Description
This creamy and flavorful White Chicken Chili is a comforting twist on traditional chili, featuring tender chicken breasts simmered with beans, sweet corn, green chilies, and a blend of warming spices. Finished with cream cheese for extra richness, it’s perfect for a hearty weeknight meal served with your favorite toppings like avocado, sour cream, and tortilla strips.
Ingredients
Scale
Spices
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon mustard powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes
Main Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 1 large jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 1/3 cup half and half (half milk, half cream)
- 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
- 2 (15.5 oz.) cans cannellini beans, drained
- 1 ½ lbs. bone-in skinless chicken breast
- 1 (15.25 oz.) can whole kernel sweet corn, drained
- 2 (4 oz.) cans mild green chilies, undrained
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Toppings
- Lime wedges
- Diced avocado
- Sour cream
- Tortilla strips
- Fritos
- Monterey or Pepper Jack cheese
Instructions
- Prepare Spice Mix: Combine chili powder, ground cumin, dried oregano, salt, mustard powder, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and red pepper flakes in a small bowl and set aside.
- Sauté Vegetables: In a large pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add diced onions and jalapeño pepper and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add Garlic and Flour: Stir in minced garlic and flour, cooking for about 1 minute to create a roux, ensuring the mixture is blended well and fragrant.
- Add Liquids: Gradually pour in chicken broth and half and half, stirring continuously to prevent lumps and create a creamy base.
- Blend Beans for Thickness (Optional): Puree about half of the cannellini beans with some broth for added creaminess and thickness, then stir back into the pot with the remaining beans.
- Add Seasonings and Simmer: Stir in the prepared spice mix, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and undrained green chilies. Let the chili simmer gently for about 15 minutes to develop flavors.
- Add Chicken and Corn: Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper, then add them to the pot along with the drained sweet corn. Simmer until chicken is fully cooked, approximately 20 minutes depending on thickness.
- Shred Chicken and Add Cream Cheese: Remove chicken breasts from the pot, shred them with two forks, and return the shredded chicken to the chili. Stir in softened cream cheese until fully melted and incorporated, adding creaminess to the chili.
- Final Seasoning and Serve: Taste the chili and adjust salt, pepper, or hot sauce as needed. Serve hot topped with lime wedges, diced avocado, sour cream, tortilla strips, Fritos, and shredded Monterey or Pepper Jack cheese as desired.
Notes
- Blending some beans adds a creamy texture without using heavy cream.
- Use bone-in, skinless chicken breasts for added flavor; alternatively, boneless breasts can be used.
- Adjust the jalapeño and cayenne pepper amounts to control spiciness.
- Leftovers store well refrigerated for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months.
- For a thicker chili, simmer uncovered longer or add more pureed beans.
- Use gluten-free flour or cornstarch if gluten sensitivity is a concern.
