Creamy White Chicken Chili
This creamy White Chicken Chili is easy and extra cozy for those cold fall and winter nights. The leftovers are great, too!
Servings: 8 1.25 cups each
Ingredients
- 1 yellow onion $0.70
- 4 cloves garlic $0.16
- 1 jalapeño $0.24
- 1 Tbsp olive oil $0.22
- 1.5 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs* $3.48
- 2 15 oz. cans cannellini beans (drained) $1.88
- 1 15 oz. can pinto beans (drained) $0.94
- 1 7 oz. can diced green chiles $0.97
- 1 Tbsp ground cumin $0.30
- 1 tsp dried oregano $0.10
- 1/4 tsp smoked paprika $0.02
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper $0.02
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder $0.02
- 1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper $0.02
- 3 cups chicken broth $0.39
- 1 cup frozen corn $0.78
- 4 oz. cream cheese $0.93
- ½ cup sour cream $0.49
Instructions
- Dice the onion and mince the garlic. Deseed then dice the jalapeño. Add the onion, garlic, and jalapeño to a large pot with the olive oil. Sauté over medium heat until the onions have softened.
- Add the chicken thighs, cannellini beans, pinto beans, diced green chiles, cumin, oregano, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, pepper, and chicken broth to the pot. Stir to combine.
- Place a lid on the pot and turn the heat up to medium-high. Allow the chili to come up to a boil. Once boiling, turn the heat down to medium-low and let the chili simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- After 30 minutes, remove the chicken thighs and shred with two forks. Add the shredded meat back to the pot along with the corn. Stir to combine and heat through.
- Cut the cream cheese into chunks and stir it into the chili until melted. Stir in the sour cream. To further thicken the chili, smash some of the beans against the side of the pot.
- Taste the chili and adjust the seasoning to your liking. Serve hot with your favorite toppings!**
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Notes
*I use boneless, skinless chicken thighs for this recipe because they're super forgiving and always stay tender and delicious. Chicken breasts, on the other hand, can be a bit finicky and can dry out if overcooked. You can use chicken breasts for this recipe but you'll want to be very careful not to cook them over too high of heat. Keep the chili on a gentle simmer so the breast meat cooks slowly without getting tough and dry.
**My favorite part of this chili is the toppings. Sure, you can eat (and enjoy) a bowl of this chili plain, but I love to pile on the toppings to make my bowl my own. Some of my favorites are sour cream, Monterey Jack or Pepper Jack Cheese, green onions, fresh cilantro, tortilla chips, hot Sauce, fresh or pickled jalapeños, avocado, or lime!
- A Note on the Spice Level: You can make this white chicken chili either spicy or mild! If you prefer a mild chicken chili, simply skip the fresh jalapeño, make sure to buy mild canned diced green chiles, and skip the cayenne pepper. If you'd like a spicier white chicken chili, make sure to include some of the seeds from the jalapeño, buy hot diced green chiles, and add more cayenne pepper to your liking. A few dashes of hot sauce would be awesome, as well!
Nutrition
Serving: 1.25cups | Calories: 403kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 14g | Sodium: 701mg | Fiber: 9g