Creamy White Chicken Chili

This creamy white chicken chili is a delicious twist on a traditional chilli, made with tender chicken, white beans and a blend of spices in a creamy, lower fat sauce. It's hearty, comforting and full of flavour, but still feels lighter than you might expect, making it perfect for an easy family dinner.

There are lots of ways to make white chicken chilli, but I really love cooking it on the stovetop for this version. It's quick, simple and a great way to use up leftover cooked chicken, while still giving the sauce time to simmer and develop plenty of flavour. Unlike a traditional chilli that can need a long cook, this one comes together much faster, which makes it ideal for busy days when you still want something warm and satisfying.

How to cook shredded chicken for recipes

Although I often have some cooked shredded chicken leftover, especially if i have roasted or chicken at the weekend or cooked some for salads and sandwiches, often a recipe may called for cooked shredded chicken which you don't have on hand. So how can you quickly prep some shredded cooked chicken to add in to recipes.

The quickest and best method is to poach in some broth, it keeps the chicken lovely and tender while the broth adds flavour.

Just add uncooked chicken breasts to a large saucepan, you can keep the whole, or to cook slightly quicker, slice into about 3-4 even sized pieces, don't go too small or they will be hard to shred and over cook). Then cover with chicken stock, bring to a boil and simmer for about 8-15 minutes until the chicken is cooked and no longer pink.

Remove from the pan, allow to cool slightly and then shred with two forks or you can pull apart with hands (make sure the chicken is cool enough to touch if you are doing this). Then you can use this chicken in any recipes that calls for cooked chicken breast.

Variations and Substitutes

This creamy white chicken chilli is easy to adapt depending on what you have on hand. You can swap the white beans for cannellini beans, butter beans or even chickpeas, and if you want to add a little extra colour and sweetness, some sweetcorn or different coloured peppers work really well too.

If you don't have cooked shredded chicken, you could use cooked turkey instead, which is a great option for leftovers. You can also make it with chicken mince or turkey mince, just brown it first before adding the other ingredients.

For the creamy element, light cream cheese gives the sauce a rich, velvety finish, but reduced fat soured cream can also work well for a slightly tangier flavour. You can adjust the jalapeños and cayenne to suit your preferred heat level too, adding more for extra spice or reducing them for a milder chilli and if you want to make it dairy free, add in some coconut milk instead of the cream cheese.

What kind of pan is best for cooking chili?

Any large stove top casserole pot with a lid is the best for chili. I love my Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven by Le Creuset and also my Perfect Pot from Our Place. But you really don't need an expensive brand of pot. So long as it is deep enough and has a lid it will work perfectly.

If you are looking to invest in new one however, I recommend looking for one that can be used on both the stove top and in the oven.

Toppings for Creamy White Chili Chicken

Unlike chilli con carne which often is served with cooked white rice, White Chili Chicken is best just served in a bowl with some yummy toppings of your choice. Here are some of our favourites.

• Grated Cheddar
• Sliced Jalapenos (sliced or jarred)
• Soured Cream or Greek Yoghurt
• Fresh Coriander
• Sliced Green Onions
• Lime Wedges
• Fresh Avocado or guacamole
• Tortilla Chips

More Chili (Chilli) Recipes

Looking for some other low calorie chili recipes to try? Check out these below options.

• Beef and Pinto Bean Chilli
• Chickpea Vegetable Chilli (Stove Top and Instant Pot)
• Turkey Chilli (Stove Top and Instant Pot)
• Best Ever Rich Chilli Con Carne
• Beef and Six Bean Chilli (Stove Top, Instant Pot and Slow Cooker)
• Instant Pot Chocolate Chilli
• Sweet Potato, Vegetable and Lentil Chilli
• Beef and Roasted Butternut Squash Chilli

or if you would like more recipe ideas - head on over to the FULL RECIPE INDEX where you will find over 900 delicious recipes with calories and you can search by meal type, ingredients, course, diet and more.

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