Creamy White Chicken Chili

5 from 3 votes
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cream cheese chicken chili topped with shredded cheese, cilantro, and avocado in two white bowls

Did you know there’s an actual National Chili Month? It kicks off in October when the weather starts too cool and Fall is in full swing. I don’t know about you, but I absolutely love chili. It’s easy to prep, smells amazing while cooking, and is the coziest, most filling meal there is. For me, chili season is all year round, but especially in these cooler months, I just love how a big bowl of chili with my family gives me all the feels! And I know that you are going to LOVE my Creamy White Chicken Chili as much as I do!

Cream Cheese Chicken Chili (Dairy-Free!)

Packed with protein, this cream cheese chicken chili will fill you up and keep you full! The perfect blend of boneless skinless white chicken, white beans, corn, onions, garlic, and cilantro, with a kick of green chiles and creamy dairy-free sour cream and cream cheese to balance it out. The result is mouth-watering, soul-warming flavor that you’ll want to savor with every bite!

The best part? Endless topping options! Load up your white chicken chili with sliced avocado, shredded cheese, fresh jalapeño, and/or tortilla strips for even more amazing flavor and fullness. Let the kids build their bowls with their own topping choices, and dinner becomes a fun “build-your-own” adventure! A quick & easy meal that the whole family will love!

How to Make Creamy White Chicken Chili

There are a few different methods to make this cream cheese white chicken chili. Whether you decide to use your Instant Pot, Slow Cooker/Crockpot, or the stovetop, you just can’t go wrong with white chicken chili!

ingredients to make chicken chili

Ingredient Tips

Chicken Breasts: Boneless skinless chicken breasts trimmed of excess fat is the best chicken to use to get perfect shredded white chicken.

White Beans: There are a few different types of white beans that are common in chili. I like to use Great Northern beans, but if you only have Cannellini or White kidney beans on hand, they will work too! Drain and rinse your beans for the best flavor!

Dairy-Free: I stay away from dairy as much as possible, but if dairy-free isn’t needed, feel free to substitute full dairy cheese, butter, sour cream, and cream cheese in this recipe. Just keep in mind that it will change the nutrition information from what I have below.

Xanthan Gum: If you don’t have Xanthan Gum on hand, sub 1 tablespoon tapioca or arrowroot flour dissolved in 2 tablespoons water. This is an optional step if you want to thicken up your chili.

Instant Pot White Chicken Chili

Making white chicken chili in the Instant Pot is actually one of the quickest methods! With 10 minutes of prep time and 15-20 minutes to cook, this meal will be ready in just under 30 minutes total! Follow the steps in the printable recipe below for how to make your creamy white chicken chili in the Instant Pot!

white chicken chili ingredients in a black crockpot

Crockpot Creamy White Chicken Chili

While the slow cooker does take more time to cook (about 6-7 hours) the best part is once you’ve prepped, you toss all of your chicken chili ingredients in the Crockpot and let it do all the work! Prep in the morning and come home to an aroma of delicious chili for dinner. Serve right out of the slow cooker, and enjoy that minimal cleanup!

Stovetop White Chicken Chili

Though the stovetop does require more attention than previous methods, it still only takes about 35 minutes from prep to serving! If you don’t have a Crockpot or Instant Pot for your white chicken chili, the stovetop is a great option!

How to Serve Creamy White Chicken Chili

Serve this in a big bowl with a soup spoon and top with your favorite toppings! If you think of a different topping that works wonderfully with this chili, mention it in the comments below. I love to hear your tweaks and swaps!

Toppings

  • Dairy-Free Shredded Cheese
  • Dairy-Free Sour Cream (I used Forager-Whole30 Compliant)
  • Tortilla chips or strips
  • Lime slice
  • Fresh cilantro
  • Jalapenos
close up of a white bowl filled with cream cheese white chicken chili and toppings

Pro Tips

Storage: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Store toppings in individual containers and top your chili after it’s reheated!

FAQs

Can I freeze this cream cheese chicken chili? Yes! Store in a freezer-safe, airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator and reheat on the stovetop or microwave. Serve with fresh toppings and enjoy!

What if my chili is too thin? If you need to thicken up your chili, follow my instructions for using Xanthan Gum, Tapioca Flour, or Arrowroot powder in this post or the printable recipe below. This will thicken your chili right up to the consistency you want!

Do you have any other chili recipes to share? Yes! Take a look at these amazing chili recipes on my blog: Spicy Bison Chili, Smoked Pulled Pork Chili, and Healthy Turkey Chili!

More Dairy-Free Chicken Recipes

If you’re looking for more creamy, dairy-free chicken recipes, take a look at these delicious dishes below!

