White Chicken Chili

White chicken chili is cozy comfort food made with tender rotisserie chicken, creamy beans, and just the right amount of spice. The cream cheese gives it a rich, velvety broth that feels indulgent yet light. It’s the perfect hearty dinner for a cold night, and if you’re lucky enough to have leftovers, it tastes even better the next day.

Love More Dinner Recipes? Try My Chicken Pumpkin Chili or this Ginger Garlic Chicken Noodle Soup next.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

This White Chicken Chili is light yet creamy, thanks to a flavorful broth and a touch of sour cream or Greek yogurt instead of heavy cream. It’s fool-proof and can be made on the stovetop, in the slow cooker, or in the Instant Pot, making it perfect for any night of the week. Plus, it’s a great way to use up leftover rotisserie chicken or turkey for a hearty and satisfying meal.

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Ingredient List

For the Base:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 2 (14.5 oz) cans low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 (7 oz) can diced green chilies (mild unless you like it spicy)

Spice Blend:

• 1½ teaspoons ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon ground coriander
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional, for heat)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

The Good Stuff:

• 1 (8 oz) package Neufchâtel cheese (or light cream cheese), cut into small cubes
• 1¼ cups corn (fresh or frozen)
• 2 (15 oz) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 2½ cups shredded cooked chicken (rotisserie or leftover)
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for serving

Optional Toppings:

• Tortilla chips or strips
• Shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• Sliced avocado
• Sour cream or Greek yogurt
• Extra lime wedges

Why These Ingredients Work

I’ve tried this with different beans. Kidney beans were too firm. Black beans made it look like mud. Navy beans got mushy. Cannellini beans are perfect.

Neufchâtel cheese is lighter than regular cream cheese but melts smooth. I made it with full-fat cream cheese once and nobody could finish their bowls.

Canned green chilies work better than fresh ones. They’re already roasted so they have more flavor. I buy mild ones for my kid.

That spice mix took forever to get right. Cumin makes it taste like actual chili. Coriander adds something I can’t describe but you miss it when it’s not there.

The lime juice was my mom’s idea. She told me to add acid at the end. Boom – suddenly it tasted like restaurant food.

Essential Tools and Equipment

Nothing crazy here:

• Big heavy pot that holds 6 quarts
• Food processor for mashing beans
• Sharp knife
• Cutting board
• Can opener
• Ladle
• Measuring stuff

The pot needs a heavy bottom or everything burns. Learned that with my old cheap pot that ruined three batches.

How To Make White Chicken Chili

Step 1: Sauté the Base

Heat oil in big pot over medium-high heat. Not too high or onions burn. I did that once and had to start over.

Add onion, cook 4 minutes until soft. Add garlic, cook 30 seconds more. Garlic burns fast so watch it.

This makes your kitchen smell amazing.

Step 2: Build the Broth

Pour in broth, chilies, and all spices. Don’t go nuts with salt – you can add more later.

Bring to boil then turn down and simmer 15 minutes. This wakes up the spices.

I always set a timer because I get distracted.

Step 3: Make It Creamy

Take 1 cup drained beans and ¼ cup hot broth. Pulse in food processor until mostly smooth but with some chunks.

This mashed bean mixture makes it creamy without cream. Saw this on a cooking show and it works perfectly.

Save the rest of the beans – you want some whole ones.

Step 4: Add Everything Else

Stir cheese cubes into simmering pot until melted. If it gets clumpy your heat’s too high.

Add corn, whole beans, and bean mush. Simmer 5-10 minutes until heated through.

Should be thick but still soupy. Too thin? Cook longer. Too thick? Add broth.

Step 5: Finish It Off

Stir in chicken, lime juice, and cilantro. Chicken just needs to warm up.

Taste and add more salt, pepper, or lime. Make it perfect for your family.

You Must Know

Take cheese out of fridge when you start. Cold cheese gets lumpy in hot liquid. Room temp melts smooth every time.

Don’t skip mashing the beans. That’s what makes this recipe work instead of just being okay.

