My Favorite White Chicken Chili Recipe
We’ve all made the classic chili with beef, kidney beans, tomatoes, and the traditional chili spices but have you tried the white chicken chili version yet? This version is perfect for people who prefer chicken over beef, or anyone who wants a creamier soup that is packed with protein.
White chicken chili is one of my favorites because it’s so easy to make—especially for busy weeknights. It’s easy to keep the ingredients on hand (lots of cans or longer lasting fridge and pantry staples) so that you can make this crowd-pleaser at the drop of a hat. I love using a rotisserie chicken to make it even faster!
This is a recipe you’ll want to be making year round, even as it starts to get warm outside. The chili itself is delicious, but each person can make it their own with toppings they love.
You’ll love the way the flavors of this chili blend together, those tender pieces of chicken and that creamy broth. It tastes far different from the classic chili but it’s a welcome change. Everyone loves this soup!
And it’s just that much better when you load on the toppings. Who wouldn’t love the addition of fresh avocado slices, crunchy tortilla chips, flavorful cheese and fresh cilantro? Bring on those toppings!
What Ingredients go into White Chicken Chili?
- Chicken -I prefer rotisserie chicken but left-over cooked chicken will work great too.
- Garlic and onion – these aromatics adds lots of flavor here. Use fresh minced garlic.
- Chicken broth – for even more flavor try this soup with a homemade broth.
- Green chilies – be sure to buy the mild kind unless you like heat.
- Cumin, Paprika, Oregano & Coriander – these creates the perfect blend of spices here.
- Cannellini Beans – great northern beans will work great too.
- Frozen Corn – canned corn will work too, I just never have cared for the flavor.
- Neufchatel cheese – cream cheese will work great too. I usually use Philadelphia but the store was out.
- Lime – be sure to use fresh lime not the bottled stuff here.
- Cilantro – feel free to add more to taste.
- Desired toppings – I like to add avocado, tortilla chips, and cheese.
How do You Make the Best White Chicken Chili?
- Heat olive oil in a 6 quart enameled Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
- Add onion and saute 4 minutes.
- Add garlic and saute 30 seconds longer.
- Add chicken broth, green chilies, cumin, paprika, oregano, coriander, cayenne pepper and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Bring mixture just to a boil then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 15 minutes.
- Drain and rinse beans in a fine mesh strainer or colander then measure out 1 cup.
- Set whole beans aside, transfer 1 cup beans to a food processor along with 1/4 cup broth from soup, puree until nearly smooth.
- Add Neufchatel cheese to soup along with corn, whole beans and pureed beans and stir well. Simmer 5 – 10 minutes longer.
- Stir in chicken, fresh lime juice and cilantro. Serve with Monterrey Jack cheese, more cilantro, avocado slices and tortilla chips if desired.
The Trick For A Creamy White Bean Chicken Chili
You’ll notice there’s a step in the recipe that instructs you to process some of the Cannellini beans with some of the soup broth. I saw this once while I was watching Giada making a soup on Food Network. She added some pureed Cannellini beans to give the soup a creamy texture without adding too much dairy or thickening with flour.
I thought that idea would be perfect to make this white bean chicken chili extra creamy so I decided to adapt that method and I loved it (if you don’t have a food processor or just don’t want to have to clean a food processor then yes, you could just add all the beans in whole).
When should I make White Chicken Chili?
This chili is a fast and easy option for busy fall and winter weeknights. The crock pot option makes it even easier. It’s a comforting soup that is perfect for Halloween, football Sundays, or any other cozy gathering.