Chicken Chili is the ultimate cozy comfort food and a recipe you’ll have on repeat in Fall. Tender shredded chicken simmered in a creamy and hearty base is so inviting, especially topped with cheese that melts into the hot chili. It also reheats well so it’s a great make-ahead recipe for meal prep.
We love Chicken chili and we’ve made every variation from Crockpot Chicken Chili to Instant Pot Chicken Chili which produces the most tender chicken. Whichever is your favorite cooking method, this recipe is a crowd-pleaser.
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Chicken Chili Video Tutorial
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Ingredients for Chicken Chili
- Chicken – we use 2 large chicken breasts, but you can sub with leftover roast chicken or storebought rotisserie
- Onion – yellow or sweet onion work great
- Chicken broth – use any kind of chicken stock or bone broth or make your own with water and bouillon
- White beans – try any kind of white beans such as cannelloni, Great Northern, or Navy beans (avoid garbanzo beans). Canned is so easy, but you can also use home-cooked beans
- Corn – drained can of whole kernel corn
- Rotel tomatoes – use a 10 oz can with the juice
- Spices – chili powder and cumin make this mildly smoky and spicy.
- Ranch mix – this is the secret ingredient to add a ton of flavor. Ranch dip or dressing mix packets range from 0.4 oz to 1.5 oz, depending on the brand, but it should be enough powder to make 2 cups of ranch.
- Cream cheese – regular full-fat will give the chili a creamy consistency
- Lime juice – squeezing fresh lime adds a zesty twist
Pro Tip: To save time, use leftover cooked chicken breast or use a store-bought rotisserie chicken. Chili is the best way to repurpose leftover chicken and it never tastes like leftovers.
How to Make Chicken Chili
- Saute onion – heat oil in a dutch oven pot and sautee onion 5 minutes.
- Make chili base – add broth, rinsed beans, drained corn, Rotel tomatoes with their juice, chili powder, cumin, salt and the ranch packet.
- Add chicken – submerge chicken breasts in liquid, bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer 20-25 minutes until chicken is tender.
- Shred chicken – transfer chicken to a plate and shred with forks into bite-sized pieces.
- Finish chili – add cream cheese pieces, and lime juice and simmer 5 minutes. Add chicken back to the pot, bring to a simmer and season to taste.
Common Questions
Can I substitute chicken breast?
You can easily substitute with a cooked rotisserie chicken, just shred the chicken and add it to the pot when you would normally add the shredded chicken back into the chili. Chicken tenders would also work well.
Can I make the chili thicker?
If you prefer a thicker chili, you can leave the lid uncovered during the 20 minute cook time to allow more of the steam to escape.
Is Chicken Chili spicy?
This chili is very mild. To make it spicier, you can add more chili powder.
Can I cook this in a crockpot?
You can slow cook chili, letting it putter away in a crockpot for several hours. We have print-friendly instructions for Slow Cooker Chicken Chili.
Can I make chili in an Instant Pot?
Lucky for you, we’ve already tested this and posted a tutorial for Instant Pot Chicken Chili. It’s super fast and the chicken becomes super tender.
Serve with
We love to serve this as a main course paired with:
- Instant Pot Baked Potato or Air Fryer Baked Potato
- Tortilla chips
- Diced avocados
- Fresh chopped cilantro
- Shredded Monterey Jack Cheese
- Lime wedges to squeeze over chili
There are so many ways to dress up a bowl of White Chicken Chili. Let me know about your favorite toppings in the comments below.
More Easy Dinner Ideas
If you’re looking for simple, family-approved recipes to add to your regular rotation, here are some of our top-rated dinner ideas.
- Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Easy Stovetop Turkey Chili
- Sloppy Joe Recipe
- Lemon Chicken
- Meatloaf with the Best Glaze
Easy White Chicken Chili (Stovetop Recipe)
4.98 from 146 votes
Author: Natasha Kravchuk
It's so comforting to curl up with a bowl of Chicken Chili. This chili is great served with tortilla chips or baked potatoes. The combination of tender shredded chicken simmered in a creamy and hearty base is so inviting. Add your favorite toppings like diced avocado, shredded Monterey Jack cheese, and chopped cilantro.
Prep Time: 5 minutes mins
Cook Time: 40 minutes mins
Total Time: 45 minutes mins
Ingredients
Servings: 6 people
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion, finely diced
- 2 cups chicken broth , or stock
- 30 oz canned white beans, drained and rinsed
- 15 oz can corn, drained
- 10 oz can Rotel diced tomatoes with green chilis, with juice
- 1 tsp chili powder, (use 1/2 for mild chili)
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- 1 tsp salt, or to taste
- 1.5 oz packet ranch dip mix, *
- 2 chicken breasts
- 8 oz cream cheese, cut into cubes
- 1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
Instructions
Heat a 6 quart enamel coated dutch oven pot over medium heat and add 1 Tbsp olive oil. Add onion and sauté 5 minutes until softened.
Add chicken broth, drained white beans, drained corn, Rotel tomatoes with juice. Season with chili powder, cumin, 1 tsp salt and ranch packet. Stir to combine.
Add 2 chicken breasts and submerge in liquid. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer partially covered for 20-25 minutes or until chicken is tender and easy to shred.
Remove chicken to a bowl and shred with forks into bite-sized pieces.
Add diced cream cheese, lime juice and stir to combine. Continue simmering for 5 minutes or until cream cheese is incorporated. Add more lime juice to taste, and season with another 1/2 tsp salt or add salt to taste. Simmer another 3 minutes or until chili reaches your desired thickness. It will thicken more as it cools.
Notes
*Dry ranch packets come in 0.4 to 1.5 oz packages depending on the brand. Use enough powder to normally make 2 cups ranch.
Nutrition Per Serving
467kcal Calories43g Carbs29g Protein19g Fat8g Saturated Fat2g Polyunsaturated Fat6g Monounsaturated Fat1g Trans Fat90mg Cholesterol1286mg Sodium1255mg Potassium8g Fiber4g Sugar690IU Vitamin A9mg Vitamin C173mg Calcium4mg Iron
- Full Nutrition Label
- Nutrition Disclosure
Nutrition Facts
Easy White Chicken Chili (Stovetop Recipe)
Amount per Serving
Calories
467
% Daily Value*
Fat
19
g
29
%
Saturated Fat
8
g
50
%
Trans Fat
1
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
2
g
Monounsaturated Fat
6
g
Cholesterol
30
%
Sodium
1286
mg
56
%
Potassium
1255
mg
36
%
Carbohydrates
43
g
14
%
Fiber
8
g
33
%
Sugar
4
g
4
%
Protein
29
g
58
%
Vitamin A
690
IU
14
%
Vitamin C
9
mg
11
%
Calcium
173
mg
17
%
Iron
4
mg
22
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, Tex Mex
Keyword: chicken chili, White Chicken Chili
Skill Level: Easy
Cost to Make: $$
Calories: 467
Natasha Kravchuk
