Thick & Creamy White Bean Chicken Chili

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This white bean chicken chili has become a full-blown obsession in my house. It’s an easy one-pot meal loaded with tender chicken thighs, Italian sausage, white beans, roasted corn and green chiles. And the broth is downright thick and creamy with a squeeze of fresh lime juice to brighten everything up. It’s a total crowd pleaser for game days, dinner parties, or busy weeknights in the fall and winter months. Load up your bowl with toppings, grab some warm cornbread and dinner is looking prettttty cozy.

Here’s my hot take.

Or perhaps it’s a lukewarm take, as there may be some of you who agree.

White chili >>>>>> red chili. 

I feel this way perhaps because I loathe a kidney bean? Those can get right on out of anything I’m eating ever, please and thanks.

And don’t get me wrong, I do still love a traditional chili, I really do. BUT boy, I’ve been on a major white bean chili kick, I just love it so much. It’s creamy, chunky, thick, high in protein and fiber, and simply the best nourishing comfort food.

A few thoughts on what we’ve got going on here:

1. There’s Italian sausage and chicken thighs. Italian sausage certainly isn’t a traditional addition, but it makes this feel more ‘chili-y’ to me, ya know what I mean? It’s so good.
2. You might also think that a cornstarch slurry seems a little weird, but I’ve tried it both with and without, and the slurry + a few pulses with your immersion blender takes this from soup territory to chili territory. A must in my opinion.
3. I serve this with cornbread, beer bread or if I’m a little lazy, good ole tortilla chips.
4. Don’t forget to do up your bowls at the end with a swirl of plain Greek yogurt, cheese, plenty of fresh herbs and a mandatory squeeze of fresh lime juice. MUAH. Truly so good.

I recently made a big batch of this white bean chicken chili to take to the coast and I was a little nervous about my girls’ willingness to eat it. And I was floored when Lia asked what was for dinner and I said ‘chili and cornbread’ and they were both like ‘YAAAAAY! YUMMY’ and proceeded to gobble up firsts and seconds. Like… um? Winnnnnn.

I hope you all enjoy this one as much as we do!

What Ingredients You’ll Need to Make White Bean Chicken Chili:

• Boneless, skinless chicken thighs work best here because they stay super juicy and tender as they simmer. Chicken breasts can be substituted, but they have less flavor and are easier to overcook.
• Italian sausage is a unique addition you won’t typically find in traditional beef chili, but it’s SO good here with the chicken. I use mild, but you can use hot if you want more spice. Ground chicken or ground turkey sausage would also work.
• Seasonings: Cumin, smoked paprika, brown sugar, dried oregano, kosher salt and black pepper make up our smoky, savory spice blend.
• Vegetables + aromatics: Onion, red bell pepper, jalapeño and garlic make up the flavorful base of our chili. If you don’t have a sweet onion, yellow or white onion is a great alternative. Remove the jalapeño seeds for less heat or leave them in for a little more kick.
• Diced green chiles: One 7-ounce can adds a little tang, mild heat and lots of flavor. You can usually find these near the taco supplies or canned peppers in the Mexican foods aisle.
• Chicken broth: I usually make mine with 2 tablespoons chicken bouillon dissolved in 4 cups hot water. But store-bought chicken broth or chicken stock are great too.
• Beans: I like using one can of cannellini beans and two cans of white beans (specifically navy beans), but Great Northern beans would work too. Feel free to use any combination you like. You’ll need three 15-ounce cans total.
• Roasted corn: I love the extra flavor from roasted corn (I use Trader Joe’s), but regular frozen or canned corn works just fine. You can usually find frozen fire-roasted corn with the other frozen vegetables.
• Cream cheese + half-and-half: I use ⅓ less fat Neufchâtel cream cheese, but regular full-fat cream cheese works. If you don’t have half-and-half, you can substitute heavy cream. Could you use whole milk? Sure, but I wouldn’t recommend it if you love a creamy white bean chili.
• Cornstarch slurry: Made with 3 tablespoons cornstarch and ¼ cup water. This helps thicken the broth and gives us a true chili consistency.
• Limes: You’ll want to use freshly squeezed lime juice rather than bottled here. You’ll need one lime for the chili, plus extra wedges for serving.

How to Make this White Bean Chicken Chili Recipe:

Combine the cumin, smoked paprika, brown sugar, dried oregano, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Season the chicken thighs all over with about two-thirds of the mixture.

Dice the onion and bell pepper and mince the jalapeño and garlic cloves so your veggies are ready to go. Brown the Italian sausage in a large Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat, breaking it apart as it cooks. Transfer the cooked sausage to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving about a tablespoon of grease behind.

Add the seasoned chicken thighs to the same pot and cook for about 3 minutes per side. You’re just looking for some good browning here, so don’t worry about cooking the chicken all the way through yet.

Set the chicken aside and add the onion, jalapeño, red bell pepper and garlic. Sauté for about 4 minutes, scraping up all those flavorful browned bits from the bottom. Add the remaining third of the seasoning mixture and cook for another minute.

Add the chicken back to the pot, followed by the green chilies and chicken broth. Bring everything to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 15-20 minutes.

Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and shred with a fork or chop it, then return it to the pot. Add the cooked sausage, beans, roasted corn, cream cheese and half-and-half.

