A Quick and Cosy White Chicken Chili Recipe You’ll Adore

Are you on the hunt for a bowl of true comfort that offers something a little out of the ordinary? Perhaps a dish that is robust, warming, and brimming with flavour, yet provides a refreshing take on a familiar classic? If that sounds like what you’re craving, then we have just the recipe for you.

We’d like to invite you to move beyond the traditional tomato-based red chili and discover the creamy, delectable universe of White Chicken Chili. It’s an absolute game-changer for those cooler evenings, hectic weekdays, or any time you simply desire something nourishing and deeply satisfying. This dish is rich and flavourful yet remarkably straightforward to prepare, ensuring it will become a cherished staple in your meal plan. It truly is the perfect one-pot meal that consistently delivers on both taste and cosiness.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Incredibly Creamy & Comforting: This chili boasts a wonderfully velvety texture, thanks to a secret ingredient (cream cheese!), which makes it the ultimate ComfortFood without ever feeling too heavy.
• Quick & Easy: We understand that life can get hectic. That’s why we’ve created this recipe to be ready in less than an hour, making it an ideal QuickDinner for any night of the week.
• Packed with Flavour: We combine a medley of green chillies, cumin, and oregano to achieve a beautifully rounded flavour that is zesty, earthy, and perfectly spiced.
• Healthy & Wholesome: Filled with lean chicken, protein-packed beans, and wholesome vegetables, this is a meal you can feel fantastic about sharing with your loved ones.
• Perfectly Versatile: This recipe serves as the perfect canvas for your favourite garnishes. Feel free to get creative with avocado, coriander, sour cream, and tortilla strips to make it uniquely yours!

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 large Onion, chopped
• 2 cloves Garlic, minced
• 1 large Jalapeño or 2 mild Green Chillies, deseeded and finely chopped
• 500g boneless, skinless Chicken Breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 tsp ground Cumin
• 1 tsp dried Oregano
• ½ tsp Smoked Paprika
• Pinch of Cayenne Pepper (optional, for extra heat)
• 1 litre Chicken Stock
• 2 x 400g tins Cannellini Beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 x 300g tin Sweetcorn, drained
• 150g full-fat Cream Cheese, softened and cubed
• Juice of 1 Lime
• Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper, to taste
• A small bunch of fresh Coriander, chopped (for stirring in and garnish)

How to Make the Perfect White Chicken Chili

Whipping up this delightful ChickenChili is more straightforward than you might imagine. We will walk you through every stage to guarantee a flawlessly creamy and flavour-rich outcome. Simply follow our lead, and you’ll be enjoying a steaming bowl of deliciousness before you know it.

Step 1: Build Your Flavour Base

To begin, we must establish that crucial foundation of flavour. Warm the olive oil in a large, heavy-based pot or a Dutch oven over a medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté for 5–7 minutes, until it has softened and turned translucent. Next, stir in the minced garlic and chopped chillies. Continue to cook for one more minute until everything is aromatic, but take care to prevent the garlic from browning. This first step is vital for creating the deep, fragrant base of your chili.

Step 2: Cook the Chicken and Spices

Now it’s time to add the chicken pieces to your pot. Season them well with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring from time to time, until the chicken has a light golden-brown colour on all sides. This not only cooks the chicken but also develops another wonderful layer of flavour. Add the ground cumin, dried oregano, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper if you’re after some extra warmth. Stir to combine and allow the spices to become fragrant for around 30 seconds. The incredible scent is your sign that you’re doing it right!

Step 3: Simmer and Combine

Pour the chicken stock into the pot, using your spoon to scrape any flavourful browned bits from the bottom. This technique, called deglazing, is key to unlocking deeper taste. Tip in the rinsed cannellini beans and drained sweetcorn. Give the mixture a thorough stir, bring it up to a boil, and then lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Allow it to cook, uncovered, for approximately 20–25 minutes. This gives the flavours time to meld together beautifully while the chili thickens naturally.

Step 4: Make It Wonderfully Creamy

Here comes the part that adds the magic! Reduce the heat to its lowest setting. Add the cubes of cream cheese to the chili. Stir gently and consistently until the cream cheese dissolves completely into the broth, creating a silky, creamy texture. It’s essential to do this over a very low heat to ensure the sauce remains smooth. As soon as it’s fully incorporated, switch off the heat. Squeeze in the fresh lime juice and stir through most of the chopped coriander, keeping a little aside for a garnish. The lime juice beautifully brightens the dish and balances its richness.

