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Overhead bowl of creamy white chicken chili with toppings for recipe card.

Best White Chicken Chili Recipe

This white chicken chili is creamy, comforting, and full of hearty ingredients like tender chicken, white beans, green chiles, and a cozy blend of spices. Includes stovetop, crockpot, and Instant Pot instructions.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
0 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: American, Southwestern
Calories: 375
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Core Ingredients
  • 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
  • 2 cans white beans (cannellini, great northern, or navy) drained and rinsed
  • 1 can diced green chiles
  • 4 cups chicken broth
Flavor Boosters
  • 1 onion diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper optional
  • 1/2 cup salsa verde
  • 1 tbsp lime juice freshly squeezed
  • fresh cilantro optional, chopped
Creaminess Options
  • 4 oz cream cheese cubed
  • 1/2 cup half & half or heavy cream

Equipment

  • Dutch Oven
  • Slow Cooker
  • Instant Pot

Method
 

  1. In a Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Sauté onion and garlic until softened.
  2. Add chicken, cumin, paprika, oregano, and cayenne. Cook until lightly golden.
  3. Stir in chicken broth, white beans, green chiles, and salsa verde. Simmer for 30 minutes until chicken is cooked through.
  4. Shred the chicken with two forks directly in the pot.
  5. Stir in cream cheese and half & half until fully incorporated and smooth.
  6. Finish with lime juice and chopped cilantro. Serve hot with your favorite toppings.

Notes

To make it dairy-free, skip the cream and cheese and purée a portion of the beans. Add extra broth as needed. Store up to 3 days refrigerated or freeze up to 3 months. Reheat gently and stir in dairy after thawing.