This ground chicken chili is a hearty soup packed with tender ground chicken and creamy white beans. It's a lighter twist on traditional chili that doesn't skimp on flavor. It's easy to make and meal-prep friendly!
Why You'll Love it
This is a healthier twist on a classic white chicken chili. It's creamy yet light with sour cream instead of cream cheese. It's thickened with mashed white beans and most importantly, it tastes delicious!
- Meal-prep: This soup is great for meal prepping! It tastes even better on day two and lasts for 4 days in the fridge.
- Quick and easy: Only 10 minutes of hands-on time! Ground chicken keeps it super simple - no shredding chicken necessary.
- Healthy - It's light and fresh with veggies, lean meat, and spices. I left out the cream cheese and added a bit of sour cream instead.
This white chicken chili with ground chicken is a staple for us!
Key Ingredients
- Aromatics - Garlic, onion, and bell pepper add great flavor! You can dice them up ahead of time to cut down on prep time.
- Ground chicken - Ground chicken keeps things simple! You don't need to cook shredded chicken for this recipe.
- Green chiles - I always keep green chiles in the pantry. They add a touch of heat and such great flavor to soups and chili.
- Spices - If you've never tried ancho chile powder, I can't recommend it enough! It's less bitter and smokier than traditional chile powder. I am obsessed!
- Chicken stock - Vegetable stock works too. I buy organic chicken stock at Costco for a great deal and then I always have it in the pantry for soups, deglazing pans, and sauces.
- Cannellini beans - Two cans of white beans - one for thickening the soup!
- Sour cream - A little bit of sour cream adds some creaminess without making it so heavy, like cream cheese does.
- Toppings - I prefer sour cream, shredded cheese, and crushed tortilla chips. Diced avocado, fresh cilantro, and pickled onions taste great too!
How to Make Ground Chicken Chili
This hearty soup comes together in a flash!
- Saute veggies: Cook in a large pot until they're aromatic and transluscent.
- Cook the chicken: Add the ground chicken, green chiles, and spices to the pot. Stir and cook until the chicken is cooked through.
- Add stock and simmer: Add the stock, corn, and a can of white beans. Simmer the mixture for at least 10 minutes. Do NOT skip the simmer! It's essential for a flavorful pot of soup.
- Mash beans: Use a fork to mash the other can of beans into a smooth paste.
- Finish soup and simmer: Add the mashed beans, sour cream, and cilantro the the pot and simmer again for 10 minutes. Again, don't skip the simmering!
- Add toppings: Turn off the heat and serve the soup warm with your favorite toppings!
Recipe Tips
- Don't skip the simmer! Simmering a soup is very important. All the flavors marry together and the soup thickens a bit. It makes a big difference!
- Feel free to swap the ground chicken with ground turkey if you like! It will taste a little bit different, but still be delicious.
- For a creamier soup, add more sour cream. Or you can add some cream cheese, if you prefer.
- Don't skip the toppings! While toppings are optional, they really take the flavor up a notch. Melted cheese and crunchy chips are SO good with the creamy soup.
Storage Tips:
- Let the soup cool down a little before storing. It shouldn't be piping hot when you store it.
- Use a ladle to transfer the soup to an airtight container with a lid and store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- This soup is freezer-friendly! Let it cool, then transfer it to freezer-safe zip-top bags or containers. Leave some room so it can expand while it freezes. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
Easy Dinner Recipes:
White Ground Chicken Chili
This ground chicken chili is a hearty soup packed with tender ground chicken and creamy white beans. It's a lighter twist on traditional chili that doesn't skimp on flavor. It's easy to make and meal-prep friendly!
Equipment
- Large pot or dutch oven
- Medium bowl
- Cutting board
- Chef's knife
Ingredients
- 1½ tablespoons olive oil
- 1 sweet onion diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 yellow bell pepper cored and small diced
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 4 ounce can of mild green chiles
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon ancho chile powder
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- 3½ cups chicken stock
- 1 15 ounce can of corn drained
- 2 15 ounce cans of cannellini beans drained
- ¼ cup cilantro minced
Toppings:
- shredded cheese
- sour cream
- tortilla chips
Instructions
- In a dutch oven over medium-high heat, add the olive oil. Add the onion, garlic, and bell pepper to the hot pan. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are translucent.
- Add the ground chicken, green chiles, and spices to the pot. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked.
- Add the chicken stock, one can of cannellini beans, and the corn to the pot. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 10 minutes.
- In a medium bowl, add the remaining can of cannellini beans. Use a large fork to mash until mostly smooth.
- Add the mashed beans, sour cream, and cilantro to the pot. Stir to combine and continue to cook for 10 more minutes.
- Remove the pot from the heat. Serve warm with shredded cheese and sour cream.
Nutrition
Calories: 293kcalCarbohydrates: 36gProtein: 21gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.04gCholesterol: 52mgSodium: 696mgPotassium: 635mgFiber: 7gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 304IUVitamin C: 38mgCalcium: 94mgIron: 4mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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