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This simple one pot Creamy White Chicken Chili is the perfect bowl to warm up to on a cold fall/winter day. Made with poblano peppers, jalapeños (for just the right amount of heat), and shredded chicken. It’s spicy, creamy and so delicious. Top each bowl of chili with plenty of cheddar cheese, fresh cilantro, and avocado too. Great on its own, but even better with a side of homemade beer bread.
If there’s one recipe my cousin Abby asks me to make every fall it’s a white chicken chili. Well, white chicken chili and a classic chicken noodle soup. I took care of the chicken noodle soup back in October so I figured it was time to cross the white chicken chili off the list too.
If you haven’t figured it out yet, Abby loves soup!
For the longest time I wasn’t on the “white chicken chili” train, but I’ve changed my tune. I can’t say that I really think of this as chili though. Chili to me is always red and tomato-based. This is more like a creamy chicken soup with yummy spices and lots of poblano peppers.
However you look at it, it’s delicious. And such a nice bowl to warm up to on cold fall/winter nights.
This chili is pretty simple, here are the steps
What’s great about this chili is how quick and easy it is. You can choose to make it in one pot in less than an hour on the stove. Or cook it low and slow in the crockpot.
Start by cooking up the onion and vegetables until they smell fragrant. Then toss the chicken in spices for added flavor, then add it to the pot.
Pour in the broth and simply let the chicken simmer until it’s cooked through and shreds easily.
While the chicken is cooking, take the cream cheese and melt it in the microwave. The cream cheese is what makes this a creamy chili. You only need a little, but it really makes the chili just that much more delicious.
Once the chicken is cooked, pull it out and shred it.
Next stir the cream cheese into the chili and finish it up with that shredded chicken and some white beans. Oh, and a small handful of cheddar cheese too!
One more thing…the toppings.
Guys, the toppings are the real secret here. Most chili is delicious, but what makes a chili recipe over the top good are really yummy toppings. So you have to do them all!
I layer as follows: a thick layer of shredded sharp cheddar cheese, a dollop of yogurt, sliced avocados, then sprinkle on lots of fresh cilantro and green onions too.
And lastly, I love beer bread on the side for dipping, it’s a chili must. For a second I contemplated using tortilla chips instead. But this just needs a good simple slice of warm homemade beer bread. It’s delish.
And guys, that’s pretty much it for this one. Simple as can be, but every spoonful is so delicious. Think a little spicy, a touch creamy, filled with chicken, peppers, cheese, and all those toppings. I love a simple November dinner when the days are busy and the nights are cold!
Looking for other fall dinners with a little kick? Here are a few ideas:
Healthy Slow Cooker Turkey and White Bean Chili
Healthy Slow Cooker Chipotle Bean Chili
One Skillet Saucy Chicken Tortilla Enchilada Rice Bake
Healthy Chipotle Chicken Sweet Potato Skins
Slow Cooker Chipotle Chicken Tortilla Soup with Salty Lime Chips
Lastly, if you make this Creamy White Chicken Chili be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Check out the how-to video:
Creamy White Chicken Chili
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 547 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Watch the How-To Reel
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced or grated
- 2 poblano peppers, seeded and chopped
- 1 jalapeño, seeded, if desired and chopped
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 1 pound boneless, skinless, chicken breasts or thighs
- 4-6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 can white beans, drained
- 1/2 cup salsa verde
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- avocado, cheddar cheese, and yogurt, for serving
- lime zest and juice, for serving
Instructions
Stove
- 1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, poblano peppers, cumin, paprika, chili powder, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Cook 5-10 minutes, until very fragrant. Add the chicken, then stir in 4 cups broth. Season with more salt and pepper. Partially cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 20 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.2. Melt the cream cheese in the microwave for 10-15 seconds. 3. Pull the chicken out and shred using 2 forks. Stir in the cream cheese until smooth, then stir in the shredded chicken, white beans, salsa verde, and cheddar cheese. Cook 5-10 minutes, until the cheese is melted. Remove from the heat and stir in the cilantro. If needed, thin with additional broth. 4. Ladle the chili into bowls. Top, as desired, with yogurt/sour cream, cheese, avocado, cilantro, and green onions. Zest lime over each bowl. Eat and enjoy!
Slow Cooker
- 1. In the bowl of your crockpot, combine the onion, garlic, poblano peppers, cumin, paprika, and chili powder. Add the chicken, then stir in 4 cups broth and cream cheese. Season with salt and pepper. 2. Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours or high for 4-5 hours.3. Shred the chicken using two forks. Stir in the white beans, salsa verde, cheddar, and cilantro.4. Ladle the chili into bowls. Top, as desired, with yogurt/sour cream, cheese, avocado, cilantro, and green onions. Zest lime over each bowl. Eat and enjoy!
