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Creamy white chicken chili in a white bowl topped with avocado, Monterey Jack, cilantro, lime and tortilla chips

White Chicken Chili Recipe

Author: Olivia Stone | Home Chef
490kcal
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Prep 15 minutes
Cook 40 minutes
Total 55 minutes
Creamy one-pot white chicken chili with shredded chicken, white beans, green chiles and cream cheese. Ready in under an hour, with slow cooker and Instant Pot options.
Servings 6 servings
Course Main Course, Soup
Cuisine American, Tex-Mex

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp olive oil (15 ml)
  • 1 medium yellow onion diced (about 1 cup / 150 g)
  • 4 garlic cloves minced
  • 2 (4 oz) cans diced green chiles (113 g each), undrained
  • 1 jalapeño seeded and minced, optional
  • 2 tsp ground cumin (5 g)
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp kosher salt plus more to taste
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth (950 ml)
  • 1 1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts (680 g), or thighs
  • 2 (15 oz) cans great northern or cannellini beans (425 g each), drained and rinsed; mash 1/2 cup
  • 1 cup frozen corn (150 g)
  • 4 oz cream cheese (113 g), cubed and softened
  • 1/2 cup sour cream (120 g)
  • 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack (113 g)
  • 1 tbsp lime juice (15 ml)
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro chopped
Toppings
  • avocado, tortilla chips, extra cheese, green onions, lime wedges as you like

Method

  1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion with a pinch of salt and cook 5 to 6 minutes, until soft and translucent but not browned.
  2. Stir in the garlic, jalapeño (if using), cumin, oregano and chili powder. Cook about 1 minute, until fragrant.
  3. Pour in the broth and green chiles and scrape up anything stuck to the bottom. Add the salt, pepper and whole chicken breasts, making sure they sit under the liquid. Cover and simmer gently 15 to 20 minutes, until the thickest piece reads 165°F (74°C).
  4. Move the chicken to a cutting board and shred it into bite-size pieces with two forks.
  5. Mash 1/2 cup of the beans with a fork. Add all the beans (mashed and whole) and the corn to the pot. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, until the broth starts to thicken.
  6. Turn the heat to low. Stir in the cream cheese until melted, then return the chicken and stir in the sour cream and Monterey Jack. Keep it at a bare steam from here; do not let it boil or the dairy can curdle.
  7. Stir in the lime juice and most of the cilantro. Taste and adjust the salt. Serve hot with your favorite toppings.

Nutrition

Serving1.5cupsCalories490kcalCarbohydrates30gProtein40gFat22gSaturated Fat10gSodium700mgFiber7gSugar5g

Notes

Slow cooker: add everything except the dairy, cheese, lime and cilantro, with the raw chicken on top. Cook on LOW 6 to 7 hours or HIGH 3 to 4 hours, to 165°F (74°C). Shred the chicken, stir in the cream cheese, sour cream and Jack, cover and cook 15 minutes more.
Instant Pot: sauté the onion and spices, add the broth, chiles and chicken, then cook 10 minutes at high pressure with a 10-minute natural release. Shred, add the beans and corn, heat on Sauté, then switch to Keep Warm before adding the dairy.
Rotisserie shortcut: skip the chicken breasts and stir in about 3 cups of shredded rotisserie chicken with the beans.
Nutrition is an estimate per serving (about 1 1/2 cups).

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