White chicken chili is made with cream cheese, chicken, white beans, and green chiles for the creamiest chili recipe you’ll ever taste. This recipe is so easy, so flavorful, and so comforting! Cook up a batch for family dinners, game day, or to store up for winter.
What’s in Creamy White Chicken Chili
- Chicken: Use fully cooked chicken in this chili recipe. You can cut it into cubes, or use shredded chicken. Grab a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store for the easiest option.
- White Beans: Great Northern white beans are best, but you can also use cannellini beans or white kidney beans.
- Cream Cheese: This makes the chili sooo creamy and smooth. You can use low fat or full fat.
- Heavy Cream: This also helps to create that signature creamy chili texture.
- Green Chiles: These add that delicious spicy heat you’d expect from Tex-Mex and southwest cuisines.
- Seasonings: You’ll find a mix of herbs and spices in this recipe, including chili powder, cayenne pepper, oregano, cumin, salt and pepper. I also use cilantro, but you can skip it if you don’t like it.
If you want to cook your own chicken for this recipe, I recommend using this Instant Pot shredded chicken. But you can cook it with your favorite method up to 2 days ahead of time, and keep it in the fridge until you make the chili.
Best Chicken Chili Toppings
- Tortilla chips or strips
- Jalapeños
- Cilantro or parsley
- Shredded cheese
- Sour cream
- Avocado
Use cooked chicken in this chili. A rotisserie chicken works great for an easy option, or make a simple chicken breast ahead of time.
Let the chili simmer a little longer if you want to make it thicker. You can mix in a bit of flour or cornstarch if it’s still too thin or watery.
It tastes amazing either way! If you want to let this simmer all day, use the slow cooker. If you need it ready asap, make it on the stove.
White chili is made with white beans, and usually has chicken instead of beef. Regular (red) chili also uses tomatoes, whereas white chili does not.
Yes, you could swap out turkey in place of chicken if you prefer. I also recommend trying this Turkey White Bean Chili.
This recipe calls for Great Northern Beans. You can also use cannellini beans.
I added cream cheese and heavy cream to make this chili super creamy and smooth.
Absolutely. Follow the detailed instructions in this Crockpot White Chicken Chili recipe for best results.
The green chiles, as well as the cayenne pepper and chili powder, do add some heat. But overall, it’s mildly spicy.
This recipe is meant to be quick and easy, so it will be ready to go after just 30 minutes on the stove. However, simmering longer will make it thicker and more flavorful.
How to Store and Reheat
Store leftovers in airtight containers, and keep in the refrigerator up to 4 days. To reheat, gently warm on the stovetop, stirring regularly. You can mix in a bit more cream to help get that creamy texture back.
Can I Freeze White Chili?
Yes, you can store leftovers in the freezer up to 3 months. Let the chili cool, then pour into freezer-safe containers. I recommend separating the chili into smaller portions so you can take one container out to reheat at a time.
If you want to store it in freezer bags, pour it into a bag with a bit of space left at the top (don’t overfill it). Then lay the bag(s) flat on a baking tray, and place in the freezer until fully frozen. Then you can rearrange the bags as needed for longer storage.
To reheat, thaw the chili in the fridge overnight, then you can reheat on the stove.
What to Serve with White Chicken Chili
A bowl of this white bean chicken chili (loaded up with lots of toppings) is plenty filling on its own. But you can also add some bread, like this easy skillet bread or classic cornbread.
If you want to add some veggies to dinner, make this crispy Air Fryer broccoli, roasted mushrooms, or corn on the cob.
This has been a family favorite for dinner, game day food, and even Cinco de Mayo. It’s always a crowd pleaser!
Want to make this recipe in a pressure cooker? Follow this Instant Pot White Chicken Chili. Want something extra spicy? Try this Spicy White Bean Chili.
If you make this recipe be sure to upload a photo in the comment section below or leave a rating. Enjoy! You can also jump to recipe.
