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Our Ultimate Creamy White Chicken Chili: A Heart-Warming Classic Reinvented

Are you looking for a meal that feels like a warm embrace on a cool evening? Something that is both deeply satisfying and a refreshing departure from your usual routine? We certainly understand that feeling. When you’re in the mood for the robust comfort of chili but fancy a lighter, creamier version, there is one perfect answer: a wonderful bowl of White Chicken Chili.

Let’s set aside the heavy, tomato-based recipes for a moment and allow us to guide you to your new go-to one-pot meal. This recipe achieves an impeccable harmony of zesty, spicy, and creamy notes, creating a flavour profile so delightful that everyone will be asking for a second helping. It’s the type of dish that feels special enough for a weekend get-together yet is straightforward enough to become a weeknight staple. We have carefully refined this recipe to ensure it’s not only delicious but also incredibly simple to prepare, making it the ultimate comfort food for any day of the week.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Incredibly Flavourful: We develop a deep flavour profile using aromatic onions, garlic, green chillies, and a fragrant spice blend of cumin and coriander. The end result is a rich, nuanced taste that is anything but ordinary.
• Luxuriously Creamy (Without Heavy Cream!): Our method for achieving a velvety texture involves a blend of cream cheese and a touch of soured cream. This combination melts seamlessly into the broth, creating a luscious, comforting consistency.
• Quick and Easy: This is the ideal Easy Dinner for a hectic weeknight. By using pre-cooked chicken, such as from a rotisserie, you can significantly cut down on preparation time and have this amazing meal on the table in less than 45 minutes.
• Perfect for Meal Prep: As with many stews and chilis, this dish tastes even more delicious after a day or two in the fridge. It reheats beautifully, which makes it a superb option for lunches throughout the week.
• Endlessly Customisable: The joy of any chili lies in the customisation! We adore setting up a toppings bar so that each person can garnish their bowl with avocado, fresh coriander, grated cheese, or a zesty squeeze of lime.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 large Onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves Garlic, minced
• 1 (400g) tin Chopped Green Chillies, drained
• 2 tsp Ground Cumin
• 1 tsp Dried Oregano
• 1/2 tsp Ground Coriander
• 1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper (or more, to taste)
• 1 litre Chicken Stock
• 2 (400g) tins Cannellini Beans, rinsed and drained
• 500g Cooked Chicken Breast, shredded (a rotisserie chicken works perfectly)
• 150g Cream Cheese, softened and cubed
• 100g Soured Cream
• Juice of 1 Lime
• A large handful of Fresh Coriander, chopped
• Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper, to taste

How to Make The Best White Chicken Chili

Crafting this gorgeous Chicken Chili is a simple affair, which we’ve laid out in easy-to-follow stages. By carefully building the flavour at each step, you’ll create a dish worthy of any top restaurant, all from the comfort of your own kitchen.

Step 1: Build Your Flavour Base

1. Set a large pot or Dutch oven over a medium heat and pour in the olive oil. When the oil is shimmering, tip in the chopped onion and sauté for about 5–7 minutes, or until it has softened and turned translucent. Our goal is to gently cook the onion to bring out its sweetness.
2. Toss in the minced garlic and continue to cook for one more minute until it becomes wonderfully fragrant. Take care not to let the garlic burn, as this can make it taste bitter.
3. Now, stir in the drained green chillies, ground cumin, oregano, ground coriander, and cayenne pepper. Cook for another minute, stirring all the time. This vital step helps to “bloom” the spices, awakening their aromas and deepening their overall flavour. Your kitchen will begin to smell incredible!

Step 2: Simmer and Combine

1. Pour the chicken stock into the pot, making sure to scrape any delicious browned bits from the bottom. Bring the entire mixture to a gentle simmer.
2. Next, add the rinsed cannellini beans and the shredded cooked chicken to the pot. If you are looking for other comforting one-pot dishes, we think you’ll also love our Low Carb Chicken Casserole, which offers that same satisfying, easy-simmer appeal.
3. Lower the heat, pop a lid on the pot, and allow it to simmer for a minimum of 20 minutes. This gives all the flavours a chance to mingle and develop. If you’re not in a rush, letting it simmer for up to an hour will yield an even richer taste.

