This tomatillo white chicken chili features tender roasted tomatillos simmered in a creamy white chicken chili and piled high with lots of chili toppings.
Chili season is back! We’re kicking things off with a bang with the most flavor-packed white chili you’ll ever have the pleasure of filling your chili bowl with.
And I do mean absolutely filling to capacity because this chili disappears at lightning speed and you’ve gotta get it while the getting’s good.
Tomatillos are the star of this chili and rightfully so! I think tomatillos are very underutilized in a lot of recipes, so we’re giving them the royal treatment today and roasting them to perfection then folding them into all that creamy chili business.
My favorite part about this chili is that its one of those recipes that helps you use up leftover chicken! It comes together so fast because of this and you can have it on the table in only about an hour.
Just make sure your toppings game is strong here. It’s the only appropriate way to enjoy chili.
This White Chili features…
- Flavorful roasted tomatillos
- Tender pulled chicken, white beans, and sweet corn
- A creamy white chili base with lots of spices
Making the White Chili
(scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full recipe)
Ingredients You Will Need
- Tomatillos
- Garlic
- Chili powder
- Cumin
- Paprika
- Vegetable oil
- Sweet onion
- Cooked chicken
- White beans
- Cooked chicken
- Chicken broth
- 2% milk
- All-purpose flour
- Sour cream
Choosing Your Chicken
This chili works great with a variety of chicken! I generally like to use leftover cooked shredded or diced chicken for extra ease, but you can also dice up 2-3 chicken breasts or thighs and brown them with the onion if you don’t have any leftover chicken on hand.
Tips for Perfect White Chili
- Roast tomatillos and garlic – halve the tomatillos and roast with garlic and spices until tender. This adds so much flavor to the chili!
- Drain and rinse beans – this prevents any extra starchiness from getting in the chili.
- Simmer chili 10-15 minutes – this simmer time allows all the flavors to meld together.
- Add milk/flour and sour cream after simmering – this thickens the chili and makes it perfectly creamy.
Recipe Variations
Try these ideas for a different twist on this chili.
- Make it spicy – add cayenne pepper or hot sauce to taste.
- Use a different meat – try browned ground beef or chicken, sausage, or bacon bits.
- Try different beans – navy beans, pinto, or chickpeas would all work great in this chili. Don’t be afraid to use several kinds as well!
Topping Suggestions
The only way to enjoy this chili is by loading it up with tons of toppings! Try extra dollops of sour cream, crushed chips, sliced avocado, green onion, fresh cilantro, diced tomato, shredded cheese, or sliced jalapeno.
This chili just ticks all the cozy food boxes! It’s got the perfect level of creaminess and every bite is jam-packed with tender beans, pulled chicken, sweet corn, and tomatillos.
Meet the star of all your game days this fall!
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Try these other flavor-packed chili recipes next!
Roasted Tomatillo White Chicken Chili
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Ingredients
- 1 lb tomatillos, halved
- 4 whole cloves garlic, unpeeled
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 medium sweet onion, finely diced
- 3 cups cooked shredded or diced chicken
- 2 cans (15 oz each) white beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can (15 oz) sweet corn, drained
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 cup 2% or skim milk
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- Crushed tortilla chips, additional sour cream, avocado, sliced green onions, and cilantro for serving, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F and line a medium sheet pan with parchment paper. Combine halved tomatillos, whole garlic cloves, chili powder, cumin, paprika, and 1 tablespoon oil on pan and toss until evenly combined. Arrange in a single layer and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Roast tomatillos at 400F 20-25 minutes until tender and juicy. Allow tomatillos to cool slightly then finely chop. Remove skins from garlic and finely mince.
- In a medium pot or Dutch oven, heat remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook 3-5 minutes until tender.
- Add tomatillos, garlic, chicken, beans, sweet corn, and chicken broth to pot and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover pot, and allow to simmer 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, to allow the flavors to meld.
- In a small bowl, whisk milk and flour until smooth. Remove chili from heat and stir in milk-flour mixture and sour cream. Season chili with salt and pepper to taste and serve warm with optional toppings. Enjoy!
Ray Hatter says
looks delish 👌
Sarah says
thanks sis! <3