Creamy White Chicken Chili

Creamy White Chicken Chili is a bowl-friendly, high-protein comfort meal that converts weeknight cooks and party hosts alike. This creamy white chicken chili recipe blends tender shredded chicken, great northern beans, mild green chilies, and a tangy touch of lime for a crowd-pleasing finish.
I tested this recipe against top-performing versions and trimmed steps to save time without losing depth of flavor, making it faster than slow-cooker variants and creamier than plain brothy chiles. If you want a recipe that works with rotisserie chicken or meal-prep batches, this one shines.
In this guide, you’ll learn how to make, customize, and store the best Creamy White Chicken Chili, plus common mistakes to avoid and smart substitutions.

What Is Creamy White Chicken Chili?

Creamy White Chicken Chili is a white-meat, bean-based chili popular across North America, known for a velvety texture instead of tomato color. It pairs northern beans and corn with spices like cumin and oregano, and finishes with sour cream or plain Greek yogurt for richness.
This version uses part-puree of the beans to thicken naturally, avoiding heavy cream or flour, and keeps sodium lower by recommending low-sodium broth. Quick Facts about Creamy White Chicken Chili:

• Main protein, 2 heaping cups cooked chicken, shredded.
• Thickener, 1 cup pureed beans mixed back in.
• Spice level, adjustable by cayenne pepper, 0.25 teaspoon (omit for mild).
• Typical simmer time, 20 to 30 minutes, uncovered.

Benefits of Creamy White Chicken Chili.

This chili offers high protein and fiber from chicken and great northern beans, making it a filling meal that supports satiety and muscle repair. It is flexible for meal prep, freezes well, and reheats cleanly for busy schedules.
Nutrition professionals note the value of lean protein and fiber for balanced meals. As one Harvard health overview suggests, combining protein and legumes can improve fullness and nutrient density for everyday meals. Pros and cons for this recipe:

• Pros: High protein, fiber-rich, adaptable to low-sodium diets.
• Cons: Contains dairy, some versions can be high in sodium if not adjusted.

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion, chopped, about 1/2 cup
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced, or 1.5 tsp garlic powder
• 2.5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 cans diced green chilies, 4 oz cans, mild or medium heat
• 1.5 teaspoons ground cumin
• 0.25 teaspoon cayenne pepper, omit for milder version
• 0.5 teaspoon dried oregano
• 0.5 teaspoon paprika
• 0.5 small lime, juice only
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 cans great northern beans, 15 oz cans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
• 1 cup corn, frozen or fresh
• 2 heaping cups cooked chicken, shredded, rotisserie or leftover
  

Step-by-Step Instructions.

1. Heat oil in a 5-6 quart pot over medium-high heat.
   • Action: Add chopped onion and sauté 3-5 minutes until translucent.
   • Expected result: Soft, slightly golden onions that release sweetness.
2. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds.
   • Action: Stir constantly, do not let brown.
   • Expected result: Fragrant garlic without bitterness.
3. Add broth, green chilies, cumin, cayenne, paprika, oregano, and lime juice. Season with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Stir to combine.
   • Action: Bring mixture to a gentle simmer.
   • Expected result: Spices bloom and liquid is aromatic.
4. Drain and rinse beans. Puree about 1 cup beans with 1/4 cup hot broth until smooth.
   • Action: Return pureed beans to pot with remaining whole beans and corn.
   • Expected result: Natural thickener that keeps texture creamy.
5. Simmer uncovered 20-30 minutes, stirring every 5-7 minutes.
   • Action: Cook longer for thicker chili, shorter for thinner.
   • Expected result: Chili coats the back of a spoon when done.
6. Remove from heat, stir in sour cream and shredded chicken until heated through. Let rest 2-3 minutes.
   • Action: Taste and adjust salt, pepper, and lime.
   • Expected result: Smooth, tangy finish ready to serve.

Variations & Substitutes.

This section lists quick swaps to make the chili vegetarian, dairy-free, or spicier. Each change shifts cooking time slightly and alters nutrition. Variations and what changes:

• Vegetarian: Replace chicken broth with vegetable broth, omit chicken, add extra beans, +10 minutes simmer.
• Dairy-free: Use full-fat coconut milk in place of sour cream, expect coconut flavor.
• Spicier: Increase cayenne to 0.5-1.0 tsp or use hot green chilies, increases heat quickly.
• Slow-cooker: Combine everything except sour cream and add chicken later, slow-cook 4 hours on low for pulled flavors.
  For more chicken-forward ideas, try this chicken collection for protein-packed dinners, which pairs well with this chili:

Mistakes to Avoid.

A short checklist helps prevent pitfalls like overcooking, overseasoning, or grainy dairy finishes. Checklist of 5 errors and fixes:

• Overcooking shredded chicken, fix: Add cooked chicken at the end, heat through 2-3 minutes.
• Adding sour cream to boiling soup, fix: Remove from heat first to avoid curdling.
• Not rinsing canned beans, fix: Rinse to reduce sodium and canning liquid flavor.
• Skipping bean puree, fix: Puree a portion to avoid thin, brothy texture.
• Ignoring seasoning balance, fix: Finish with lime and salt to brighten flavors.

Related Recipes / See Also.

If you love this, try our green-chili enchilada spin or a brothy chicken enchilada soup, and pair this chili with creamy pasta or an enchilada night. Related recipes to explore:

• Best 9 Creamy White Chicken Chili Recipes for Cozy Meals
• Creamy White Chicken Chili with Great Northern Beans
• Easy Creamy White Chicken Chili
• White Chicken Chili

Conclusion.

This creamy white chicken chili is quick to finish, stores well, and scales easily for parties. For a hands-off version, consider a slow-cooker adaptation that wins contests and consistently pleases crowds, such as the Crockpot White Chicken Chili (Contest Winning!) recipe, available here: Crockpot White Chicken Chili (Contest Winning!) .