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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 easy to make. Easily your new go-to!
This amazing chili a great alternative to traditional beef chili and makes a super satisfying lunch or dinner. White Chicken Chili also tastes delicious the next day!
Looking for more easy soup recipes? Check out this Easy Chicken Pho and this Lemon Orzo Chicken Soup.
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.
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.
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.
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!
Best No Bean Chili Recipe
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.
I’m not a fan of beans at all…I’ve really tried, but I just can’t get past the texture! I love chili but there are always a lot of beans and I can never seem to get a bite without them.
That’s why I came up with this no bean chili recipe! It’s a delicious meal and the best way to feed a bunch of hungry tummies!
This is a 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.
It’s so hearty, you can enjoy it as a complete meal by itself or serve it with a vegetable side dish like broccolini or carrots.
You’ll love the way the flavors from the mexican street corn and the chili blend together. It tastes way different (and way better!) than any chili you’ve ever had!
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.
Mexican Street Corn White Chicken Chili Ingredients
- chicken breasts (or rotisserie chicken cut into smaller pieces)
- yellow onion
- jalapeño
- chicken bone broth (or beef broth)
- sour cream
- shredded cheese
- garlic
- dried oregano
- chili powder
- frozen corn
- fresh cilantro
- lime juice
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!
Other Ingredients You Might Like To Add
- bacon
- smoked paprika
- beans
- green chilies
- green pepper
Try mixing 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.
How Do You Make The Best White Chicken Chili?
1. First, heat a large, heavy bottomed pot on medium-high heat with 1 tbsp of olive oil. Sauté the onion and jalapeño until the onion begins to soften. Then add garlic, oregano, and chili powder, stir until completely combined and add the broth, chicken, 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.
2. Meanwhile, combine the cornstarch and the water in a small bowl. This step helps thicken the chili.
3. When the chicken is finished cooking, transfer it to a plate and shred with two forks. Add the shredded chicken back into the pot with the sour cream, shredded cheese, cilantro, corn, and lime juice. Mix until fully combined, then add the cornstarch mixture (give it a good stir first to collect any cornstarch that has settled on the bottom) and stir well until fully combined. Simmer for 10 minutes uncovered to thicken, stir occasionally.
4. To serve, divide between bowls and top with bacon, cotija cheese crumbles, tortilla strips, and sliced avocado.
So, basically all you have to do is:
- Sauté the onion and garlic, then add the flavorful spices, broth, and chicken breasts. Bring everything to a boil and allow the chicken to cook.
- Shred the chicken and add the sour cream, shredded cheese, cilantro, corn, and lime juice to the pot. Simmer for 10 minutes and allow the chili to thicken.
- Serve yourself a big bowl of chili!
Super simple, right?
Tips For Making A Creamy Chili
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.
Chili 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
Simplify This Chili Even More!
My favorite chili recipe is 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.
Can I Make White Chicken Chili In The 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.
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.
Recipe Tips and 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.
More Delicious Recipes You’ll Love
- Mexican Street Corn
- Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Chicken
- One Pan Chicken With Creamy Mushroom Sauce
- Crispy Air Fryer French Fries
- Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas
Appetizers For 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.
More appetizers for chili:
- Sweet Potato Fries
- Spinach Dip Wonton Cups
- Potato salad
- Cornbread muffins
Best side Dishes To Eat With Chili
- Harvest Salad
- Creamy Mushroom Hasselback Potato Gratin
- Slow Roasted Mini Potatoes
- Garlicky Sautéed Green Beans
WANT TO TRY THIS MEXICAN STREET CORN WHITE CHICKEN CHILI?
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Mexican Street Corn White Chicken Chili
Ingredients
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 1 jalapeno, diced
- 4 cups chicken bone broth
- 1.5 cups sour cream
- 1/2 cup shredded monterey jack cheese, (I used a blend of monterey jack and mild cheddar)
- 4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1/2 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 2 cups frozen sweet white corn
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 lime, juice
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 3 tablespoons water
- olive oil
Optional Toppings
- cotija cheese
- bacon crumbles
- tortilla strips
- sliced avocado
Instructions
- Heat a large, heavy bottomed pot on medium-high heat with 1 tbsp of olive oil. Saute the onion and jalapeno until the onion begins to soften. Then add garlic, oregano, and chili powder, stir until completely combined and add the broth, chicken, 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.
- Meanwhile, combine the cornstarch and the water in a small bowl.
- When the chicken is finished cooking, transfer it to a plate and shred with two forks. Add the shredded chicken back into the pot with the sour cream, shredded cheese, cilantro, corn, and lime juice. Mix until fully combined, then add the cornstarch mixture (give it a good stir first to collect any cornstarch that has settled on the bottom) and stir well until fully combined. Simmer for 10 minutes uncovered to thicken, stir occasionally.
- To serve, divide between bowls and top with bacon, cotija cheese crumbles, tortilla strips, and 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 mash them into a paste in a food processor and add it to your broth to make it really thick!
Loved this recipe! Saw it on Instagram and had to try it. Next time I think I’ll take the recommendation to add the beans to thicken it, and will definitely be adding bacon and more toppings!
Thank you! Yes – beans will definitely thicken it and make it more “chili-like”, they just happen to be one of the few things I don’t like, that’s why I included them as a suggested add 🙂
Good one
Does this recipe freeze well? Thank you!
I haven’t tried freezing it yet, but since there’s so much dairy in it, it might not be best to freeze. If you try, please let me know how it worked out!
Your recipe was AMAZING. I will be making this weekly from now on. All that talk about this being a “great chili recipe” was absolutely true. The recipe was easy to follow and my family really loved it. I hope this recipe makes you famous, because you truly deserve to be!
I love this take on chili! I made this several times last fall and winter and each time my boyfriend and I thought it kept getting better. As a taco lover it hits all the notes. A must try if you haven’t yet.
Thank you so much Denise!
Amazing! So delicious. Added black and great northern beans and the recipe came out great!
This was very good. I have a tried and true chicken chili I make that is similar, but uses a block of cream cheese vs sour cream. I like this version better and it’s certainly healthier! I added the suggested smoked paprika (1/2 tsp) and can off mashed cannelini beans, and found the thickness to be perfect. Subbed plain Greek yogurt for the sour cream out of personal preference. Also threw in 1/2 tsp of Tony Chacere Carole seasoning (omitting the salt in the recipe). Topped with bacon, more cilantro, green onions and green Chalula sauce and it’s perfect. With only one seeded and cooked jalapeño, it isn’t spicy at all if you’re worried about the heat. Thank you for the recipe!
That all sounds delicious, I’m so glad you enjoyed!