This Creamy White Chicken Chili is so easy to make and turns out incredibly flavorful every time. Best of all, it’s a one-pot recipe that comes together in under an hour with simple, real ingredients. You can make this on the stove top or in the slow cooker for an easy weeknight dinner that everyone will love!
“I’ve never been much of a fan of white chicken chili, but the picture looked so good! I decided to give it a try it. I’m really glad I did because it’s delicious! The plabano peppers were so good. My daughter who also doesn’t care for chicken chili loved it, too. Thanks for another great recipe!” – Kristy, So Much Food reader
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Make Your White Chicken Chili with Cream Cheese for Maximum Creaminess!
Hearty, thick, and creamy, this white chicken chili is one of my go-to comfort foods. For extra richness and creaminess, I always make my white chicken chili with cream cheese (the kind sold in a foil-wrapped brick, not the light whipped kind in a tub!).
And to reduce the prep work, I like to buy pre-shredded rotisserie chicken from my local grocery store. It’s a life saver on busy weeks when you want to get a home cooked meal on the table but aren’t able to make every last element of a recipe from scratch.
Otherwise I almost always have all the pantry staples on hand to make this creamy chili on a moment’s notice. It’s an easy weeknight dinner recipe to throw together with maximum flavor and satisfaction!
Jenny’s Tips for the Best 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.
Simmer uncovered. To make this chili extra thick, I always simmer it 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 in a pinch. 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 who 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!
Tools You’ll Need
The Key Ingredients
- 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 creamy chili tons of flavor.
- Spices. Cumin, coriander, garlic, and chili powder are the perfect chili 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. For best results, use brick-style cream cheese and not the kind in a tub (full-fat makes the richest chili, but low-fat works too).
- Broth. I always opt for homemade chicken stock, but you can even use water if that’s what you have.
How to Make White Chicken Chili on the Stove
- Char the poblano peppers. If you have a gas stovetop, rotate the peppers over the flames until charred on all sides (kitchen tongs are a must here!). You can also broil them in the oven until they begin to blister.
- Peel and dice the poblanos. As soon as the peppers have been charred using your preferred method, seal them in a zip-top bag. Steam will collect inside the bag, and once they’ve cooled completely you should be able to peel the skins off using just your fingers.
- Sauté the aromatics. Add a glug of olive oil to a heavy-bottomed pot and heat over medium-high heat. Once shimmering, add the onion, jalapeño, and diced poblanos and cook just until the onions start to soften.
- Add the cream cheese and beans. To amp up the creaminess, I always mash the beans gently with the back of a fork before stirring in the broth.
- Simmer for 30 minutes. Stir in the broth, chicken, and corn and simmer gently for just 30 minutes. Remember: the chicken is already cooked, so we’re really just warming things up and blending the flavors together.
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
Side Dish Suggestions
White chicken chili is practically a meal in itself. I’ll usually serve it with a simple side salad or cornbread, but that’s pretty much it.
If you do give this recipe a try, be sure to let me know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. Be sure to subscribe to my weekly newsletter and never miss a new recipe! You can also snap a photo & tag @JENNYGOYCOCHEA on Instagram. I LOVE hearing about & seeing your SMF creations!
More One-Pot Soup Recipes You’ll Love
- 30-Minute Turkey Chili
- Vegetarian 5 Bean Chili
- Pork Pozole Verde
- Brothy Bean and Pasta Soup
- Italian Meatball Soup
- Ground Beef Chili
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Cream Cheese White Chicken Chili Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 white onion, diced
- 1 jalapeño, minced
- 3 poblano peppers
- 8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 4 cups shredded cooked rotisserie chicken
- 15 oz canned pinto beans, rinsed
- 15 oz canned white navy or cannellini beans
- 1 cup corn kernels (fresh or frozen)
- 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, seed, 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.
Slow Cooker Option
- Follow to steps for roasting the poblano peppers. Peel and dice them.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. 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. Season to taste with salt and pepper before serving.
Nutrition
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Rate & Review This Recipe
Eaten this a few times. Always delicious
Love this! So happy you enjoyed the recipe!
Delicious and easy to prepared! Made this for a friend who just had a baby and they loved it!
I’ve never been much of a fan of white chicken chili, but the picture looked so good! I decided to give it a try it. I’m really glad I did because it’s delicious! The plabano peppers were so good. My daughter who also doesn’t care for chicken chili loved it, too. Thanks for another great recipe!