This White Chicken Chili is creamy, hearty, and so flavorful! This one-pot wonder is loaded with bacon, beans, and spices and makes the perfect cozy dinner for chilly nights.

General
Ingredients
Substitutions
How to make
Get the recipe
Frequently Asked Questions
How to thicken
Make in crockpot
Make in instant pot
Best toppings
Pairing suggestions
How to store
Nutrition information

What is white chili made of?

White chicken chili is made with bacon, veggies, chicken, spices: salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder, and cayenne, cream cheese, sour cream, and two types of beans: cannellini and great northern.

Substitutions

Omit the bacon. Not a fan of bacon? Simply replace with 1/4 cup unsalted butter or extra virgin olive oil.
Switch up the veggies. Yellow onion and green bell pepper are called for in the original recipe. Use whatever onion you have on hand (red, white, shallots) and use any color bell pepper you’d like (yellow, orange, red).
Make it spicy. Swap the green chiles for jalapenos and throw in extra cayenne pepper!
Use rotisserie or leftover cooked chicken. Boneless, skinless chicken thighs are cooked in the broth, but if you’d prefer to use already cooked chicken, that’s fine!
Try different spices. Omit the original spices listed and use store-bought taco seasoning for a shortcut!
Switch up the beans. Use pinto beans, black beans, red kidney beans, etc. Whatever you use, be sure to use 2 (15 oz) cans that have been thoroughly drained and rinsed.

How to make

Cook bacon until crispy in a large stockpotkpot, then remove and set aside, but reserve the grease.
Add in onion, bell pepper, and garlic and cook until are tender.
Stir in corn juice, broth, tomatoes, green chiles, chicken thighs, cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper, and cayenne, then bring to a simmer.
Cover and continue simmering until the chicken has cooked.
Remove the chicken to shred or cube, then stir back into the pot along with the cream cheese, sour cream, corn, cannellini beans, great northern beans, and crispy bacon.
Taste and re-season, if necessary, and enjoy with your favorite chili toppings!

How to thicken

If made as directed, this chili should be plenty thick. If you’d like an even thicker consistency, try the following:

Simmer uncovered. Stirring in the beans, corn, and cream cheese should thicken your chili plenty, but if it’s not thick enough, try simmering the chili, uncovered for 10 minutes.
Add more beans. Throw in an extra can of (drained) beans to help thicken.
Make a slurry. If it’s still not thick enough, whisk together 1 tablespoon cornstarch and 1 tablespoon cold water, slowly stir into the chili, then let simmer for an additional 10 minutes.
Scoop with a slotted spoon. When serving, drain off excess liquid by using a slotted spoon to place the chili into bowls.

Can i make this in the crockpot?

Yes. To make white chicken chili in the crockpot:

Place diced bacon into a large skillet, then cook, stirring regularly, over medium heat until the bacon is crispy.
Remove and set aside, but reserve the grease.
To the hot grease, add in the onion, bell pepper, and garlic, and cook, stirring regularly, until the onions and peppers are tender, about 5-10 minutes. Set aside.
Grease a 6 quart crockpot with cooking spray, then stir in the cooked veggies, reserved corn juice from the can, chicken broth, tomatoes, green chiles, chicken thighs, cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper, and cayenne.
Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours or HIGH for 4 hours.
Remove the chicken to shred or cube, then stir back into the crockpot along with the cream cheese, sour cream, corn, cannellini beans, great northern beans, and crispy bacon.
Stir until the cream cheese has fully incorporated, then taste and re-season, if necessary, and enjoy with your favorite chili toppings!

Can i make this in the instant pot?

Yes! To make chili in the instant pot, check out my Instant Pot Chicken Chili recipe.

Best toppings for chicken chili

I love serving chili with something tangy, something crunchy, something spicy, and something fresh!

Chips: tortilla chips or Fritos
Cheese: shredded monterey-jack, cheddar, pepper-jack, or crumbled feta
Veggies: avocado, jalapeno, red onion
Sour cream
Lime juice
Cilantro
Crackers

What to serve with white chicken chili

A bowl of chili just isn’t the same without a warm piece of cornbread and fresh side salad!

How to store

Leftover chili will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for 2-3 months.

To reheat, thaw in the fridge, if frozen, then warm in the microwave or on the stove until heated through.

– Jennifer

White Chicken Chili