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Creamy White Chicken Chili

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This easy white chicken chili recipe is creamy, hearty, comforting, and the perfect thing to serve at family gatherings or on game day. 

This easy white chicken chili recipe is quick and delicious. It's so creamy and flavorful that everyone will want seconds! Top it with your favorites including tortilla strips, avocado, lime, scallions, and cilantro.

This creamy white chicken chili may just be my favorite chili recipe yet. Like I mentioned on the Instant Pot version of this recipe, the fact that this chili is creamy probably has something to do with it. Natasha preferring creamy recipes? No way. 😛

This white bean chicken chili hits the spot. I impressed myself with this recipe. I’m generally not the biggest chili fan, so I was surprised that I kept stealing spoonfuls of this one.

This creamy white chicken chili is the best easy chili recipe out there! White beans and tender chicken breast, the perfect combination of spices, and delicious toppings make this the perfect weeknight dinner or game day recipe.

This white chili is just so flavorful. It’s not what I’d describe as spicy, but it does have a bit of personality to it. If you do want to kick up the spice a notch, I recommend using spicy green chilis (I buy the mild ones), and/or adding some cayenne pepper and/or chopped jalapeno peppers. 

Texture-wise, this chili is closer to a soup than anything, really. Some chilis are fairly dry – this is not one of them. It makes four pretty generous portions (six if you really top ’em and eat smaller portions), so I suggest doubling the recipe if you have more hungry mouths to feed. 

This creamy white chicken chili is easily made on the stove top! Load it up with your favorite toppings and everyone will enjoy this simple recipe.

How to make white chicken chili

  • Sauté the onion until lightly browned in a fairly large pot;
  • Add in the chicken pieces and cook for a few minutes;
  • Add in the garlic, followed by the chicken broth, chopped green chilis, oregano, cumin, chili powder, and white beans.
  • Simmer for 10 minutes;
  • Stir in the cream cheese and continue to cook for another 10 minutes or so. The chili will become wonderfully creamy. 

Pro tip: Leave the cream cheese sitting on your counter so it softens up while the chili is cooking. 

Can I use cooked chicken in this white chicken chili?

Yes, but I would reduce cooking time so the chicken doesn’t overcook (reduce it by at least 5 minutes). 

What kind of beans do I use in white chicken chili?

I used your standard white (cannellini) beans, but I’ve also seen navy beans used.

Creamy white chicken chili toppings

  • Lime wedges (I love to squeeze in extra lime juice!)
  • Fresh chopped cilantro
  • Jalapenos
  • Tortilla strips
  • Tex-Mex blend or Monterey Jack shredded cheese
  • Chopped avocado 
  • Sour cream or Greek yogurt
  • Scallions 
  • …etc. 

This white chicken chili recipe is made with cream cheese, so it's deliciously creamy and tangy. Tender chicken breast and yummy toppings make this the best chicken chili ever!

I wholeheartedly believe this is the best white chicken chili recipe. 😉 Will you give it a try?

Questions? Let me know in the comments below!

This easy white chicken chili recipe is quick and delicious. It's so creamy and flavorful that everyone will want seconds! Top it with your favorites including tortilla strips, avocado, lime, scallions, and cilantro.
4.86 from 14 votes
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Creamy White Chicken Chili

This easy white chicken chili recipe is creamy, hearty, comforting, and the perfect thing to serve at family gatherings or on game day. 

Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword creamy white chicken chili recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 4
Author Natasha Bull

Ingredients

  • 1 medium onion chopped
  • 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 large chicken breasts cut into small bite-size pieces
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 2 (4 fluid ounce) cans mild chopped green chilis with juices
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 2 (14 fluid ounce) cans white beans drained
  • 4.4 ounces cream cheese softened
  • Salt & pepper to taste

Toppings (optional, to taste):

  • Lime juice
  • Avocado chopped
  • Cilantro chopped
  • Tex-Mex cheese blend
  • Tortilla strips

Instructions

  1. Sauté the onion in a large pot for 5-7 minutes over medium-high heat (ok if onion lightly browned).

  2. Add the chicken pieces and cook, stirring often, until they're no longer pink on the outside.

  3. Stir in the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds.

  4. Add the remaining ingredients except for the cream cheese. Increase the heat and bring the chili to a boil. Reduce the heat so it's simmering, and cook for 10 minutes.

  5. Add in the cream cheese and let it melt (help it along by breaking it up with your spoon). Cook for another 8-10 minutes or so until the cream cheese has nicely incorporated into the sauce and it's warmed through.

