Grab a bowl and cozy up with this white chicken chili recipe! It is a creamier twist on classic chili, full of comforting flavors, warm spices, and lean protein. Ready in under one hour, it is an easy dish to prep for a family meal or group gathering.
While this dish is one of my cold-weather favorites, you can definitely enjoy it year-round. Sauté some fresh poblano peppers and corn to stir into the soup for a summery revamp! It’s also a great way to meal prep for busier weeknights because it freezes and reheats well! If you’re looking for more soups and stews, try my slow cooker chili recipe, turkey chili recipe, or taco soup recipe.
What You Need to Make This Recipe
Beans – white beans are the key ingredient for the best white chicken chili recipe, lending heartiness and helping to thicken the broth. I used a combination of canned cannellini beans and great northern beans. Rinse and drain the beans before adding.
Broth – chicken broth adds a rich, robust flavor to the chili. Use a low-sodium broth to avoid oversalting the chili.
Chicken – boneless skinless chicken breasts are simmered in the soup and then shredded- so easy! Use fresh or defrosted frozen chicken.
Green chiles – diced green chilies add the signature flavor to this dish. They are earthy and sweet with a slightly spicy kick.
Spices – this dish is full of flavor with a combination of ground cumin, ground coriander, dried oregano, cayenne pepper, and black pepper. Use fresh spices for the freshest flavor!
Cream cheese – use full-fat cream cheese for a deliciously creamy and thick texture. Opt for block cream cheese over a spreadable tub and bring to room temperature before adding.
Toppings – load up your white bean chicken chili by adding toppings like sour cream, sliced jalapeño, shredded cheese, fresh cilantro, sliced green onions, chopped avocado, crunchy tortilla chips, guacamole, pico de gallo, or salsa. Additionally, try a mix of shredded cheeses like sharp cheddar and pepper jack.
How to Make White Chicken Chili
1. Measure out ½ cup of the drained white beans in a small bowl and mash them with a fork or potato masher. Set aside.
2. In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are very tender and browned around the edges, 12 to 15 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for an additional 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Add the mashed and whole beans to the pot.
4. Add the chicken breasts and green chiles, then pour in the broth.
5. Stir in the cumin, coriander, oregano, salt, pepper, and cayenne. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
6. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot with a lid, and simmer for 30 to 45 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken breasts and shred the meat with two forks.
7. Add the cream cheese to the pot in small pieces and stir until fully incorporated. (The cream cheese may look lumpy at first, but it will incorporate as it warms, so just keep stirring.)
8. Stir in the shredded chicken. Serve immediately, topped with cilantro, sour cream, jalapeno, avocado, and shredded cheese with lime wedges to squeeze over the top.
Pro Tips for Making This Recipe
- Adjust the thickness. If you prefer a thinner chili texture, skip mashing any of the beans and stir them in whole. For a thicker chili, puree all the beans in a food processor to your desired consistency before adding them to the cooking pot.
- Make it dairy-free. Omit the cream cheese and instead use a cornstarch slurry to thicken the chili. Mix 2 tablespoons of water and 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and add it to the chili, then simmer the chili longer to reduce some of the liquid. Alternatively, thicken the chili by adding more mashed beans and simmering the pot longer.
- Optional variations. Add some extra veggies like spinach, carrots, celery, bell peppers, plum tomatoes, or corn for extra texture and goodness. Additionally, spice it up with a dash of chili powder, paprika, or hot sauce.
Frequently Asked Questions
Allow white chili to cool completely before storing it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave until warmed through. This white chili recipe also freezes well. Store cooled chili in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
White bean chicken chili is the perfect comforting lunch or dinner with a slice of cornbread, warm dinner rolls, or homemade French bread. Load up each serving with your favorite toppings, such as sliced green onions, black olives, cilantro, avocado, and cheddar cheese, and dig in!
Yes, you most certainly can make this soup with rotisserie chicken instead of boneless skinless chicken breasts if you are short on time. Just shred 2½ cups of the meat from a cooked rotisserie chicken and add it to the chili after stirring in the cream cheese.
Yes, you can make slow cooker white chicken chili with this recipe using a crock pot or the slow cooker setting of an Instant Pot. Brown the onions in oil on the stovetop or with the Satué function, then add all of the remaining ingredients except the cream cheese to the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or high for 3 to 4 hours. Once the chili has cooked, remove the chicken from the slow cooker and shred it. Mix the cream cheese into the chili until the cheese is melted and smooth, then stir in the cooked chicken. Serve and enjoy!
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If you’ve tried this White Chicken Chili recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
White Chicken Chili
Equipment
- Small bowl
- Large Pot
Ingredients
- 2 (15.5-ounce/439g) cans white beans (cannellini beans, great northern beans), drained
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth (960ml)
- 1½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts about 2 large breasts (675g)
- 2 (4-ounce/113g) cans diced green chiles
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 (8-ounce/227g) block cream cheese softened
Toppings:
- chopped cilantro
- sour cream
- sliced jalapeno
- diced avocado
- shredded cheese
- lime wedges
Instructions
- Measure out ½ cup of the drained white beans in a small bowl and mash with a fork or potato masher. Set aside.
- In a large Dutch oven, heat the olive over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until very tender and browned around the edges, about 12 to 15 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes more.
- Add the mashed and whole beans, chicken breasts, chiles, broth, cumin, coriander, oregano, salt, pepper, and cayenne. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30 to 45 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken breasts and shred the meat.
- Add the cream cheese to the pot in small pieces and stir until fully incorporated. (The cream cheese may look lumpy at first but will incorporate as it warms, so just keep stirring.)
- Stir in the shredded chicken. Serve immediately topped with cilantro, sour cream, jalapeno, avocado, shredded cheese, and lime wedges.
Notes
- Adjust the thickness. If you prefer a thinner chili texture, skip mashing any of the beans and stir them in whole. For a thicker chili, puree all the beans in a food processor to your desired consistency before adding them to the cooking pot.
- Make it dairy-free. Omit the cream cheese and instead use a cornstarch slurry to thicken the chili. Mix 2 tablespoons of water and 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and add it to the chili, then simmer the chili longer to reduce some of the liquid. Alternatively, thicken the chili by adding more mashed beans and simmering the pot longer.
- Optional variations. Add some extra veggies like spinach, carrots, celery, bell peppers, plum tomatoes, or corn for extra texture and goodness. Additionally, spice it up with a dash of chili powder, paprika, or hot sauce.
Easy and versatile. I will make this again for sure. Tasty and filling.
Fabulous chicken chili recipe! It’s so deliciously savory and lighter than traditional beef chili!