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White Chicken Chili

White chicken chili with a creamy golden broth, simmered with shredded chicken, white beans, corn, and green chiles. Finished with a sour cream swirl and pepper jack, jalapeño, cilantro, and lime for bright heat.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

White chicken chili base
  • 1.5 lb chicken breast Cooked and shredded (use leftover or poached, then shred).
  • 2 can (15 oz) white beans Drained.
  • 1 can (15 oz) corn Drained.
  • 1 can (4 oz) diced green chiles
  • 1 onion Diced.
  • 4 cloves garlic Minced.
  • 4 cup chicken broth
  • 8 oz cream cheese Cubed; helps thicken into a creamy broth.
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 2 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 sour cream For serving.
  • 1 pepper jack For serving, shredded.
  • 1 jalapeño For serving, sliced.
  • 1 cilantro For serving, chopped.
  • 1 lime For serving, wedges.
  • 1 salt To taste.
  • 1 black pepper To taste.

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Sauté aromatics and spices
  1. Sauté the onion in a large pot for 4 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, chili powder, oregano, and smoked paprika, then cook for 2 minutes until fragrant (no browning).
Build the chili
  1. Add the chicken broth, white beans, corn, and diced green chiles and bring to a boil. You should see steady bubbling across the surface.
Make it creamy
  1. Reduce heat and stir in the cream cheese until melted and smooth. Scrape the bottom and sides to fully dissolve for an even creamy texture.
  2. Stir in the shredded chicken and heavy cream, then simmer for 10 minutes. Keep the chili at a gentle simmer with small bubbles around the edges.
Season and serve
  1. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Ladle into bowls and serve with sour cream, pepper jack, jalapeño, cilantro, and lime.

Notes

Pro tip: keep the heat at “gentle simmer” once you add the cream cheese so the broth stays silky. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 4 days; reheat on the stovetop over low heat, adding a splash of broth if needed. Freezing is yes (up to 2 months), but the texture may slightly thicken; thin with broth when reheating. For a dairy-light option, use reduced-fat cream cheese and light cream (or half-and-half) to lower richness while keeping the creamy texture.