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White Chicken Chili

White chicken chili with creamy golden broth, tender shredded chicken, and white beans simmered with warm spices. Finished with a sour cream swirl and melty pepper jack for a comforting Tex-Mex-style bowl.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

White chili base
  • 1.5 lb chicken breast Cooked and shredded
  • 2 can (15 oz) white beans Drained
  • 1 can (15 oz) corn Drained
  • 1 can (4 oz) diced green chiles
  • 1 onion Diced
  • 4 garlic Minced
  • 4 cup chicken broth
  • 8 oz cream cheese Cubed
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 2 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
  • salt To taste
  • black pepper To taste
Serving toppings
  • sour cream For serving
  • pepper jack Shredded, for serving
  • cilantro Chopped, for serving
  • jalapeño Sliced, for serving
  • lime For serving

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Sauté aromatics and bloom spices
  1. Heat a large pot over medium heat and sauté the diced onion for 4 minutes, until softened and lightly translucent. Add minced garlic, cumin, chili powder, oregano, and smoked paprika, then cook for 2 minutes to toast the spices.
Simmer chili
  1. Add chicken broth, drained white beans, corn, and diced green chiles to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer, then stir in the cubed cream cheese until fully melted.
  2. Add shredded chicken and heavy cream, then simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the broth looks creamy.
Season and serve
  1. Season the chili with salt and black pepper to taste. Serve immediately with sour cream, shredded pepper jack, jalapeño, cilantro, and lime.

Notes

Pro tip: shredding rotisserie chicken speeds things up and keeps texture tender in the simmer. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge up to 4 days; reheat gently on the stove to avoid the cream cheese breaking. Freezing is not recommended because the dairy can separate, but you can refrigerate instead. For a lighter swap, use low-fat cream cheese and half-and-half in place of heavy cream (texture stays creamy, flavor slightly less rich).