White Chicken Chili with Cream Cheese
Ingredients
- 2 onions diced
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 pounds cooked chicken cubed (or 2 lbs cooked shredded rotisserie chicken)
- 32 ounces low sodium chicken broth
- 4 cans great northern white beans 15.5 ounce cans, fully drained and rinsed
- 3 cans diced green chiles 4 ounce cans, drained
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro chopped
- 8 ounces low fat cream cheese cubed
- 1 cup heavy cream
optional toppings
- Tortilla chips or strips, jalapeños, cilantro, shredded cheese, sour cream, avocado, or whatever you'd like!
Instructions
- In a 6 qt dutch oven or stock pot, saute the onions and garlic in the olive oil and lime juice over medium high heat. Cook until the onions are fragrant and translucent.2 onions, 1 tablespoon minced garlic, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 2 tablespoons lime juice
- Add in the cooked chicken, chicken broth, beans, chiles, and seasoning. Bring to a boil, stirring often, and then reduce heat to simmer. Simmer uncovered for 30-45 minutes, or until it's the thickness you desire. Stir occasionally. I let mine simmer for a full hour to let all the flavors blend fully and to get a nice thickness. It would have been ready to go after 30 minutes, so just do what you like best! *** (See below for Crock Pot Instructions)2 pounds cooked chicken, 32 ounces low sodium chicken broth, 4 cans great northern white beans, 3 cans diced green chiles, 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, 2 teaspoons ground cumin, 2 teaspoons dried oregano, 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1/2 cup fresh cilantro
- Turn off the heat and stir in the cubed cream cheese. Stir constantly until the cream cheese melts and incorporates completely. Stir in the heavy cream.8 ounces low fat cream cheese, 1 cup heavy cream
- Top with as many or as few optional toppings as you desire. I used them all! The more the merrier.Tortilla chips or strips, jalapeños, cilantro, shredded cheese, sour cream, avocado, or whatever you'd like!
Last step! Don’t forget to show me a pic of what you made! Upload an image or tag me @thecookierookie on Instagram!
Becky’s tips
Nutrition Information
I tweaked the recipe a little blooming my spices before adding to the bean broth mixture. Also, cooked low in crock pot 6 hours and than poured into a pot cooking another 45 minutes before adding cream cheese and cream. I won first place in the church chili cook off with this recipe. Very tasty!
Oh, I’m so happy to hear that, Peggy! Thanks so much for sharing what worked for you!
I hate beans! Do you think it will be ok without? Maybe extra chicken and chilis?
Yes, it should be fine!
Love this, really appreciate the fact that you wrote out amounts after each addition, it saved me from looking back every time. So good!! Will be making this Christmas Eve as it is going
to be COLD!!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for stopping by, Pamela!
I love this, but my father hates beans… anything to take up the space for replacing those? I know beans are a big component in this
You could try lentils, quinoa, rice, or mushrooms!
Love this recipe. I am making this along with vegetable soup for 100 runners at the end of their race. I need to freeze it for 7 days. Is it ok to go ahead and add the cream and cream cheese??
I would wait to add the cream and cream cheese until it has been defrosted!
I have made this recipe a few times. Twice for groups. My son’s football team loved it when I made it for a team dinner. It was also a hit for a recent bonfire/potlyvk!! Really good :)
So happy everyone loved it. It’s definitely one of our favorites!
FABULOUS! Everyone loves this. I’m asked for the recipe all the time. Easy too, can’t beat that :)
That makes me so happy to hear! Thank you for sharing this.
Delicious and so easy to make, I’ll definitely be making this again. I used canned chicken meat in place of the cooked chicken, and added chunks of Pepper Jack cheese, along with the Cream Cheese, and heavy cream for a little extra spice.
Thank you so much for sharing your modifications! Pepper jack sounds like a DELICIOUS addition. I’m glad you enjoyed it.
So yummy, the best recipe!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Deb!
Wow! Best white chicken chili I have made! Seriously this is amazing!! I made no adjustments… It is perfect!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Tammy!