We love making this chicken chili recipe in the farmhouse. Hearty, cozy, filling, and easy to throw together on a chilly evening. It’s a staple dinner in our home.
You know what I love about fall more than anything else? Soup. Soup. And more soup (or chili in this case)!
Its easy, filling, and I can incorporate every single food group into one magical little dish. Featuring tender chicken and a creamy base, this white chicken chili recipe is no exception to my love for these perfect dinners.
Dress your bowl of chili with a sprinkle of cheese and a dollop of homemade sour cream. You can even take it up another notch by adding green onions, fresh cilantro, crunchy tortilla chips and fresh lime juice to finish it off. The options for chili toppings are endless. I love to serve it with cast iron cornbread or a fresh slice of homemade whole grain sourdough bread on the side.
There is nothing better than a warm comforting dinner on a chilly day. This creamy white chicken chili is sure to become one of your new favorite recipes that the whole family is sure to love!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Hearty and filling – This dinner is my current favorite easy recipe because I don’t really have to serve anything else with it for my family to feel full. With the chicken, beans, and broth, this chili keeps us all going until the next meal.
Tasty and frugal – This meal is a great way to use up your pantry stash. It consists of simple, inexpensive ingredients you probably have stocked in your house already or can easily pick up from the grocery store. This makes it a great option the next time you need a tasty yet frugal meal.
Simple and Easy – This easy white chicken chili recipe comes together in just under an hour with pantry staples, making it a great choice for busy evenings.
Ingredients
Chicken broth – You can use whatever chicken stock you have on hand for this recipe, but in our house we love to use bone broth. Bone broth is rich in minerals, calcium and magnesium, and very easy to digest. It’s also a great source of amino acids. Read my post on how to make bone broth in the instant pot to learn how to make your own. Its super easy and a great way to add extra nutrients to your dishes!
Cream Cheese – You can use store bought or you can try your hand at making your own! It’s super easy and tastes delicious. Check out my recipe for homemade cream cheese.
A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
How to Make This Chicken Chili Recipe
Step 1: Heat a large pot or stock pot over medium heat. Add the butter. Once melted, add the onion and sauté until translucent and fragrant, about 5 minutes.
Step 2: Add the minced cloves of garlic and sauté for another minute, then add the taco seasoning and sauté for about 30 seconds.
Step 3: Add the green chiles, tomatoes, raw chicken breasts, and broth to the pot. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook on medium to low heat for about 20-25 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
Step 4: Once the chicken is cooked through, remove from the pan and shred in a large mixing bowl. Set aside.
Step 5: In a small mixing bowl, add the cream cheese and ½ cup of the broth from the pan. Whisk until completely smooth.
Step 6: Add the softened cream cheese and shredded chicken back to the pot along with the beans and corn.
Step 7: Stir and bring to a simmer for about 10 minutes.
Step 8: Serve with your favorite toppings and enjoy!
Tips
- Double the batch to make for a tasty meal prep option to eat during the week!
- Shred the chicken in a stand mixer to save on time. This is a great hack and a lot easier than shredding with a fork.
- The recipe calls for raw chicken breasts but you can also use rotisserie chicken, or extra leftover chicken that is already cooked to save an extra step.
Recipe FAQs
Classic chili recipes are usually made up of ground beef and a tomato base, while this white chicken chili is made up of chicken and has more of a creamy base.
Homemade chili can be considered healthy because it contains a variety of ingredients from different important food groups. It is even healthier when you choose high quality ingredients, and take the extra step of using bone broth in place of regular broth for the added nutrients.
Let the chili cool entirely and then place it in an airtight container in the fridge up to five days. Freeze up to three months.
More Dinner Recipes from the Farmhouse
- Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup
- Hearty Healthy Homemade Potato Soup
- Roasted Garlic and Butternut Squash Soup
- Sausage and Sauerkraut Skillet
- How to Cook a Perfect Roasted Chicken
If you try this recipe and love it, I would love it if you could come back and give it 5 stars! Tag me on Instagram @farmhouseonboone.
The Best White Chicken Chili Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 sweet onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 tablespoons taco seasoning
- 3 ounce can diced green chiles
- 14 ounce can fire roasted diced tomatoes
- 1.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast
- 3 cups chicken broth
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 14 ounce can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup frozen or fresh corn kernels
Instructions
- Heat a large pot or stock pot over medium heat. Add the butter.
- Once melted, add the onion and sauté until translucent and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add the minced cloves of garlic and sauté for another minute, then add the taco seasoning and sauté for about 30 seconds.
- Add the green chiles, tomatoes, raw chicken breasts, and broth to the pot. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook on medium to low heat for about 20-25 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
- Once the chicken is cooked through, remove from the pan and shred in a large mixing bowl. Set aside.
- In a small mixing bowl, add the cream cheese and ½ cup of the broth from the pan. Whisk until completely smooth.
- Add the softened cream cheese and shredded chicken back to the pot along with the beans and corn.
- Stir and bring to a simmer for about 10 minutes.
- Serve with your favorite toppings and enjoy!
Notes
- Double the batch to make for a tasty meal prep option to eat during the week!
- Shred the chicken in a stand mixer to save on time. This is a great hack and a lot easier than shredding with a fork.
- The recipe calls for raw chicken breasts but you can also use rotisserie chicken, or extra leftover chicken that is already cooked to save an extra step.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This sounds delicious and I’ve been looking for a new recipe for white chicken chili! My only confusion is if I use rotisserie chicken, when do I add that in? Maybe skip the chicken meat until the point in the recipe when you usually add the shredded chicken back in? Is that correct?
If so, does this make me miss out on any flavor that I would get from cooking the chicken in the pot? Do you compensate in any way, like adding more broth or more spices?
Thanks! I’m excited to try this! 🙂
Yes, you can skip until it’s shredded back into the pot.
I made this in a big soup pot on my woodburning stove. It is delicious! What a brilliant idea to add corn!!!
So glad you enjoyed it!
I’m a bit confused as to why this is called White Chicken Chili when it has no chilli? Have I missed an ingredient?
Thanks so much 😊
I use bell peppers rather than green chilis in this recipe.
When I saw 2 tablespoons of salt I thought it had to be a typo but now I understand why when you use unsalted bone broth. Mine was already salted so I am glad I didn’t add that much salt!
Exactly. Glad you caught that!