Cheesy, creamy White Chicken Chili with just 4 – 5 ingredients? CHECK! Ready in just 15 – 20 minutes? CHECK! You don’t cook you say? No worries! You can do THIS!
When the weather gets cold and snow is expected, who doesn’t love a bowl of warm, creamy comfort food? That’s exactly the forecast here in the Midwest tonight and I decided at the last minute that white chicken chili sounded good. By last minute, I mean like 5 p.m. last minute! I wasn’t put off at by the late hour because I had this SUPER easy, SUPER fast, and SUPER delicious recipe at the ready. It’s a SUPER supper!
I usually keep the ingredients on hand for recipes like this, but I didn’t have them all this time. So, I took off for our local grocer’s to pick up the few things I didn’t have and still had that yummy bowl of cheesy, white chicken chili in front of me by 6! I told you it was fast.
It’s simply chicken, cheese, salsa, and beans. A little chicken broth to thin it – so that’s where the 5th ingredient comes into play. It’s not enough that you couldn’t do the same thing with water in a pinch, so I’m not counting it. 😉
I try to keep some shredded, cooked chicken breast in the freezer (try this easy recipe) and I happened to have one bag left in the freezer. If you don’t have any on hand, you can just as easily use canned chicken. I prefer my own but I don’t think the canned stuff affects the taste that much.
It’s so simple that a detailed explanation is hardly necessary, so I won’t bore you with a bunch of fluff.
Assemble the players. You could easily add corn if you’d like. If you like more kick, you could add a can of diced green chilies or just a spicier salsa. I’m pretty much a spice weenie and sometimes even the pepper jack is too much for me.
Cube the cheese for faster melting.
Combine the main 4 ingredients in a large saucepan or small stockpot. Heat until the cheese melts and ingredients are combined. Stirring occasionally.
The 5th Ingredient: Thin it out to the consistency you prefer. I like mine thicker. So, I might use about a ½ to 1 cup of chicken broth to thin it. If you prefer more of a soup texture, use more.
Fritos, guys! Fritos! Need I say more? The perfect garnish!
It was delicious and just what I needed to help knock out the chill that has been present in my bones for about 3 days. Shoveling snow off the driveway today and the prospects of another 2-4 inches to shovel tomorrow makes me glad I have leftovers.
I served mine with a kale chopped salad. This may have been a risky combination! Beans, kale, Brussel sprouts, and dried cranberries could prove to be a painful and odorous situation tomorrow. However, it may mean that I will be “self-propelled” with just a simple snow shovel and I can give the snowblower a day off! ;p
- 2 cups (approx.) cooked chicken (fresh or canned)
- 48 oz. jar or can of Great Northern Beans (such as Randall's)
- 12 oz. jar black bean and corn salsa
- 1/2 block or 4 oz. each of pepper jack cheese and colby jack cheese (or to heat preference)
- * Chicken broth for thinning
- Cube cheese for faster melting.
- Combine all ingredients (except chicken broth) in a soup pot.
- Heat until cheese melts. Stirring occasionally.
- Once cheese melts, thin to desired consistency with chicken broth. 1/2 - 1 cup is usually sufficient.
- Enjoy with tortilla chips, Fritos (my favorite) and even sour cream for extra creaminess.
Let me know if you try it and what you think. And if you care to share this recipe on social media, my heart might do a little pitter-patter. And let’s just hope it’s only my heart!
Enjoy!
Paula
Thanks for sharing! I may see if Zach wants to make this soon.
Fantastic! I can’tell stress enough how easy this I and how fast it went together. Made this after work for a 7 o’clock gathering. WE RAN OUT. you may want to double recipe- everyone went back for more! I used canned chicken because that’s all I had time for. Thanks, Paula, you haven’the steered me wrong yet!
Author
These are my favorite kind of recipes, the ones that make entertaining stress free, at least in the food department. Everyone thinks you did something special but the ease is our secret. 😉
Made it. Added corn and extra pepper jack. It was delish. P.S. topping with chili cheese frittos has been my fav!
Author
Oooo, I never thought of chili cheese Fritos! Maybe I shouldn’t though, they are another addiction of mine.
Yummy! This is a brilliant recipe! <3
Author
Thanks Stacy. My friend gave it to me years ago. I love that there’s no chopping necessary and it’s super quick to throw together. Now, I’m gonna need to make it again soon.
Hugs,
Paula