White Chicken Chili is a creamy, spicy, cozy and comforting bowlful of chicken, vegetables and beans finished with jalapenos, onions, cheese, sour cream and whatever you so choose! A gorgeous make ahead recipe that tastes better as the days go on and freezes beautifully!
Why you’ll love white bean chicken chili
Protein packed! Protein in two forms — chicken and white beans — makes this a super filling and hearty meal. I love to cozy up to a bowl of this white chicken chili during the cooler months. It certainly warms you up and fills you up!
Easy, peasy! This recipe for white chicken chili couldn’t be any easier. While it is unlike a traditional beef chili with ground beef, onions peppers and tomatoes, it is certainly just as easy to make. A complete one-pot recipe ready in less than 1 hour!
Meal prep worthy! The best chicken chili recipes are ones that tastes better as the days go on — and this one checks the mark! Enjoy leftovers for lunch or dinner during the week. I like to vary the toppings with each passing day, making it feel like a fresh and flavorful bowl of chili every time.
Extra green chiles on hand? Be sure to make Green Chili Chicken Enchiladas, Green Chile Chicken and Dumplings, Green Chile Queso Dip, Green Chile Macaroni and Cheese and Green Chile Enchilada Cornbread Casserole.
Ingredients
The ingredient list for this white chicken chili recipe is broken down into two parts – chili and toppings. Here’s a quick glance at what we need:
Chili
- Olive oil
- Onion
- Bell Pepper
- Garlic
- Cumin
- Chili powder
- Dried Oregano
- Cayenne pepper
- Kosher salt + black pepper
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Chicken broth
- Canned fire roasted green chiles
- White cannellini beans
- Cream cheese
- Half and half
- Fresh cilantro
Toppings
- Jalapeno slices
- Green onions
- Cheese
- Sour cream
- Avocado
- Cilantro
Ingredient substitutions and notes:
- Pepper: Take the spice level up a notch with the addition of spicy peppers like poblano.
- Chicken: If short on time, shred two chicken breasts from a rotisserie chicken and add them right in with the broth.
- Broth: Use your favorite low-sodium chicken broth or stock. Homemade works great, too!
- Beans: Swap out the cannellini beans for another white bean like navy beans, Great Northern beans or butter beans.
- Half and half: Make it extra rich by replacing the half and half with heavy cream.
How to make the best white chicken chili
This is by far the best chicken chili recipe out there – and it comes together in just a few easy steps. Here’s how to do it:
Saute aromatics: In a large Dutch oven or stock pot, heat olive oil on medium heat. Add onion and bell pepper and cook until the onion is translucent and bell pepper is tender, about 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1-2 more minutes or until fragrant.
Add ground spices: Add cumin, chili powder, oregano, cayenne, salt and cracked black pepper. Stir together well and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes.
Add chicken and broth, then simmer: Add chicken breasts and broth to the pot. Partially cover the Dutch oven or pot with the lid and simmer chicken breasts for 20 minutes or until cooked through and reach an internal temperature of 165 F.
Shred chicken: Remove the cooked chicken from the pot and shred with two forks. Return the chicken back to the pot.
Finish with chiles and beans: Add in fire roasted green chilis, cannellini beans, cream cheese, and half and half. Stir chili together and cook on medium heat for 5-10 minutes until the cream cheese has melted and the mixture is creamy. Remove from heat and stir in fresh cilantro leaves. Scoop into bowls, top with your favorite toppings and enjoy!
Inspiring topping ideas
Who can have chili without an array of toppings? I like to set up a toppings bar if I’m feeling fancy – or pick-and-choose my adventure with whatever I may have hanging about in the fridge. You could try:
- Sliced fresh peppers, like jalapeno or Fresno
- Pickled jalapenos
- Scallions
- Shredded cheddar cheese, Monterey Jack, Colby Jack or Mexican blend cheese
- Sour cream, or Greek yogurt
- Avocado, sliced or diced to your liking
- Fresh cilantro
- Fresh lime juice
- Crushed tortilla strips or chips, for extra crunch factor!