Tips for the Best White Chicken Chili Experience

Are you ready to elevate your chili from simply great to truly unforgettable? We’ve put together some of our top tips and tricks to help you master this fantastic ChiliRecipe.

Choosing Your Chicken

Although we’ve used fresh chicken breast here, feel free to substitute leftover cooked chicken or a store-bought rotisserie chicken for an even faster preparation. If you’re using pre-cooked chicken, just shred it and add it to the pot with the beans and corn during Step 3. It’s a brilliant shortcut and a great way to use up what you have. For another great way to use chicken, we think you’ll love our easy Low Carb Chicken Casserole.

The Secret to Creaminess

The trick to a velvety-smooth chili lies in ensuring the cream cheese is soft before it goes into the pot. Simply taking it out of the fridge about half an hour beforehand makes all the difference. Adding it in small cubes and stirring over a very low heat helps it melt evenly without splitting. A little patience at this stage rewards you with a sumptuously smooth finish.

Let It Rest

As with many stews and soups, this White Chicken Chili is even more flavourful the following day! If you can, try making it a day in advance. This gives the ingredients more time to mingle and deepen, creating an even more delicious meal. Simply keep it in an airtight container in the fridge and reheat gently on the hob when you’re ready.

Topping and Serving Suggestions

One of the greatest joys of eating chili is customising it with toppings! Creating a small “toppings bar” is a wonderful way to allow everyone to personalise their bowl. Here are a few of our favourite additions:

• Freshly chopped coriander
• Diced avocado or a dollop of guacamole
• A spoonful of sour cream or Greek yoghurt
• Grated cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
• Crushed tortilla chips for a bit of crunch
• Sliced fresh jalapeños for an extra kick of heat
• A final squeeze of fresh lime juice

We adore serving this chili alongside warm, crusty bread or soft cornbread for dipping. If you’re a fan of comforting, flavourful chicken dishes, you might also enjoy our popular Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta Recipe.

Variations and Substitutions

This recipe is wonderfully flexible. Don’t hesitate to make it your own with these easy swaps and creative additions.

• Bean Swaps: Don’t have any cannellini beans? Not a problem. Great Northern beans, butter beans, or even pinto beans work as excellent alternatives.
• Make it Spicier: For those who enjoy a bit more fire, be bold! You could add another jalapeño, keep the seeds in, or finish with a splash of your preferred hot sauce.
• Add More Veggies: You can easily increase the vegetable content by adding chopped bell peppers along with the onions, or by stirring through some fresh spinach at the end until it has just wilted. The beans are a great source of nutrients, a fact highlighted by health resources like this guide from BBC Good Food.

FAQ

A New Comfort Food Classic

And there we have it – a straightforward, satisfying, and completely delicious White Chicken Chili that we are confident will earn a regular spot in your kitchen. It strikes the perfect balance between creamy, zesty, and hearty, making it a fantastic choice for any occasion. It’s definitive proof that a spectacular chili doesn’t always need tomatoes.

So, the next time you find yourself pondering what to cook for dinner, we truly hope you’ll give this recipe a try. It’s like a warm hug in a bowl, ready to comfort you from the inside out.

We would be thrilled to hear how you get on! Feel free to leave a comment below to share your thoughts or any inventive toppings you discovered. And don’t forget to save or pin this recipe for your next cosy meal at home!

Recipe Card

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 40 mins
Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 large Onion, chopped
• 2 cloves Garlic, minced
• 1 large Jalapeño or 2 mild Green Chillies, deseeded and finely chopped
• 500g boneless, skinless Chicken Breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 tsp ground Cumin
• 1 tsp dried Oregano
• ½ tsp Smoked Paprika
• Pinch of Cayenne Pepper (optional, for extra heat)
• 1 litre Chicken Stock
• 2 x 400g tins Cannellini Beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 x 300g tin Sweetcorn, drained
• 150g full-fat Cream Cheese, softened and cubed
• Juice of 1 Lime
• Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper, to taste
• A small bunch of fresh Coriander, chopped (for stirring in and garnish)

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in a large pot. Sauté the onion until soft (5-7 mins), then add garlic and chillies and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the chicken, season, and cook until browned. Stir in all the spices and cook for another 30 seconds.
2. Pour in the chicken stock, scraping the bottom of the pot. Add the rinsed cannellini beans and drained sweetcorn. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer and cook uncovered for 20-25 minutes until thickened.
3. Reduce heat to low and stir in the cubed cream cheese until it melts into a smooth, creamy sauce. Turn off the heat, then stir in the lime juice and most of the fresh coriander. Serve immediately.