This award-winning White Chicken Chili recipe has been a fan-favorite for years. From trunk-or-treats to chili cookoffs and fall traditions, this is a weeknight dinner staple as soon as the weather turns chili. If you’re not a fan of traditional chili, this is the recipe for you.
My kids actually ask for this one. It’s easy to make, ready in about 40 minutes and adaptable to whatever cooking method works best for you that day – stovetop, Instant Pot, or slow cooker! This cozy, homemade dinner is always the first chili gone when we bring it to a potluck.
Reader Review: “My family LOVES this recipe! We make it frequently! Can’t get enough of it! Tastes just as great the next day for leftovers! We make it with either homemade cornbread or homemade bread/rolls!” – Heidi
White Chicken Chili vs. Classic Chili
White chicken chili swaps out the tomato, kidney bean, and ground beef staples found in a classic chili recipe for shredded chicken, white beans, and chicken broth with a splash of cream. It’s seasoned with green chiles, cumin and a little oregano. While it can be a little lighter, it’s just as hearty as traditional chili (and according to my kids, it’s better).
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Ready in 40 minutes. For the stovetop and Instant Pot versions, of course.
- Three different ways to make it. Depending on what your day looks like, make it on the stovetop, Slow Cooker, or Instant Pot!
- Mild enough for kids. Tone down the spice with less green chiles or add more to individual servings for anyone who doesn’t mind a little kick.
- Uses pantry staples. With ingredients like canned beans, canned chiles, or even canned chicken, this is one you can keep ingredients on hand for.
- Freezer friendly. If you love a good freezer meal, this one can be prepped to enjoy later.
- Lots of ways to customize. Change up the toppings or adjust the seasonings just the way your family likes it.
Ingredient Notes
To make our creamy white chicken chili, you’ll need the following ingredients:
- Chicken. About 1 pound of chicken, and you can add more if you want extra protein. You can also sub this for canned or rotisserie chicken in a pinch!
- Onion. Yellow or white will work. We often sub this out for frozen onion in a pinch.
- Olive oil. This is only needed if you need to cook your chicken first (in the stovetop or Instant Pot versions).
- White beans. Use Great Northern or Cannellini beans – both work great.
- Chicken broth. You’ll need about 14 ounces, but you can adjust this amount for a thicker or thinner chicken chili.
- Green chilies. We use 8 ounces total (2 4-ounce cans). You can adjust this amount depending on your preference.
- Seasonings. Keep it simple with garlic powder, salt, pepper, cumin, oregano, and a pinch of cayenne.
- Corn. This is totally optional, but if we have canned corn on hand, we usually throw it in. It adds more thickness without a ton of weight and helps stretch your soup further!
- Cream. We use a combination of sour cream and whipping cream to give this creamy chili its name.
- Toppings. Top this with freshly chopped cilantro or a little chopped parsley
Short on time? Use Rotisserie Chicken!
If you already have cooked chicken on hand (leftovers, rotisserie, canned), you can skip the saute step and add it straight to the pot with beans, broth and seasonings. Then continue simmering the chili for around 15 minutes to let all the flavors come together before adding in the creams to finish it off.
Equipment Needed
For this recipe, you only need a few simple kitchen tools. We recommend using the following equipment:
How to Make This Simple Creamy Chicken Chili
Stovetop Instructions
- In a large stockpot, saute chicken, onion and garlic powder in oil until chicken is no longer pink.
- Add beans, broth, chilies and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in sour cream and whipping cream, and then serve.
Slow Cooker Instructions
- Place the chicken breasts in the bottom of the slow cooker.
- Add the onion, garlic powder, beans, broth, chilies, and seasonings (and corn, if using).
- Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours or high for 2-3 hours, until the chicken is cooked through and shreds easily.
- Remove the chicken, shred it with two forks, and return it to the slow cooker.
- Stir in the sour cream and whipping cream, top with cilantro or parsley if desired, then serve.
