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This White Chicken Chili is creamy, mildly spiced and full of shredded chicken, white beans and corn. It’s a nice change from red chili and just as filling.
It leans on cans: two of white beans and one of green chiles. Beans stretch the chicken so a few cups feed six, and that’s a trick worth knowing any time meat prices make you wince.
It’s ready in about 35 minutes in one pot or Dutch oven, especially if you start with cooked chicken. Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken or a rotisserie chicken is perfect here.
Top it with cilantro, cheese and crushed tortilla chips. For a classic red chili, try our Hearty Turkey Chili.
Ingredients and Swaps
- Chicken: Shredded cooked chicken. See the recipe notes for starting with raw chicken.
- White beans: Great northern or cannellini.
- Green chiles: A small can of mild diced chiles.
- Cream cheese: Makes the broth creamy. Sour cream is a substitute, stirred in off the heat.
- Spices: Cumin, oregano and a little chili powder.
Tips for Creamy White Chicken Chili
- Mash some of the beans. It thickens the chili without flour.
- Soften the cream cheese. Cubed and at room temperature, it melts in without lumps.
- Add the lime at the end. It brightens the pot.
- Taste for salt. Beans and chicken both need it.
Prices are from Walmart’s and ALDI’s websites for stores in Columbus, Ohio, checked in October 2026. Ohio’s grocery prices are within about 1% of the national average, so you may pay more or less depending on where you live, and prices change often. Here’s how we price our recipes.
Cost: Ingredients – $10.47 from Walmart, $9.69 from ALDI · Per Serving – $1.62 to $1.75
White Chicken Chili
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 4–5 minutes, until soft.
- Stir in the garlic, green chiles, cumin, oregano and chili powder and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the broth, beans and corn. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Mash about 1 cup of the beans against the side of the pot with a spoon to thicken the chili.
- Stir in the chicken and cream cheese. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring, until the cream cheese melts into the broth.
- Stir in the lime juice and season with salt and pepper. Serve with your favorite toppings.
Notes
- Starting with raw chicken? Add 1 pound of boneless, skinless chicken breasts with the broth and simmer for 15–18 minutes, until they reach 165°F. Shred and return to the pot.
- No cream cheese? Stir in ½ cup of sour cream off the heat.
- For more heat, add a diced jalapeño with the onion or a pinch of cayenne.
- Slow cooker: add raw chicken and everything except the cream cheese and lime. Cook on low for 6–7 hours, shred the chicken, then stir in the cream cheese and lime.
Storage & Freezing Tips
- Refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- Freeze for up to 3 months. The texture can change slightly because of the cream cheese, so stir well as it reheats.
- Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat gently on the stove.
- Add a splash of broth if the chili has thickened.
White Chicken Chili Questions
Is it spicy?
No. Mild green chiles add flavor without much heat. Add a jalapeño or cayenne if you want more.
What toppings go with it?
Cilantro, shredded Monterey Jack, avocado, crushed tortilla chips and a squeeze of lime.
What should I serve with it?
Cornbread or tortilla chips.
