This white chicken chili recipe is the cozy, creamy answer to regular chili — tender shredded chicken, buttery cannellini beans, and mild green chilies simmered in a rich, cumin-spiced broth, finished with melted cream cheese for the silkiest texture. It all comes together in one pot in about 30 minutes, making it the perfect weeknight comfort food. Pile on your favorite toppings — sour cream, shredded cheese, crunchy tortilla chips — and dinner is done.
Craving more comfort in a bowl? Our chicken curry recipe delivers the same weeknight warmth with bold, aromatic spices.
Why You’ll Love This White Chicken Chili Recipe
- Ready in 30 minutes — one pot, no slow cooker required, from chopping to serving in half an hour.
- Creamy without heavy cream — melted cream cheese gives the broth its velvety body (with a lighter sour-cream finish option).
- Mild and family-friendly — green chilies bring flavor, not fire; the heat level is easy to adjust up or down.
- Meal-prep and freezer friendly — it tastes even better the next day, and freezes beautifully for up to 3 months.
White Chicken Chili Recipe Ingredients
For the Chili
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 jalapeño, seeded and diced (optional, for heat)
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1½ lbs (680g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 2 cans (4 oz / 115g each) diced green chilies
- 2 cans (15 oz / 425g each) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed (or great northern beans)
- 4 cups chicken broth
For the Creamy Finish
- 8 oz (225g) cream cheese, softened and cut into cubes
- ¼ cup sour cream, plus more for serving
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (about 1 lime)
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped, plus more for serving
For Serving (Toppings)
- Shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese
- Crushed tortilla chips
- Sour cream
- Sliced jalapeños
- Fresh cilantro
- Lime wedges
How to Make White Chicken Chili Recipe
Step 1: Sauté the Aromatics
Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion and jalapeño (if using) and cook for 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds more until fragrant.
Step 2: Bloom the Spices
Stir in the ground cumin, oregano, chili powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, until the spices darken slightly and smell toasty. Blooming the spices in the hot oil wakes up their flavor and makes the whole chili taste deeper.
Step 3: Add Broth, Chilies, Beans, and Chicken
Pour in the chicken broth and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Stir in the diced green chilies and the drained cannellini beans. Nestle the chicken breasts into the liquid — they should be mostly submerged. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a steady simmer.
Step 4: Simmer Until the Chicken Is Tender
Simmer for 15–18 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and shreds easily (165°F / 74°C internal temperature). Remove the chicken breasts to a plate or cutting board and shred them with two forks into bite-sized pieces.
Step 5: Make It Creamy
Reduce the heat to low. Add the cubed cream cheese to the pot and stir gently until it melts completely into the broth, about 2–3 minutes. (Softened, room-temperature cream cheese melts smoothly; cold cream cheese can stay lumpy.) Stir in the shredded chicken, sour cream, lime juice, and chopped cilantro. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
Step 6: Serve with Toppings
Ladle the chili into bowls while hot. Set out the toppings — shredded cheese, crushed tortilla chips, extra sour cream, sliced jalapeños, cilantro, and lime wedges — and let everyone load up their own bowl.
Tips for the Best White Chicken Chili Recipe
- Soften the cream cheese first. Leave it on the counter for 30 minutes before cooking, or microwave in 15-second bursts. Softened cream cheese melts into the broth smoothly; cold cubes can leave lumps.
- Don’t boil after adding dairy. Keep the heat low once the cream cheese and sour cream go in — a hard boil can make the dairy split and turn the chili grainy.
- Shred, don’t chop. Two forks give you the rustic, tender shreds that soak up the creamy broth. Chopped chicken tastes drier in comparison.
- Mash some beans for thickness. If you like a thicker chili, mash about ½ cup of the beans against the side of the pot before adding the cream cheese — the starches thicken the broth naturally.
- Season at the end. Canned beans and broth vary in saltiness, so always taste after the dairy goes in and adjust the salt then, not before.
White Chicken Chili Variations
- Slow cooker: Add everything except the cream cheese, sour cream, lime, and cilantro to a slow cooker. Cook on LOW for 6 hours or HIGH for 3–4 hours. Shred the chicken, stir in the dairy, lime, and cilantro, and cook 15 more minutes.
- Rotisserie shortcut: Skip the raw chicken simmer — add 4 cups of shredded rotisserie chicken with the beans and broth, simmer 10 minutes to heat through, then finish with the dairy as written. Total time drops to about 20 minutes.
