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White Chicken Chili

White Chicken Chili

White Chicken Chili is a flavorful and comforting dish that’s a lighter twist on traditional chili, made with chicken, white beans, and aromatic spices. It's easily customizable and can be adapted to suit a variety of tastes and dietary preferences.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 6

Ingredients
  

  • 1 small yellow onion diced
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic finely minced
  • 2 14.5 oz cans low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 7 oz can diced green chilies
  • 1 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 1/2 tsp paprika
  • 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/2 tsp ground coriander
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 1 8 oz pkg Neufchatel cheese (light cream cheese), cut into small cubes
  • 1 1/4 cups frozen or fresh corn
  • 2 15 oz cans cannellini beans
  • 2 1/2 cups shredded cooked rotisserie or leftover chicken*
  • 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
  • 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro plus more for garnish
  • Tortilla chips or strips Monterey Jack cheese, and sliced avocado for garnish (optional)

Instructions
 

  • Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion and sauté for about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for another 30 seconds.
  • Pour in the chicken broth, green chilies, cumin, paprika, oregano, coriander, cayenne pepper, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and let it simmer for 15 minutes.
  • Drain and rinse the beans in a fine mesh strainer or colander, then measure out 1 cup. Set the remaining beans aside. Transfer the 1 cup of beans to a food processor with 1/4 cup of the broth from the soup and purée until nearly smooth.
  • Add the Neufchatel cheese to the pot, along with the corn, whole beans, and the puréed beans. Stir everything well and let it simmer for another 5 to 10 minutes.
  • Stir in the shredded chicken, fresh lime juice, and chopped cilantro. Serve the chili with Monterey Jack cheese, extra cilantro, avocado slices, and tortilla chips if desired.

Notes

*Recipe updated to use pre-cooked shredded chicken (previously called for 1 lb of raw chicken, which was cooked at the beginning). I prefer the flavor of rotisserie chicken, and this method ensures the chicken doesn’t become overcooked.
**If you don’t have a food processor, you can skip the puréeing step. The soup will still be delicious, but it won’t be as creamy.