This post may contain affiliate links, please see our privacy policy for details.
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.
Half Baked Harvest At Home
20+ new recipes for wholesome comfort food made with everyday ingredients. Pre-order today! HBH At Home will be released on Tuesday, February 23rd!
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.
I wanted something but heartier so I doubled the beans, doubled the cream cheese, and added a cornstarch slurry to thicken it. My boyfriend likes spice so I also added a jalapeño and used Swanson spicy chicken broth which added a nice bit of heat. He absolutely loved it! Perfect for the colder weather. This was my first time trying a HBH recipe, can’t wait to try more!
Thanks so much, Alexandra! Love to hear this recipe turned out well for you, thanks a lot for making it!
I guess I wasn’t really expecting much. Just another white chicken chile recipe, but man was it good! Not sure if it was the addition of the smoked paprika or what, but it was delicious! I couldn’t find poblano peppers at my market, so I substituted Anaheim chiles instead. So tasty. Will definitely make again and again. I don’t know why I’m so surprised. Everything from Tieghan and Half Baked Harvest is amazing!
Hey Edna,
Thank you so much! I am so glad to hear you enjoyed this chili and appreciate you giving it a try!
Yummny! I loved all the flavors in this. Everyone in my family loved it. Will definitely be on rotation in my house this winter.
Hey Karen,
Amazing! Thanks a bunch for trying this dish and your feedback, so glad it was enjoyed!
Absolutely amazing!! Made it for dinner tonight…added a bit of jalapeños and a can of corn….SO GOOD!! It has rained all weekend so it was a perfect day for soup
Hey Jina,
Fantastic! I’m so glad to hear this recipe turned out well for you!
Thanks for giving it a try and your comment! Have a great week ahead!
This is our go to white chili! Everyone always loves it, including all kids which is a bonus!
Thanks so much, Cindy! Love to hear this chili is always enjoyed, I appreciate you making it!
Delicious!!! Flavor was spot on…creamy and flavorful!
Hey Lisa,
Happy Sunday!🎃 Thanks a bunch for making this recipe and your comment, so glad to hear it was a winner!
Does this freeze well?
Hey Connie,
It sure does! Please let me know if you have any other questions!
My family loves this recipe! I added more chicken and 2 cans of beans( high protein)
Love to hear this, Tammy! Thanks so much for making this recipe so often! Happy Friday!
I make this recipe once a week
Love to hear this, Sammi! Thanks so much!
Very tasty and fairly healthy! I only had chicken thighs and I do think it would be better with shredded chicken breast like you showed, but it was great! As usual Tieghan’s recipes are delicious!
Hey Emily,
Happy Monday! I appreciate you trying this recipe and your feedback, love to hear it turned out well!
LOVED it!! Is there a good substitute(s) for the cream cheese?
Hey Lindsey,
Happy Friday!! I appreciate you giving this recipe a try, I’m so glad it was a winner! You could skip it if you wanted to:)
This was really tasty. I did add some frozen corn as well. Do you think this would work making the day before then putting in the crock pot for game day? Any notes for doubling the recipe?
Hey Adelle,
Happy Monday!! Thanks a lot for giving this recipe a try and sharing your feedback, I’m so glad it was a winner! Sure, that would work nicely for you. I would just be sure that your pot can handle the doubling of the ingredients.
Im sorry it was just not good. The cream cheese was very off putting in this recipe. The seasoning was bland. Not one of my favorites. Ive had much better recipes from this site.
Hi Lynn,
Very sorry to hear this, thanks for trying the recipe and sharing your feedback!
perfect!
Thanks so much, Sarah! Glad to hear you enjoyed this recipe:) Have a great Sunday!
I made this recently and it was a big hit in our home. Even our kids loved it. I do have a question tho- for the slow cooker instructions, can the chicken be frozen?
Love to hear this, Jacqueline! Thanks for trying the recipe! You definitely want to thaw the chicken:) Please let me know if you have any other questions!
I love this recipe! Any suggestions to sub chili powder and paprika for a family member with sensitivities to peppers and chilis? Thank you:)
Hi Ashley,
Could you just reduce the amount? Otherwise, I would skip the paprika and chili powder and use extra cumin. I hope this helps!