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White Chicken Chili Canning Recipe
White Chicken Chili is a hearty meal in a jar giving canners a twist on traditional beef chili. Made with tender chicken, creamy white beans, green chiles, and warming spices. Unlike the tomato-based red chili, this lighter version has a savory broth base with hints of lime and cumin. Perfect for home canning, this White Chicken Chili recipe creates ready-to-eat meals that are shelf-stable, flavorful, and convenient for quick weeknight dinners, meal prep, or long-term food storage. Pressure canning ensures safety and makes it easy to keep this comforting dish stocked in your pantry year-round.
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By Diane Devereaux | The Canning Diva®
Last updated: October 2, 2025
Key Takeaways
- A hearty, flavorful chili made with chicken, white beans, and green chiles.
- Safe for long-term storage using a pressure canner.
- Makes 7 quarts or 14 pints—perfect for meal prepping and stocking your pantry.
- Easily adaptable with optional cilantro for a fresh finish.
Culinary History of White Chicken Chili
While chili has deep roots in Mexican and Tex-Mex cuisine, White Chicken Chili is a more recent American creation, emerging in the late 20th century as a lighter alternative to the classic red chili con carne. The dish became especially popular in the American Southwest, where ingredients like green chiles, jalapeños, and white beans were readily available and reflected regional cooking traditions.
Unlike traditional chili, which relies on tomatoes and beef, White Chicken Chili typically features chicken, mild or hot green chiles, and white beans in a seasoned broth. The recipe gained traction in the 1980s and 1990s through chili cook-offs, restaurant menus, and community cookbooks, quickly becoming a staple comfort food across the United States.
Today, White Chicken Chili is celebrated as a versatile dish—easy to adapt with different spice levels, fresh herbs like cilantro, and various beans—making it a favorite for both casual meals and large gatherings. Pressure canning white chicken chili is a canners way to preserve this delicious meal in a jar.
While Chicken Chili Canning Recipe
Makes approx. 7 quarts or 14 pints
This hearty White Chicken Chili combines tender chicken, creamy white beans, and flavorful green chiles for a pantry-ready meal that’s both comforting and satisfying. Pressure canned to perfection, it’s a convenient homemade option for quick weeknight dinners or emergency preparedness.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 6 large chicken breasts, boneless skinless, chopped (6 cups)
- 9 chicken thighs, boneless skinless, chopped (3 cups)
- 1 large red onion, chopped (1 ½ cups)
- 2 jalapeños, finely chopped (1 cup)
- 6 garlic cloves, minced (2 tablespoons)
- 1 cup green chiles, finely chopped or one 7-ounce store-bought can
- 12 cups chicken broth
- 4 cups water
- 1 cup bottled lime juice
- ¼ cup ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 2 pint jars of cannellini, navy, or northern beans (or 2 store-bought cans, drained and rinsed)
- 2 cups corn kernels, frozen or fresh
- ½ cup fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped (optional)
Instructions
- In a large stainless-steel stockpot, heat olive oil over medium-high. Add chopped chicken and toss to coat. Cook for 10 minutes. Add red onion, jalapeños, garlic, and green chiles, and cook for another 5 minutes.
- Add chicken broth, water, lime juice, oregano, paprika, coriander, and beans. Reduce heat and gently boil for 20 minutes, stirring often. Add corn and cilantro, cook an additional 5 minutes, then remove from heat.
- Using a funnel, ladle the chili into jars, leaving 1-inch headspace.
- Wipe jar rims with a clean cloth dipped in vinegar. Place lids and rings on jars and hand-tighten.
- Process at 10 PSI (or according to your canner type and elevation). Quarts process for 90 minutes and pint jars process for 75 minutes.
- After processing, allow canner to return to zero pressure naturally. Remove canner lid and wait 5 minutes before carefully removing jars to cool.
White Chicken Chili Canning Recipe
Servings
7 quarts or 14 pints
servingsPrep time
30
minutesThis hearty White Chicken Chili combines tender chicken, creamy white beans, and flavorful green chiles for a pantry-ready meal that’s both comforting and satisfying. Pressure canned to perfection, it’s a convenient homemade option for quick weeknight dinners or emergency preparedness.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons 2 extra-virgin olive oil
6 large 6 chicken breasts, boneless skinless, chopped (6 cups)
9 9 chicken thighs, boneless skinless, chopped (3 cups)
1 large 1 red onion, chopped (1 ½ cups)
2 2 jalapeños, finely chopped (1 cup)
6 6 garlic cloves, minced (2 tablespoons)
1 cup 1 green chiles, finely chopped or one 7-ounce store-bought can
12 cups 12 chicken broth
4 cups 4 water
1 cup 1 bottled lime juice
¼ cup ground cumin
1 tablespoon 1 dried oregano
2 teaspoons 2 paprika
2 teaspoons 2 ground coriander
2 pint 2 jars of cannellini, navy, or northern beans (or 2 store-bought cans, drained and rinsed)
2 cups 2 corn kernels, frozen or fresh
½ cup fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped (optional)
Instructions
- In a large stainless-steel stockpot, heat olive oil over medium-high. Add chopped chicken and toss to coat. Cook for 10 minutes. Add red onion, jalapeños, garlic, and green chiles, and cook for another 5 minutes.
- Add chicken broth, water, lime juice, oregano, paprika, coriander, and beans. Reduce heat and gently boil for 20 minutes, stirring often. Add corn and cilantro, cook an additional 5 minutes, then remove from heat.
- Using a funnel, ladle the chili into jars, leaving 1-inch headspace.
- Wipe jar rims with a clean cloth dipped in vinegar. Place lids and rings on jars and hand-tighten.
- Process at 10 PSI (or according to your canner type and elevation). Quarts process for 90 minutes and pint jars process for 75 minutes.
- After processing, allow canner to return to zero pressure naturally. Remove canner lid and wait 5 minutes before carefully removing jars to cool.
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People Often Ask
Q: Can I use canned chicken for this recipe instead of raw chicken?
A: Yes. While this recipe was designed using fresh, raw chicken, you may substitute with cooked, canned chicken if fresh isn’t available. Simply drain the canned chicken before adding it to the chili. Because the jars are processed in a pressure canner, the chili remains safe for long-term storage whether you start with fresh or pre-cooked chicken.
Q: Do I have to use both white and dark meat for this recipe?
A: You don’t have to, but it’s highly recommended. While you can make White Chicken Chili using only white meat, including dark meat adds depth of flavor and a touch of natural fat. This helps balance the texture and prevents the lean breast meat from becoming too dry after the extended high heat of pressure canning and cooling. The combination ensures your finished chili is both flavorful and tender.
Q: Can I skip the cilantro?
A: Yes, cilantro is optional and may be omitted if you do not like adding cilantro to your food. It can be added as a topper when heating a jar full to serve.
About the Author:
Diane Devereaux, The Canning Diva®, is an internationally recognized food preservation expert, author, and educator with over 30 years of home canning experience. She’s the author of multiple top-selling canning books and teaches workshops across the U.S. Learn more at TheCanningDiva.com.
