Creamy White Chicken Chili
With so many red chili recipes out there, this Creamy White Chicken Chili stands out in a class of its own! A rich and creamy alternative to traditional beef chili, this version features tender chicken, hearty beans, and tangy green chilis. It’s the ultimate comfort food!
If you’re a fan of classic chili with its tomato base and tender beef, then you’ll love this easy White Chicken Chili! This rich and hearty recipe has a creamy base and is packed with bites of juicy chicken, zesty chilis, and white beans. This hearty dish is a must-make for the fall and winter seasons.
I like to serve this chili with lots of interesting toppings like avocado, cheese, cilantro, and tortilla chips, but you can add whatever garnishes you like. You can also easily alter the recipe to suit your preferred spice level.
I’ve posted so many chili recipes for various types of chili – Black Bean Chili, Vegetable Chili, White Bean Turkey Chili, Family Favorite Chili, and even my shortcut Chili-My Way. All those have one thing in common – they’re tomato based.
But in this Creamy White Chicken Chili recipe, there’s not a tomato in sight. It has a creamy, buttery, smooth base full of delicious, tender chicken and white beans. And it just may be our all-time favorite chili around here.
❤ Why We Love This Recipe
- It’s warm, savory, rich, and creamy.
- A tasty, one-pot dinner.
- Great recipe for feeding a crowd.
- Easy to make ahead of time!
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING …
“I just used this recipe in our Neighborhood Chili Cook Off and it was voted Fan Favorite!! Will definitely be making this again!”
— Carey
🛒 About the Ingredients
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- Rotisserie Chicken – Purchase a cooked rotisserie chicken from your supermarket or use your own freshly roasted or leftover chicken.
- Green Chilies – If you can get Hatch green chilies, use them! The taste is really incredible. If they’re not available, any mild canned green chilies will work.
- White Beans – Any canned white bean works in this recipe. I do prefer great northern beans or cannellini beans.
- Monterey Jack Cheese – Monterey jack is a mild, creamy cheese that adds to the luscious flavor of this recipe. You can substitute white cheddar if you prefer.
- Whole Milk and Half and Half – Both are used to create rich depth of flavor.
- Tabasco – May be increased, decreased, or omitted depending on your spice tolerance.
You’ll find detailed measurements for all ingredients in the printable version of the recipe at the bottom of this post.
🔪 How to Make Creamy Chicken Chili
- Remove and discard the skin and bones from the cooked rotisserie chicken. Shred or chop the meat and set it aside.
- In a Dutch oven or large soup pot, sauté the onions over medium-high heat in 2 tablespoons of the butter until softened. Remove from the pot and set aside.
- In the same pot, melt the remaining 6 tablespoons of butter over moderately low heat and whisk in the flour.
- Cook, whisking constantly, for about three minutes or until slightly golden.
- Stir in the cooked onions.
- Gradually add the broth then the half and half, whisking constantly until well blended.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, or until thickened. (It will be nicely and obviously thick.)
- Stir in the Tabasco, chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper.
- Add the beans, chilies, chicken, cheese, and milk.
- Cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally for 20 minutes.
- Add sour cream.
- May be served immediately but is even better served the next day.
- To serve, ladle the chili into bowls and top with the usual chili garnishes – cilantro, cheese, lime wedges, jalapenos, and more!
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❗ Recipe Tips and Variations
- Want to try other protein options? Use shredded pork roast or leftover turkey.
- Like your chili on the spicier side? Swap out the mild green chilies for hot chilies of your choice. You could also increase the amount of tabasco sauce, add some crushed red pepper flakes, or cayenne pepper.
- Want to add some smoky or charred flavor? Try using a smoked or grilled chicken, rather than a rotisserie chicken.
- Need ideas on how to top the chili? Try adding some extra cheese, green onions, bacon bits, fresh tomato relish, or avocado slices. I find that ingredients typically found in southwestern or Mexican cuisine pair nicely with this chili.
- Make the recipe your own by adding a little something extra like a can of drained, whole kernel corn, a couple of cloves of garlic, or a few chopped fresh jalapeno peppers. You could also include a bit of smoked paprika or cayenne.
🍚 How to Store Leftovers
Leftovers may be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months. Make sure that the chili has cooled completely before storing it.
