This white chicken chili is so easy to make and so incredibly flavorful. Not only is this white chicken chili recipe delicious, it’s a one-pot meal that comes together in under an hour with simple, real food ingredients. You can make this on the stove top or in the slow cooker for an easy weeknight dinner that everyone will love!

The Best Creamy White Chicken Chili

Is there anything better than a cozy bowl of chili? I swear, even in warm weather, chili is my go-to comfort food. Making this chili is so easy and it’s packed with protein and fresh ingredients for a satisfying lunch or dinner. Using rotisserie chicken or leftover chicken makes this recipe even easier!

How to make White Chicken Chili

I almost always have all the pantry staples to make chili on hand. It’s an easy weeknight dinner recipe to throw together with maximum flavor and satisfaction!

Tools Needed

• 4 QT Soup Pot
• Sharp Knife
• Baking Sheet
• Cutting Board

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Chicken. Make your life easy here and use shredded rotisserie chicken or leftover cooked chicken. I like to use a mix of light and dark meat.
• Onion. Any onion works, I just really like using white or yellow onion.
• Peppers. Jalapeños and poblano peppers give this white chicken chili tons of flavor.
• Spices. Cumin, coriander, garlic, and chili powder are the perfect spices.
• Beans. I love using a mix of pinto and white beans, but use what you have!
• Corn. When corn is in season, I love using fresh but frozen or canned works too.
• Cream cheese. Cream cheese makes the chili extra creamy and thick.
• Broth. I always opt for homemade chicken stock, but you can even use water if that’s what you have.

The Process

• Step one: Start by charring or broiling your poblano peppers until blackened. I use a pair of tongs and rotate them over the flame on my gas burners. Alternately, place them on a baking sheet and broil on high heat, turning the peppers once, until blistered all over.
• Step two: Place the hot charred peppers in a ziplock bag or a heat safe bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Once the peppers are cool, peel and dice them.
• Step three: Heat olive oil in a heavy bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, jalapeño, and diced poblanos. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring often, until the onions start to soften and become translucent.
• Step four: Add the softened cream cheese to the pot with the spices and stir until smooth. Then, add the beans to the pot and using a fork, mash them slightly.
• Step five: Add the broth, chicken, and corn to the pot and stir really well. Bring to a simmer, lower the heat, and simmer on low for 30 minutes. Once the chili is thick, season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Step six: Ladle the chili into bowls and garnish with desired toppings. Enjoy!

Making White Chicken Chili in the Slow Cooker

This chicken chili recipe is a great one to make in the slow cooker! To make chili in the slow cooker:

1. Follow to steps for roasting the poblano peppers. Peel and dice them.
2. In the bowl of a slow cooker, combine the chicken, onion, jalapeño, diced poblanos, spices, and room temperature cream cheese. Stir really well until the cream cheese is well mixed in.
3. Add the broth, beans, and corn and stir well. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours. If the chili is a little thin, mash some of the beans with a fork and cook on high for another 20-30 minutes.
4. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Topping Ideas

I am ALL about the toppings for chili. In my mind, the more toppings, the better! Here are a few of my favorites:

• Cilantro
• Scallions or diced onion
• Shredded jack cheese
• Sour Cream
• Diced avocado
• Tortilla chips
• Lime wedges
• Thinly sliced jalapeños

Tips and Tricks for White Chicken Chili

• Use rotisserie chicken – Trust me here! My local grocery store sells shredded rotisserie chicken and it’s a game changer for making easy weeknight meals.
• Thicken things up – To make this chili extra thick, I always simmer this chili uncovered so that it thickens while it simmers. To make it even thicker, puree some of the beans and broth and return them to the pot and simmer for a bit longer.
• Use canned green chilies – If you don’t have the time to roast your own poblanos, use canned diced green chilies or hatch chilies.
• Use homemade broth – I’m one of those people that always has a stash of homemade chicken broth in my freezer and it adds so much flavor. If you’ve got the time to make homemade, do it!

More One-Pot Dinner Recipes to Try

30-Minute Turkey Chili
Louisiana-Style Red Beans and Rice
Creamy Sausage and Tomato Pasta
Pork Pozole Verde

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Main Course, Soups

Creamy White Chicken Chili

This creamy white chicken chili utilizes healthy ingredients and pantry staples for a flavorful and easy weeknight dinner!

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Prep Time: 20 minutes mins

Cook Time: 40 minutes mins

Total Time: 1 hour hr

Makes: 4

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 white onion, diced
• 1 jalapeño, minced
• 3 poblano peppers
• 8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 4 cups shredded cooked rotisserie chicken
• 1 – 15 oz can pinto beans, rinsed
• 1 – 15 oz can white navy or cannellini beans
• 1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
• 3 cups homemade chicken stock or broth
• Kosher salt, to taste

Instructions

• Using tongs, roast the poblano peppers over a gas flame until charred all over. Alternately, place the peppers on a baking sheet and broil under high heat until blistered. Transfer the peppers to a ziplock bag or heat-safe mixing bowl and cover with plastic wrap.
• Once the peppers are cool, peel and dice them.
• In a heavy bottomed pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion, peppers, and jalapeños and sauté for 2-3 minutes until the onion is softened.
• Add the cream cheese and spices to the pot and stir really well, until the cream cheese is smooth. Then, add the beans. Use a fork or potato masher to mash them slightly. Add the chicken and corn and stir well so that everything is well-coated by cream cheese.
• Add the broth, stir, and bring to a simmer. Lower the heat and simmer on medium-low for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once the chili is thick, season to taste with salt and pepper.

Nutrition

Serving: 16ozCalories: 613kcalCarbohydrates: 28gProtein: 52gFat: 34gSaturated Fat: 14gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 187mgSodium: 938mgPotassium: 1056mgFiber: 4gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 1471IUVitamin C: 81mgCalcium: 113mgIron: 3mg