This Cream Cheese Chicken Chili is the creamiest, most satisfying chicken chili ever. It is brimming with flavor (just look at the rich color!), and is wonderfully cozy and thick.
Chicken Chili with Cream Cheese is pretty epic, but if you’re craving all the chili, save my Healthy White Chicken Chili, Green Chicken Chili, and my Chili con Carne recipes, too!
Cream Cheese Chicken Chili Ingredients
- Chicken breasts
- Avocado oil or olive oil (not extra virgin)
- Yellow onion
- Garlic
- Chili powder (see my homemade chili powder and chili powder vs cayenne)
- Black beans
- Corn kernels
- Diced tomatoes (with juices)
- Canned green chiles (like in my pork green chili verde, too!)
- Cream cheese
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- Cilantro and shredded cheese for serving
Full recipe quantities listed in the recipe card at the bottom of the article.
Variations and Substitutions
- Protein swap: Use turkey or tofu. Here are my White Bean Turkey Chili and Ground Turkey Chili recipes.
- Beans: Try white beans, kidney or pinto beans instead of black beans.
- Heat level: Choose mild or hot green chilies; bump chili powder to taste.
Grab These Tools
- Large pot or Dutch oven this easy white chicken chili is simmered on the stove. If you like a quicker option, try my Instant Pot Turkey Chili.
- Tongs and two forks for shredding
How to Make Chicken Chili with Cream Cheese: An Easy Guide
Tender chicken simmers in a spiced base, then gets shredded and finished creamy with melted cream cheese.
Build the Base
Heat oil over medium. Soften onion with a pinch of salt, about 6 minutes. Stir in garlic and chili powder for 1 minute until fragrant.
Add the Good Stuff
Stir in black beans, corn, diced tomatoes with juices, and green chilies. Nestle in whole chicken breasts and season with the remaining salt.
Simmer, Shred, Make It Creamy
Bring to a boil, then simmer, stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes. Remove, shred with forks, and return to the pot. Add cream cheese and stir until fully melted and creamy; adjust seasoning.
If you love creamy Mexican chicken dishes, try my chicken enchilada casserole, too!
5 Common Mistakes When Making Cream Cheese Chicken Chili
Here are the most frequent mix-ups to avoid when making Cream Cheese Chicken Chili:
- Overcooking chicken: Simmer gently; shred when just cooked.
- Under-salting: Season the base and adjust after adding cream cheese.
- Rushing the melt: Let cream cheese fully melt for a smooth finish.
- Skipping onion time: Soft, sweet onions build the flavor base and disappear right into the finished chili.
- High heat after dairy: Keep it below a boil once creamy so it doesn’t separate.
Make Ahead and Storage
This chili stores and reheats well with a little care.
Storing Leftovers
- Fridge: Airtight container or dish covered with plastic wrap up to 3 days.
- Texture check: If thick, loosen with a splash of broth or water.
- Garnish fresh: Add cilantro and cheese at serving.
Freezing
- Yes: Cool fully; freeze up to 3 months.
- Thaw gently: Overnight in the fridge; stir well.
- Creamy fix: Whisk while reheating; add a little broth if needed.
Reheating Cream Cheese Chicken Chili
- Stovetop: Medium-low, stir often; don’t boil.
- Microwave: Short bursts with stirring.
- Adjust: Splash of broth to loosen if needed.
How to Serve This Cream Cheese Chicken Chili
Perfect for weeknights and game days, serve this creamy chicken chili hot with lots of fresh toppings.
Toppings
- Fresh cilantro or oregano, lime wedges, shredded cheddar cheese, minced red onion, sour cream.
- Jalapeños or hot sauce if you love heat.
Side Dishes
- A slice of Skillet Cornbread or tortilla chips.
- More ideas: see What to Eat with Chili.
Sometimes I skip the spoons and eat the bowl with tortilla chips.
FAQs About Cream Cheese Chicken Chili
Just skimming through? Here are some quick answers to the commonly asked questions.
Spices such as cumin, chili powder, and fresh herbs, along with tomatoes, onions, and lots of garlic enhance the flavor. If it tastes underseasoned, add more chili powder, salt, and/or a splash of soy sauce (which adds umami flavor as well as salt, but can’t be detected).
Sure! Just chop them up and make sure to adjust the liquid and seasoning as needed, as fresh tomatoes might have different water content.
Sour cream can add creaminess to chili, but it’s not a primary thickening agent. If added in large quantities, it may slightly thicken the chili.
Sour cream adds a tangy and creamy element, balancing out the spices and heat of the chili.
Absolutely! While chicken offers a specific flavor and texture, ground turkey or beef can also work well.
If you’re not a fan of cream cheese, you can try using half-and-half or heavy cream for a creamy texture. Adjust the quantity based on desired thickness.
Add more chili powder, include some jalapeños, or even try a splash of hot sauce.
Yes! Just make sure to adjust the cooking time accordingly, usually 3-4 hours on high or 6-8 hours on low.
If it’s too thick, a splash of chicken broth can help. If it’s too thin, letting it simmer a bit longer can reduce and thicken it.
Cream Cheese Chicken Chili
Video
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 3 tablespoons oil I use avocado oil
- 1 ½ cups diced onion from one medium
- 3 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tbsp minced garlic 3 large cloves
- 5 tbsp chili powder
- 1 15-oz can black beans drained and rinsed
- 2 cups corn kernels fresh or frozen
- 1 14-ozcan unsalted diced tomatoes undrained
- 1 4-oz can chopped green chilies undrained
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
Instructions
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion and 1/2 tsp of the salt; cook until soft, about 6 minutes. Add garlic and chili powder and cook another minute, until fragrant.
- Add the black beans, corn, diced tomatoes (undrained), diced green chilies to the pot. Stir well to combine all the ingredients, then add the whole chicken breasts along with remaining salt. It will look dry, but don’t be tempted to add water (which will dilute the flavor). The chicken will release flavorful liquid as it cooks.
- Bring the chili to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer (stirring occasionally to prevent scorching), until chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes.
- Using tongs, remove the chicken from the chili and transfer to a plate. Use two forks to shred it apart into small pieces, then return it to the pot.
- Add the cream cheese to the chili. Stir until the cream cheese is melted and fully incorporated into the chili. Continue cooking for another few minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
- Taste the chili and season with more salt if needed.
Notes
- The chicken releases plenty of moisture as it cooks, and the cream cheese at the end melts to add more sauce as well. Trust me on the quantity of liquids, this chili is thick and satisfying and so gorgeously concentrated with flavor. If you prefer a soupier chili, add 1 cup of chicken broth with the diced tomatoes.
- Leaving the chicken breasts whole ensures that they stay plump and juicy. If you cut small pieces of chicken while raw, it’ll dry out before the chili simmers long enough to be flavorful.
- The chili powder called for is the North American chili powder spice blend for making chili, not Indian or other Asian red chili powder or chilli powder that’s just straight-up ground chillies.
- If at the end the chili seems too thick for your liking, you can add a splash of chicken broth.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Delicious chili, thank you for the wonderful recipe.
Sadly using products like the spice blend which is unavailable here makes me not want to cook this and this is a one off product that I wouldn’t be using regularly. Many recipes use products that can’t be accessed. If you can give basic spices usually in the cupboard would be better. Thanks.
This is a new family favorite chili recipe! I’ve never had cream cheese in chili before and it is so good. Thick, creamy and delicious.