White Chicken Chili with Salsa Verde Recipe
This White Chicken Chili with Salsa Verde is a comforting and flavorful slow-cooked dish featuring tender shredded chicken, creamy cannellini beans, mild green chiles, and a vibrant salsa verde base. Enhanced with cumin and sweet corn, it’s perfect for a cozy meal and customizable with toppings like avocado, cilantro, and crispy tortilla strips.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 6-8 hours (low) or 3-4 hours (high)
- Total Time: 6 hours 15 minutes (low) or 3 hours 15 minutes (high)
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American Southwest
- Diet: Low Salt
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds skinless boneless chicken breasts
- 2 (19 ounces each) cans no salt-added white cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 (4 ounces) can chopped green chiles (mild)
- 1 cup salsa verde
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 3–4 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
- 2 cups corn kernels, divided (1 cup initially, 1 cup later)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Optional Toppings
- Chopped cilantro
- Avocado slices
- Sliced jalapeno peppers
- Shredded cheese
- Crispy baked tortilla strips or crushed tortilla chips
Instructions
- Prepare Ingredients and Combine: Place the chicken breasts in the bottom of a 6-quart or larger slow cooker. Top the chicken with the rinsed beans, chopped green chiles, salsa verde, cumin, and 1 cup of corn. Pour in 3 cups of reduced sodium chicken broth and stir gently to combine all ingredients evenly.
- Slow Cook the Chili: Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours, until the chicken is fully cooked and no longer pink in the center.
- Shred the Chicken: Remove the cooked chicken breasts from the slow cooker and place on a plate. When cool enough to handle, shred the chicken using two forks and set aside.
- Thicken the Chili: Using an immersion blender, partially puree some of the chili in the slow cooker to thicken the texture, leaving some beans whole. Alternatively, transfer a few ladles of chili to a blender or food processor, blend roughly, and stir back into the slow cooker. Add additional chicken broth if needed to reach your desired consistency.
- Finish Cooking: Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker along with the remaining 1 cup of corn. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook on low for an additional 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld and the chili to thicken further.
- Serve and Garnish: Spoon the white chicken chili into bowls. Add a squeeze of fresh lime juice and garnish with your choice of chopped cilantro, avocado slices, sliced jalapenos, shredded cheese, and crispy tortilla strips or crushed chips. Serve hot and enjoy a hearty, flavorful meal.
Notes
- For a thicker chili, puree more of the beans and chili mixture before returning it to the slow cooker.
- Adjust the amount of salsa verde and green chiles to control the chili’s heat and tanginess based on preference.
- Use low-sodium or no-salt-added ingredients to better manage sodium content.
- Leftover chili keeps well refrigerated for up to 3 days and freezes beautifully for up to 3 months.
- Additional toppings can be customized to individual tastes including sour cream or lime wedges.
Keywords: white chicken chili, salsa verde chili, slow cooker chicken chili, healthy chicken chili, cannellini bean chili
