In less than 1 hour of time, you’ll have the best Creamy White Chicken Chili recipe, ever! Made using chicken breast, cannellini beans, and jalapeno for the perfect kick of spice. This soup is creamy and spicy and makes the perfect fall//winter meal!
I love a nice bowl of piping hot chili. Any type of chili will do, really. But there is something nice about white chili that just calls me to the kitchen. Pairing the cubed chicken with cream cheese and chicken broth adds a nice and creamy flavor that everyone can appreciate and enjoy.
I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that one of my favorite parts of eating chili just so happens to the toppings that can go right on top. I love to make each bowl of chili taste differently than the one before and toppings make that crazy fast and simple to do.
One of the biggest flavors of this chili recipe is the added minced garlic and cumin. I love how the garlic enhances the other tastes perfectly and makes a truly savory soup recipe.
TO MAKE CREAMY WHITE CHICKEN CHILI YOU WILL NEED:
- Olive oil – Coconut oil would work as well.
- Chicken breast – Cubed in bite-sized pieces. You can replace the chicken breasts with cooked rotisserie chicken. Please see the notes for replacement.
- Yellow onion – Any type of onion will work actually.
- Seasoning. Ground cumin and smoked paprika are the stars of this soup.
- Canned green chili – Make sure to not get the spicy kind. (unless you want to!)
- Cannellini beans- Open the can and drain and wash them.
- Chicken broth – You can use chicken stock as well.
- Cream cheese – Adds a creamy texture to the chili. I suggest using whipped cream cheese as it mixes in more easily.
HOW TO MAKE CHICKEN CHILI IN THE DUTCH OVEN
To make this delicious chili, start by sauting the onion then add the garlic, jalapeno, and spice and saute a little more. Next, add the chicken and chicken broth and simmer for about 20 minutes or until cooked through.
Now remove the chicken from the broth and shred it. To the broth add the cream cheese and cover to allow it to melt. After it has melted stir it through until the broth becomes creamy.
Lastly, return the chicken to the broth along with the beans, canned chilis, and lots of cilantro. Simmer until the flavors are fully incorporated then serve with your favorite toppings!
CAN YOU USE LEFTOVER CHICKEN FOR THIS EASY CHILI RECIPE?
You can. If you have cooked chicken leftover or even a rotisserie chicken leftover from another meal, you can chop it up and use that instead. This is a simple way to cut down on the prep time so that you can concentrate on making the chili quickly. To use rotisserie chicken, cook as directed without adding the chicken, and add the shredded rotisserie chicken when adding the beans.
HOW DO I THICKEN CHILI?
Some people like their chili thin while others are looking for a heartier chili recipe. If you want to add thickness to your chili, you can do it in a number of different ways.
One of the easiest ways to add thickness is to add in more chicken and beans. This adds thickness to the recipe by adding in more ingredients.
If you want to thicken the liquid, you can do so by adding in more cream cheese and even a tiny bit of cornstarch or flour. Just make sure that you stir really well so that there aren’t any lumps!
WHAT TYPES OF BEANS GO BEST IN CHILI?
This is quite the debate! Some people like a beanless chili but that just isn’t an option in my house! You can also add kidney beans and black beans as well. Any type of bean that holds its shape well is a great contender to add to your homemade chili recipe.
CAN I MAKE THIS CHILI VEGETARIAN?
All you have to do is leave out the chicken in this simple chili dish and you’ve created a simple vegetarian chili recipe that easily!
You can also add in other vegetables like peppers and mushrooms at this point in time if you want.
WHAT ARE THE BEST TOPPINGS FOR CHILI?
This totally depends on what you like. I love shredded cheese, sour cream, bacon bits, chopped chives, fresh cilantro, and even a little bit of cayenne pepper right on top.
The great part about adding toppings to your bowl of chili is that you can change the taste with topping choices time and time again.
Creamy White Chicken Chili
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 4-5 cloves garlic, minced or grated
- 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
- 1 Tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Salt, to taste
- 1 pound boneless skinless, chicken breasts or thighs
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- 2 (15 oz) cans white cannellini beans, drained
- 1 (4oz) can diced green chilis
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- For serving, sourcream, avocado, green onions, cilantro, shredded cheese, lime.
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes or unti softened. Add the garlic, jalapeno peppers, and spices and cook for another 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add the chicken and broth. Cover partially and simmer for 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
- Remove the chicken from the pot. Add the cream cheese into the pot and cover, allowing the cream cheese to “melt” for 3-4 minutes while you shred the chicken. Shred the chicken, and stir in cream cheese until fully incorporated and creamy. Return the chicken to the pot along with the beans, diced green chilis, cheese, and cilantro. Simmer for another 5 minutes.
- Serve immediately, top with sourcream, fresh avocado, green onions, cilantro and a drizzle of lime, if desired.
Equipment
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Photography by: The Mindful Hapa