I prefer reheating on the stovetop, but you may use the microwave if you like. A splash of chicken broth may be needed to thin the chili as it tends to thicken even more when chilled.
🕒 How to Make Ahead
This recipe can be made and served immediately, but I find that the flavors are always best the next day. Simply prepare the recipe, allow it to cool, and store it covered in the refrigerator overnight. The next day, reheat it on the stovetop over medium to low heat, adding additional chicken broth as necessary. Serve and enjoy!
🍽 Make it a Meal
Not sure what sides to pair with this? To be honest, it doesn’t need much to make it a full meal, but some southern cornbread muffins or chips and guacamole are always welcome!
❓ Questions About Creamy White Chicken Chili
No problem! The rotisserie chicken is used in this recipe simply for convenience. If you don’t have access to them, you can roast a whole chicken at home and use the meat from that. Or you can cook three or four chicken breasts or chicken thighs either in the oven on a sheet pan or simmered with some aromatic vegetables until done.
Typically, chili has a base of red chilies or chili powder with tomatoes and red beans along with beef as the main protein. White chili, on the other hand, has a creamy base and contains white beans and chicken.
Try cooking it a little longer without a lid on the pot. If it hasn’t thickened after an extra ten minutes or so, slowly stir in a cornstarch slurry (2 tablespoons water mixed with 2 tablespoons cornstarch). It should thicken quickly.
HAVE YOU TRIED THIS RECIPE?
I’d LOVE to know what you thought!
Leave a rating below in the comments and let me know how you liked it!
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📖 Recipe
White Chicken Chili
Ingredients
- 1 rotisserie chicken skin and bones removed
- ½ cup butter divided
- 2 large yellow onions chopped
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup chicken broth
- 2 cups half and half
- 1 teaspoon Tabasco
- 1 ½ teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 16 ounces canned white beans (great northern beans or cannellini beans) drained
- 8 ounces canned chopped mild green chilies ((recommend: Hatch green chilies)) drained
- 6 ounces grated Monterey Jack cheese
- 1 cup milk
- ½ cup sour cream
Instructions
- Remove all the skin and bones from the cooked rotisserie chicken and discard. Shred or chop the meat and set aside.
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, cook the onion over medium-high heat in 2 tablespoons of butter until softened. Remove from the pot and set aside.
- In the same pot, melt the remaining 6 tablespoons of butter over moderately low heat and whisk in the flour.
- Cook, whisking constantly, for about three minutes.
- Stir in the onion.
- Gradually add the broth then the half and half, whisking constantly until well blended.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, or until thickened. (It will be nicely and obviously thick.)
- Stir in Tabasco, chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper.
- Add beans, chilies, chicken, cheese, and milk.
- Cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally for 20 minutes.
- Add sour cream.
- May be served immediately but is even better served the next day.
- To serve – ladle the chili into bowls and top with the usual chili garnishes–cilantro, cheese, lime wedges, jalapenos, etc.
Notes
- To make ahead, allow the chili to cool and store it covered in the refrigerator overnight. It’s even better the second day!
- Offer a choice of chili toppings such as sliced avocado, chopped green onion, fresh cilantro, extra cheese, and jalapenos. And either crackers, tortillas, or cornbread are great accompaniments.
- Leftovers may be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months. Make sure that the chili has cooled completely before storing it.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is calculated by software based on the ingredients in each recipe. It is an estimate only and is provided for informational purposes. You should consult your health care provider or a registered dietitian if precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.
— This post was originally published on December 6, 2011. It has been updated with new photos and additional information.
Very easy to make and packed full of flavor. Family loved it!
Great! I’m so glad your family enjoyed the recipe!
I have made this recipe so many times. And every time I serve it to someone new, they ask for the recipe. I don’t add the sour cream and the recipe is still delicious!
This is probably my favorite chili recipe of all time! I’m glad you enjoy it, too, Cheryl!
I have made White Chicken Chili before but this is the best recipe I have ever used. It’s going to be hard for me not to eat it before my friends come over. Thank you so much for the recipe. It’s a keeper!
I’m so glad to know you like it, Sands! It’s a huge favorite here.
I just made this chili and it is absolutely the best I have ever started. Kudos to you 👏🏻🌺❤️
I’m so glad you like it!
This is my first comment that I’ve made on line! So this really says something!
