The BEST White Chicken Chili recipe

This White Chicken Chili recipe is ultra thick and creamy, with shredded chicken, white beans and corn and just the right amount of spice! Make ahead and freezer friendly, perfect for pantry cooking.

There are plenty of White Chicken Chili recipes out there, but this one takes the cake.

It’s rated 5 stars for a reason!

The fact that this White Chicken Chili recipe is ready in 30 minutes or less with mostly pantry ingredients means that I can actually get it on the table while chasing 3 kids around the house, which is pretty much how things happen these days.

Don’t want to stand at the stove? Try my Crockpot White Chicken Chili!

Why you’ll love this white bean chicken chili recipe:

• Top-rated white chicken chili recipe: This recipe is rated 5 starts with over 300 reviews, so you know it’s a keeper!
• No pre-cooking required: we cook whole, uncooked chicken breasts right in the chili so they stay super moist and you don’t need to prep any cooked chicken.
• Made in one pot: it’s made in one pot with minimal ingredients, so it’s big flavor with little fuss!
• It is healthy, hearty, make ahead and freezer friendly: That means you can make a double or triple batch, and use it as a base to create fresh, easy meals for the family through the week.

See what people are saying!

Chicken Chili Ingredients needed:

• Chicken breasts: boneless, skinless chicken thighs will also work well! If you’ve got Shredded Chicken or Crockpot Shredded Chicken stashed away, you can use that instead.
• Chicken broth: I always use low sodium chicken broth so I can add salt to my tastes. If you are using salty broth, you may want to reduce the amount added.
• White beans: sticking with our white color theme here, white beans add texture, protein and fibre.
• Corn: add sweetness and texuture
• Green chiles: canned green chiles add a punch of flavor
• Tabasco sauce, chili powder, onion powder, salt: are what we use to season our chili. You can adjust the seasonings to your tastes!
• Cream cheese: thickens the chili and adds a deliciously creamy texture.
• Corn starch + water: to thicken further if desired.

How to Make this White Chicken Chili recipe:

1. Simmer the chicken: cook the chicken in broth until tender. This adds great flavor to the chili and you can even use frozen chicken breasts!
2. Remove the chicken and shred with two forks (or chop it with a knife).
3. Add the chicken back in with the seasonings, beans, corn and chiles.
4. Stir in cream cheese and simmer until cream cheese is melted and everything comes together.

How to make this White Chicken Chili recipe in the slow cooker:

You can easily make this White Bean Chicken Chili in the crockpot to make it even easier to fit in your day!

I do things a little differently when I make this chicken chili in the slow cooker, simply because if I’m using my slow cooker I don’t want to be babysitting it all day. I throw everything in the pot and let the chicken cook with everything else, then shred it later.

1. Throw everything in the slow cooker
2. Cook on low for 4-6 hours, until chicken is cooked through and falling apart.
3. Remove chicken breasts and shred, then stir back into the chili.
4. Serve!

How to thicken white bean chicken chili:

We thicken this creamy chicken chili with two things: cream cheese and corn starch.

The cream cheese adds a wonderful richness without making this chili heavy. If you don’t have any, that’s fine! I’ll share some other things you can add in the next section.

The corn starch is optional, but we love our chili super thick and creamy, so we like to add it. If you skip the corn starch, it will still be perfectly creamy but not quite as thick.

Another way to thicken white chicken chili if you don’t have cream cheese or corn starch, is to keep some of the white beans aside, and puree them in a blender before adding into the chili. This is a great way to make this chili dairy free!

How do you store White Chicken Chili?

Refrigerator:

Chicken Chili can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Freezer:

Chili is a great freezer meal! It can be frozen up to 3 months before using, so it’s a good idea to make a large batch and save some for another day.

How to reheat White Bean Chicken Chili:

I like to reheat this chicken chili on the stovetop or in the microwave with an extra splash of cream or broth — it keeps it from drying out!

Can I make it in the Instant Pot?

Yes! Check out my Instant Pot White Chicken Chili recipe for more details.

Can I use chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts?

Yes!

What if I have leftover shredded chicken?

Awesome! Simply skip ahead to step 2.

White Chicken Chili Variations:

• No Tabasco sauce? There are lots of ways to add spice. Try adding a pinch of red pepper flakes or a bit of cayenne pepper (start small! A little goes a long way).
• Swap the chicken breasts: Chicken thighs work great and won’t change the cook time at all. Just be sure they are boneless and skinless.
• Add in more vegetables: chili recipes are great for using up whatever vegetables you have in the fridge. For firmer vegetables (like carrots, celery, onion, peppers, etc.) I recommend sauteeing them in a bit of oil before you add the broth and chicken.

More chili recipes you’ll love:

• This Easy Vegetarian Chili is hearty and healthy, loaded with protein and fibre!
• Got leftover chili? Use it to make this BBQ Chili Cheese Biscuit Casserole
• This Instant Pot Chili and this Easy Crockpot Chili Recipe are perfect when you need a dinner that’s mostly hands-off.
• Use leftover chili to make Chili Cheese Fries with these Air Fryer Frozen French Fries or Air Fryer French Fries.