Instant Pot Instructions
- Press the SAUTE button. Add olive oil to the hot pot. Add in chicken, onion and garlic powder and cook for 4-5 minutes or until onions are translucent and the chicken starts to brown (we aren’t fully cooking the chicken, just browning the edges).
- Stir in beans, broth, chilies and seasonings (also add corn, if using). Place the lid on the top of the Instant Pot. Move the valve to SEALING (not venting).
- Press the MANUAL (or PRESSURE COOK) button and set timer for 7 minutes.
- When the timer is finished, move the valve to VENTING and do a QUICK RELEASE with the pressure (you can also let this do a natural release for a few minutes if you want).
- Remove the lid and stir the contents of the pot. Press CANCEL to turn the “KEEP WARM” feature off.
- Stir in sour cream and whipping cream, mix well. Scoop into bowls and serve.
Hot tip: Add the dairy last to keep it from curdling!
Ingredient Swaps and Variations:
- Lighten it up: swap out the sour cream for plain greek yogurt and half and half for the heavy cream.
- Dairy free: swap out the cream for a milk alternative and the sour cream for a dairy-free option. It will change the flavor and texture of the soup (it will be significantly thinner), but can be done!
- Spicier: add diced jalapeno or increase the amount of cayenne. For just a little extra spice, we also like to throw in a pinch of chili powder.
- Extra hearty: as noted, you can stir in canned or frozen corn for a thicker, heartier soup.
Toppings:
Set out toppings and let everyone choose how they want to build their bowl! Here are some of our favorites:
- Shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
- Diced avocado
- Tortilla strips or chips
- Chopped fresh cilantro (our favorite!)
- A squeeze of lime
- Diced jalapenos
What to Serve with White Chicken Chili:
This chili is absolutely a full, hearty meal on its own. But – if you want something to scoop or dunk something with it (especially if you’ve got kids), try our 30-minute Dinner Rolls, Homemade French Bread, or our Copycat Disneyland Cornbread.
How to Store, Freeze & Reheat:
- Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave.
- Freeze: To freeze this recipe, cook the chicken according to the recipe directions. Then, add everything except the creams and toppings to a gallon-size freezer bag. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight, then cook as directed, adding the creams and toppings before serving. We would not recommend freezing this chili after cooking because the dairy will separate in the freezer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Regular chili uses a tomato base with ground beef and dark beans. White chicken chili skips the tomatoes, uses chicken instead of beef, white beans instead of dark beans, and has a creamy broth base instead.
Absolutely! We read your comments, tested it, and added slow cooker instructions to the recipe card. It takes about 3-4 hours on low or 2-3 on high and you shred the chicken after it cooks (so you don’t have to cut it beforehand).
Yes! It will cut down on the cooking time quite a bit. You’ll need about 3 cups.
You can use Great Northern Beans or cannellini beans in this recipe. Both work well.
Yes – see the note in the Storage, Freezing & Reheating section above.
Curdling happens when the creams are added to liquid that is too hot. Take your chili off the heat, or turn the Instant Pot or slow cooker to ‘warm’ before adding your dairy to help it stay smooth.
As written, it’s mild enough for kids – the green chiles and pinch of cayenne add just a tiny bit of warmth. You can tone it down even more by halving the chiles or removing the cayenne if you have very sensitive eaters.
Explore More Delicious Chili Recipes
We’ve got a whole collection of soups, stews, and chilis that you’ll love. Here are some of our favorites:
Creamy White Chicken Chili Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces*
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 Tablespoon Olive oil
- 2 15-ounce cans white beans, rinsed and drained
- 14 ounces chicken broth
- 2 4-ounce cans green chilies, chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- pinch cayenne pepper
- 1 15.25-ounce can corn, optional
- 1 cup sour cream
- ½ cup whipping cream
- chopped cilantro or parsley, optional topping
Instructions
Stovetop Instructions
- In a large stockpot, saute chicken, onion and garlic powder in oil until chicken is no longer pink.
- Add beans, broth, chilies, and seasonings (also add corn if using). Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in sour cream and whipping cream, and then serve.
