Last Updated on August 21, 2026 by Deliciously Organic Editor
This white bean chicken chili the perfect soup for a chilly night!
One fun benefit of blogging and writing is the new cookbooks publishing houses often send me. Some I give away to friends, but some are so good I curl up in bed and read every word. The B.T.C. Old-Fashioned Grocery Cookbook arrived unexpectedly in the mail a few weeks ago. I read the title and spent at least 2 minutes trying to figure out what B.T.C meant – Bacon, Tomato, Cheese? Bacon, Tortilla, Carrot? I was determined the word “bacon” had to be in the title somewhere. I was wrong. I read a few chapters and learned it stands for, “Be The Change”. I like that.
Alexe van Beuren started an old-fashioned grocery store in Water Valley, MS a few years ago. It’s become the heartbeat of the community. Her cook, Dixie, created all the recipes for this book and serves up her Southern cooking at the grocery. The recipes look so good I’m actually trying to figure out a way for us to detour through Water Valley on our annual summer trip to Missouri. Italian Sausage and Mushroom Breakfast Casserole, Roasted Pear and Zucchini Soup, Honey-Pecan Catfish and Creamed Cabbage with Sherry – unique recipes I can’t wait to try!
White Bean Chicken Chili
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours 30 minutes
- Total Time: 4 hours 45 minutes
- Yield: Serves 6-8
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 yellow onion
- 1 small green bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1/8 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1/8 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1/8 cup tequila
- 1 (16-ounce) jar organic salsa
- 1 (7.4-ounce) can/jar mild green chilis
- 2 cups great northern beans, soaked overnight, drained
- 12 cups homemade chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (here's a great homemade recipe)
- 8 dashes Tabasco sauce
- 2 teaspoons Celtic sea salt
- 8 Dixie’s grilled chicken breasts, chopped (see below)
- Optional Toppings:
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2 avocados, pitted and sliced
- 8 lime wedges
- 1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
For the Dixie Chicken:
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup fermented tamari (Oshawa) or coconut aminos
- 2 tablespoons sherry
- 1 tablespoon honey
- Juice of 1 lime
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- Celtic sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Instructions
- Melt butter in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook until the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes. Make a well in the center of the pot and add the garlic, cumin, chili powder, coriander, ground pepper, paprika and mustard. Stir for about 1 minute until fragrant and then stir spices into the vegetable mixture. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the tequila. Put the pot back over over the heat and cook until tequila has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Stir in the salsa, chilis, soaked and drained beans, chicken stock, worcestershire sauce, tabasco and sea salt. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Skim off any foam that rises to the top and discard. Lower heat to a simmer and let chili simmer for 4-5 hours, or until beans are soft. Stir in the chopped chicken breasts. Serve with toppings.
For the Dixie Chicken:
- Stir together olive oil, fermented tamari, sherry, honey, lime, garlic and pepper in a measuring cup. Place chicken in a large baking dish and pour marinade over top. Cover and place in the refrigerator for 2-4 hours to marinate. Take the chicken out of the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking. Preheat the grill to medium to medium heat. Grill the chicken 5 to 6 minutes per side. The chicken is done when the internal temperature is 170ºF. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let cool 10 minutes before chopping.
- This chicken is fabulous on it’s own or chopped in a salad!
Making this now for dinner tonight, thankful I soaked the beans last night :o) Thanks for the recipe, I don’t even need to go to the store for anything, yay!
I have this simmering now, it smells heavenly! I can’t wait for dinner :o)
Mmm! Chicken Chili is one of our favorite! I’m going to have to try this. It looks splendid! 🙂
This is beautiful, love the bowl!
This looks absolutely delicious! I love the use of white beans, one of my favorites and the seasonings used. Thanks for sharing…looks fabulous!
Thanks for sharing! I live in Alabama, and this is about 3 hours from me. I had no idea! A Saturday road trip awaits! I also bought your cookbook last week. I love it!
What could be used in place of the tequila?
Hi Carrie, Thanks for shearing this recipes. I love the tips and recipes you have shared in this article. For me this is the best recipe you have shared – “White Bean Chicken Chili (Grain-Free)” in https://deliciouslyorganic.net. Looking forward to see more awesome recipe from you. Gonna try making this soon.
This looks so delicious, Carrie! I love your choice of ingredients for this dish. The flavor must be over the top…thanks for sharing!
The homemade chicken stock recipe link in the chili recipe is just opening a new page with this same chili recipe.
I just made this chili in the Instapot (electric pressure cooker) and I see that there is way too much liquid left. I am sure it is because there is no evaporation when using Instapot, and just wanted everyone who uses it (or any other pressure cookers) to be aware. Flavor is excellent though, so I will make it again, but will use 8 cups of stock, instead of 12.