Mexican Street Corn White Chicken Chili
Mexican Street Corn White Chicken Chili is creamy, comforting, and always SO delicious! It’s a no bean chili recipe full of zesty flavors and it’s simple to make.
Easily your new go-to! This amazing chili is a great alternative to traditional beef chili and makes a super satisfying lunch or dinner. White Chicken Chili also tastes delicious the next day!
“This dish is delicious. The consistency is perfect and not thick. The flavor got some zing but doesn’t set anything on fire. It’s a keeper!!!”
We’ve all made a classic chili recipe with beef, pinto beans, and traditional chili spices. But have you tried a white chicken version yet?
Better yet, have you tried a Mexican Street Corn White Chicken Chili? Once you try it for the first time, you’ll never go back to regular chili again.
Just like this Roasted Corn Chowder, this is a corn recipe you’ll want to make all year round, but it’s an especially great way to kick off the cooler months. The zesty Mexican street corn flavors brighten up the hearty chili, giving it a unique flavor profile most chili recipes don’t have.
Make sure you leave plenty of space to add all the toppings, that’s the best part. I love topping my chili with cheese and letting it melt into the soup. Those same toppings work great for my Street Corn Chicken Rice Bowls!
It’s so hearty, you can enjoy it as a complete meal by itself or serve it with a vegetable side dish like Easy Roasted Broccolini or Chili Lime Roasted Carrots. Looking for more easy soup recipes? Check out this Easy Chicken Pho and this Lemon Orzo Chicken Soup.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Versatile: I make this beanless chili a couple times a year. Whether it’s for an easy weeknight dinner to feed the entire family or on Sunday while watching football with a few of my favorite game-day appetizers.
- Good for crowds: It’s one of the best things to make for a large group and also really great for meal prep. This recipe yields about 6 servings, so I make a double batch whenever I’m using it for meal prep or serving a larger group.
- Comforting: There’s really nothing better than a big batch of warm homemade chili on a cold day, when you’re not feeling well, or when you just need something easy and filling.
- Fast and easy: With a total cook time of about 20 minutes and only a few minutes of prep, you can have this chili on the table in under 30 minutes!
Ingredients You Will Need
- Chicken Breast: Or rotisserie chicken cut into smaller pieces
- Veggies: Yellow onion, jalapeno, garlic, and frozen corn.
- Chicken Broth: If you have chicken stock or chicken broth at home, they can be substituted for the chicken bone broth. I like to use bone broth instead because there is way less sodium, but if you’ve already got something comparable on hand don’t worry about purchasing additional ingredients!
- Seasonings: Oregano, chili powder, salt and pepper are all you’ll need for lots of flavor!
- Lime Juice: I prefer fresh lime juice, but bottled works just as well.
*For a detailed list of instructions, ingredients and measurements, please reference the recipe card down below.
My Favorite Toppings
There’s really no right or wrong way to eat this chili. You can enjoy it as is, or load it up with all your favorite toppings! I love to add:
- bacon crumbles
- tortilla strips
- jalapeño slices
- avocado
- cotija cheese crumbles
- shredded cheese
How to Make White Chicken Chili
- Build the flavor base and cook the chicken: Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and jalapeño and sauté until the onion starts to soften. Stir in the garlic, oregano, and chili powder, then pour in the chicken broth. Add the chicken breasts, season with salt and pepper, and bring everything to a boil. Reduce to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook until the chicken is fully cooked and tender.
- Thicken the chili and add the corn: While the chicken cooks, whisk the cornstarch and water together in a small bowl to make a slurry. Once the chicken is done, transfer it to a plate and shred it with two forks. Stir the cornstarch mixture into the pot and let the chili simmer briefly until slightly thickened. Add the shredded chicken back in along with the corn and stir to combine.
- Make it creamy: In a medium bowl, temper the sour cream by slowly mixing it with about a cup of the warm broth from the pot. Turn off the heat, then gradually stir the sour cream mixture into the chili. Add the shredded Monterey Jack, cilantro, and fresh lime juice, stirring until everything is smooth and creamy.
- Serve: Divide the chili between bowls and top with cotija cheese, bacon crumbles, tortilla strips, and sliced avocado. Serve warm with extra lime wedges if you like.
Recipe Tips
- This recipe is pretty simple as is, but if you want to make it even easier, you can grab a rotisserie chicken and shred it rather than cooking the chicken yourself. To do this, just add the chicken after you’ve brought the broth to a boil.
- Adding just a little bit of cornstarch to the chili and allowing it to simmer on low heat will make it extra creamy.
- Cornstarch is a thickening agent for sauces, soups, glazes, and many other things.
- The trick is to mix it with water before adding it to the chili. This will prevent it from clumping and keep everything nice and smooth.
Recipe Variations
- Consider adding black beans, diced sweet potatoes, hot sauce, green onions, or cheddar cheese to add more flavor.
- Use a different kind of meat, like ground turkey instead of chicken.
- Throw some diced red onion in if you’ve got one in the fridge.
- Other tasty additions: smoked paprika, green chilies, green pepper
- Mix a half a cup of smoked applewood bacon into the chili. It adds a lot of depth to the soup and a little bit of a smoky flavor. If you don’t eat pork, you can also mix in half a tablespoon of smoked paprika!
Can I Add Beans?
My chili recipe doesn’t call for beans because it’s one of the few foods that I dislike! I’ve never been a big fan of chili because it’s almost always made with beans.
If you love beans, you can totally add them to this chili recipe! I recommend using cannellini beans and adding them to the chili when you place the shredded chicken back in.
What is chili without beans called?
