This White Chicken Chili is creamy, hearty, and full of flavor! Made with tender chicken, white beans, green chilies, and spices, it’s a warm and comforting dish. Perfect for a cozy dinner, it’s easy to make and great for leftovers!
Jump to RecipeIngredients Needed:
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 2 (14.5 oz) cans low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 (7 oz) can diced green chilies
- 1 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp ground coriander
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 (8 oz) pkg Neufchatel cheese (aka light cream cheese), cut into small cubes
- 1 1/4 cup frozen or fresh corn
- 2 (15 oz) cans cannellini beans
- 2 1/2 cups shredded cooked rotisserie or left-over chicken*
- 1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
- 2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for serving
- Tortilla chips or strips, Monterrey jack cheese, sliced avocado for serving (optional)
How To Make White Chicken Chili?
- Sauté the onion and garlic: Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion and cook for 4 minutes until soft. Stir in garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
- Simmer the soup base: Pour in chicken broth, green chilies, cumin, paprika, oregano, coriander, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Blend some beans for thickness: Take 1 cup of the drained beans and blend them with ¼ cup of soup broth in a food processor until smooth. This makes the chili creamier.
- Add the creamy ingredients: Stir in Neufchatel cheese, corn, whole beans, and blended beans. Let it simmer for 5–10 minutes, stirring often, until everything melts together.
- Add the chicken and fresh flavors: Stir in shredded chicken, lime juice, and chopped cilantro. Cook for a few more minutes until the chicken is heated through.
- Serve and enjoy: Ladle into bowls and top with cheese, avocado slices, extra cilantro, and tortilla chips if you like.

Recipe Tips:
- Use rotisserie chicken for the best flavor: Rotisserie chicken is already seasoned and juicy, making the chili taste richer. If using plain cooked chicken, add extra seasoning to boost the flavor.
- Blend some beans for a creamy texture: Blending 1 cup of the beans with a little broth makes the chili thicker and creamier. If you skip this step, the chili will be more brothy.
- Cut the cream cheese into small cubes: Neufchatel cheese melts better when cut into small pieces. Stir well to make sure it fully blends into the soup without leaving lumps.
- Simmer long enough for deep flavor: Let the chili simmer for at least 15 minutes before adding the final ingredients. This helps the spices blend, making the chili taste richer.
- Adjust the spice level to your taste: If you like mild chili, reduce the cayenne or skip it. For extra heat, add diced jalapeños, red pepper flakes, or hot sauce when serving.
How To Store & Reheat Leftovers?
- Refrigerate: Let White Chicken Chili cool down first. Then, put it in a sealed container and store it in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freeze: After cooling, pour the chili into a freezer-safe container, leaving space at the top. Freeze for up to 3 months.
- Reheat: Pour the chili into a pot and warm over low heat, stirring often. If it thickens too much, add a little broth or water to loosen it.
Nutrition Facts:
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Total Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Cholesterol: 55mg
- Sodium: 540mg
- Potassium: 600mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 25g
- Dietary Fiber: 6g
- Sugars: 3g
- Protein: 28g
Try More Cheesecake Factory Recipes:
- Cheesecake Factory Chicken And Biscuits
- Cheesecake Factory Chicken Alfredo
- Cheesecake Factory Chicken And Waffles
Cheesecake Factory White Chicken Chili
Course: DinnerCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy4
servings30
minutes40
minutes300
kcalThis White Chicken Chili is creamy, hearty, and full of flavor! Made with tender chicken, white beans, green chilies, and spices, it’s a warm and comforting dish. Perfect for a cozy dinner, it’s easy to make and great for leftovers!
Ingredients
1 small yellow onion, diced
1 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 (14.5 oz) cans low-sodium chicken broth
1 (7 oz) can diced green chilies
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 (8 oz) pkg Neufchatel cheese (aka light cream cheese), cut into small cubes
1 1/4 cup frozen or fresh corn
2 (15 oz) cans cannellini beans
2 1/2 cups shredded cooked rotisserie or left-over chicken*
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for serving
Tortilla chips or strips, Monterrey jack cheese, sliced avocado for serving (optional)
Directions
- Sauté the onion and garlic: Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion and cook for 4 minutes until soft. Stir in garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
- Simmer the soup base: Pour in chicken broth, green chilies, cumin, paprika, oregano, coriander, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Blend some beans for thickness: Take 1 cup of the drained beans and blend them with ¼ cup of soup broth in a food processor until smooth. This makes the chili creamier.
- Add the creamy ingredients: Stir in Neufchatel cheese, corn, whole beans, and blended beans. Let it simmer for 5–10 minutes, stirring often, until everything melts together.
- Add the chicken and fresh flavors: Stir in shredded chicken, lime juice, and chopped cilantro. Cook for a few more minutes until the chicken is heated through.
- Serve and enjoy: Ladle into bowls and top with cheese, avocado slices, extra cilantro, and tortilla chips if you like.
Notes
- Use rotisserie chicken for the best flavor: Rotisserie chicken is already seasoned and juicy, making the chili taste richer. If using plain cooked chicken, add extra seasoning to boost the flavor.
- Blend some beans for a creamy texture: Blending 1 cup of the beans with a little broth makes the chili thicker and creamier. If you skip this step, the chili will be more brothy.
- Cut the cream cheese into small cubes: Neufchatel cheese melts better when cut into small pieces. Stir well to make sure it fully blends into the soup without leaving lumps.
- Simmer long enough for deep flavor: Let the chili simmer for at least 15 minutes before adding the final ingredients. This helps the spices blend, making the chili taste richer.
- Adjust the spice level to your taste: If you like mild chili, reduce the cayenne or skip it. For extra heat, add diced jalapeños, red pepper flakes, or hot sauce when serving.