- Spicier: Keep the jalapeño seeds in, add a diced poblano with the onion, or stir in ½ teaspoon cayenne with the spices.
- Lighter: Use Neufchâtel (light cream cheese) and Greek yogurt instead of sour cream. The chili will be slightly less rich but still creamy.
- Dairy-free: Skip the cream cheese and sour cream; blend 1 cup of the beans with 1 cup of broth until smooth and stir it back in for creaminess, then finish with lime and cilantro.
Want the slow cooker to do the work? Our slow cooker chicken turns out juicy, shreddable chicken with zero fuss.
What to Serve with White Chicken Chili
This chili is a meal on its own, but a few sides make it a feast. Warm cornbread or flour tortillas are perfect for sopping up the creamy broth. A simple green salad with lime vinaigrette cuts through the richness, and Mexican street corn (elote) makes a great companion. For drinks, a cold Mexican lager or a lime-forward agua fresca pairs beautifully.
For a festive, rice-based feast, our chicken biryani recipe layers fragrant basmati rice with tender, spiced chicken.
Storage and Reheating
- Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The chili thickens as it sits — thin with a splash of chicken broth when reheating. The flavor actually improves overnight.
- Freezer: Freeze for up to 3 months in portion-sized containers, leaving headspace for expansion. Note: dairy-based soups can separate slightly when frozen; the texture comes back together with gentle reheating and a good stir.
- Reheating: Warm gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring often. Avoid a hard boil. Add toppings fresh after reheating.
White Chicken Chili FAQs
What is white chicken chili?
White chicken chili is a creamy, milder cousin of traditional red chili. Instead of tomatoes and beef, it uses chicken, white beans (like cannellini or great northern beans), green chilies, and chicken broth, finished with cream cheese or sour cream for a rich, velvety texture.
What beans are best for white chicken chili?
Cannellini beans are the top choice — they’re buttery, creamy, and hold their shape. Great northern beans are a close second and slightly smaller. Navy beans work too but break down more. Use canned beans (drained and rinsed) for a 30-minute chili, or cook dried beans ahead of time.
Can I make white chicken chili in a slow cooker?
Yes — it’s one of the best slow-cooker recipes. Combine everything except the dairy, lime, and cilantro; cook on LOW 6 hours or HIGH 3–4 hours; shred the chicken; then stir in the cream cheese, sour cream, lime, and cilantro for the last 15 minutes.
How do I thicken white chicken chili?
The easiest way is to mash about ½ cup of the beans into the broth before adding the cream cheese. You can also simmer uncovered for 5–10 extra minutes to reduce, or stir in a cornstarch slurry (1 tablespoon cornstarch + 2 tablespoons cold water).
Is white chicken chili spicy?
This recipe is mild — canned green chilies add flavor without much heat. To keep it kid-friendly, skip the jalapeño entirely. To add heat, keep the jalapeño seeds, add cayenne, or serve with hot sauce and sliced jalapeños on the side.
Can I freeze white chicken chili?
Yes, for up to 3 months. Dairy can separate slightly when frozen, so reheat gently over low heat and stir well — the texture comes back together. For the smoothest freeze-thaw, you can freeze the chili before adding the cream cheese and sour cream, then stir them in fresh when reheating.
More Chicken Recipes You’ll Love
White Chicken Chili (Creamy & Easy)
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion and jalapeño (if using) and cook for 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds more until fragrant.
- Stir in the ground cumin, oregano, chili powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, until the spices darken slightly and smell toasty.
- Pour in the chicken broth and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Stir in the diced green chilies and the drained cannellini beans. Nestle the chicken breasts into the liquid — they should be mostly submerged. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a steady simmer.
- Simmer for 15–18 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and shreds easily (165°F / 74°C internal temperature). Remove the chicken breasts to a plate or cutting board and shred them with two forks into bite-sized pieces.
- Reduce the heat to low. Add the cubed cream cheese to the pot and stir gently until it melts completely into the broth, about 2–3 minutes. Stir in the shredded chicken, sour cream, lime juice, and chopped cilantro. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
- Ladle the chili into bowls while hot. Set out the toppings — shredded cheese, crushed tortilla chips, extra sour cream, sliced jalapeños, cilantro, and lime wedges — and let everyone load up their own bowl.
