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A white bowl of white chicken chili topped with shredded cheddar cheese, chopped cilantro, and crushed tortilla chips.

Creamy White Chicken Chili

Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (leave whole for slow cooker method) - see note for cooked chicken
  • ½ cup chopped onion
  • 1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder or 2 cloves fresh garlic, finely minced
  • 2 cans (15.5-ounces each) Great Northern Beans or cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 ¾ cups chicken broth (14.5-ounce can)
  • 2 cans (4-ounces each) chopped green chiles (see note)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • ½ cup heavy cream (see note)
  • Fresh cilantro, for garnish (optional)
  • Shredded cheese, tortilla chips, other toppings (optional)

Instructions 

  • Stovetop Directions: in a 4- or 5-quart pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the chicken, onion, and garlic powder (or fresh garlic, if using). Cook, stirring occasionally, for 1-2 minutes, until the onion starts to soften (it's ok if the chicken isn't cooked all the way; it will cook more in the next step).
  • Add the beans, broth, chiles, salt, cumin, oregano, pepper and cayenne.
  • Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 15 to 30 minutes.
  • Remove from the heat; stir in the sour cream and cream.
  • Garnish with fresh cilantro, if desired. Serve with chili toppings of choice, like shredded cheese, tortilla chips, etc. The chili will thicken slightly as it cools.
  • Slow Cooker Directions: in a 5- or 6-quart slow cooker, place 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts whole (without cutting into pieces).
  • Add the chopped onion, garlic powder, beans, green chiles and all of the spices. Do not add the sour cream or whipping cream yet!
  • Reduce the chicken broth to 1 1/2 cups and add to the slow cooker. Stir the mixture around a bit to incorporate the dry spices. Cook on low for 5-7 hours.
  • Remove the chicken to a cutting board and shred in bite-size pieces (or use a couple forks and shred right in the slow cooker). Add the shredded chicken back into the slow cooker.
  • In a small bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk together the sour cream and whipping cream until smooth. Stir this mixture into the crockpot with the other ingredients. Cover and heat through on low or high temperature.
  • Garnish with fresh cilantro, if desired. Serve with chili toppings of choice, like shredded cheese, tortilla chips, etc. The chili will thicken slightly as it cools.

Notes

Green Chiles: you can sub out the green chiles completely for a jar (12 ounces) of green salsa (salsa verde or tomatillo salsa). 
Heavy Cream: to sub out the heavy cream, add add extra sour cream or milk. For a thicker chili, blend 1/2 cup milk with 1 tablespoon flour and use in place of the cream. 
Chicken: to use already cooked chicken (i.e. a rotisserie chicken or this simple stovetop shredded chicken), omit the chicken from cooking in the first step, and instead stir the cooked, cubed or shredded chicken in at the end with the sour cream and heat through.