This white chicken chili recipe is a creamy, cozy alternative to classic chili that the whole family will love!
It’s packed with tender chicken, white beans, green chilies and plenty of flavor. Unlike a traditional chili recipe made with a tomato base, this creamy chili has a rich, savory broth and a mild kick from green chiles.
It is made with simple pantry staples, making it perfect for busy weeknights, meal prep, or game day. Make a big batch any time you want a bowl of comfort!
Why We Love this Recipe
- Easy to make: This is a simple recipe comes together in one pot with ingredients you may already have in your pantry.
- Ultra creamy: Cream cheese creates a rich creamy base and gives the chili its irresistible texture.
- Perfect for busy nights: It is an easy addition to your rotation of weeknight meals.
- Great for leftovers: The flavors become even better the next day, making it a great meal prep option.
- Flexible: Use rotisserie chicken, leftover chicken breasts or chicken thighs depending on what you have available.
- Easy to customize: You can adjust the spice level and add all of your favorite toppings.
- Family-friendly: Use mild green chiles for a chili that even kids can enjoy.
Ingredients
- Cooked chicken. Use rotisserie chicken or any kind of leftover chicken in this recipe.
- Chicken broth
- Diced green chiles
- Cannellini beans (a.k.a. white kidney beans)
- Canned corn
- Cream cheese
- Onion
- Garlic
- Lime juice
- Cumin
- Paprika
- Oregano
- Chili powder
- Salt
How to Make White Chicken Chili
Make the Broth Base
In a large pot or Dutch oven, saute the onions and garlic in a little bit of olive oil. Then, pour in the chicken broth, green chiles and dry spices.
Puree the Beans
Take 1 cup of white beans and put them into the bowl of a food processor. Then, ladle a splash of the broth into the food processor and puree until smooth. Add the pureed beans to the pot along with the rest of the beans.
Simmer the Chili
Add the corn and cream cheese and simmer it all together. The cream cheese should melt, but using a whisk will help to dissolve any small white flecks that still remain.
Finish with Chicken and Lime Juice
After about 25 minutes, remove the chili from the heat and add the cooked chicken and lime juice. Now, you’re ready to serve!
Serving Suggestions
Serve this chili hot with a generous selection of toppings so everyone can customize their bowl:
- Crunchy tortilla chips. If you’re feeling motivated, make homemade tortilla chips for that extra special touch.
- Tortilla strips
- Fresh cilantro
- Green onions
- Shredded cheese
- Sour cream
- Greek yogurt
- Diced avocado
- Fresh jalapeños
- A squeeze of lime juice
For a heartier meal, serve the chili with warm cornbread, a simple green salad or crusty sourdough bread.
Variations
1. Use different chicken: Instead of boneless skinless chicken breasts, try chicken thighs for extra flavor and tenderness. You can also use rotisserie chicken to save time.
2. Change the beans: Cannellini beans are delicious, but you can also use other white beans like Great Northern beans or navy beans.
3. Make it spicy: Add red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, diced jalapeños or hot green chilies to increase the heat.
4. Make it lighter: For a lighter version, use Neufchatel cheese or reduced fat cream cheese instead of regular cream cheese to save some fat and calories.
5. Use turkey: Swap the chicken for cooked turkey to make a delicious white turkey chili. This is perfect for after Thanksgiving when you have plenty of leftover turkey.
6. Slow cooker method: This recipe works beautifully in a crock pot! Put everything except the chicken into the crockpot and set it to LOW for 4 hours. Then, stir in the cooked chicken and serve.
Storage Instructions
Allow leftover chili to cool before transferring it to an airtight container. Store it in the fridge for up to 5 days.
For longer storage, transfer it to freezer-safe containers and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
To reheat, warm individual portions in the microwave or reheat the chili gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat. If the chili has thickened in the refrigerator, add a splash of chicken broth or water to loosen the broth.
What is the Secret to a Creamy White Chicken Chili?
Cream cheese is a key ingredient for creamy chili. Adding softened cream cheese toward the end of cooking allows it to melt into the broth and create a rich, velvety consistency.
For an even richer chili, you can add a small amount of heavy cream.
Another trick is to puree some of the beans before adding them to the pot. Doing this will naturally thicken the broth while keeping plenty of whole beans throughout the soup.
If you don’t have a food processor, an immersion blender can also be used to partially blend the chili directly in the pot. Be careful not to blend everything—you want to keep some beans intact.
When you make this white chicken chili recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Drop a rating or leave a comment below. Enjoy!
For more cozy recipes, try these:
White Chicken Chili
Ingredients
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups cooked chicken shredded
- 2 15 oz. cans white cannellini beans
- 1 1/2 cups canned corn
- 1 7 oz. can diced green chiles
- 1 small yellow onion
- 8 oz. cream cheese room temperature
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 1 Tbsp. lime juice
- 1 1/2 tsp. cumin
- 1/2 tsp. paprika
- 1/2 tsp. oregano
- 1/2 tsp. chili powder
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 avocado garnish, optional
- chopped fresh cilantro garnish, optional
- chopped scallions garnish, optional
- sour cream garnish, optional
Instructions
- In a stock pot or large Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-low heat.
- Dice and onions and mince the garlic. Saute the onions and garlic in the oil until softened and sizzling.
- Pour in the broth, diced green chiles, cumin, paprika, oregano, chili powder and salt. Stir to combine.
- Drain and rinse the beans. Place 1 cup of beans into the bowl of a food processor. Add a ladle full of soup to the food processor. Puree the beans until smooth. Add the pureed beans to the soup and stir to combine.
- Drain the canned corn. Add the corn and remaining beans to the pot. Break the cream cheese into smaller pieces and stir into the pot. Simmer on low heat for 20-25 minutes.
- Use a whisk to stir the broth and break up any white flecks of cream cheese that may remain. Remove from heat.
- Stir in the cooked chicken and lime juice. Spoon into serving bowls and garnish with your favorite toppings.
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