Use low-sodium broth so you control the salt. Some brands are crazy salty already.

Personal Secret

I add a tiny pinch of smoked paprika with regular paprika. Not enough to taste smoky but adds something special.

Everyone asks what makes it different. I never tell them.

Started by accident when I grabbed wrong container. Now I do it on purpose.

Pro Tips & Cooking Hacks

Make it the day before if you can. Tastes way better after sitting overnight.

Don’t go crazy with cayenne first time. You can add heat but can’t take it out.

Buy rotisserie chicken instead of cooking your own. More flavor and doesn’t dry out.

Don’t add lime until the end. Acid messes with cheese if you add it while it’s hot.

Flavor Variations & Suggestions

Spicier: Use hot chilies or add jalapeño with onions. More cayenne works too.

Smoky: More smoked paprika and couple drops liquid smoke. Don’t go overboard.

More veggies: Bell pepper with onions or zucchini last 10 minutes.

Different beans: Mix black beans with white ones. Great northern works instead of cannellini.

Heartier: Add diced potatoes with broth. Cook until soft.

Make-Ahead Options

Keeps 4 days in fridge. Gets better every day. Just heat slow and add broth if thick.

Freezes 3 months. Cool completely first. Leave room at top – it expands.

Crockpot: Brown onions and garlic in skillet first. Add to slow cooker with raw chicken (1½ lbs), broth, chilies, spices. Cook low 5-6 hours.

Shred chicken in pot. Add cheese, beans, corn, lime, cilantro. Heat 20 minutes more.

Recipe Notes & Baker’s Tips

Pretty forgiving recipe. No cannellini? Use great northern or navy. No Neufchâtel? Regular cream cheese but use 6 oz instead of 8.

Should be thick soup consistency. Too thick? Add broth. Too thin? Simmer longer or mash more beans.

Don’t panic if it looks soupy at first. Thickens as cheese melts.

Always taste at end. Different brands have different salt levels.

Lime juice makes huge difference. Makes everything brighter instead of just heavy.

Serving Suggestions

Set up topping bowls so everyone customizes their own. Cheese, avocado, tortilla strips, cilantro, sour cream, lime.

Cornbread’s perfect for dipping. I use box mix – nothing fancy.

Good over rice or in baked sweet potatoes. My kids eat everything with tortillas.

For parties, put in crockpot on warm so people serve themselves.

Bread bowls look fancy but aren’t hard. Hollow out sourdough loaves and fill.

How to Store Your White Chicken Chili

Fridge: 4 days covered. Better next day.

Freezer: 3 months in tight containers. Leave space for expansion.

Reheating: Slow on stove, stir often. Add broth if thick. Microwave single bowls, stir halfway.

Thaw frozen stuff in fridge overnight first.

Allergy Information

Contains: Dairy from cheese

Gluten-free: Check spice labels and broth

Dairy-free: Skip cheese, mash extra beans for thickness

Less sodium: No-salt broth and beans, add salt to taste

Vegetarian: Skip chicken, use veggie broth, add tofu for protein

Questions I Get Asked A Lot

Can I use dried beans instead of canned?

Absolutely! You’ll need about 1½ cups of dried cannellini beans. Soak them overnight, then cook until tender before adding to the chili.

How spicy is this chili?

It’s quite mild as written – perfect for families. The heat comes mainly from the optional cayenne pepper, so you can easily adjust it to your taste.

Can I make this in my Instant Pot?

Yes! Use the sauté function for steps 1-2, then add all remaining ingredients except cheese, lime, and cilantro. Pressure cook on high for 10 minutes, quick release, then stir in the final ingredients.

What if I can’t find Neufchâtel cheese?

Regular cream cheese works perfectly – just use about 6 oz instead of 8 oz since it’s richer.

How do I make this spicier?

Add more cayenne pepper, use hot green chilies instead of mild, or throw in some diced jalapeños with the onions.

💬 Made this? Let me know how it went! Love hearing what toppings everyone likes.