- Hot sauce, like Frank’s Red Hot, Cholula or Tabasco
Serving suggestions
White chicken chili is an incredible meal that can be enjoyed whenever the craving strikes. I love to enjoy it as:
Weeknight Dinner: Simmer a fresh pot of chili on the stove and warm yourself up with a piping hot bowl.
Lunch: Enjoy leftovers for lunch the next day, with extra toppings.
Potluck Party: Bring it to your next potluck party and watch all your friends’ eyes light up with each spoonful.
How to store, freeze and reheat
Leftover white chicken chili will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Freeze: Make chili up until step 4 (shredding the chicken). Cool completely, then transfer to a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge. When reheating, add green chiles, beans, cream cheese and half and half, and serve as desired.
Reheat: Pop a bowlful in the microwave in 30 second increments, stirring each time in between, until warmed through. OR, reheat the entire batch over medium heat on the stovetop until bubbling and simmering.
Recipe tips & notes:
- Customize your spice level. This makes a chili that’s about medium heat. Use more or less cayenne for mild or spicy.
- Cream cheese is key. This adds a special tangy flavor, and rich texture.
- Blend one can of beans for an even richer texture. This will make the base of the chili ultra thick and creamy.
White chicken chili FAQs
What is white chicken chili made of?
White chicken chili is made with aromatics, chili spices, chicken, broth, green chiles, white beans, cream cheese and half and half.
What will thicken white chicken chili?
A thickener like cornmeal or polenta will thicken the chili, while also keeping the recipe gluten free. Just make sure to simmer the ingredients for several minutes so the cornmeal can absorb the broth and liquid.
How is white chili different?
White chili is different than a traditional beef chili in that it contains poultry (either chicken or turkey), white beans, green chiles and some version of cream.
Why is white chili called chili?
The name ‘white chili’ is a result of the recipe consisting of chicken, green chiles, chile spices and white beans. The spicy chile base is mixed with a creamy broth, both complimenting and balancing the flavors.
Why is my white chicken chili watery?
Too much broth. To fix this, simmer the chili for an extended period of time or ladle out some of the broth to rid of excess liquid.
Looking for more chili recipes? Check these out!
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White Chicken Chili
ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 1 green bell pepper diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp cracked black pepper
- 1 lb boneless skinless, chicken breasts
- 6-8 cups chicken broth
- 1 – 4 oz can fired roasted green chiles
- 2 – 15 oz cans white cannellini beans
- 4 oz cream cheese
- ⅓ cup half and half
- ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves
Toppings:
Jalapeno slices
Green onion
Cheese
Sour cream
Avocado
Fresh cilantro
instructions
- To quickly thicken chili if desired: If you would like your chili to be a bit thicker. You can remove 1 cup of chili stock and whisk together with 2 tablespoons of all purpose flour until smooth. Add mixture back into the soup and simmer for an additional 5-10 minutes, or until thickened.
- Saute aromatics: In a large Dutch oven or stock pot, heat olive oil on medium heat. Add onion and bell pepper and cook until the onion is translucent and bell pepper is tender, about 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1-2 more minutes or until fragrant.
- Add ground spices: Add cumin, chili powder, oregano, cayenne, salt and cracked black pepper. Stir together well and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes.
- Add chicken and broth, then simmer: Add chicken breasts and broth to the pot. Partially cover the Dutch oven or pot with the lid and simmer chicken breasts for 20 minutes or until cooked through and reach an internal temperature of 165 F.
- Shred chicken: Remove the cooked chicken from the pot and shred with two forks. Return the chicken back to the pot.
- Finish with chiles and beans: Add in fire roasted green chilis, cannellini beans, cream cheese, and half and half. Stir chili together and cook on medium heat for 5-10 minutes until the cream cheese has melted and the mixture is creamy. Remove from heat and stir in fresh cilantro leaves. Scoop into bowls, top with your favorite toppings and enjoy!
notes
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