This is fabulous! The second time I tried it I put the poblano and jalapeño under the broiler to give it a bit of a blister, then added 1/2 tsp. Ancho chili pepper and 1/2 tsp. Chipotle chili pepper and it was all the heat I wanted. Also, I use rotisserie chicken because I am lazy. Anyhoo, I’ve never made anything from your cookbooks that I didn’t like!
Hey Kelley,
I am delighted to hear that this recipe turned out well for you and appreciate you giving it a try! Have a great weekend:)
Zero leftovers and immediate requests to make it again. Thank you so much!
Hey Bre,
Happy Friday!! I appreciate you trying this recipe and sharing your review, so glad to hear it was a hit!⛄️ xT
How many quarts would you say this makes?
Hi Marlene,
I would say about 2 quarts. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
Delicious!!!
I did it a little different – used an instant pot – I cooked the chicken first on the pressure cooker setting (15 minutes from frozen tenders to falling apart!), then took the chicken out & put it on the sauté setting to sauté the veggies, etc, then added the shredded chicken & all the other stuff back into the pot & cooked it all in there! I also added another can of beans to make it a bit thicker.
Served it with honey-sweet cornbread muffins! It was SO good 😊!
Hey Angela,
Thank you so much for giving this dish a try, I love to hear that it turned out well for you! Have a great Thursday:)
Made this recipe for my family of four last night. We usually do a bigger serving size for chili but I changed the serving to four because I wasn’t sure if we would like it or not. It fed the four of us perfectly, but everyone was arguing over who would get the last ladle of soup that was left over haha. This one is a keeper. My family is requesting I make it again tonight
Hey Calleigh,
Thank you so much for giving this dish a try, I love to hear that it turned out well for you! Have a great Thursday:)
I love this recipe. Can you freeze this? I also added a can of diced tomatoes
Hey Lorna,
Wonderful!! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for making it! Sure, you could totally freeze this! xT
HNY Tieghan!
I made the creamy white chicken chili yesterday, and it was a big hit! I made it to a T, except I did add carrots and celery. Everyone loved it! It was tasty, yummy, and perfect. Thank you so much!
Diana Bell
Hey Diana,
Happy New Year!🎆🎈 I appreciate you making this recipe and your comment! So glad to hear it was enjoyed! xx
Made this for dinner tonight and it was a big hit. Nice flavours, with a subtle heat. The salsa verde was perfect to brighten up the richness from the cheese. This will go on rotation in our house. Thank you Tieghan.
Hey Daniella,
Happy New Year!🎆🎈 I appreciate you making this recipe and your comment! So glad to hear it was enjoyed! xx
This turned out awesome. I made a different recipe for white bean chili in the past but this is for sure replacing it
Hey Shannon,
Happy New Year!!🎆 I love to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks so much for giving it a try and sharing your review! xT
One of my favorite recipes!! Third or fourth time making it- I like to add the extra broth for a more soup-like feel. Yet another winner from Tieghan!
Hey Taylor,
Wonderful!! Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! Thanks for your comment! xx
Hi Tieghan,
Thanks for the recipe! What do you think would be a serving size? A cup? More?
Hey Emily,
Thanks for giving the recipe a try! I would say about 1 1/2 cups is a serving size. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
Another good one. Rich and delicious, heartwarming. Note to self: Add 2 Cans of White Beans, and don’t forget the liquid; no need to drain. Beer bread was fun to try, made with honey. Nice touch. I have been making Beer Bread since the early 80s. My mother-in-law gave me the recipe, but the recipe called for self-rising flour, sugar, one beer, and a cube of melted butter poured on top before baking. We have changed it a bit through the years, but the honey was a nice new touch. As always, thanks!
Hey Kym,
Happy Wednesday!!🎇 I am delighted to hear that this recipe was enjoyed and appreciate you making it! xx
Loved it! Only I went lighter on the chicken broth. I like chili to be less soupy, but that’s just me. Served with sourdough bread loaf, and included all the toppings on the side.
Hey Cynthia,
I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your review, I am so glad to hear it was enjoyed! Merry Christmas! 🎁🎄
This was so easy and delicious! Perfect way to use leftover chicken or turkey with my homemade chicken bone broth and poblano peppers from the garden I had frozen. It was a huge hit on this bitter cold night!
Hey Amy,
Happy Friday!!☃️ I love to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks so much for making it and your comment! xT
Made this Creamy White Chicken Chili last night…Wow it was delicious. My husband gave it a 10 star rating! It was easy to make and I made the beer bread to go with it which was so easy an 8 year old could make it. It was yummy and great with the chili. I will be making both of these again for the cold Colorado winter nights. Thank you so much for your amazing recipes.
Hey Penny,
Happy Holidays!!☃️ I love to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks so much for making it and your comment! xT
Made this white chicken chili recipe today as was written, and it was perfect for this cold cold day. All of my adult children complimented it and wanted the recipe. I will definitely be making this through the winter!
Hey Penny,
Happy Holidays!! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed and appreciate you giving it a try! 🎄❄️