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White Chicken Chili

White chicken chili made with a creamy golden broth, shredded chicken, white beans, and corn. Sautéed aromatics plus a cream-cheese melt create a smooth, comforting texture that’s finished with bright toppings like jalapeño, lime, and cilantro.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 470
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cooked shredded chicken
  • 1.5 lb chicken breast Cooked and shredded.
Beans and corn
  • 2 can (15 oz) white beans Drained.
  • 1 can (15 oz) corn Drained.
  • 1 can (4 oz) diced green chiles
Aromatics and base
  • 1 onion Diced.
  • 4 garlic Minced.
  • 4 cup chicken broth
Creamy chili
  • 8 oz cream cheese Cubed.
  • 1 cup heavy cream
Spices
  • 2 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
Serving toppings
  • sour cream For serving.
  • pepper jack For serving, shredded.
  • cilantro For serving, chopped.
  • jalapeño For serving, sliced or diced.
  • lime For serving, wedges.
Seasoning
  • salt To taste.
  • pepper To taste.

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Sauté aromatics
  1. Sauté the diced onion in a large pot for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally until softened with light golden edges. Add the minced garlic, cumin, chili powder, oregano, and smoked paprika and cook for 2 minutes until fragrant.
Build the chili base
  1. Add the chicken broth, white beans, corn, and diced green chiles to the pot, then bring to a boil. Keep boiling until bubbles are steady across the surface.
Melt the cream cheese
  1. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and stir in the cubed cream cheese until fully melted and the broth looks smooth. Scrape down the sides as needed to dissolve any clumps.
Simmer with chicken
  1. Stir in the shredded chicken and heavy cream, then simmer for 10 minutes until the chili is creamy and heated through. Stir occasionally so the texture stays even.
Season and serve
  1. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then serve hot with sour cream, pepper jack, jalapeño, cilantro, and lime on top. Add toppings right before eating for the best contrast.

Notes

Pro tip: For the creamiest texture, keep the heat at a gentle simmer after adding the cream cheese so it melts smoothly without breaking. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container up to 4 days; freeze up to 2 months (toppings like sour cream and cilantro are best added after reheating). If you want it dairy-light, swap the cream cheese and heavy cream for a dairy-free cream-style substitute and taste-adjust with extra salt.