This creamy Creamy White Chicken Chili recipe 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 of this famous chicken chili for family dinners, game day, or to store up for winter. Did I mention this is ready in less than an hour?
What’s in this White Chicken Chili recipe?
This easy white chili is filled with chicken, beans, green chiles, cream cheese, and lots of other ingredients to make the most delicious and creamiest comfort recipe. It’s one of my favorite winter dinner ideas!
- Chicken: Use fully cooked chicken in this chili recipe. You can leftovers 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.
Pro Tip: If you want to cook your own chicken for this white bean chili 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.
What are the best toppings for white chili?
The thick, creamy texture of this white chicken chili is ripe for toppings! The Tex-Mex seasonings pair perfectly with crumbled tortilla chips or tortilla strips, sliced jalapeños, shredded cheese, sour cream, cilantro, and avocado slices.
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Use cooked chicken in this chili recipe. A rotisserie chicken works great for an easy option, or make a simple chicken breast ahead of time.
The cream cheese really helps to thicken up this chili, and the longer it simmers, the thicker it will get. If it’s still too watery or soupy, make a slurry (1 tbsp of cold water and 1 tbsp of flour or cornstarch) to stir in.
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 leftover white chicken chili 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 heavy cream to help get that creamy chili texture back.
How to Freeze
Store leftovers in the freezer up to 3 months. Let the white 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 portions of the creamy chicken chili in the fridge overnight, then you can reheat on the stove as directed above.
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.
5-Star Review
“Wow! Best white chicken chili I have made! Seriously this is amazing!! I made no adjustments…It is perfect!” — Tammy
This cream cheese chicken chili with white beans has been a family favorite comfort food for dinner, game day food, and even Cinco de Mayo. It’s always a crowd pleaser!
I prepared this tonight in the crock pot, but accidentally put the cream cheese and heavy cream in at the beginning, so it is not very thick. Any ideas on how I could thicken it up now?
I am making this for a school Chili Supper. How many quarts would you say this recipe makes? Thank You, so excited to try!!
I made this in my crockpot last night. It is absolutely delicious. The only chili I’ve ever made was my moms recipe, but now I’ve got another recipe for my collection! ! Now to see if it passes the hubby test ????
I just made this for my family tonight and it was a big hit! So delicous! I was missing one can of the beans, but it still turned out fantastic! Great recipe! Thank you!
I used the crockpot and made this yesterday, it was Delicious!! I will be making it again, thanks for sharing.
Made this last night and halted the recipe for my small croc pot! fed 5 people! so good!
Have you ever figured out the calories?
How can you thicken ot up.
Looks so good! Do you drain the chiles before tossing them in the pot?
I just made this for my company’s Chili Cook=Off and someone else had a Creamy White Chili, too. I was totally bummed. Yet, my white chili was totally eaten, The bottom of the crock pot scrapped. Yet, the other was almost totally left.
I marinated the chicken a day and a half in a bacon vinaigrette. That put a nice touch to the flavors.