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This white chicken chili is super rich and creamy, with tons of flavor, AND it’s Whole30 compliant! Dairy-free, grain-free, and gluten-free, this soup recipe fits perfectly into a round, and your family wouldn’t even know it’s paleo. Quick and easy to make in under 30 minutes, too!
🥣 What Makes This Recipe So Good
- One pot. One spoon. 30 minutes. That’s all you need for a rich, creamy, super flavorful pot of chili with minimal prep and minimal clean up. What could be better? I mean, besides actually sitting down and enjoying a giant bowl of this Whole30 white chicken chili.
- There’s so much flavor here! Diced green chilies, cumin, paprika, oregano, coriander, cayenne, garlic, onion, lime juice. Everything blends together beautifully and it’s all complimented by the creaminess of the cashew cream and the earthy, fresh cilantro.
- White chicken chili is perfect for meal preps and feeding large groups. I honestly love making soups and chilis when I’ve got a bunch of mouths to feed. They’re fairly cost effective, and they’re easy to scale up without a ton of extra work. You can also make up a batch and eat on it for a few days if that’s your thing.
👩🏼🍳 Chef’s Tips
- Refrigerate any leftovers in an airtight container up to 5 days. To reheat, I recommend using the stovetop and simmering the chili over medium-low heat until it’s warmed through. You can also reheat it in the microwave. Just be sure not to add any garnishes (cilantro, lime wedges, avocado) until right before you serve the chili.
- For a freezer-meal option, let the chili cool completely and then transfer it to a freezer-safe airtight container or sealable plastic bag. Freeze it up to 3 months. When you’re ready to eat the chili, just defrost it in the fridge overnight and reheat it on the stovetop.
- I don’t feel like this is a Whole30 white chicken chili with a lot of heat to it. If you’re especially heat sensitive, though, you might reduce the amount of cayenne pepper you use, or eliminate it altogether.
More Whole30 Recipes to Try
- Whole30 Breakfast Tacos
- Whole30 Everything Bagel Chicken and Scallion “Cream Cheese” Sauce
- BBQ Chicken Bowls with Sweet Potatoes and Coleslaw (Whole30)
- Whole30 Gyro Meatballs
- Whole30 Buffalo Chicken Salad
- Egg Roll in a Bowl Meal Prep (Whole30, Paleo, Keto)
- Oven-Roasted Diced Potatoes
Whole30 White Chicken Chili
Rich and creamy, with tons of flavor and no dairy, grains, or gluten.
servings
Equipment
- Large pot
- Large wooden spoon
- high-speed blender
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil olive oil, avocado oil, etc.
- 1 small yellow onion diced, approximately ¼ cup
- 2 cloves garlic finely minced
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 7-ounce can diced green chilies
- 1 ¼ teaspoons cumin
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- salt to taste
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 13.5-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk or coconut cream, see Notes
- ½ cup raw cashews
- 2 ½ cups cooked, shredded chicken see Notes
- 2 ½ tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro plus more for serving
- sliced or diced avocado for serving
Instructions
- Heat large pot over medium-high heat. When pot is warm, add neutral oil and continue warming until oil is hot and shimmery.
- When oil is hot, add diced onion. Sauté onions 4 minutes or until softened, then add minced garlic. Stir to incorporate and sauté garlic 30 seconds or until just fragrant.
- Add chicken broth, green chilies, cumin, paprika, oregano, coriander, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper to pot. Stir well to incorporate ingredients. Let mixture come to low boil, then immediately reduce heat to low and simmer 10 minutes.
- While mixture simmers, add coconut milk (or coconut cream) and raw cashews to high-speed blender. Blend until mixture is smooth.
- After broth mixture has simmered 10 minutes, add cashew cream to pot along with shredded chicken, fresh lime juice, and cilantro. Stir to incorporate and simmer until chicken is warmed through. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
- Divide soup into preferred portions. Garnish with additional cilantro and diced avocado, and serve immediately.
- Coconut Milk or Cream: Do not use coco lopez or a sweetened coconut product, like coconut creamer. They aren’t the same as coconut milk or coconut cream and won’t work in this recipe.
- Chicken: You can use compliant rotisserie chicken, leftover chicken, or chicken cooked specifically for this chili.
- Make it Vegetarian/Vegan: Use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth. Replace the chicken with extra veggies (bell pepper, carrots, etc.)
Approximate Information for One Serving
Serving Size: 1servingCalories: 520calProtein: 28gFat: 40gSaturated Fat: 23gCholesterol: 68mgSodium: 685mgPotassium: 638mgTotal Carbs: 17gFiber: 5gSugar: 7gNet Carbs: 12gVitamin A: 244IUVitamin C: 13mgCalcium: 55mgIron: 4mg
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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I used regular cream instead of coconut & cashew, and added extra broth, carrots and celery. This soup has GREAT flavor and we’ll make again. Recommend!
Yumm! We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Brooke! Thanks for sharing!
I love your page design! The color scheme is on point. Just wanted to drop a compliment if no one’s told you already! Will try this recipe this weekend. Keep up the good work!
Thank you so much, Samantha!! 😊 Be sure to let us know how the chili turns out!
i made this for football sunday and i think i left on heat too long as it seems to be a little chunky does that happen
Oh no! That definitely could have happened if it was heated for too long. We’re so sorry!
So good! No fail recipe… I’ve added green beans and white beens to mine at diffrent times I feel it gives the soup a bit more substance like a traditional chilli
Ooh, both sound delish! Thanks for sharing, Allison!
My husband went paleo for awhile and I was struggling to find recipes that I’d also enjoy without basically cooking 2 different meals. I tried this and admittedly, was highly skeptical particularly of the cashew/coconut cream. But OMG this is now one of my favorite recipes period. I make it regularly. I can make it spicier if it’s just me and him but I can remove the cayenne and my kids will even eat it. I’m mildly lactose intolerant so for me to have something so rich, creamy and delicious without it feeling heavy in my gut. It’s also pretty quick and easy especially if you already have leftover chicken. Sooooooooo good!!
We’re so the whole family loves it! Thanks so much for sharing, Emily! 😊
So good! Second time making it exactly as the recipe says and it’s delicious! Have you ever frozen left overs? Curious if the cashew cream would separate out and not do well frozen…
Hi there! For freezing, just let the chili cool completely and then transfer it to a freezer-safe airtight container or sealable plastic bag. It will last up to 3 months in the freezer! When you’re ready to eat, just defrost it in the fridge overnight and then reheat it on the stovetop. 😊
Can you make this without cashews? I have an allergy
Sure, it just won’t be as thick! The cashews are blending with the coconut cream to make a thick and creamy cashew cream. You can just use the coconut cream instead, and your chili will just have a thinner consistency.
Can I use pecans or almonds instead of cashews
We have not tried making the cashew cream with pecans or almonds, so we can’t say for sure how it would turn out. You can omit the cashew cream entirely, though if needed!
This recipe is amazing! I am not a fan of cashews like this, but I use canned cannellini beans instead and blend them up with the coconut cream which helps make it creamy. I also add a couple cans of whole beans to the soup as well! Hope this offers a solution!
Thanks so much for the help, Kin! 😊
Love this recipe. Wish I would have doubled it! Flavor is amazing. We definitely be making this again.
It’s such a great one to keep in rotation! So glad you loved it, Colette!
What is the recommended serving size for this?
¼ of the prepared soup!
Everyone in the house loves this! Spot on for comfort food! I added mushrooms and zucchini for some added veg.
Ooh, mushrooms and zucchini sound like delicious additions! Thanks for sharing, Amy!