No bean chili is also sometimes known as Chile con carne or Texas chili. This chili is typically a spicy stew made without beans. Traditionally, it contains ground meat (turkey or beef), peppers, tomatoes, onions, and an array of spices.
White Chicken Chili in Slow Cooker
This chili can be made in the crock pot! Just set it and forget it.
Cook the ingredients in step one on high for two hours, then stir in the rest of the ingredients and cook on low for 30-60 minutes.
Storing and Reheating
Let your chili cool to room temperature before transferring it to an airtight container. You can store your leftover chili in the fridge for 3-4 days.
You can reheat your chicken chili in the microwave or in a saucepan over medium heat on the stove.
What to serve with white chicken chili
I love to serve this chicken chili with a fresh Broccoli Salad or a light Avocado Salad since the chili itself is pretty hearty. If you’re making this for a party, you can serve this Jalapeño Popper Dip (with tortilla chips), Air Fryer Crab Rangoons, or one of these 20+ Air Fryer Appetizers to start with.
Recipe FAQ’s
Cornstarch or arrowroot powder are the best ways to thicken chili. You can also purée a can of cannellini beans with a little bit of broth and add mix it into the chili.
If your White Chicken Chili is not as thick as you’d like, it could be due to insufficient thickening agents like cream or cheese, overcooking, or dilution from excess liquids. To thicken your chili, consider using thickening techniques like cornstarch or flour, beans, or letting it sit and cool before reheating.
The secret to making good chili is to layer flavors by sautéing your aromatics, spices, and meat, allowing it to simmer, and tasting and adjusting the seasoning as you go to achieve a well-balanced and robust flavor profile.
It’s called white chili because it’s made with chicken instead of beef and often includes white beans! The base of the chili often has a much lighter color than typical chili as well.
If you do want to add white beans to your chili, look for cannellini beans, pinto beans, or navy beans.
More Easy Soup Recipes To Love
- Broccoli Feta Soup
- Mushroom And Wild Rice Soup
- Dill Pickle Soup
- Chicken Corn Soup
- One Pot Chicken Taco Soup
- One Pot Lasagna Soup
If you tried this Mexican Street Corn White Chicken Chili or any other recipe on my blog please leave a 🌟 star rating and tell me how it went in the 📝 comments below. I love hearing from you!
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Mexican Street Corn White Chicken Chili
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 1 jalapeno, diced
- 4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 tablespoon dried oregano
- 4 cups chicken bone broth
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2.5 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 cups frozen sweet white corn
- 1.5 cups sour cream
- 3 tablespoons water
- 1/2 cup shredded monterey jack cheese
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 lime, juice
Optional Toppings
- cotija cheese
- bacon crumbles
- tortilla strips
- sliced avocado
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy bottomed pot on medium-high heat. Sauté the onion and jalapẽno until the onion begins to soften. Then add garlic, oregano, and chili powder, stir until completely combined and add the broth, chicken breasts, and salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to simmer and cover for 10-15 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked.1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 yellow onion,, 1 jalapeno,, 4 cloves of garlic,, 1/2 teaspoon chili powder, 1/2 tablespoon dried oregano, 4 cups chicken bone broth, 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- Meanwhile, combine the cornstarch and the water in a small bowl and set aside.2.5 tablespoons cornstarch, 3 tablespoons water
- When the chicken is finished cooking, transfer it to a plate and shred with two forks. Stir the cornstarch into the soup and bring to a simmer for 2 minutes. Then add the shredded chicken back into the pot with the corn.2 cups frozen sweet white corn
- In a medium sized bowl, temper the sour cream by mixing it with 1 cup of the warm broth. Then turn off the heat and slowly mix it into the pot. Next, mix in the shredded cheese, cilantro, and lime juice.1.5 cups sour cream, 1/2 cup shredded monterey jack cheese, 1/2 cup fresh cilantro,, 1 lime,
- To serve, divide between bowls and top with bacon, cotija cheese crumbles, tortilla strips, and sliced avocado.cotija cheese, bacon crumbles, tortilla strips, sliced avocado
Notes
- For more of a smoky flavor, try charring the jalapeños in a hot skillet before dicing.
- Mix 1/2 a cup of bacon or 1/2 a tablespoon of smoked paprika into the chili for a deeper flavor profile.
- Add cannellini beans for a thicker chili, you can even add them to a blender with some of the broth and pour that into the soup for a thicker base.
- If you’d like to use a rotisserie chicken, you can shred it and add it in step 3.
Nutrition
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This was fantastic and super easy to make. It’ll definitely be part of our rotation on a monthly basis.
Thanks Debra! So glad you loved it!
Absolutely delicious! One of our favorite soup recipes! It was hearty and delicious on a cold night!
Love to hear this, thank you!
I used Masa instead of cornstarch and smoked the chicken. Fantastic!
This chili is delicious! I used plain Greek yogurt instead of sour cream, and added smoked paprika and beans (we prefer small navy beans) per your suggestion. I cut up corn tortillas and baked until golden brown and crispy to top off the chili. Our daughter has gluten sensitivity and this recipe will be added to our list of favorite gluten free options! Thank you for sharing your yummy recipe!
Oh yay!! I’m so happy to hear you loved it 🙂
My favorite chicken chili recipe! I always add bacon and smoked paprika to the broth and the flavor is amazing!
Yay!! I’m so happy you love it 🙂
Can you freeze this soup?
Yes, but because there is dairy in it, it may separate a bit. It will still taste delicious though!
We loved this recipe so much that I served it to my next Bunco group dinner. Winner across the board with recipe requests.
WOW!!
it was easy and delicious
If I wanted to make it a bit milder, can green chilis replace the jalapeño?
If you remove the seeds from the jalapeno it should be pretty mild! But you can definitely use green chiles if you like!