  6. Season chili with salt & pepper as needed. Serve it up and and top as desired.

Recipe Notes

  • I used about 1 pound of chicken breasts in this recipe. You can use cooked chicken in this recipe if you have some, but I would reduce cooking time so as not to overcook the chicken.
  • I used half a block of Philadelphia cream cheese.
  • I like the tanginess the cream cheese gives this recipe, but you could also use heavy cream if you wish (I'd start with 1/2 cup). I'd add some lime juice to compensate for the tanginess if you do this.
  • Serves 4-6.
  • Want to make this recipe in your electric pressure cooker? Try my Instant Pot white chicken chili recipe.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Masooma Z says

    5 stars
    Made this last night and it was absolutely delicious. Added all the recommended toppings and it was enjoyed by the entire family. This one is definitely a keeper which I’ll be making again.

    Reply

  2. Ryne Muller says

    What would you suggest a substitute for cream cheese. I can’t stand the stuff. Otherwise, looking forward to making this soon

    Reply

  3. Amy says

    This was a big hit in our house. I added corn and brown rice and doubled the recipe. I also baked the chicken ahead of time with olive oil, salt & pepper and shredded it. It was awesome! Thanks for the great recipe. My family wants it in the regular rotation!

    Reply

  5. Tiffany says

    This Chili came out great! I would recommend following it exactly. The cream cheese really adds to the creaminess. I also added all of the recommended toppings. It was a great addition to the flavor. Thank you for always posting delicious recipes!

    Reply

  6. Rita McEntire-Laws says

    5 stars
    This is THE BEST recipe I have found in YEARS! It is super quick, easy and satisfying! I will def double it next time since everyone devoured it and went for seconds! I had the leftovers for breakfast this morning so what does that tell ya! I follow S+L on Instagram and these recipes are always practical and DELICIOUS – sure breaks up the monotony of boring weeknight meals. I am making the ground beef gnocchi tonight and I am way too excited about it, ha! Thank you Salt and Lavender!

    Reply

    • Kim Altheide says

      5 stars
      I made this last week and it was great! My husband who normally isn’t a fan of chicken Chili loved it as well. I did have to substitute the green chilis. I didn’t have any on hand so i used 1/2 jar of Salsa Verde (mild) and it was fabulous. I can’t wait to make it again!

      Reply

  7. Midori says

    5 stars
    I made this yesterday and it turned out really well! It was so easy to make and tasted like something from a restaurant! I used salt free chicken stock and just added salt to taste. So nice for cold winter days 🙂

    Reply

  10. Jaylynkay says

    Would really love to make this new recipe tonight! What would you think about adding black beans instead of white?

    Reply

  11. Mellani says

    5 stars
    Definitely a favorite! (As I have it cooking on the stove) I’m always cooking something different, but my boyfriend asked that I put this one in rotation! Thank you for all the amazing recipes!!

    Reply

  12. June Bieker says

    5 stars
    I just found this recipe and can’t wait to try it. Sounds so yummy and easy, especially with rotisserie chicken. I have sent a copy to all my friends and even posted on my Facebook feed. Have had others ask for it to be sent email (those who don’t do social media and yes, there are several of those holdouts, lol). Looking forward to more easy, good recipes. Have become a member of your FB page.

    Reply

    • Natasha says

      Thanks for following along on Facebook, and I appreciate you sharing the link with your friends! 🙂 Hope you like the recipe! Let me know how it goes!

      Reply

  13. Ashley says

    Wow! Made this for the first time and it is soooo delicious. I usually find white chili’s bland and this isn’t. I used shredded chicken cooked in a crockpot instead and worked great, and also found that Trader Joe’s chili lime seasoning was a great addition! Thanks for such an easy and flavorful recipe!

    Reply

    • Natasha says

      Hi Linda! I would probably leave it out. I haven’t experimented much with dairy-free substitutes for things like cream cheese. If you normally cook with one, you could add it instead. The cream cheese provides some tanginess, so I would add a squeeze of lime to compensate.

      Reply

      • Lyn says

        5 stars
        I’m dairy free too and I made this last night with half a tub of WayFare Dairy Free Cream Cheese that I get at my local organic food market. It’s the best I’ve found. Worked beautifully and was even better today!
        Thanks for a great recipe!

        Reply

    • MCL says

      My favorite creamy trick: blitz an extra can of white beans with a little broth and add in! Easy for any brothy recipe. Planning to do this weekend. Maybe add a little lime juice to the food processor to mix that flavour through.

      Reply

  20. Carolyn says

    3 stars
    This was tasty but never really thickened up for me. It was more milky rather than creamy. I think this could benefit from the addition of a roux or some other thickening agent.

    Reply

    • Natasha says

      Hi Carolyn! Hmm… this recipe is not intended to be super thick (soup-like texture)… but I definitely found it to be quite creamy with all that cream cheese. You could definitely do a roux to thicken it up, though. I’m glad you liked the flavor at least.

      Reply

  21. Meghan Breyer says

    5 stars
    OMG! I have made this twice now and the second time I even doubled the recipe so I would have more leftovers. I find myself craving this, which is unusual for me because I am usually a carbs addict. SO SO delish and easy!! The topping suggestions make the dish even more special!

    Reply

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