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four bowls of white chicken chili topped with sour cream
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Lightened Up White Chicken Chili

White chicken chili gets a lightened up makeover that's full of zesty flavors, creamy texture, hearty beans, tender chicken, and sweet corn with a secret ingredient that really makes the flavors pop!
Course Main Dishes
Cuisine American
Keyword crockpot white chicken chili, healthy white chicken chili, lightened up white chicken chili, stovetop white chicken chili, white chicken chili
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 6 to 8 servings
Calories 303kcal
Author Lauren

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ lbs chicken breast cut in bite-sized pieces
  • 1 medium yellow onion chopped
  • 1 jalapeño minced
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¼ cup silver tequila optional
  • 2 cans navy beans 15.5 ounce cans
  • 1 can corn 15-ounce can
  • 1 can mild green chiles 4.5-ounce can
  • 4 to 6 cups chicken stock see notes
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1 cup fat free sour cream

Instructions

  • Stovetop instructions:  In a large soup pot or dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.  Once the oil shimmers, add the onion and jalapeño.  Sauté for 2 minutes or until translucent, then add in the garlic and cook everything together for about 1 minute.
  • Add the raw chicken cut in bite sized pieces to the pot.  Alternatively, you can bake the chicken at 375°F for 15-20 minutes until cooked through, then cut in small pieces.  Immediately after adding the chicken, season with salt, pepper, paprika, cumin, and garlic powder.  Stir well to coat all the ingredients in the pan.
  • When the chicken is mostly cooked, deglaze the pan with tequila.  If opting not to use tequila, add a 1/ cup of chicken stock.  Drain and rinse the beans and corn, then stir into the pot.  Add the can of chiles without draining.  Finally, add the chicken stock and bring to a steady simmer on high heat.  (Depending on the thickness you prefer, use more or less chicken stock - 4 cups of stock will yield a hearty, thick more traditional chili and 6 cups of stock will create a more 'soup like' chili with extra broth.)
  • After 10 minutes of cooking, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 10 more minutes.  While the chili cooks, whisk cornstarch into the sour cream thoroughly, making sure all the clumps are gone.  Stir into the soup until light, creamy, and slightly thickened.
  • Crockpot instructions: Leave out the olive oil from the recipe.  Place the raw chicken breasts (whole or cut in bite-sized pieces) to the bottom of the crockpot.  Top with the onion, jalapeno, garlic, salt, pepper, paprika, cumina, garlic powder, tequila, beans, corn, chiles, and chicken stock.
  • Cook on low for 4 to 6 hours.  If cooking the chicken breast whole, remove from the crockpot and shred the meat using two forks, return to the pot.  Whisk cornstarch into the sour cream thoroughly, making sure all the clumps are gone.  Stir into the soup until light, creamy, and slightly thickened.

Notes

  • Depending on the thickness you prefer, use more or less chicken stock - 4 cups of stock will yield a hearty, thick more traditional chili and 6 cups of stock will create a more 'soup like' chili with extra broth (like the photos in the post.)
  • I prefer to cut the raw chicken into bite-sized pieces and cook in the pan with the vegetables and spices for maximum flavor.  Alternatively, you can bake the chicken first or use the meat from a rotisserie chicken.
  • To make white chicken chili spicier, add an extra jalapeno, or use hot green chiles.
  • Fat-free sour cream keeps this recipe 'lightened up' but for a creamier experience, substitute full-fat sour cream or 4 ounces of cream cheese!
  • This recipe is 4 blue points on weight watchers!

Nutrition

Calories: 303kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 81mg | Sodium: 807mg | Potassium: 686mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 180IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 69mg | Iron: 1mg