Is White Chicken Chili Actually Chili
By Jim Bauer
@porwest (96256)
United States
November 13, 2023 6:20am CST
One of the things we do around here a lot is talk about food. It seems to be a constant conversation of the day we tend to have. As such, from time to time, since we all have different tastes, and even different ideas about food, debates happen often.
Such as, is a Hawaiian pizza with pineapples and ham actually a pizza? Many will shout loudly, Heaven's no! While yet others will speak to the high Heavens that it is, in fact, pizza.
So, what about chili? Traditionally tomato based, with meat and lots of beans as well as other spices like cumin and chili powder.
Many people enjoy white chicken chili. But is it actually chili? Or is it just a creamy chicken soup with beans? Even if you add some chili powder to it, considering it's not really tomato based and looks nothing like chili, can it still be considered chili?
What is your take on white chicken chili? Chili or soup?
18 people like this
19 responses
@FourWalls (71502)
• United States
13 Nov 23
I always like what Don Henley said about chili: “when you add beans to chili you insult both the beans and the chili.” 
My personal opinion: chili. I’m not going to disown anyone in my family who thinks otherwise. I reserve that for the infidels who don’t like Hank Williams. 
My personal opinion: chili. I’m not going to disown anyone in my family who thinks otherwise. I reserve that for the infidels who don’t like Hank Williams. 5 people like this
@FourWalls (71502)
• United States
12 Jan 24
@porwest — he did a chili recipe for a book that James Honeyman-Scott’s widow put together called Rock and Roll Cuisine. His dissertation included that classic line.
https://www.panix.com/~clay/cookbook/bin/show_recipe.cgi?+chili/recipe124
1 person likes this
@porwest (96256)
• United States
13 Nov 23
@NJChicaa I could easily call white chicken chili a chowder if anyone doesn't want to call it a soup. I am actually surprised you DON'T have a strong opinion. Ah, but wait. I know why. Because I do have an opinion, you don't. Aha. Caught you. You just want to be contrary. If I would have said, "It is absolutely a chili," you would have told me absolutely it is not and my thought of chicken in a chili without a tomato base was an abomination, followed by 14 puke faces.
1 person likes this
@1creekgirl (42449)
• United States
13 Nov 23
I vote that it's soup no matter what it's called.
3 people like this
@1creekgirl (42449)
• United States
13 Nov 23
@porwest I started to say that banana pudding without bananas is not really banana pudding, but that's how I make mine, lol. I use banana flavored pudding...I don't like when the bananas get dark.
2 people like this
@porwest (96256)
• United States
12 Jan 24
@1creekgirl I guess that can still follow. So long as it incorporates an aspect of bananas, why not?
1 person likes this
@Marilynda1225 (83777)
• United States
13 Nov 23
Sounds more like it fits into the soup category to me. I really don't think I'd call it chili.
3 people like this
@Marilynda1225 (83777)
• United States
14 Nov 23
@porwest there's enough controversy over chili about beans or no beans. So white with chicken certainly isn't even on my radar when the word chili comes to mind.
1 person likes this
@porwest (96256)
• United States
12 Jan 24
@Marilynda1225 Besides. Don't we have bigger fish to fry? I will eat the soup just as much as I will eat the chili no matter what is ultimately agreed upon it is called. lol
I would also be in the camp of chili MUST have beans in order to be chili.
1 person likes this
@porwest (96256)
• United States
13 Nov 23
And by the looks of the comments, so far, it seems soup is what it is. I don't think a single person so far has called it a chili. At the end of the day, no matter what it is or what it is called, I'm still going to eat it because it tastes good.
I just won't call it a chili even if someone else might. lol
2 people like this
@sharonelton (30079)
• Lichfield, England
13 Nov 23
If it's got chilli in it, it's chilli!
By the way, I used to really love a ham and pineapple pizza!
4 people like this
@Tina30219 (82439)
• Onaway, Michigan
14 Nov 23
I think it could be considered both I have only had it once and I liked it.
1 person likes this
@Tina30219 (82439)
• Onaway, Michigan
15 Nov 23
@porwest I agree I do not think there is a law either way.
1 person likes this
@RebeccasFarm (92063)
• United States
13 Nov 23
No it is not..not at all in any way shape or form.
2 people like this
@RebeccasFarm (92063)
• United States
13 Nov 23
@porwest Yes or some rubbish like that.
1 person likes this
@porwest (96256)
• United States
13 Nov 23
@RebeccasFarm Look. I'm still going to EAT it. Chili or soup, it tastes good. Even if I won't CALL it a chili, I'll still stuff my face with whatever the hell it is. 'Cause it's good. lol
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (122671)
• Gainesville, Florida
13 Nov 23
I surely don’t know if it can truly be called a chili, but it sure does taste good!
I used to be a chili competition judge, and we always allowed “white” chilis to be entered into the competition.
2 people like this
@moffittjc (122671)
• Gainesville, Florida
13 Jan 24
@porwest That’s one of the things I love about chili, the fact that there is so many varieties.
1 person likes this
@porwest (96256)
• United States
13 Jan 24
@moffittjc I do too. There is something they do annually here locally downtown. A Chili Cook Off. They close the main street and the streets are lined with chili galore. You get to taste a bunch of different ones and it is always fun to do and sample. And the variety is quite...varying. lol
1 person likes this
@porwest (96256)
• United States
12 Jan 24
Chili is and will always be one of those things that simply has a lot of versatility. I still contend white chili is a soup, and if it's not that it's a chowder. BUT, put 100 cooks in a room and you will invariably get 100 different versions of chili.
1 person likes this
@jnrdutton (3247)
• United States
13 Nov 23
I'll vote that it's more a soup than an actual chili. Looks great though.
3 people like this
@GardenGerty (162238)
• United States
14 Nov 23
It has peppers, it is chili. Delicious either way, though. No matter how you name it.
1 person likes this
@porwest (96256)
• United States
27 Jan
I never put chilis in my chili. To me what makes it chili is it is made with a tomato base, has meat and has beans and some combination of chili powder and cumin.
But even when it comes to chili, put 100 people in a room to make a batch and you will get 100 different versions of it.
@Tina30219 (82439)
• Onaway, Michigan
4 Feb
As for the white chicken chilli I do not consider it a chili but it is good. As for pineapple on pizza I do not mind it
1 person likes this
@Orson_Kart (7035)
• United Kingdom
13 Nov 23
Over here in the UK, chilli (with a double l) is how you have described your chili. As far as I know we don’t have a white version, nor with chicken. It’s either chilli con carne (with minced meat) or you can have it without, which is just chilli. That just looks like a soup or at a push, a stew. It looks nice though. 
1 person likes this
@porwest (96256)
• United States
27 Jan
One thing about American cuisine, we'll do just about anything with food. lol I am sure white chili came about as someone was trying to one up someone during a chili cook off, something that is very popular here in the States.
Chili is one of those dishes that no matter where you eat it or who makes it, it will always be a different dish. Everyone has their own favorite way of making it.
@LindaOHio (183918)
• United States
14 Nov 23
My chicken chili would be made the same way as beef chili but with chicken. No white sauce. Have a good day.
1 person likes this
