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White Chicken Chili is the first recipe I posted to social media when I decided to start posting content in 2020 in the middle of the pandemic. I wanted to start things off with a bang because I had so much confidence behind this dish. It’s better than any restaurant I have tried because it’s thick and hearty and the broth is extremely flavorful thanks to all the seasonings and high-quality chicken stock from Kitchen Basics.
The white chicken chili is just the right amount of heat but the cream cheese brings creaminess that balances the heat and creates an extremely pleasurable experience. Shredding a rotisserie chicken makes it convenient while adding more flavor from the chicken drippings in the container. This is truly the best white chicken chili recipe you’ll ever try. It’s been a favorite of my friends and family for years.
Tips for the Best White Chicken Chili
- Use a vegetable chopper to dice the purple onion, red bell pepper, poblano pepper and jalapenos. It saves a TON of time and then all the vegetables are diced the same size and will cook evenly.
- Again, grab a rotisserie chicken for both convenience and the drippings. Costco sells big ones for $5. It’s worth the membership alone.
- You can substitute the frozen corn for 5 ears of fresh corn. Just cut the kernels off the cob and add to the pot along with the garlic and green chiles. Sauté for five minutes before adding the flour.
- If you want a spicier white chicken chili, leave some of the jalapeno seeds in the vegetable mixture.
- Soften your cream cheese. It will blend much better when you add to the soup. If it’s cold, it will still mix but it will break off into little balls and it will take more time to whisk it up.
White Chicken Chili
Ingredients
- 5 tbsp olive oil
- 1 purple onion diced
- 1 poblano pepper seeded, diced
- 2 jalapeño peppers seeded, diced
- 1 red bell pepper seeded, diced
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- small can diced green chiles
- 1 rotisserie chicken shredded
- 12 oz bag frozen corn
- 1/2 c flour
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 2 cartons chicken stock
- 3 tbsp Better than Bullion chicken base
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 3 tsp ancho chili powder
- 3 tsp cumin
- 2 tsp oregano
Instructions
- Add rotisserie chicken drippings to olive oil to a pot set over medium heat. Cook purple onion, red bell pepper, poblano pepper and jalapenos for 15-20 minutes.
- Add minced garlic and canned chiles. Cook 2 minutes.
- Add 1/2 C flour and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add chicken stock and turn heat to high.
- Whisk until it thickens a little. Add better than bullion, shredded chicken, corn and seasonings. Turn heat down to low.
- Stir, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
- Add softened cream cheese and simmer 15 more minutes, covered.
- Whisk until all the cream cheese has melted into the soup.