Hot and creamy White Bean Chicken Chili recipe is packed with tender white beans, juicy chicken, and tons of flavor! It makes a hearty dinner that is sure to keep you warm and full. Since this recipe uses pre-cooked rotisserie chicken, this quick and easy recipe is done cooking in under 30 minutes and it’s all made in one pot!
Your dinner prayers are answered with this delicious chili recipe! It’s easy and delicious. For more tasty recipes, then you want to try this Chicken Corn Chowder, a hot soup that is lower in calories than some of those thick chowders. This Garlic Roasted Potato Soup is full of simple ingredients and is a reader favorite.
The Best White Chicken Chili
Overflowing with flavor, this white bean chicken chili recipe really packs a punch. It is the perfect dinner to serve when it’s a little chilly out and you need a very filling meal.
With its tender chicken, sweet corn kernels, and plump beans, this recipe brings the perfect balance of creamy richness and subtle heat, making each spoonful irresistibly comforting and flavorful. Just add on a dollop of sour cream, some sliced jalapeños, and a sprinkle of cheese for the most perfect dinner idea.
Don’t be intimidated by the longish list of ingredients, it may look like a lot, but most of it is herbs and spices. And since we use an already cooked rotisserie chicken (or leftover shredded chicken), the process is even quicker.
This is a great recipe to make for game day since it makes a lot and it is loved by everyone who eats it.
What is White Chicken Chili
White chili is a little different than your traditional beef chili. Instead of a deep red color and a base heavy with tomatoes, this white chili has a broth base and uses cream cheese to make it creamy.
Why You’ll love this Recipe
- Weeknight Meal: This is a great recipe to make on those busy weeknights.
- Customizable: It’s simple to swap out ingredients for ones that you love more to make this chili your own.
- Quick and Easy: With minimal prep (and mostly spices), this recipe comes together easily and cooks just under 30 minutes!
Ingredients for White Chicken Chili
Here is the basic listing of ingredients that are needed to make delicious white chicken chili. It may look like a lot but trust me it is all needed to make The full ingredient amounts are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Onion: A yellow or white onion will work here since they are similar in flavor when cooked.
- Garlic: Adjust the garlic cloves based on your taste. I typically add more cloves because we love garlic..
- Green Chilies: One 7-ounce can of diced green chili peppers. I use mild chilis but you could use a hot version.
- Jalapeño: I like to get a couple fresh jalapeno peppers, use 1/2 – 1 whole finely diced up jalapeño while cooking the chili. Then I add jalapeño slices to the chili right before I serve it, yum! To control the spiciness, you can remove the ribs and seeds from the jalapeños to make less spicy. You can also use jarred or canned diced jalapeños or diced pickled jalapeños. Or leave them out completely.
- Seasonings: There are kind of a lot of seasonings used in this recipe such as cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, black pepper, dried oregano, and bouillon.
- Beans: You need white beans of your choosing. I like to use Great Northern beans here because they are a little bit creamier. But, cannellini beans or navy beans will also work really well. You will need three cans of beans.
- Chicken: I like to grab a whole rotisserie chicken, just separate all of the bones and skin from the meat and shred it into bite sized pieces. Or use about 2 cups of leftover cooked shredded chicken. You can also cook chicken breasts or chicken thighs as a first step.
- Cream Cheese: I use full fat boxed cream cheese. If you want less calories you could use neufchâtel cheese instead, this is a lower fat version of cream cheese.
How to Cook White Chicken Chili
Here are the basic step-by-step recipe instructions to make this creamy chicken chili. The recipe card at the bottom of this post will have cooking times and full directions.
Cooking Tips and Tricks
- Using rotisserie chicken cuts the cooking time way down.
- If you have more time, you can leave the chili cooking a little longer to further develop the flavors.
- To make super thick chili we use creamed corn and mash some of the beans.
Recipe Variations
- Make it vegetarian chili. It is so simple to make this a vegetarian friendly chili instead (without losing any of the flavor!). Just swap out the chicken for another can of beans and use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
- Your favorite corn. Use a can of fiesta corn instead of regular corn. You can also use frozen corn or fresh corn removed from the cob.
- Make it spicier. Even with the chili powder and jalapeño, this is not a spicy chili. If you want to add more heat add red pepper flakes, use a spicier pepper, or add your favorite hot sauce.
- Thin it out. If you would like a more watery chili, add a little more broth or water than what I have listed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Could I use dried beans instead of canned? If they are presoaked and precooked beans they should work. Drain them completely from their cooking water and add them when the beans get added in the recipe. Just using soaked dry beans will not work because the chili does not cook long enough to soften the beans.
Could I use raw chicken in place of the pre cooked chicken? Yes, but it will lengthen out the cooking time. I recommend cooking the chicken first, then shred it. It will be added into the chili in step 4. Use your favorite cooking method, this pickle juice chicken post has great method to make chicken on the stove just skip to step 4 and don’t marinate the chicken in the pickle juice. Or this air fryer chicken breast without breading is a great way to make chicken in the air fryer.
How to Store & Reheat
How to store it? Let the chili cool and put in an airtight container. It should last about 3-4 days in the fridge.
How do you reheat? Reheat on the stove over medium heat, stirring occasionally until warmed through.
More great recipes!
- Mexican Lentil Soup with Chorizo
- Instant Pot Tortellini Soup
- Air Fryer Garlic Bread
- Homemade French Bread
- Air Fryer Garlic Knots
If you’ve tried this easy white chicken chili recipe, don’t forget to give me a star rating and leave me a comment below in the comment section. I love to hear from people who have made my recipes.
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Creamy White Chicken Chili
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion small dice
- 4 large garlic cloves minced
- 1 1/4 cups low sodium chicken broth more if needed
- 7 ounce can green chilies
- 1 medium fresh jalapeno minced
- 1 tablespoon granulated chicken bouillon
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 can corn drained
- 1 can cream corn
- 3 cans great northern beans
- 2-3 cups rotisserie chicken skin and bones removed, shredded
- 4 ounce cream cheese full fat, block
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro finely minced, optional
- 1 large lime
- optional garnish: tortilla chips or strips, diced avocado, shredded cheese, sliced jalapeños, more lime juice, sour cream, green onions, lime wedges, diced onion, or crackers.
Instructions
- In a large stock pot, add oil over medium heat. As soon as oil is hot, add finely diced onion and sauté for 5 minutes until soft. Add garlic and sauté for one minute longer.
- Next, pour in the broth, can of chilis, diced jalapeño, cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, dried oregano, bouillon, salt and pepper. Bring up to a boil then drop the heat to medium low and cook for 10 minutes.
- While chili is cooking, drain and rinse all three cans of white beans using a fine mesh strainer. Pull out about a cup of beans and smash with the back of a fork.
- Bump the temperature up to medium-high heat and stir in the cream corn, whole corn, all of the beans, cream cheese, and shredded chicken. Add more broth if it needs to be thinned. Cook for 5-10 more minutes until hot. Pull off the heat and mix in the chopped cilantro.
- Serve chili with a squeeze of lime and desired toppings.
Notes
- Your favorite corn. Use a can of fiesta corn instead of regular corn. You can also use frozen corn or fresh corn removed from the cob.
- Make it spicier. Even with the chili powder and jalapeño, this is not a spicy chili. If you want to add more heat add red pepper flakes, use a spicier pepper, or add your favorite hot sauce.
- Thin it out. If you would like a more watery chili, add a little more broth or water than what I have listed.
Nutrition
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