Creamy White Chicken Chili
This hearty chili is packed with moist chicken, plump beans, and sweet corn, all simmered in a creamy, chili-spiked broth. Thanks to warming spices and buttery cream cheese, this mind-blowing dish hits your palate from every direction. If you’re looking for a beef alternative, and crave a robust bowl of Mexican-inspired stew, this chicken chili is your huckleberry.
This recipe was written for the Arizona Republic.
When compared to beef chili, most chicken chili recipes are more akin to soup than stew. That said, my white chicken chili is delightfully thick, and as creamy as it is chunky – AKA wholly satisfying. It’s also crammed with protein from the chicken and fiber from the beans and corn.
Before you start infusing your home with irresistible aromas, I have a few tips!
- Use rotisserie chicken. This recipe calls for cooked chicken, and I prefer rotisserie chicken meat because it’s always moist and extra savory. Since rotisserie chickens are seasoned, brined, and roasted, they deliver more flavor than plain baked or boiled chicken. One rotisserie chicken yields about 4 cups of shredded meat, which is what we need for this recipe. However, if you have leftover chicken from a previous meal, or would rather bake or boil your chicken, that works too. Pro tip: Pulling the meat from the rotisserie chicken while it’s still warm is easier than when the chicken has been chilled. Plus, you’ll have more room in your fridge!
- Begin by caramelizing the onion. As is the case with most soups and stews, when you start with sautéed aromatics like onions, you create a base flavor that carries through to the end. Pan-fried onions are sweet and fragrant and act as the first building block in your stack of great flavor.
- Mash half of the beans. The first step in this recipe involves mashing half of the white beans (1 can). Why? Because beans are starchy, and when you mash them into a paste you create a natural thickener for your chili. As the stew simmers, the broth thickens, creating a creamy chili without the need for flour or other thickeners. Pro tip: This recipe calls for cannellini beans, also known as white kidney beans. If desired you can use Great Northern beans, or small white beans instead. Since this is a “white chili”, I suggest sticking with white beans.
- Use Mexican-style corn, or Southwest-style corn. I prefer canned Mexican- or Southwest-style corn in this chili because the medley features corn and little bits of green and red bell peppers. Southwest-style corn also boasts poblano chilies. The peppers add additional flavor without any work on your part. If you prefer, you can also use canned or frozen corn. When using frozen corn, there’s no need to thaw it before adding to the pan. When using canned corn, drain the can before using.
- Use mild or hot green chilies. The heat level in this chili is entirely up to you. Choose the spiciness of your chili by selecting mild or hot green chilies at the grocery store. I prefer to use mild green chilies, so the chicken chili appeals to a wider audience. You can always serve hot sauce at the table and let folks ramp up the heat on their own.
- Use cream cheese or Neufchatel cheese. It’s the cream cheese that transforms this soup into a creamy stew. Both cream cheese and Neufchatel cheese are dense, slightly tangy, and spreadable, but Neufchatel is lower in fat, thus slightly less rich. Neufchatel can also be faintly granular, which is barely detectable in this chili, so use it if you already have it.
- Use fresh lime juice. Since we use fresh lime juice to catapult flavor and impart freshness just before serving, I highly recommend using an actual lime, not the bottled stuff. You need lime wedges for serving anyway!
Have fun with your toppings! I like to serve my chicken chili with fresh cilantro, avocado, shredded Mexican cheese, and lime wedges, but there are no rules. Consider your favorite toppings, including those you pile on your beef chili. Great options include sour cream, fresh and pickled hot peppers, crushed tortilla chips, chopped tomatoes, chopped red onion, and crumbled Mexican cheese (i.e., queso fresco and cotija).
How should you store your leftover white chicken chili? Store leftover chicken chili in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw frozen chili overnight in the refrigerator before reheating in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Note, this white chicken chili thickens as it sits, so plan to add more broth (or water) when reheating.
Creamy White Chicken Chili
Ingredients
- 2 15-ounce cans cannellini beans (white kidney beans), rinsed and drained
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup chopped yellow onion, about 1 small onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced, or 2 teaspoons pre-minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 4 cups chicken broth, or chicken stock
- 2 4-ounce cans chopped or minced green chilies, undrained
- 8 ounces cream cheese, or Neufchatel cheese, cut into small pieces
- 11- ounce can Mexicorn, or fiesta-style corn, drained, or 1 1/4 cups frozen corn, kept frozen until ready to use
- 4 cups shredded rotisserie chicken meat, about 1 rotisserie chicken, or any cooked chicken
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, plus lime wedges for serving
For Serving
- Tortillas, flour or corn
- Mexican cheese blend, or Monterrey jack cheese, pepper jack cheese, queso fresco, or cotija
- Diced avocado
- Chopped green onions
- Fresh cilantro
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- Place half of the beans in a bowl and mash with a potato masher or fork until fully mashed. Note: The mashed beans act as a thickener, so the more they’re mashed, the better. You can also puree them in a food processor with a little of the broth. Set aside.
- Heat the oil in a large saucepan or stock pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until soft. Add the garlic, cumin, chili powder, oregano, coriander, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and stir to combine. Cook for 1 minute, until the spices are fragrant.
- Add the chicken broth, green chilies, and reserved mashed beans and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium, partially cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Add the cream cheese, corn, remaining whole beans and return to a simmer. Simmer until the cream cheese melts and is incorporated.
- Stir in the chicken and tablespoon of lime juice and simmer for 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
- Ladle the chili into bowls and top with desired toppings.