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This baked white chicken chili casserole has 43 g of protein per serving and takes 80 minutes from first cut to first scoop. The protein comes from chicken breast, Greek yogurt, white beans and cheese, not powder, so it tastes like the real thing.
It has the flavors of white chicken chili, cumin, green chiles and white beans, but with less broth and corn tortillas layered through. You can cut squares and serve them on a plate instead of ladling bowls. A 23 x 33 cm / 9 x 13-inch dish feeds six, and each portion is about 370 g.
Stir the Greek yogurt in off the heat. If the sauce boils after the yogurt goes in, it turns grainy, and no amount of cheese hides that. The trade-off is two things to wash, a skillet and a baking dish.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- 43 g protein per serving from real food, no powder
- Uses one skillet and one baking dish
- Cuts into firm squares instead of needing a bowl
- Each serving is a full 370 g of food
Ingredient Notes
- boneless skinless chicken breast: Breast gives about 23 g protein per 100 g raw. Skinless thighs also work and stay juicier, but you lose roughly 3 g protein per serving.
- plain 2% Greek yogurt: Use 2% or whole milk. Nonfat yogurt splits more easily when it hits the hot sauce. Sour cream works too, with less protein.
- great northern beans: Cannellini or navy beans swap in at the same weight. Rinse them well to cut the canned taste and some of the sodium.
- pepper jack cheese: Use Monterey Jack if you want it mild. Shred it from a block, because bagged shreds melt less smoothly.
- corn tortillas: Use 15 cm / 6-inch tortillas. They soften as they bake and work as the starch layer, so no rice or pasta is needed.
Baked White Chicken Chili Casserole with Green Chiles
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the oven to 190 C / 375 F and lightly grease a 23 x 33 cm / 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Pat the chicken dry and toss it with the salt and pepper. Drain and rinse the beans, and pat the thawed corn dry.
- Heat the olive oil in a 30 cm / 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken in two batches, 3 to 4 minutes per batch, turning once, until browned outside but not cooked through. Move each batch to a bowl.
- Lower the heat to medium and add the onion to the same skillet. Cook 4 to 5 minutes until soft, then stir in the garlic, cumin, oregano and chili powder for 30 seconds until fragrant. Sprinkle in the flour and stir for 1 minute.
- Pour in the broth, scraping up the browned bits, and simmer 2 to 3 minutes until it coats the back of a spoon. Take the skillet off the heat and wait 1 minute. Stir in the Greek yogurt, then the green chiles, lime juice, beans, corn, chicken and half the cheese. Don't let the sauce boil again or the yogurt turns grainy.
- Arrange half the tortilla pieces in a single overlapping layer in the baking dish. Spoon in half the filling, add the remaining tortillas, then the remaining filling. Scatter the rest of the cheese over the top.
- Cover tightly with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake 15 minutes more, until the edges bubble, the cheese is spotted golden and the center reads 165 F / 74 C.
- Rest the casserole for 10 minutes so the layers set. Cut into six squares and top with the cilantro.
Notes
- Sear the chicken in two batches so it browns instead of steaming.
- Stir the Greek yogurt in off the heat and never boil the sauce afterward.
- Bake covered for 20 minutes first so the chicken cooks through before the cheese browns.
- Rest the casserole 10 minutes before cutting so the squares hold their shape.
Tips for Success
- Cut the chicken into 2.5 cm / 1-inch cubes and sear it in two batches so the pieces brown instead of steaming.
- Pull the skillet off the heat for 1 minute before stirring in the yogurt, and keep the sauce below a simmer afterward.
- Drain and rinse the beans, then pat the thawed corn dry so the bottom layer doesn’t turn watery.
- Tear the tortillas into large pieces and overlap them slightly so each square holds together when you cut it.
- Check the center with an instant-read thermometer for 165 F / 74 C, then rest the dish 10 minutes so the layers set.
Variations
- Swap the pepper jack for sharp white cheddar and add one diced jalapeno for more heat, or use mild Monterey Jack for kids.
- Use 600 g shredded rotisserie chicken and skip the searing step. This saves about 8 minutes and keeps protein close to the same.
- Replace the tortillas with 300 g cooked rice for a rice-bake version. Protein drops by about 1 g per serving.
Storage and Reheating
Baked white chicken chili casserole keeps 3 to 4 days in the fridge in a covered dish or airtight container. Get it into the fridge within 2 hours of baking.
Reheat a single square in the microwave at 70% power for 2 to 3 minutes, or in a 160 C / 325 F oven covered with foil for about 20 minutes. A whole dish needs about 30 minutes. Either way, heat it until the center reads 165 F / 74 C. The corn tortillas soften further as it sits, and the cheese on top won’t crisp again.
For longer storage, wrap cooled squares individually and freeze for up to 2 months. I keep mine in the chest freezer in the garage. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Serving Suggestions
Serve baked white chicken chili casserole in squares with lime wedges, chopped cilantro and a spoonful of extra Greek yogurt on top. Pickled jalapeno slices add heat if you want it.
Shredded cabbage tossed with lime juice and salt cuts the richness, and sliced avocado works the same way. Tortilla chips on the side are good for scooping up the sauce. The 43 g protein figure covers the casserole alone, not the toppings.
FAQ
Why is my white chicken chili casserole sauce grainy?
The Greek yogurt got too hot. Yogurt proteins tighten and separate when the sauce boils after it goes in, so take the skillet off the heat for 1 minute before stirring it in and don’t let it boil afterward. Using 2% or whole milk yogurt instead of nonfat also helps.
Can I use sour cream instead of Greek yogurt in white chicken chili casserole?
Yes, use the same 245 g / 1 cup of sour cream. It handles heat a little better than yogurt and gives a milder tang. It has about 18 g less protein across the whole dish, so each serving drops by roughly 3 g to about 40 g.
Can you freeze white chicken chili casserole after baking?
Yes, freeze cooled squares wrapped individually for up to 2 months. Thaw them overnight in the fridge, then reheat covered at 160 C / 325 F until the center reads 165 F / 74 C, about 20 minutes per square. The yogurt sauce can look slightly grainy after thawing, though the taste holds.
What goes well with white chicken chili casserole?
Shredded cabbage tossed with lime juice and salt cuts through the cheese, and sliced avocado or tortilla chips add texture. Lime wedges and cilantro on top brighten each square. The 43 g protein count covers the casserole only, so any toppings add a little on top of that.
Is white chicken chili casserole gluten free?
Not as written, because 3 tbsp of all-purpose flour thickens the sauce. Swap in 1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch stirred into the cold broth, and check that your broth, green chiles and corn tortillas have no gluten ingredients on the label. Everything else is naturally gluten free.
What is the difference between white chicken chili and white chicken chili casserole?
White chicken chili is a stovetop stew with 3 to 4 cups of broth, eaten with a spoon. The casserole uses just 240 ml / 1 cup of broth plus Greek yogurt, layers in corn tortillas, and bakes under cheese, so it holds a shape you can cut into squares.
