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!
Do we have T Use nothern beans, or will pinto beans Or Lack beans be ok? Just trying to add color.
You can use any of those beans, whatever is your favorite. Hope you enjoy!! xo
I am on KETO, the recipe sounds amazing, especially after reading so many comments. I was looking for any comments about making this recipe without beans, as beans are not allowed on Keto. Is this recipe doable without beans, or are the beans mandatory? Thank you.
Beans are a good portion of the recipe, but you can definitely give it a shot without the beans.
Ive never had white chicken chili before and this recipe sounded really good. I Made this tonight. Its eAsy and very good!! I halved the Recipe for All ingrEdients except for the chicken broth. I dIdnt Add cayenne pepper as i didnt have any. Hubby added lots of Jalapeños to his bowl and said that was hot enough for him. This will be a regular meal in our house.
I’m so happy to hear that! This is one of our favorites as well. My husband loves it super spicy too!
Ok this is amazing . i seriously have to double the batch because we always run out . It has some good kick to it and we top it with fresh cilantro , Fritos , salsa , sour Cream , a mexican cheese blend , squeeze of lime ,and make a toping bar like for tacos , and add some hot sauce for the super hot people .
amazing recipe i have already made it about 10 times this winter.
and 5 stars
Yay! I’m so glad you loved it. It’s one of our favorites too :)
Could you make this with ground turkey or chicken? I have a bunch of it and looking for ways to use it up.
Sure, you definitely could!
I’m typically a beef and bean chili girl but I made this chicken chili recipe and now i make it over traditional chili almost every other month(even in the summer) :) best chicken chili recipe i’ve ever made!!!!! I love your recipes and can not wait to try other foodie items!!
YAY! This completely made my night to hear! That is so wonderful :) Thank you so much for letting me know
We really enjoyed this! thank for posting
So glad!
I have some homamade vegetable broth in my freezer, do you think i could use that instead of chicken broth?
Definitely!!
If using a slow cooker , do you still cook the chicken 1st before putting it In the pot?
Yes you should. Hope you enjoy!
I am so excited to try this recipe! I have a “soup supper competition” this next week, so I will be testing this and hopefully using it to take to our event! Thanks for sharing and for the helpful comments from everyone. It looks simply delicious!!!
Am I doing something wrong or is it supposed to print the recipe across four pages?