Jalapeño Popper Chicken Soup

Creamy Chicken Fajita Soup

Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Peppers

Creamy Buffalo Chicken Casserole

Creamy White Chicken Chili

By: Ashley McCrary
5 from 3 votes
This healthy, delicious & creamy white chicken chili has a mouth-watering flavor that the whole family will love. Prepped & ready in under 30 minutes! Dairy and gluten-free
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 6 -8 servings

Ingredients  

  • 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts trimmed of excess fat
  • 1 tablespoon ghee
  • 1 yellow onion diced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 24 oz chicken broth more or less depending on preferred consistency
  • 1 15 oz cans great Northern beans drained and rinsed
  • 2 4 oz cans diced green chiles I do one hot, one mild
  • 1 15 oz can whole kernel corn drained
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • handful fresh cilantro chopped
  • 4 oz dairy-free sour cream
  • 1 8 oz container Kite Kill dairy-free cream cheese
  • 1 lime juiced
  • 1/2 tsp xanthan gum optional for thickness

Toppings:

  • Dairy-Free Shredded Cheese
  • Dairy-Free Sour Cream I used Forager-Whole30 Compliant
  • Tortiall chips or strips
  • Lime slice
  • Fresh cilantro
  • Jalapenos

Instructions 

Crockpot Method

  • Add in everything except for the cream cheese, sour cream, and lime juice into a 6qt Crockpot. Cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-7 hours.
  • Once cooked, remove the chicken, shred and then return the chicken to the Crockpot. Add in cream cheese sour cream, and lime juice (for additional thickness add 1/2 xanthan gum and stir until thick).
  • Stir together and let cook until cream cheese is melted.
  • Serve immediately with a lime slice, dairy-free sour cream, tortilla strips, and dairy-free cheese. 

Stovetop

  • Cook the chicken as desired and shred. In a large pot or dutch oven over medium/high heat add the ghee. Once the ghee is hot, add the onions and garlic. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Stir often.
  • Bring the saucepan down to low heat. Pour in chicken broth, corn, beans, chilies, spices, dairy-free cream cheese, and sour cream in the pot, whisking until cream cheese has melted. Throw in the handful of cilantro and shredded chicken and stir. Cook until the cream cheese has completely melted. 
  • For additional thickness add 1/2 xanthan gum and stir until thick.

Instant Pot

  • Press the saute function on the Instant Pot, and once hot, add the ghee. Once the oil is hot, add the onions and garlic. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Stir often.
  • Press cancel to turn off the saute feature. Add the chicken breasts (whole), corn, beans, chicken broth, and spices to the pot. Secure the lid, turn to seal, and set the pot to high-pressure cook for 5 minutes
  • Carefully quick release the pressure. Open the lid and shred the chicken using 2 forks or tongs. It will shred easily. 
  • Add in the dairy-free cream cheese, dairy-free sour cream, and lime juice and stir until melted and incorporated into the soup. For additional thickness add 1/2 xanthan gum and stir until thick.
  • Turn the saute function back on if the cream cheese is not melting well.

Notes

Sub 1 tablespoon tapioca or arrowroot flour dissolved in 2 tablespoons water for xanthan gum
Feel free to sub cornstarch for xanthan gum
Store in the fridge for up to 4 days and freeze for up to 3 months. 

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Tried this recipe?Mention @healthylittlepeach or tag #healthylittlepeach!

About Me

Mother, wife, cookbook author, recipe creator an open book

Welcome to Healthy Little Peach. I’m Mac, the lady behind the recipes. I believe in living a healthy lifestyle that consists of a mix of healthy whole foods, and full-fat comfort meals. Life is too short not to enjoy good food while maintaining a healthy body and mind. Here you will find gluten-free, dairy-free, paleo, keto, and even full-fat comfort recipes. Let’s have fun in the kitchen together!

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Recipe Rating




5 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    I LOVE this recipe! I’d give more stars if I could! I’ve made this several times in my instant pot, and just made it in the slow cooker today. It never disappoints! I like to add about 1/4 tsp of cayenne and about 1/2 tsp of red pepper flakes for a little extra kick. I also think I added a little extra Italian herbs, and doubled the garlic. For the slow cooker version, I sauteed the onions and garlic before adding them to the pot, (but I’m not sure if this makes a difference.) I love how easy this is to prep. I work from home and was able to get everything prepped and in the slow cooker before I started my work day. I had a delicious lunch ready for me by noon!

    1. You are so kind Maddie!!! This is why I love creating recipes for my followers. ATTA GIRL…..you tweek that recipe to make it yours. Great recipe additions no doubt. Thank you for the time to connect with me. Your kind words are so appreciated. Happy eating!!!!!!!!!!!

  2. 5 stars
    I made this recipe in the crockpot today to have for dinner with my boyfriend. We love soup/chili in the cold Wisconsin winter. We were both amazed at how good this meal was. I followed the recipe exactly aside from not using dairy free items. We topped with extra cilantro, a little bit of shredded cheese, and jalapeños and a side of fresh baked bread dipping. This recipe was also incredibly easy and inexpensive. I sent the link to the recipe to multiple friends after.

  3. 5 stars
    This is my go to dreary day recipe for my family! It’s so creamy and comforting. My brother requests it every time he stays with us. Thank you Mac!