I’ve been making white chicken chili for years and this is by far the best recipe I’ve come across! It’s delicious! And I forgot the cumin!
I just used this recipe in our Neighborhood Chili Cook off and it was voted Fan Favorite!! Will definetly be making this again!
Congrats for winning Fan Favorite!! And thanks for letting me know :-)
Any advice on how to do it in a crockpot?
This is the absolute best white chicken chili recipe ever! Ive made ir multiple times and it is always scarfed down. I have played around with it and like it best doubling the hot sauce, an extra “dash” of cumin, jalapeno juice , 1/2 a can of diced jalepenos, and minced garlic. Fantastic!!
Thanks Maria! We think it’s delicious, too. I can’t wait for cold weather so I can make a batch.
Oh, Lana! This is wonderful. My men especially loved it! And it is so simple and easy! I’ll probably only make this version of what I think of as Chili Blanco for company, because it is soooo wonderfully rich, but this recipe is a keeper. And the leftover bones make for great ‘boiled bones’ as I call ’em – so that results in a whole new meal base for another day. — When I finally tried this a few weeks ago, I didn’t get around to adding this to my cookbook – – – Until now, that is. But I couldn’t forget to add this one! First things, first though: I had to make sure I wrote and said, “Thanks so much!” And now, since this is going into my cookbook belatedly, and since that usually means, as with most recipes that make it into my cookbook belatedly, that it’s time to make it again, I’m slipping the ingredients onto my shopping list again! Yum! Wish I could invite you over with our company and let them meet you and hear your stories, but they’ll hear about you anyway….., and maybe they’ll find their way to your lovely blog! Thanks again!
Rainah, thanks for your sweet comment! This is one of our favorite recipes and you’ve reminded me that I haven’t made it in quite a while. Hope your company enjoys it!
Have made this recipe a couple times and love it! It is by far my favorite Chili. Will be making more tonight! Thanks for sharing!!!
I added a can of corn to this, it is absolutely a wonderful receipe!
Do you eat this as is or would it be a good idea to eat it over rice or egg noodles?
William – you eat it as is with crackers or cornbread on the side just like you do a red beef chili.
I just made this and it was absolutely delicious. I’m going to serve it tomorrow like you recommend. My husband is the head chef of a restaurant so I’m always looking to wow him with my cooking..I think this chili will impress him!
I’d love to know how your husband likes the recipe!
WOW! Do yourself a favor and make this. I’ve been searching for a true, rich white chicken chili for a while and this one hits the mark!!!!
Thank you so much, Betsy! This is one of our favorite recipes and I’ve never served it anyone who didn’t rave about it.
Lana, I made this today for our Super Bowl party tomorrow. It tasted absolutely AMAZING today, so I can’t even imagine how good it will taste tomorrow. Just a quick question about re-heating for tomorrow: how long do you recommend? As you can imagine, I am trying to time a lot of dishes, and any estimation would be a great help! :)
Thank you again for the recipe! I’m sure it will be a huge hit tomorrow!
I’m so glad to hear that you enjoyed it, Cara! It’s a favorite of ours, too. About re-heating it…it depends on how much of it you’re heating, but just do it over quite low heat. It will keep for quite a few hours over low heat or even in a crock-pot. Just be sure to stir it every once in a while and don’t put the heat up very high because it will scorch.
I’ve been looking all over for White Chili recipe’s that aren’t soupy but thick like real chili. I’m sort of new into this cooking business and have fallen in love with using a lot of fresh ingrediens and cooking meat with my own concotion of spices has been fun. I would like to make this recipe but use fresh chicken instead of already cooked meat so is there a spice rub or a something you would suggest for me to use for my meat before adding it to all this awesome you have going?
Betsy – you can just roast a chicken, let it cool and start from there. You’re going to discard the skin anyway and that’s where most of the seasoning would be. I’d just do a simple roast chicken rubbed with butter and seasoned with salt and pepper.
This recipe looks great! One question…. We do not eat flour… Could it be thickened with corn starch?
I would think that it could, Angie, although I’ve never tried that. Give it a try and let me know how it turns out.
This is by far the best chili I have even eaten! My kids thought it was the best! Thank you so much for this recipe!
So glad your family liked it! It’s our favorite white chili recipe, too.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the chili, Christina. It’s one of our favorite recipes. Especially when the weather starts to turn cooler.