Instant Pot Instructions
- Press the SAUTE button. Add olive oil to hot pot. Add in chicken, onion and garlic powder and cook for 4-5 minutes or until onions are translucent and the chicken starts to brown (we aren't fully cooking the chicken, just browning the edges).
- Stir in beans, broth, chilies and seasonings (also add corn, if using). Place the lid on the top of the Instant Pot. Move the valve to SEALING (not venting).
- Press the MANUAL (or PRESSURE COOK) button and set timer for 7 minutes.
- When the timer is finished, move the valve to VENTING and do a QUICK RELEASE with the pressure (you can also let this do a natural release for a few minutes if you want).
- Remove the lid and stir the contents of the pot. Press CANCEL to turn the "KEEP WARM" feature off.
- Stir in sour cream and whipping cream, mix well. Scoop into bowls and serve.
Slow Cooker Instructions
- Place the chicken breasts in the bottom of the slow cooker.
- Add the onion, garlic powder, beans, broth, chilies, and seasonings (and corn, if using).
- Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours or high for 2-3 hours, until the chicken is cooked through and shreds easily.
- Remove the chicken, shred it with two forks, and return it to the slow cooker.
- Stir in the sour cream and whipping cream, top with cilantro or parsley if desired, then serve.
Notes
- You don’t have to use corn, but it does make this more hearty. If you want a thicker chili, only add 1 cup of chicken broth instead of 14 ounces.
- For freezing instructions, please see the Storage & Freezing Section above.
- This recipe was tested using a new slow cooker, which cooks quicker than older models. You may need to adjust your cook time depending on the slow cooker you’re using. Always check the temperature of your chicken before eating to prevent foodborne illness.
Nutrition
Video
Did You Make This Recipe?We’d love to hear your thoughts! Leave a review or a question in the comment section below the post.
Looks delicious!!!
This is delicious! So easy for those nights when you don’t have much time to prepare a gourmet meal! 🙂
I just made this exactly like directed and it is amazing!! Thank you for posting!
Hi there! This recipe looks amazing! Would I be able to make it in my crockpot? If so, would you have a suggestion for amount of time?
If you make this in the crock pot, follow steps 2 and 3 as directed and then put it all in the slow cooker. Heat on low. Then add the sour cream and whipping cream right before serving like you would in the regular instructions. You don’t want it to curdle or go weird on you. This recipe is usually 40 minutes start to finish on the stove top, so it doesn’t take too long. But if for some reason you need to cook it in the slow cooker, it would mainly be to keep it warm for a longer length of time. Let us know if you have any other questions.
Thank you so much! I must ha e been channeling you by osmosis, because this is what I ended up doing and it is DELICIOUS! I am so happy I’ve found you ladies!!!
I made this through step one and step two and then froze and will reheat on the oven and finish with step three. Is that right? I’m having a baby in like, two seconds, and wanted to have this to eat when I’m exhausted because it’s delicious. I already did all those things, but would you have any other suggestions or do something differently?
So I’m guessing you cooked the chicken, onion and garlic. Then you will do the other steps when you are closer to eating it? That should work.
Made it twice making it the third time for alot of friends love it thank you
What kind of canned white beans do you use? I see 2 different kinds at the store?
Any kind of canned white beans will work.
Wondering if you’ve made this in an instant pot?
We have a Chicken chili freezer meal that can be cooked in the instant Pot or the slow cooker. In the Instant Pot it cooks for about 20 minutes. That is with the uncooked whole chicken breasts. Then when it’s done cooking, remove the lid and shred the chicken. I’m sure the creamy chicken chili recipe could be done in the instant pot too. You may want to add a little more chicken broth. and don’t add the sour cream and whipping cream until the end after it’s done cooking. If the chicken is cooked, your cooking time would be way less.
I make your recipe every week, served with corn bread. We love this meal so much and I tell everyone about it. Thank you so much for the recipes!
This was delicious!!
So I see in the directions that I need to add garlic and onion powder… but in the recipe measurements I only see garlic powder. So how much onion powder do I use??
You just add in garlic powder, and real diced onion.
