Healthy White Chicken Chili (Dairy Free)
- By Amy Dong
- Updated Feb. 13, 2025
This Healthy White Chicken Chili is a hearty, healthy, and satisfying meal that’s perfect for those chilly winter nights. It’s a dairy-free, easy weeknight meal that’s ready in 30 minutes.
In This Article
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Why This Recipe Stands Out
We’re all about healthy, hearty recipes that are easy to make and loaded with flavor. This Healthy White Chicken Chili is all of that and more:
- Healthy and Satisfying: This white chicken chili is loaded with white-meat chicken, beans, and quinoa.
- Delicious Flavors: This recipe is savory, well-seasoned, and has a little kick for a dish the entire family will enjoy, like our Crockpot Chili.
- Customizable: Like our Butternut Squash Chili, this recipe is super easy to customize. If you like a spicier chili, add more cayenne. If you prefer it milder, simply use less cayenne and green chilies.
- Perfect for Meal Prep: This chili is a meal prep dream. It makes a large batch and tastes even better the next day, making it the perfect recipe for healthy lunches.
Key Recipe Ingredients
- Chicken – We use chicken breasts in this recipe which we chop up. They’re a great source of lean protein.
- Quinoa – This is a great gluten-free whole grain that’s also a complete protein. It adds a great texture.
- Onion and Garlic – These aromatics form the base of our chili, adding a depth of flavor.
- Chicken Broth – We like to use low-sodium chicken broth for this recipe. It’s the base of our chili and adds a lot of flavor.
- Green Chilies – These add a bit of heat and a lot of flavor to our chili. If you like things spicier, feel free to use more than the recipe calls for.
- Spices – Cumin and oregano add a warm, earthy flavor to our chili. They perfectly complement the other ingredients.
- Great Northern Beans – We use canned great northern beans for convenience. They’re hearty and hold up well in the chili.
Substitutions And Variations
Here are some of our favorite variations and substitutions:
- Protein: The recipe calls for chopped chicken breasts, but feel free to use chicken thighs, shredded rotisserie chicken, or turkey as an alternative.
- Vegetarian: If you want to make this into a vegetarian chili, you can substitute the chicken with extra veggies like bell peppers, zucchini, or even sweet potatoes for a heartier option.
- Spicier: We’ve written the recipe to have a milder heat level, but feel free to spice it up as you like!
- Garnishes: Feel free to offer regular shredded cheese and/or vegan shredded cheese on the side for people to garnish their chili as they like.
Step-By-Step Recipe Instructions
- Cook chicken, onion, garlic, and olive oil in a Dutch oven until chicken is slightly brown.
- Add broth, green chilies, beans, and corn. Bring to a boil.
- Add oregano and cumin. Reduce to a simmer. Add flour and stir until the chili thickens and let it simmer for 20 minutes. Now add cooked quinoa and remove from heat.
- Keep covered and let sit for about 10 minutes. Serve warm with shredded cheese and avocados, if desired.
For full list of ingredients and instructions, see recipe card below.
How To Prep Ahead
Take a look at our favorite prep-ahead strategies for this recipe:
- Prep the Ingredients: Take some time to chop the onions, mince the garlic, and chop the chicken breasts. You can also cook the quinoa ahead of time. Store these ingredients in an airtight container up to a day in advance.
- Make Ahead Entirely: This chili is perfect for meal prep. You can make a big batch on the weekend and enjoy it throughout the week. It also freezes well, so you can store any leftovers for later.
What To Serve With Healthy White Chicken Chili
Cornbread
- We all know that cornbread and chili is a tried-and-true combo! Try this classic Sweet Honey Cornbread or Sweet Potato Cornbread.
- You also can’t go wrong with these healthy Honey Cornbread Muffins that go perfectly with the chili.
Bread
- Any tender and fluffy bread will work on the side of our hearty chili. These Quick and Easy Homemade Dinner Rolls are a family favorite!
- You’ll also love them with the Best Buttermilk Biscuits!
Salad
- For a fresh, crunchy side to this recipe, we love serving it with this Broccoli Apple Salad or this Southwestern Chopped Salad.
Commonly Asked Questions
Is the quinoa necessary in this recipe?
The quinoa adds a nice texture and extra protein to this white chicken chili, but it is not necessary. You can leave it out if you prefer a more traditional chili, or substitute it with rice or another grain.
What type of chicken should I use?
You can use boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs for
this recipe. We recommend chopping the chicken into small, bite-sized pieces for even cooking and easy serving.
What if I want to make it spicier?
If you want to make the chili spicier, you can use 4 oz of canned chopped green chilies instead of 2 oz. You can also add cayenne pepper to your desired level of spiciness. We recommend starting with ½ teaspoon of cayenne and adjusting to your preference.
How long does Healthy White Chicken Chili keep?
This white chicken chili can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Just make sure to store it in an airtight container.
Did you make this?
Please give us a rating and comment below. We love hearing from you!
Healthy White Chicken Chili (Dairy Free)
This Healthy White Chicken Chili (Dairy Free) is hearty, chunky, savory, and has just a bit of kick! Increase or decrease the heat as you like. Quinoa makes this chili so satisfying and healthy.
Ingredients
- 1 cup cooked quinoa, cooked according to package directions
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 TB olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 28 oz chicken broth
- 2 oz chopped green chilies, from can
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 29 oz great northern beans, from can, drained
- 8 oz sweet corn kernels
- 3 TB all purpose flour
- salt , to taste
- ½ tsp cayenne, optional
- Optional Garnishes: diced avocado, chopped cilantro, or your choice of shredded cheese
Instructions
- In a Dutch oven or heavy large pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat until hot. Add onions and garlic, stirring just until translucent. Add chicken and cook/stir until chicken is slightly browned.
- Stir in the broth, green chilies, cumin, oregano, beans, and corn. Bring to a boil.
- Reduce to simmer, and add flour, stirring until chili is thickened. Continue to simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.
- Add cooked quinoa and remove from heat. Keep covered and let sit about 10 minutes. Add salt to taste, if needed. Garnish as desired and serve.
Notes
- If you prefer a spicier dish, use 4 oz chopped green chilies.
- Use either frozen or canned corn. If canned, be sure to drain first.
- Feel free to offer regular shredded cheese and/or vegan shredded cheese on the side for people to garnish their chili as they like.
- Cook the quinoa according to package directions. This usually involves rinsing the quinoa and cooking it in a 2:1 ratio of water to quinoa.
- This recipe is part of our Healthy Chicken Recipes Collection.
- Serve this chili with a side of our Sweet Honey Cornbread or Easy Dinner Rolls for a delicious meal.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 203kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 42mg | Sodium: 494mg | Potassium: 395mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 230IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 109mg | Iron: 1mg
More to Cook And Eat
- Turkey Chili – This healthy turkey chili recipe is the perfect comfort food for cold winter nights, game-day feasts, and everything in between.
- Stovetop Chili – This stovetop chili is teeming with healthy, hearty ingredients and bursting with great depth of flavor. The seasonings meld together perfectly.
- Lentil Chili With Black Beans – This Lentil Chili with Black Beans is a fabulous meatless dish; it’s hearty, full of flavor, and so delicious you won’t even miss the meat.
- Instant Pot Chili – Made with lean beef, hearty beans, and bold flavors, this Instant Pot chili recipe is the easiest, most delicious comfort food you’ll ever taste.