In a liquid measuring cup or small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and water. Stir the slurry into the chili, mixing until everything is combined and the cream cheese has melted. Bring everything back to a simmer, stirring occasionally, until the chili starts to thicken.

Optional tip: For the best texture, give the chili about five quick 1-second pulses with an immersion blender. Don’t over-blend. A few quick pulses will really help tie everything together and make a thick and creamy texture.

Stir in the fresh lime juice at the end. Ladle into bowls and go wild with a dollop of sour cream or plain Greek yogurt, cheddar cheese, avocado slices, cilantro, green onions and crushed tortilla chips.

A big bowl of delicious comfort food. MUAH.

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Creamy White Bean Chicken Chili

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• Author: Erica Baty
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Total Time: 50 minutes
• Yield: 14-15 cups, 10 servings (1 ½ cup each)
• Category: Dinner
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: American, Tex Mex
• Diet: Gluten-Free

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Description

This is one seriously good bowl of chili. Tender chicken thighs, Italian sausage, white beans, roasted corn and green chiles in a thick, creamy broth. Cozy comfort food at its finest.

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Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 lb chicken thighs, fat trimmed
• 1 lb Italian sausage
• 1 small sweet onion, diced
• 1 jalapeño, minced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (7-oz) can diced green chiles
• 4 cups chicken broth (I use 2 tablespoons chicken bouillon + 4 cups hot water)
• 2 (15-oz) cans white beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (15-oz) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 cups roasted corn
• 8 oz cream cheese (I use ⅓ less fat Neufchâtel cream cheese)
• ½ cup half-and-half
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• ¼ cup water
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• For serving: plain Greek yogurt or sour cream, cheese, avocado, green onions, cilantro, tortilla chips

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Instructions

1. In a small bowl, make a seasoning mix with 1 tablespoon cumin, 1 tablespoon smoked paprika, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 2 teaspoons dried oregano, 1 teaspoon kosher salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper.
2. Trim any excess fat from the chicken thighs and pat them dry with a paper towel. Season all over with about ⅔ of the seasoning mix.
3. Heat a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat and add the Italian sausage, using a spatula to break it up into pieces. Cook until well browned and cooked through and then remove to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving about a tablespoon of grease in the pot.
4. Continuing over medium heat, add the chicken thighs and cook for 3 minutes per side, until there’s some nice caramelization and browning. Set aside. It’s okay if they’re not fully cooked at this point, we’re just toasting the spices and getting some color on the chicken.
5. To the pot, add the onion, jalapeño, red bell pepper and garlic, sauteing until the veggies are softened, about 4 minutes, and scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pot as the moisture from the veggies is released. Season with the remaining spice mixture, stirring for 60 seconds or so to get the spices toasted and fragrant.
6. Add the diced green chiles and chicken to the pot and pour in 4 cups chicken broth. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 15-20 minutes. Remove the chicken to a cutting board and shred or chop it.
7. Return the chicken to the soup along with the sausage, 2 cans drained and rinsed white beans, 1 can drained and rinsed cannellini beans, 2 cups roasted corn, 8oz cubed cream cheese and ½ cup half and half. Whisk together 3 tablespoons cornstarch with ¼ cup water to make a slurry and stir it in, mixing until everything is combined and the cream cheese is melted. It may look like there’s not enough liquid, don’t freak out, it’s going to be okay.
8. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally, until the chili thickens up a bit. Now, this is optional, but for the best texture, use an immersion blender to blend the chili for 5 1-second pulses. This really helps tie everything together and make a voluptuous thick and creamy texture. Didn’t think I’d use voluptuous to describe chili, did ya?
9. Stir in 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice. Serve piping hot with sour cream or plain Greek yogurt, cheese, avocado, fresh cilantro or green onions and crushed tortilla chips.ERRMMMEEEGERRRRD. I just can’t, it’s so good.

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Notes

Instant Pot Instructions: Using Sauté mode, brown the sausage; remove. Sprinkle the chicken with half the seasonings and sear for 3 minutes per side, remove. Add the vegetables, and stir in the remaining seasoning mix, stirring until the veggies are softened and the spices are fragrant. Return the chicken to the Instant Pot along with broth and green chiles and pressure cook on High for 10 minutes with a 5-minute natural release. Remove and shred the chicken and return it to the chili along with the sausage, beans, corn, cream cheese, half-and-half, and cornstarch slurry. Simmer on Sauté until creamy and thickened. Pulse briefly with an immersion blender, if desired, then stir in the lime juice.

Crockpot Instructions: Brown the sausage, then add it to the crockpot with the seasoned chicken, onion, jalapeño, bell pepper, garlic, green chiles, and broth; cook on low for 5-6 hours or high for 3-4 hours. Shred the chicken, then stir in the beans, corn, cream cheese, half-and-half, and cornstarch slurry and cook on high for 20–30 minutes, until creamy and thickened. Pulse briefly with an immersion blender, if desired, then stir in the lime juice.

Refer to the above blog post for ingredient information, step-by-step instructions and answers to frequently asked questions.

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Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups
• Calories: 517
• Sugar: 8.6 g
• Sodium: 1227.5 mg
• Fat: 23.1 g
• Carbohydrates: 47.8 g
• Fiber: 10.8 g
• Protein: 30.7 g
• Cholesterol: 95.4 mg

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