Not sure why it matters what it’s called… the flavor was delicious and my family loved it! Thanks for sharing!
I made this and added the can of corn like she showed on Instagram and it was SO good. Even my picky 5 year old had seconds!
How do I keep things from sticking to my inner pot of Insta Pot?
Coating the inside of your Instant Pot with oil, warming the oil prior to adding it to the pot or adding sauce to the pot prior to the protein or carbs will prevent food sticking to the inside of your Instant Pot.
Can I pre make and freeze?
It should freeze well.
I wouldn’t add the sour cream or heavy cream if you’re going to freeze it. It doesn’t reheat well with dairy
Looks delicious! Do I need to add more time if I’m using frozen chicken?
I made this tonight and it turned out perfect!! I added a little more cumin and fresh cilantro, SO much flavor! I also switched the canned corn for frozen white corn. I’m glad I read the reviews so I knew what to expect from other fabulous cooks. Thank you for the recipe!!!
No, it’s the same cooking time. It just takes a little longer to come to pressure. Cooking time stays the same.
It was a good base recipe. I added fresh spinach, some chicken base and home made noodles. It was so, so good! The noodles added the thickness it needed. 🧡
Is the chicken cut into bite size pieces or shredded?
Thanks for catching that. You can really dice or shred the chicken. We shredded it for this recipe. We updated the recipe post.
Loved this recipe! I am making a few meals to keep in my freezer for when my baby is born and I was wondering how do I convert this to a freezer meal and then the instructions to reheat it when the time comes?
First off – CONGRATS on your baby! That is so exciting. This could easily be made into a freezer meal. Just skip the part about browning the chicken breast-it’s not really necessary. Prep all of the ingredients for this soup and place in a freezer bag (Hold off on the Sour Cream and Whipping Cream). Freeze until you’re ready to cook it for a fast meal. All you have to do is pop the frozen ingredients into your Instant Pot and turn it on. Using a pressure cooker to make this warming pot of chili results in extra-tender chicken that’s easy to shred. Then follow the recipe as directed. Cook time is the same. Add in the sour cream and whipping cream at the end before scooping into bowls.
I added some frozen spinach and frozen corn. It is delicious.
Great recipe, it was a big hit! If dairy free, have you ever tried using coconut milk in place of the dairy?
I have a quick question, why do y’all rinse off your canned beans. I have always added juice and all in my recipes.
It’s a personal preference. Either is fine.
I have loved this chili ever since I found the recipe in one of my Taste of Home cookbooks many years ago. Thanks for sharing. Delish!
Can this recipe be made in the InstantPot? What would I do differently?
Hi there, quick question. Does whipping cream = heavy crea? Thanks!
Yes!
Can I make this with chicken breast already cooked from a rotisserie chicken?
You would probably want to use this recipe if your chicken is already cooked. https://www.sixsistersstuff.com/recipe/creamy-chicken-chili/
Can you use fresh great northern beans, if so what would be the Cook time?
Great norther beans are a good substitute. We use canned in this recipe. If using bagged beans you may want to soak them. Here is link with an Instant Pot soup using bagged beans. It will help you get an idea with cook times.
https://www.pressurecookingtoday.com/instant-pot-15-bean-soup/
Can I do this in a crockpot instead of an instant pot?
Yes, you can convert it to the Slow Cooker, or here is a similar recipe – https://www.sixsistersstuff.com/recipe/skinny-white-bean-chili-2/
This is a family favorite! We all love it! Would you please tell me the serving size? I need to know how much to measure for a nutrition plan.
Could you please tell me how to do this without using an Instant pot, I don’t have one.
If you don’t have an instant pot I would recommend trying this version of our recipe: https://www.sixsistersstuff.com/recipe/creamy-chicken-chili/
This is a family favorite! It is so delicious and easy to make. I’ve had several people ask me for the recipe.
My family LOVES this recipe! We make it frequently! Can’t get enough of it! Tastes just a great the next day for leftovers! We make it with either homemade cornbread or homemade bread/rolls!
Is this good to reheat the next day
Absolutely!