Good morning. This is my very first time posting a recipe using WordPress and I’ll be the first to admit it is very very different. I’m using a plug-in of sorts to create the recipe and the printable version, so if anything is off please let me know.
New Years is the perfect time to recommit to eating well and this recipe is a healthy and delicious place to start. Lightened-up White Chicken Chili is made by sauteing onions and peppers and then adding raw chicken breasts and water. By cooking the chicken right in the soup the flavor is full. Beans and corn add protein and texture. The secret to this recipe is how it is thickened. A mixture of corn meal and milk is used to make a paste and then added to the soup. After it has a minute to cook the cornmeal thickens the soup instead of using cream or a roux. The thickening mixture also adds a wonderful side note of corn. Dinner is served.
White chicken chili is one of my all time favorite soups and I know you’ll like it too.
Lightened Up White Chicken Chili
by Bless This Mess
Prep Time: 10
Cook Time: 30
Ingredients
- 2-3 T. butter
- 1 large onion, diced
- 2 bell peppers, diced
- 1 jalapeno, minced
- 4-5 boneless skinless chicken breast
- 4 cups water
- 1 T. salt
- 2 tsp. cumin
- 1 t. black pepper
- 1 t. chili powder
- 2 14-ounce cans white beans, drained and rinsed
- 3 cups frozen corn
- 1/2 cup corn meal or masa
- 1/2 cup milk
- salt and pepper to taste
- Chopped cilantro, optional
Instructions
In a large stock pot melt the butter over medium high heat. Add the onions and peppers and saute until the onions are translucent around the edges and fragrant, about 5 minutes.
Cut any extra fat from the chicken breast and discard. Add the chicken breasts and the water to the pot. Allow the mixture to come to a boil and boil until the chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pot and set it aside to cool. Add the salt, cumin, black pepper, chili powder, white beans, and corn. Reduce heat to low.
When the chicken is cool enough to handle, using two forks, shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces and return to the pot.
In a small bowl combine the cornmeal and the milk and mix until smooth. Add the cornmeal mixture to the hot soup and stir to combine. Let the soup cook over low heat for 3 to 5 more minutes. Add salt to taste. Serve hot and garnish with chopped cilantro.

















We love white chili!! We have a Betty Crocker crock pot recipe for it that is great and perfect for a cold day. This recipe looks delicious!
This looks DELICIOUS! I also LOVE your profile picture. That color looks great on you!!!
Thank you! Who doesn’t love a great compliment like that :)
I just made this last night, even though I though I wouldn’t like it. (peppers…) but, I was pleasantly surprised. I LOVE it! And the cornmeal trick is genius! I’m goign to try it w/our other chilis. Now, if I can only figure out how to make dry beans taste as good as canned…(I have a consistency problem…)