White chicken chili is a delicious and nutritious dish that is perfect for the fall and winter months. It’s a chili made without any red meats, using chicken as the main source of protein. White chicken chili is often made with beans, chicken broth, onions, garlic, peppers, spices like cumin and oregano, and garnished with ingredients like avocado, cheese, or sour cream.
When making white chicken chili, the specific ingredients and amounts can vary quite a bit from recipe to recipe. Factors like the type of beans used, whether the chili contains vegetables like corn or zucchini, and what types of oil or chicken stock are used can all impact the total calories. So the number of calories in a bowl of white chicken chili can range quite a bit.
Calories in White Chicken Chili without Beans
If you make a white bean chili without any beans, the calorie count will be on the lower end of the range. Beans are relatively high in calories compared to ingredients like chicken and vegetables. So for a beanless white chicken chili, a one cup serving might contain around 200-250 calories.
This calorie count is based on a recipe that contains seasoned chicken breast or thighs, chicken broth, tomatoes, onions, garlic, cumin, oregano, and chili powder. Without the beans, a one cup serving of this type of white chicken chili will have around 225 calories.
Nutrition Facts for Beanless White Chicken Chili
Here are the nutrition facts for a typical 1 cup serving of white chicken chili without beans:
Calories: | 225 |
Total Fat: | 8 g |
Saturated Fat: | 2 g |
Cholesterol: | 55 mg |
Sodium: | 780 mg |
Potassium: | 435 mg |
Total Carbohydrates: | 12 g |
Dietary Fiber: | 2 g |
Protein: | 24 g |
As you can see, without beans, white chicken chili derives most of its calories from the chicken itself. But it still provides a good amount of protein and important micronutrients like potassium.
Calories in White Chicken Chili with Beans
When you add beans to white chicken chili, the calorie count increases significantly. Beans are starchy vegetables that are high in fiber and plant-based protein, but also high in calories. Just a half cup of canned beans can add around 110-120 calories to a bowl of white chicken chili.
So a typical recipe for white chicken chili with beans will contain around 300-350 calories per one cup serving. Obviously the exact amount still depends on the other ingredients used, but beans add a significant amount of calories compared to a beanless version.
Nutrition Facts for White Chicken Chili with Beans
Here are the nutrition facts for a 1 cup serving of white chicken chili made with beans:
Calories: | 345 |
Total Fat: | 8 g |
Saturated Fat: | 2 g |
Cholesterol: | 55 mg |
Sodium: | 850 mg |
Potassium: | 670 mg |
Total Carbohydrates: | 35 g |
Dietary Fiber: | 9 g |
Protein: | 29 g |
The added fiber and protein from the beans increases the nutrition of the chili. But the extra 110-120 calories per serving primarily comes from the carbohydrate content that beans provide.
Calories in White Chicken Chili by Ingredient
To better understand where the calories come from in a pot of white chicken chili, we can break it down by ingredient:
Ingredient | Calories (per 1 cup) |
Cooked Chicken | 231 |
Onion | 64 |
Tomatoes | 32 |
Green Peppers | 30 |
Garlic | 9 |
Chicken Broth | 46 |
Beans (like Cannellini) | 269 |
Olive Oil | 119 |
Spices | 5-15 |
As you can see, the ingredients that contribute the most calories are the chicken and the beans. Choosing lower sodium chicken broth can help reduce the sodium content compared to regular broth.
How the Type of Bean Impacts Calories
There are many types of beans that can be used when making white chicken chili. The most common options are:
- Cannellini beans
- Navy beans
- Great northern beans
- Pinto beans
- Black beans
- Garbanzo beans (chickpeas)
Though the calorie differences are not huge, some types of beans are slightly higher or lower in calories. Here is a comparison of the calories in 1 cup of cooked beans:
Bean Type | Calories |
Cannellini beans | 269 |
Navy beans | 255 |
Great northern beans | 249 |
Pinto beans | 245 |
Black beans | 227 |
Garbanzo beans (chickpeas) | 269 |
As you can see, cannellini beans and garbanzo beans are a bit higher in calories than options like pinto and black beans. But in general, all these bean varieties are relatively high in calories and will boost the calorie count of white chicken chili recipes.
Ways to Reduce the Calories in White Chicken Chili
If you are looking for ways to lighten up this hearty chili recipe, here are some tips that can help:
- Use lower sodium chicken broth
- Choose chicken breast without skin
- Use a small amount of olive oil
- Load up on low-calorie vegetables like onions, peppers, zucchini
- Use just a small amount of beans
- Go easy on high-calorie garnishes like avocado, cheese, and sour cream
- Skip higher calorie bean varieties like cannellini or garbanzos
With some simple substitutions like these, you can reduce the calories in a bowl of white chicken chili and still retain all the delicious flavors. Aim for around 300 calories or less per one cup serving for a lighter version.
Typical Serving Size of White Chicken Chili
When calculating calories for a recipe like white chicken chili, it’s important to pay attention to serving sizes. Here are some typical serving sizes for this chili:
- 1 bowl = Approximately 1.5 – 2 cups
- 1 mug or large mug = 1 – 1.5 cups
- Small cup or ramekin = Around 3/4 cup
So if you are meal prepping or freezing individual portions, 3/4 to 1 cup is a good target serving size. This will provide around 225 to 300 calories per container depending on ingredients.
If eating a larger bowl fresh out of the pot, anticipate your portion will be more in the 1.5 – 2 cup range. That will end up being around 350 to 450 calories per bowl on average.
Calories for a Full Recipe
Most white chicken chili recipes make 6-8 servings total. For example, a pot that yields 6 cups total would have approximately:
- 360 calories per 1 cup serving
- 2,160 calories total for the full 6 cup recipe
The total calories will vary depending on ingredients used. But for a medium-large batch, plan on somewhere around 2,000 – 2,500 calories total.
Benefits of White Chicken Chili
While white chicken chili is higher in calories than a vegetable-based soup, it offers some great nutritional benefits. Here are some of the reasons this tasty chili is a healthy choice:
- Lean protein – Chicken provides lean protein which helps keeps you full and satisfied.
- Fiber – Beans boost the fiber content which is great for digestion and heart health.
- Vitamins and minerals – Ingredients like tomatoes, onions, garlic, and peppers provide valuable micronutrients.
- Hearty and comforting – It’s a satisfying one-pot meal perfect for cold weather.
- Flexible recipe – You can add different veggies and beans to suit your tastes.
White chicken chili makes a wonderful hearty weeknight dinner or meal prep recipe. You get all the comfort of a delicious warming chili along with plenty of nutrition in each bowl.
Conclusion
White chicken chili can vary in its calorie count depending on the ingredients used, but is typically around 300-350 calories per one cup serving when made with beans. By choosing lower calorie ingredients and watching portion sizes, you can enjoy this flavorful chili while still maintaining healthy calorie intake. Beans add valuable protein and fiber, but also increase the calories substantially compared to a beanless version. In the end, white chicken chili makes a delicious and nutritious meal that is perfect for fall and winter cooking.