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Cold nights call for something warm, creamy, and just a little spicy. This is the kind of chili I want simmering on the stove when fall rolls in—cozy, simple, and loaded with plenty of flavor.
Poblano and jalapeño give the broth a gentle kick, while cream cheese and cheddar make everything creamy without losing those brighter salsa verde and lime flavors. Add avocado, cilantro, extra cheese, and something warm for dipping, and dinner is done. Great on its own, but even better with a side of homemade beer bread.
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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.
Build the flavor base: 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.
Simmer the chicken:Pour in the broth and simply let the chicken simmer until it’s cooked through and shreds easily.
Make it creamy: 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.
Finish it up: 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.
Why You’ll Love This Chili
- One pot, weeknight-friendly, super cozy.
- Creamy (from cream cheese + cheddar), but still bright (thanks to salsa verde + lime).
- Easy to customize heat with the peppers and toppings.
Make-Ahead, Storage, Reheat
- Make-ahead: Flavors get better after it sits; reheat gently and add a splash of broth if it thickens.
- Store: Cool completely, refrigerate in airtight containers.
- Reheat: Warm on the stove over low heat or in the microwave in short bursts, stirring often.
- Freeze: Freeze in portions; thaw overnight in the fridge, then rewarm gently. Add broth as needed to loosen.
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
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!
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
Delicious. That’s it. That’s the comment. LOL
Lol thanks so much, Arianna! So glad you enjoyed this chili! Happy Monday! xx
I’ve already made this recipe twice over the past few weeks and eat it for days each time. It’s so flavorful! It seems like a great recipe to play around with too. I might swap out the verde salsa for something like red enchilada sauce next time.
Thank you for sharing your recipes with the world!
Love to hear this, Brittany! Thank you so much for making this chili and your feedback! Have a great Monday! xT
So much flavor and depth to this. I had to decrease the spice for my partner’s taste but I might just make my own batch next time.
Hey Mishele,
Happy Monday! I’m so glad you enjoyed this dish and appreciate you making it! Have a wonderful week! xxT
Addicting!!!
Thanks so much, Gracie!!
This was honestly one of the best soups I have ever made. My husband went for THIRDS! We like spice so I went heavy on the jalapeños- seeds and all🌶!
Was wondering if I could do batches of this to freeze? Maybe leave out the cream cheese until reheating? Does this freeze well?
Thank you so much for this winner. ☺️
Hey Helen,
Happy Sunday! I’m so glad to hear your family enjoyed this chili, thanks for making it! Yes, you can definitely freeze this, with or without the cream cheese! xx
This was delicious! I followed the instructions as stated, and my boyfriend and I loved it. I wouldn’t change a thing. He’s a hungry guy, so I made him a couple cheese quesadillas to dip in the chili if he wanted- big hit. He wants me to make it again next week. I had just a serving of the chili though, and I was completely content/full and happy to have leftovers for an easy meal tomorrow. Thanks for sharing your recipe!
Hey Kate,
Awesome! I’m so glad to hear this recipe turned out well, thanks for making it! Have the best weekend! XxT
Is the recipe meant to say you can either use poblano or jalepeno peppers? Or both if you like? I’m not big on spicy foods but my husband is. Could I just use poblano and then let him add jalepeno on his or would it be better for the jalepenos to be cooked? Thanks!
Hey Tiffany,
Totally! I would just do the poblanos and then your husband can add the jalapeños to your liking. I hope you love this recipe! xT
This will be made for years to come…so tasty!
**actually made a whole chicken in the air fryer, instead of cooking 1lb with the chili. Added the meat, as well as the juices left in the tray, to the chili during that step and we loved it!
Hey Dylan,
Happy Sunday!🍂🍁 Thanks a lot for trying this recipe and your comment, love to hear it turned out well! x
Good flavor. I don’t like a really thick chili, but this was way too thin, even after adding 2 more cans of beans. Next time I will leave out the cream cheese and cheddar cheese, I don’t think it added much flavor or thickened the chili. I’ll use 3 cans of beans and puree one to thicken the chili. And maybe add a little coconut milk for more creaminess. I’ll still top each serving with cheddar cheese for the added cheese flavor. Thank you! I get lots of inspiration from your recipes!
Hi Amy,
Thanks so much for trying this recipe and sharing your feedback! So sorry to hear you didn’t love it. Let me know if you try again making those adjustments! Have a great weekend! xx
Great recipe. I made it on the fly so I had to make a few tweets based on what was on hand.
I used some goat cheese with cream cheese and a 1/4 cup milk and to make up on time, I quick pan sautéed the chicken with some seasonings then into slow cooker. And added an extra can of small white beans. It was a dinner winner! thanks!
Thanks so much, Kristin! Love to hear this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for making it! Have the best weekend! xx
Super good over rice
Hey Taylor,
Awesome! So glad to hear this recipe turned out well for you, thanks for making it! Happy Friday! xT
Was more liquidy than I wanted to ended up adding 2 extra cans of beans and thickening with flour. Next time I’ll add less broth. Other than that flavors were delicious!
Hey Rachel,
Awesome!! So glad to hear this recipe was enjoyed. I appreciate you giving it a try and your feedback! Have the best day! XxT
Hi Tieghan
Could i use coconut cream instead of cream cheese?
Thank you so much
Hey Melissa,
Totally, that will work nicely for you! Please let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xT
This was so good!! The only thing id do differently next time is make the broth a little thicker
Hey Hayleigh,
Awesome!! So glad to hear this recipe was enjoyed. I appreciate you giving it a try and your feedback! Have the best day! XxT
Just made this. Kids were like we’re not sure about it but ended up absolutely loving it! I did not have all the seasonings on hand so I just used taco seasoning for the meat in the chili. Added a can of sweet corn and green chilies. And use sour cream instead because that’s what I had on hand. Used her saying garnishments and served with tortilla chips. Will definitely make this again thank you.
Yay!! Thanks so much, Johnelle! So glad this recipe was a hit, thanks a lot for trying it out! XxT
Could you recommend a verde sauce recipe you like or a good canned sauce, please? So far I’ve not been able to find a great one.
Hey Sherry,
You bet! I really love Whole Foods 365 brand and Fontera also makes a good one. I hope this helps! xT
Does this freeze well? Making it now.
Hey Elizabeth,
You bet! Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT