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Hearty White Chicken Chili Soup

Hearty white chicken chili soup with cumin-spiced broth, tender shredded chicken, and a velvety cream cheese finish. Simmered with great northern beans and corn for a thick, zesty bowl topped with avocado, sour cream, cilantro, and tortilla chips.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chili Base
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 yellow onion
  • 1 poblano pepper
  • 1 jalapeño
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1.5 tsp kosher salt
  • 0.5 tsp ground black pepper
  • 4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 can (4 oz) diced green chiles
Beans and Creamy Finish
  • 2 can (15 oz) great northern beans drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup frozen corn
  • 4 oz cream cheese cubed and softened
  • 0.5 cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
  • 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
  • 0.25 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Toppings
  • 0.5 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
  • 1 ripe avocado diced
  • 0.25 cup sour cream
  • 1 cup tortilla chips lightly crushed
  • 1 lime cut into wedges

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Build the chili base
  1. Heat the olive oil and butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat.
  2. Add the onion, poblano, and jalapeño and cook for 6 minutes, stirring often, until softened.
  3. Stir in the garlic, cumin, oregano, and chili powder and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
Simmer chicken
  1. Pour in the chicken broth, then add the chicken breasts, green chiles, salt, and pepper.
  2. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes, until the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C).
  3. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and shred it with two forks.
Finish the chili
  1. Mash 1 cup of the beans with a fork, then add the mashed and whole beans and the corn to the pot, and simmer for 10 minutes.
  2. Stir in the cream cheese until completely melted, then stir in the heavy cream, Monterey Jack, and shredded chicken.
  3. Simmer gently for 5 minutes, stirring, until thick and creamy.
  4. Stir in the lime juice and cilantro, then taste and adjust the salt.
Serve
  1. Ladle into bowls and top with Monterey Jack, avocado, sour cream, crushed tortilla chips, and a lime wedge.

Notes

For the creamiest texture, mash the beans before adding them back so they naturally thicken the broth without heavy flour. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 4 days; reheat gently on the stove, adding a splash of broth or cream if it thickens too much. Freezing is not recommended because the dairy can break; for a lower-fat option, use reduced-fat cream cheese and half-and-half.