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A bowl of creamy white chicken chili topped with avocado slices, sour cream, jalapeño rings, and chopped cilantro.

Creamy White Chicken Chili (Stovetop or Crockpot)

This creamy white chicken chili combines shredded chicken, cannellini beans, hominy, green chiles, jalapeño, and cream cheese in a deeply seasoned broth. Make it on the stovetop or in the crockpot. Bold, hearty, and ready to top any way you like.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Course Dinner
Cuisine American
Servings 6

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb chicken breast
  • 1 medium onion chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves chopped
  • 32 oz chicken broth
  • 1 8 oz block cream cheese, softened
  • 2 4 oz cans diced green chiles
  • 1 4 oz can diced jalapeño
  • 2 tbsp chili powder
  • 2 tbsp cumin
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp red chili flakes
  • 1 15 oz can corn, drained
  • 2 15 oz cans cannellini or northern beans, drained
  • 1 cup hominy
  • Juice of 2 to 3 limes
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro chopped
  • 1 tbsp oil
  • Garnish: shredded cheese diced avocado, sour cream

Instructions
 

Stovetop Instructions

  • Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and garlic and sauté until slightly browned.
  • Add the chicken breasts and sear each side for 3 to 4 minutes. Pour in the chicken broth and cover. Simmer for about 30 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
  • Remove the chicken and let it cool slightly, then shred with two forks.
  • Add the seasonings and softened cream cheese to the broth. Stir until the cream cheese is fully incorporated and the broth is smooth and creamy. Make sure the cream cheese is fully softened before adding or it will be difficult to mix in.
  • Add the shredded chicken back to the pot along with the corn, beans, hominy, lime juice, jalapeño, and cilantro. Stir to combine and simmer for another 5 to 10 minutes.
  • Serve with garnishes of choice.

Crockpot Instructions

  • Add all ingredients except the cream cheese and cilantro to the crockpot. Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours.
  • Remove the chicken breasts and shred with two forks.
  • Stir the softened cream cheese into the hot broth until fully incorporated and smooth.
  • Return the shredded chicken to the crockpot. Stir in the cilantro.
  • Serve with garnishes of choice.

Notes

  • Soften the cream cheese completely before adding it to the hot broth. Cold cream cheese will clump and is very difficult to smooth out once it hits the liquid. Leave it on the counter for at least 30 minutes before you start cooking.
  • Don't skip the hominy. It adds a slightly chewy, corn-like texture that gives this chili a heartiness you don't get from beans and corn alone.
  • Taste the broth before adding the beans and chicken back in. The seasoning level is much easier to adjust at the broth stage than after everything is in the pot.
  • Fresh lime juice at the end is not optional. It brightens the whole pot and cuts through the richness of the cream cheese in a way that makes every bowl taste more alive.
  • The chili thickens as it sits. If reheating from the fridge, add a splash of broth to loosen it back to the right consistency.
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