Easy White Chicken Chili with Cream Cheese
Easy White Chicken Chili gets its creamy, velvety texture from cream cheese blended with cannellini white beans. Rotisserie chicken keeps it quick and easy.
Servings 6 servings
Calories 396kcal
Ingredients
- 30 ounces cannellini beans 2 cans, rinsed and drained; Great Northern, navy, or butter beans may be substituted
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened and cut into chunks
- 32 ounces chicken broth, low-sodium divided; or vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 cup onion, diced about ½ white onion
- 2 garlic cloves pressed or minced
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin or coriander
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¾ teaspoon sweet paprika
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper to taste
- 4 cups cooked chicken (16 ounces) shredded or diced. Rotisserie chicken or other leftover chicken with simple seasoning works well
- 1 ½ cups corn kernels fresh or frozen; do not defrost frozen corn
- 4 ounces diced green chilies including juices 1 can, undrained
- ¼ teaspoon salt or to taste
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 Tablespoon lime juice more for serving
- Optional toppings: fresh chopped cilantro, sliced green onion, shredded cheese, sour cream, avocado, tortilla strips
Instructions
- Place half the beans, cream cheese, and ¼ cup chicken broth in a food processor and blend until smooth. Alternatively, combine them in a deep bowl or measuring cup and blend with an immersion blender until smooth. Set aside.
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and sauté for about 5 minutes or until softened.
- Add garlic, cumin, oregano, paprika, and cayenne pepper, and cook for one more minute.
- Add the remaining chicken broth, remaining unprocessed beans, chicken, corn, and mild green chiles to the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 10 minutes.
- Add pureed bean and cream cheese mixture, salt, and pepper to the pot, stir to combine, and simmer for about 5 more minutes or until the chili is thick and creamy.
- Stir in lime juice before serving with assorted toppings.
Notes
Yield: About 9 cups
Tip: Measure and prep all ingredients before you begin cooking because the process moves very quickly.
- Soften cream cheese: Let cream cheese sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes, or microwave it in 10-second intervals until softened but not melted.
- For thicker chili: For more thickness, simmer uncovered a little longer or add a slurry of 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon cold water and simmer for a few minutes.
- For creamier chili: For extra creaminess, top individual bowls with sour cream or Greek yogurt and shredded cheese.
Nutrition
Calories: 396kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 89mg | Sodium: 662mg | Potassium: 481mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 4g | Calcium: 135mg | Iron: 5mg