Step 3: Create the Creamy Finish

1. To guarantee a perfectly smooth and creamy result, we suggest tempering the cream cheese. Simply ladle around 200ml of the hot broth into a separate bowl containing the cubed cream cheese. Whisk them together briskly until the cheese has completely melted and the mixture is smooth. This prevents any lumps from forming in the main pot.
2. Gently pour the smooth cream cheese blend back into the chili, stirring until it’s seamlessly incorporated. You’ll notice the chili instantly become richer and creamier.
3. Switch off the heat before stirring through the soured cream, fresh lime juice, and chopped coriander. The soured cream lends a final creamy tang, while the lime juice brilliantly brightens all the flavours in the pot.
4. Season generously with salt and black pepper according to your preference. It’s always a good idea to have a final taste and make any last-minute adjustments to the seasoning.

Expert Tips for the Perfect Bowl

Although this Chili Recipe is quite straightforward, we have a few simple tricks that can take it from excellent to truly exceptional. Here are our best tips:

• Shred, Don’t Cube: For the ideal texture, we always recommend shredding the chicken. Shredded meat absorbs the creamy broth far better than diced pieces, which means every mouthful is juicy and full of flavour.

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• Bean Texture Trick: If you’d like a naturally thicker chili, take about one cup of the cannellini beans, mash them with a fork, and then stir them back into the pot. This process releases their natural starches and helps to thicken the base without any flour. The health benefits of pulses, as highlighted by sources like the NHS, make them a brilliant, hearty ingredient.
• Control the Heat: The chopped green chillies contribute more flavour than spice. The actual heat level is determined by the cayenne pepper. Begin with the amount suggested in the recipe, and feel free to add more at the end if you enjoy a spicier dish.
• Don’t Boil the Dairy: After you’ve added the cream cheese and soured cream, ensure the heat remains low and do not allow the chili to reach a vigorous boil. High temperatures can cause dairy products to split or curdle.

Serving Suggestions and Topping Ideas

A bowl of this White Chicken Chili is a truly satisfying meal in its own right, but the right accompaniments can elevate it even further. We enjoy serving it with warm, crusty bread for dipping, fluffy basmati rice, or a side of classic cornbread.

Why not create a “toppings bar” and allow everyone to build their perfect bowl? Here are a few of our favourite options:

• Diced avocado or a generous spoonful of guacamole
• An extra dollop of soured cream or Greek yoghurt
• Grated Monterey Jack or a sharp cheddar cheese
• Crushed tortilla chips for a lovely crunch
• Thinly sliced jalapeños, either fresh or pickled
• An extra sprinkle of fresh coriander
• A final, zesty squeeze of fresh lime juice

FAQ

Your New Favourite Comfort Meal

This Soup Recipe is so much more than just a meal; it’s a wonderfully comforting experience. It’s the ideal dish to gather the family around the dinner table, a dependable recipe for when you have guests, and a restorative bowl of goodness just for you. It serves as a great reminder that simple, wholesome ingredients can come together to create something truly remarkable. For other fantastic chicken meals that unite everyone, why not give our Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta Recipe a try?

We are genuinely so excited for you to make this White Chicken Chili. It’s a recipe we come back to again and again, and we feel sure that it will become a firm favourite in your household as well. Are you ready to begin? Let’s gather the ingredients and create a chili that will warm you from the inside out.

If you decide to make this recipe, we would absolutely love to see it! Please feel free to leave a comment below to tell us how you got on, or tag us in your pictures on social media. Happy cooking!

Recipe Card

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 large Onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves Garlic, minced
• 1 (400g) tin Chopped Green Chillies, drained
• 2 tsp Ground Cumin
• 1 tsp Dried Oregano
• 1/2 tsp Ground Coriander
• 1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper
• 1 litre Chicken Stock
• 2 (400g) tins Cannellini Beans, rinsed and drained
• 500g Cooked Chicken Breast, shredded
• 150g Cream Cheese, softened and cubed
• 100g Soured Cream
• Juice of 1 Lime
• A large handful of Fresh Coriander, chopped
• Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Sauté the onion until softened (5-7 mins). Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute until fragrant.
2. Stir in the green chillies, cumin, oregano, coriander, and cayenne pepper. Cook for another minute to bloom the spices.
3. Pour in the chicken stock, scraping the bottom of the pot. Add the cannellini beans and shredded chicken. Bring to a simmer, then cover and cook for at least 20 minutes.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk the cubed cream cheese with ~200ml of hot broth until smooth. Pour this mixture back into the pot and stir to combine.
5. Turn off the heat. Stir in the soured cream, lime juice, and chopped coriander. Season with salt and pepper to taste before serving.

Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 590, Carbs: 23 g, Protein: 50 g, Fat: 31 g

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