Easiest White Chicken Chili with Hominy

This White Chicken Chili with Hominy is a comforting, hearty dish without any hassle! One of the easiest meals you will ever make, this chili uses mainly pantry items to create a flavorful, satisfying dish that's ready in 20 minutes.

There are days when I have little time or energy to get a meal together. On such days I turn to some of the easiest recipes I know, such as Mexican tuna salad, avocado tostadas or today's chili recipe.

This recipe was inspired by one I learned from a friend over a decade ago. Through the years, I have made some modification to the dish resulting in a comforting chicken soup mixed with juicy white beans, pops of tender hominy, and a hint of smoky spice.

However, the essence of the original recipe remains the same, which is using mainly canned products straight from your pantry to make an incredibly quick meal. Plus, when dressed up with the suggested garnishes listed at the end of this post, it makes this simple meal into a total showstopper.

So let me show you how to make it.

Jump to:

• Why You'll Love This Recipe
• Ingredients & Substitutions
• How to Make White Chili with Hominy
• Tips and Variations
• FAQ
• Recipe

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• Hearty and Delicious: The combination of chicken, beans, hominy, green chiles, and spices makes this chili a filling, comforting, and delicious dish.
• Incredibly East to Make: I am not at all exaggerating when I say this one of the easiest meal I know how to make. That's because this recipe basically just requires a little bit of dicing, opening up some cans, and emptying them into a pot.
• Budget-Friendly: Most of the ingredients are pantry items that are affordable and easy to find.
• Perfect for Weeknights: Ready in about 20 minutes, it's the perfect solution for busy evenings.
• Great for Leftovers: This chili might even taste better the next day, so easily double the recipe to ensure you have leftovers or for meal prepping.

For more delicious recipes with hominy, be sure to try Pozole Blanco or Slow Cooker Menudo.

Ingredients & Substitutions

• Canned Chicken or Rotisserie Chicken: I have made this recipe with both and I love it with either one. Choose whichever chicken suits your preference and time constraints.
• White Beans: Use cannellini beans or Great Northern beans or a combination of the two. Cannellini beans have a creamy texture and earthy flavor, while Great Northern beans are smaller and slightly sweet. If you like the flavor of garbanzo beans, those can also be used.
• White Hominy: Hominy is made from dried corn kernels that have been treated and rehydrated. Hominy adds a chewy texture and slight sweetness that goes perfectly with the other ingredients.
• Green Chiles: Use either roasted Pueblo, Hatch or Anaheim chiles. You an easily buy fresh chiles and roast them at home, click here to learn how to roast chiles. Then you can freeze them and have them on hand for recipes like this soup. If you are unable to roast your own, you can also buy frozen roasted green chiles. They are readily available in the freezer section of many grocery stores and you can even order them online at places like The Hatch Chile Store. For a last resort you can use canned green chiles but they tend to not have as much of a robust, delicious flavor as the other options.
• Chicken Broth: Use either store-bought low sodium chicken broth, homemade chicken broth or bone broth.
• Onion and Garlic: Sautéed onions and garlic help to develop the depth of flavor and help create a much more delicious broth.

See recipe card for quantities.

1. Gather ingredients: Open the cans of ingredients and drain them. Rinse the beans and the hominy

2. Sauté aromatics: In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat two tablespoons of oil. Add the diced onion and garlic and sauté until soft and fragrant.

3. Add chicken: If using canned chicken use the back of the spoon to break up any big pieces.

4. Add the rest of ingredients: Add the beans, hominy, chopped chiles, and broth.

5. Season and Simmer: Add the cumin, salt, and pepper. Stir everything together and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes to allow all of the flavors to come together.

6. Taste and Serve: Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Prepare desired garnishes and serve.

How to Serve

The chicken chili is now ready to serve, but I think the garnishes make this soup even better! Here are my recommendation of how to top each serving:

• A dollop of sour cream
• A sprinkle of diced cilantro
• White shredded cheese
• A splash of lime juice
• Crumbled up tortilla chips sprinkled right on top (for an added bonus buy the lime flavored ones, you won't be disappointed)
• For some spice, add sliced, pickled jalapeños and some of the juice

How to Store and Reheat

Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

To reheat, place in a pot over low heat until heated through. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking and ensure even heating. You can also microwave in a microwave-safe bowl and heat in 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until warmed through.

Add a little bit of broth or water to your chili when reheating if it seems too thick.

Tips and Variations

• Replace the canned or rotisserie chicken with your own leftover cooked chicken. Here is a recipe for an easy Instant Pot shredded chicken.
• Adjust spice: For more spice, add additional chopped green chiles than what's indicated in the recipe. However, if you like less spice, add less chiles or remove the seeds and veins.
• For a vegetarian version, simply leave out the chicken and replace with more beans or hominy. Also use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.

FAQ

Can I substitute white hominy for something else?

Yes, you can substitute the white hominy with yellow hominy or even corn, but note that the flavor and texture will be different.

What's the difference between white chicken chili and regular chili?

Regular chili, or red chili, is usually made with red kidney beans, tomatoes, beef, and chili powder or red chiles. White chicken chili uses white beans, chicken and green chiles.

I hope you enjoy! If you try this recipe, please leave me a comment with a star rating below. Also, be sure to follow me on Instagram, Facebook or Pinterest to stay in touch, and don't forget to subscribe to my newsletter.

Recipe

Originally published March 24, 2020. Updated post and photos January 2024.