Name: Cajun White Chicken Chili
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Cajun
Ingredients: 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 500g) – sometimes I use rotisserie chicken if I’m in a hurry; 1 tablespoon olive oil – I’ve used butter instead, honestly; 1 medium yellow onion, diced; 2 celery stalks, chopped (optional, but my grandma swore it’s non-negotiable); 1 green bell pepper, chopped (or red, you do you!); 3 garlic cloves, minced – I get lazy and use that pre-chopped jar stuff sometimes; 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning (I like Tony Chachere’s—but any store brand is honestly fine); 1 teaspoon ground cumin; 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika; 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional—maybe skip this if you’re heat-sensitive!); 1 can (4 oz/115g) diced green chilies; 2 cans (15 oz/425g each) Great Northern or cannellini beans, drained and rinsed; 3 cups chicken broth (homemade is nice, boxed is 100% fine); 1 cup frozen or canned corn, drained if using canned; 1/2 cup sour cream (sometimes I use Greek yogurt if that’s all I’ve got lurking in the fridge); 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese (more for topping if you fancy); Salt and black pepper to taste; Chopped green onions and cilantro for garnish (totally optional—I only do this if company’s coming over)

Let Me Tell You About This Cajun White Chicken Chili

You know that one recipe that always saves your behind when you forget you promised dinner to a crowd? Well, this Cajun White Chicken Chili is my life-raft. I first made it at a family reunion, accidentally using way more Cajun spice than I meant to (yes, my cousin Coco still talks about her “dragon mouth” experience); but they all scarfed it down and asked for seconds—and a glass of milk. So I’d say that’s a win. Now, it’s my go-to when the weather’s nippy or I just want to pretend it is.

Why You’ll Love This (Trust Me)

I make this when I want a little extra zing but really don’t feel like babysitting a pot for hours (who honestly has time for that?). My family goes crazy for this because it’s hearty but not a gut-bomb, and you can crank up or mellow out the Cajun heat however you like. Plus, it’s basically impossible to mess up—believe me, I’ve tried. Actually, I burned the chicken once and just called it “blackened”—no one complained! Oh, and it’s pretty thrifty, which means you can treat yourself to dessert after.

Stuff You’ll Need (or Close Enough)

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 500g) – sometimes I use rotisserie chicken if I’m in a hurry
1 tablespoon olive oil – I’ve used butter instead, honestly
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 celery stalks, chopped (optional, but my grandma swore it’s non-negotiable)
1 green bell pepper, chopped (or red, you do you!)
3 garlic cloves, minced – I get lazy and use that pre-chopped jar stuff sometimes
2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning (I like Tony Chachere’s—but any store brand is honestly fine)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional—maybe skip this if you’re heat-sensitive!)
1 can (4 oz/115g) diced green chilies
2 cans (15 oz/425g each) Great Northern or cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
3 cups chicken broth (homemade is nice, boxed is 100% fine)
1 cup frozen or canned corn, drained if using canned
1/2 cup sour cream (sometimes I use Greek yogurt if that’s all I’ve got lurking in the fridge)
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese (more for topping if you fancy)
Salt and black pepper to taste
Chopped green onions and cilantro for garnish (totally optional—I only do this if company’s coming over)

How to Cook It (In My Not-So-Perfect Words)

Heat the olive oil in a big, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. If your pan is kind of wonky, that’s okay. Toss in the onion, celery, and bell pepper; cook until they’re nice and soft – about 5 minutes (if you doodle around a bit, it’ll just get more flavorful, no worries).
Stir in the garlic. Don’t let it burn, just give it a minute to release that good garlicky smell.
Add the chicken breasts right on top of the veggies, sprinkle on the Cajun seasoning, cumin, paprika, and cayenne if you’re feeling brave. Stir everything around to coat.
Pour in the chicken broth and chuck in the green chilies, beans, and corn. Give it a good stir, making sure nothing’s stuck to the bottom (this is where I usually sneak a taste—just don’t burn your tongue like I did last week).
Bring to a boil, then turn down to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook for about 20 minutes, or until the chicken’s cooked through and super tender. Sometimes I get distracted and leave it a bit longer—it’s forgiving.
Fish out the chicken breasts, plop them onto a cutting board, and shred them with two forks (do this in a bowl if you hate chicken juices everywhere, trust me). Put the shredded chicken back into the pot.
Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the sour cream and cheese until everything’s creamy. Don’t worry if it looks a little weird at first—it smooths out, promise. Taste and adjust with salt and pepper.
Ladle into bowls, pile high with green onions, cilantro, more cheese, whatever floats your boat.

Some Notes I Wrote on a Coffee-Stained Post-It

If you want it thicker, mash a few beans against the side of the pot. Or toss in extra cheese—I won’t tell.
I think this tastes even better the next day, straight from the fridge. Weird but true.
If you accidentally make it too spicy, more sour cream saves the day.

My Not-So-Scientific Variations

I once used smoked turkey instead of chicken after Thanksgiving—pretty solid.
Added sweet potato chunks once. That, uh, didn’t win any awards. Wouldn’t do it again!
Sometimes I skip the beans and double the corn if I’m carb-ed out.
No Cajun seasoning? I tossed in Creole and a dash of Old Bay once. Oddly, it worked.

Gear I Use (But You Don’t Have To)

Big heavy pot (Dutch oven if you’ve got it, but any deep pot will work—one time I used my battered soup pot and nothing exploded)
Wooden spoon—unless you’re using that spatula with the slightly melted corner. It’s fine.
Cutting board, two forks for shredding (or clean hands if you’re a savage, no judgment)

Storing Leftovers (But Will There Be Any?)

Pop it in a lidded container and it’ll keep in the fridge for up to 3 days, but honestly, in my house it never lasts more than a day! Freezes alright, though the texture changes a smidge—still worth doing if you managed to squirrel some away.

How I Like to Serve It

Big bowls with a hunk of crusty bread or tortilla chips on the side—that’s the crowd favorite around here. Sometimes I go wild and top it with extra sharp cheddar and a runny fried egg (Sunday mornings only). Oh, and if you throw in hot sauce at the table, points for you!

Stuff I Learned the Hard Way (Pro Tips)

Don’t try to rush the “let it simmer” step. I once cranked the heat and everything stuck; scrape duty for days. Not worth it.
Add the dairy at the end, on low heat, or it’ll curdle and look a bit sad. (Been there, done that, ate it anyway.)
Taste as you go. Cajun seasoning brands can vary a ton—some are all fire, zero flavor.

Real Questions I’ve Gotten (“Is This Normal?”)

Can I make this in a slow cooker? 100 percent! Just toss everything in (except the dairy), let it go on low 6-8 hours, then shred the chicken and add the sour cream and cheese at the end.
Is there a way to make it vegetarian? Sure, swap out the chicken for another can of beans or use cauliflower chunks (never tried tofu, but let me know if you do!).
What if I don’t have green chilies? Little jalapeños or a diced fresh chili work, or just skip it. Not the end of the world.
Will kids eat it? Mine do, unless I go too heavy on the spice. You can always serve hot sauce on the side instead.
What goes best on top? I like cheese, green onions, and sometimes a splash of lime. Or honestly, whatever’s in the fridge.

So there you go—my most rescued weeknight dinner, full of flavor, memories, and the occasional kitchen mishap. Give it a whirl and let me know what questionable substitutions you try—I’ve probably done them already.

Cajun White Chicken Chili