The Best Creamy White Chicken Chili

Thick, rich and hearty, this Creamy White Chicken Chili recipe is the ultimate in flavorful comfort food. Made with whole ingredients that are healthy and satisfying, this easy chili recipe tastes like it simmered all day but is ready in just 30 minutes. The perfect weeknight dinner.

When the weather turns chilly, my family craves all the hearty meals from this classic chili recipe to my best beef stew, it’s all on the menu. Long winter days just make you want food that’s like a cozy blanket for your belly.

I’m not the biggest chili fan but add some cream cheese and chicken and I’m in. It’s cozy and comforting and with the temperatures starting to dip down I’m craving all the hearty recipes like this Creamy White Chicken Chili recipe. It’s budget friendly and made with mostly pantry staples.

When all you crave is mac and cheese and brownies, you can feel good knowing this Chicken Chili is pretty healthy so you get that dose of creaminess without all the calories!

Ingredients

• Chicken – This recipe comes together quickly with leftover roast chicken or you can easily roast a couple chicken breasts pretty easily. We also love using leftover rotisserie chicken for a quick substitution ensuring tender chicken.
• Onion – I like to use a sweet onion or yellow onion for added flavor.
• Garlic – Fresh garlic cloves are best.
• Beans – White Beans, great northern beans or cannellini beans add to the creaminess and protein but keeping the recipe budget friendly.
• Chicken Stock – We use chicken stock for the extra richness but chicken broth works well, too.
• Cream Cheese – The secret to rich, creamy flavor is cream cheese. Don’t skip it!
• Seasonings – I like to use a blend of ground cumin, ground chili powder, garlic powder, ground cayenne, kosher salt and black pepper for true southwestern flair. You can use homemade taco seasoning or spices you have in your kitchen. A can of green chiles will also level up the flavor.
• Lime – Fresh Lime juice adds a burst of freshness.
• Cream – I use half and half to create the creamy base but you can use whole milk or heavy cream depending on the richness level you’re trying to achieve.
• Cheese – Sharp White Cheddar helps thicken the chili while giving it the perfect cheesy flavor.
• Cornstarch – This is the thickening agent I like for my soup recipes and stews. You can substitute with all-purpose flour, if you prefer.

For the full list of ingredients and instructions, see the recipe card below.

How To Make White Chicken Chili

This easy White Chicken Chili is so simple to make. The secret is really in the cream cheese….and the cheddar….oh, and the half and half.  And the white beans. 🙂 You can make it on the stovetop in less than 30 minutes but it’s also fabulous as a Crockpot White Chicken Chili made in the slow cooker.

1. In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.
2. Add the onions to the pot and cook until softened, approximately 5 minutes.
3. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
4. Add the cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, cayenne, salt and pepper, stirring to combine.
5. Stir in the shredded chicken and cornstarch, cook for 1-2 minutes, then add the lime zest, juice and beans.
6. Add the chicken stock and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally.
7. Turn the heat to low and stir in the half and half. Simmer for 1-2 minutes.
8. Stir in the cream cheese and cheddar.
9. Continue to cook the chili for 5-10 minutes longer until thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
10. Serve with chopped fresh cilantro, chopped green onions, jalapeño pepper slices, avocado, sour cream, tortilla strips and limes.

If you want to thicken the chili even more, use an immersion blender or food processor and blend one cup of the chili for a couple minutes until it’s a creamy texture. Stir the pureed chili back into the pot and simmer for a couple more minutes.

How to Make White Chicken Chili in the Crock Pot

Bust out your crockpot for the easy slow cooker recipe!

1. In a large pot or stock pot, heat the olive oil over medium high heat.
2. Add the onions to the pot and cook until softened, approximately 5 minutes.
3. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
4. Add the cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, cayenne, salt and pepper, stirring to combine.
5. Stir in the cooked chicken and cornstarch, cook for 1-2 minutes, then add the lime zest, juice and beans.
6. Add the chicken stock and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally.
7. Transfer the mixture to the slow cooker.
8. Turn to low heat, cover and cook for 2-3 hours.
9. Stir in the half and half, cream cheese and cheddar. Cover and cook for 30 minutes.
10. Remove the lid and continue to cook the chili for 5-10 minutes longer until thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
11. Serve with chopped cilantro, jalapeno peppers, avocado, a dollop of sour cream, tortilla chips and limes.

Now you’re ready to party! Or just have a family dinner….which in my house is as loud as a party but not quite as fun.

What is White Chicken Chili?

This easy Chicken Chili is of my favorite recipes….lightened it up just a tad and simply phenomenal in every sense of the word, it’s inspired by the Chili’s Chicken Chili.

It’s creamy, rich, thick, hearty, spicy, fresh and totally satisfying. And best of all…..it’s not loaded with heavy cream AND it’s totally gluten free. If you’re following a Keto diet, you could easily modify this to make it work for you, too.

I’m a huge fan of cream soups like this easy Creamy Chicken Soup that’s a huge hit here. So, I ventured in that same direction with this Creamy White Chicken Chili Recipe to try to keep the calories in check but still making sure it’s a total flavor bomb.

Also, I’m not usually a fan of beans, I totally left them out of my original chili recipe which is award winning, by the way, just check out the comments!). But this time I added one can of beans to the mix just to beef up the heartiness and it wasn’t really chili if I didn’t add beans, it was kind of just a creamy chicken soup with a southwester flair.

So, beans went in and it was a wise decision. I, also, used leftover chicken from the weekend to help make the recipe come together more quickly, you could just pick up a rotisserie chicken if you’re in a time crunch. Easy Peasy!

How To Freeze Chili

White Chicken Chili is totally freezer friendly. I like to make a double batch just for this reason. Freezing the chili for another dinner later in the month is such a lifesaver when things get busy.

1. Transfer the chili to an airtight container and place in the freezer.
2. Freeze the chili for up to 2 months.
3. To reheat, simply thaw the chili in a large pot on the stovetop covered with a lid over medium heat. Stir the chili, occasionally, to ensure the creaminess doesn’t break and separate.
4. Top with your favorite toppings and enjoy.
5. Do NOT REFREEZE leftovers of the previously frozen chicken chili.

How To Thicken White Chicken Chili

Because this is actually White Bean Chicken Chili the addition of the beans do help thicken up the soup quite a bit. Also, the recipe calls for cornstarch (or flour works well, too, but is not gluten free) to help thicken the chili base quickly and easily.

Lastly, once you add the cream cheese you’ll start to see your chili taken on a velvety smooth texture and thicken a bit more. Stir in the cheddar and you have a pot of the BEST White Chicken Chili ever made.

AND bonus points here….this chili recipe is ready in just 30 minutes. Yes, that’s right, just 30 minutes for a big ole pot of comfort that’s perfect for busy weeknights….game day…..lazy Sunday. You name it. It’s quick, it’s easy and it’s fantastic with a pile of these homemade tortilla chips. And maybe some guacamole.

More Easy Chili Recipes

• Hot Dog Chili
• Slow Cooker Turkey and Black Bean Chili
• Instant Pot Chili
• The Best Chili Recipe
• Turkey Chili
• Chili Mac

Or try a vegetarian version with this easy Black Bean Chili!  It’s hearty and comforting and made with pantry ingredients!

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More Easy Chicken Recipes

• Oven Baked Chicken Breast
• Simple Roasted Chicken Breasts
• Rotisserie Chicken