Is this white bean chicken chili spicy?

It's pretty mild as written. The jalapeño and diced green chiles add flavor and a little heat, but the cream cheese and half-and-half mellow everything out. For less heat, use less or omit the jalapeño. For more, use hot Italian sausage or add another jalapeño.

Can I make this chili ahead of time?

Absolutely! This chili is a great make-ahead meal and tastes just as good (if not better!) the next day. Make it up to 2-3 days ahead, store it covered in the fridge and gently reheat on the stovetop. Add a splash of chicken broth or water if it’s gotten too thick.

How do I store and reheat leftover chili?

Let the chili cool, then store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave. Add a splash of chicken broth or water if it gets a little too thick. If frozen, let it thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

Can I use chicken breasts instead of chicken thighs?

Boneless, skinless chicken breasts will work, but I prefer chicken thighs because they stay extra juicy and shred a bit easier than breasts. But if that's what you have, do it!

Can I make this in the Instant Pot?

I have instructions for how to make this in the Instant Pot or crockpot in the recipe notes!

Thick & Creamy White Bean Chicken Chili with Sausage

Name: Creamy White Bean Chicken Chili
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 50 min
Cuisine: American
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

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.

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

Instructions

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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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?
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.

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