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White Chicken Chili with Cream Cheese Recipe

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★★★★★

4.7 from 63 reviews

This creamy white chicken chili with cream cheese is a flavorful, comforting dish perfect for any day. Combining tender chicken breasts cooked directly in a spiced broth with a blend of mild and hot peppers, white beans, and a rich, velvety texture from full-fat cream cheese and cheddar cheese makes this chili both hearty and indulgent. It can be made on the stovetop, in a slow cooker, or an Instant Pot, and offers flexibility with heat levels and toppings like cilantro, avocado, and sour cream.

Ingredients

Scale

Chicken and Broth

  • 2 whole chicken breasts (about 1.5 pounds)
  • 5 cups chicken broth (for stovetop)
  • 4 cups chicken broth (for slow cooker or Instant Pot)

Peppers

  • 1–2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and chopped (adjust heat as desired)
  • 2 poblano peppers, chopped (or substitute green bell peppers, serrano, ancho, green chili, banana, or habanero peppers)

Beans and Corn

  • 2 (15-ounce) cans white beans (Great Northern, cannellini, or white kidney), drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup corn kernels (fresh or frozen)

Dairy and Cheese

  • 4 ounces full-fat cream cheese, softened to room temperature
  • 1 cup grated cheddar cheese (about 4 ounces)

Additional Ingredients and Seasonings

  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Toppings (optional)

  • Fresh cilantro, chopped
  • Sliced scallions
  • Avocado slices
  • Corn chips
  • Additional shredded cheddar cheese
  • Sliced jalapeños
  • Sour cream or plain full-fat yogurt

Instructions

  1. Prepare the base: Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook until translucent, about 3-5 minutes. Add minced garlic and sauté for another minute until fragrant.
  2. Add the peppers and spices: Stir in the chopped jalapeño and poblano peppers. Add ground cumin, chili powder, oregano, salt, and pepper. Cook for 2-3 minutes to allow the spices to bloom and the peppers to soften slightly.
  3. Cook the chicken: Place whole chicken breasts into the pot and pour in the chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook the chicken breasts for about 15 minutes, ensuring they are fully cooked but still tender and moist. Avoid overcooking to prevent dryness.
  4. Shred the chicken: Remove the chicken breasts and shred them using two forks. Return the shredded chicken to the pot.
  5. Add beans and corn: Add the drained white beans and corn kernels to the pot. Stir to combine and heat through, about 5 minutes.
  6. Add cream cheese and cheddar: Reduce heat to low. Gradually add the full-fat cream cheese in chunks, stirring continuously until melted and fully incorporated into the broth. Next, stir in the grated cheddar cheese until melted, creating a thick, creamy texture.
  7. Adjust seasoning: Taste and adjust salt or heat level by adding more jalapeños or red pepper flakes if desired. Simmer gently for a few minutes to let flavors marry.
  8. Serve: Ladle the chili into bowls and garnish with your choice of toppings like fresh cilantro, scallions, avocado slices, corn chips, additional shredded cheddar, sliced jalapeños, sour cream, or plain yogurt. Enjoy warm.

Notes

  • This recipe also works well with ground chicken or turkey instead of whole breasts.
  • You can save time by using leftover rotisserie or shredded chicken.
  • To reduce heat, remove seeds from jalapeños before chopping.
  • Sneak in zucchini or other greens for added nutrition.
  • If you don’t have poblano peppers, suitable substitutes include serrano, ancho chili, green chili, banana pepper, habanero, or green bell peppers.
  • You can make this chili in a slow cooker or Instant Pot: use 4 cups broth in those cases to avoid excess liquid.
  • For slow cooker: cook on low for 4-6 hours with 4 cups broth, then shred chicken.
  • For Instant Pot: cook on high pressure for 15 minutes with 4 cups broth, manually release, shred chicken, add corn and reheat.
  • Store leftovers airtight in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months (texture of cream cheese may change).
  • Make-ahead tip: Prepare the chili without cream cheese a day before to enhance flavor; add cream cheese at reheating.

Keywords: white chicken chili, cream cheese chili, creamy chicken chili, chicken soup, easy chili recipe, mild spicy chili, one pot chicken chili

Find it online: https://tastybella.com/white-chicken-chili-with-cream-cheese-recipe/