring chicken is submerged. Cover and cook on low heat or with the slow cooker on low setting for 7 hours until chicken is tender and flavors meld. For stovetop, simmer gently; for Instant Pot, pressure cook accordingly.
- Shred Chicken: Once cooked, remove chicken and shred it with two forks. Return shredded chicken to the pot and stir well with the chili.
- Add Lime Juice and Cilantro: Stir in fresh lime juice and chopped cilantro. Adjust seasoning with additional salt or spice to taste.
- Optional Beans: If desired, add the drained white beans and heat through just before serving.
- Serve: Ladle chili into bowls and garnish with fresh cilantro and lime wedges for extra brightness and flavor.
Notes
- This recipe is naturally dairy-free thanks to the use of coconut milk instead of cream or cheese.
- You can add white beans to the chili if you prefer a more traditional, bean-inclusive chili.
- For a quicker stovetop or Instant Pot version, sauté aromatics first and adjust cooking times accordingly.
- Leftovers freeze well and can be reheated for an easy future meal.
- Adjust the level of heat by varying the amount of jalapeno or substituting with milder or hotter peppers.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 ½ cups
- Calories: 327 calories
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 676 mg
- Fat: 17 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 6 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 58 mg
