White Chicken Chili
A creamy, hearty bowl of comfort food filled with shredded chicken, white beans, green chilies, corn, and a touch of spice.
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon mustard powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 medium yellow onion (diced)
- 1 large jalapeño pepper (seeded and diced)
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 1/3 cup half and half (half milk, half cream)
- 2 cans cannellini beans (15.5 oz., drained)
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 cans mild green chilies (4 oz., undrained)
- 1 ½ lbs. bone-in, skinless chicken breast
- to taste salt and black pepper
- 1 can sweet corn (15.25 oz., drained)
- 8 oz. cream cheese (softened)
- optional lime wedges for garnish
- optional diced avocado for garnish
- optional sour cream for garnish
- optional tortilla strips or crushed Fritos for garnish
- optional Monterey Jack or Pepper Jack cheese for garnish
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix together all the spices: chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, mustard powder, black pepper, cayenne, and red pepper flakes. Set aside.
- In a large Dutch oven or soup pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the diced onions and jalapeño. Sauté for about 5 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
- Sprinkle in the flour and stir until the vegetables are well-coated. Cook for 2 minutes to remove the raw flour taste.
- Slowly pour in the chicken broth, stirring continuously to prevent lumps. Do the same with the half and half until smooth.
- For a thicker chili, blend 1 heaping cup of the drained cannellini beans with ½ cup of the broth, then stir this purée into the pot with the rest of the whole beans.
- Stir in the seasoning mix, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and both cans of green chilies. Bring to a gentle boil and let it bubble for 15 minutes uncovered.
- Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper on both sides. Place them directly into the simmering chili. Add the corn and let it simmer gently for 15–20 minutes.
- Remove the chicken breasts and shred the meat using two forks, then return it to the pot.
- Lower the heat and add the softened cream cheese, stirring until fully melted into the chili.
- Taste and adjust the seasonings if needed.
- For the crockpot method, sauté the onions, jalapeño, and garlic in melted butter as above. Add the chicken to the crockpot, then pour in the broth, sautéed vegetables, puréed beans, remaining beans, green chilies, corn, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and seasoning. Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours. Shred the chicken and stir in cream cheese and half and half, then cook on high for 10 more minutes until creamy.
Send me this recipe!
Just enter your email below and get it sent straight to your inbox!
Notes
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. It freezes well for up to 3 months.