Description
This Creamy White Chicken Chili is a comforting, flavorful dish featuring tender chicken thighs simmered with white beans, green chiles, and a blend of spices. Enriched with cream cheese and sour cream, this chili offers a rich and creamy texture perfect for a satisfying meal. Customize the spice level to suit your taste and top with your favorite garnishes for a delicious bowl of warmth.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 1 yellow onion
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 jalapeño
Proteins and Beans
- 1.5 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 2 15 oz. cans cannellini beans, drained
- 1 15 oz. can pinto beans, drained
Other Ingredients
- 1 7 oz. can diced green chiles
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 Tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 4 oz. cream cheese
- 1/2 cup sour cream
Instructions
- Prepare Ingredients: Dice the onion, mince the garlic, and deseed then dice the jalapeño to your desired spice level.
- Sauté Vegetables: In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and jalapeño and sauté until the onions have softened and become translucent.
- Add Chicken and Beans: Add the chicken thighs, cannellini beans, pinto beans, diced green chiles, ground cumin, dried oregano, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, black pepper, and chicken broth to the pot. Stir well to combine all ingredients evenly.
- Simmer the Chili: Cover the pot with a lid and bring the chili to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and allow it to simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Shred Chicken: After simmering, remove the chicken thighs from the pot and shred them using two forks. Return the shredded chicken to the pot along with the frozen corn and stir to combine. Heat through.
- Add Creamy Elements: Cut the cream cheese into chunks and stir into the chili until fully melted. Then add the sour cream, stirring well to incorporate it evenly.
- Thicken Chili: To make the chili thicker, mash some of the beans against the side of the pot with a spoon and stir to combine.
- Adjust Seasoning and Serve: Taste the chili and adjust seasoning as desired. Serve hot with your favorite toppings such as sour cream, cheese, green onions, cilantro, tortilla chips, hot sauce, jalapeños, avocado, or lime wedges.
Notes
- The recipe uses chicken thighs because they stay tender and juicy under simmering. You can substitute chicken breasts but cook gently to avoid dryness.
- Toppings such as sour cream, Monterey Jack or Pepper Jack cheese, green onions, cilantro, tortilla chips, hot sauce, jalapeños, avocado, or lime enhance the flavors and texture of the chili.
- Adjust spice level by omitting cayenne pepper and jalapeño seeds for mild flavor or including them for extra heat. Hot diced green chiles and hot sauce can be added for more spiciness.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 670 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 27 g
- Fiber: 7 g
- Protein: 27 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg
