Description
Creamy, bold, and deeply comforting, this Hearty Cajun White Chicken Chili is an easy dinner packed with shredded chicken, white beans, kidney beans, Cajun spices, cream cheese, and melty Monterey Jack. It is a cozy one-pot meal for weeknight dinner ideas, cold-weather food ideas, game day bowls, meal prep lunches, and anyone who wants a quick comfort food recipe with smoky Southern flavor.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
2 celery ribs, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
4 cups chicken broth
2 cans 15 ounces each Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed
1 can 15 ounces kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can 4 ounces diced green chiles
3 cups cooked shredded chicken
4 ounces cream cheese, softened and cubed
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
2 tablespoons chopped parsley or cilantro, for garnish
Instructions
1. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Add onion, bell pepper, and celery, then cook for 5 to 6 minutes until softened.
2. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
3. Add Cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, cumin, black pepper, and salt. Stir for 30 to 45 seconds to bloom the spices.
4. Pour in the chicken broth, then add the white beans, kidney beans, and diced green chiles. Stir well and bring to a gentle boil.
5. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes. Mash about 1 cup of the white beans into the broth if you want a thicker chili.
6. Stir in the shredded chicken and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes until warmed through.
7. Lower the heat to low. Add the cream cheese and stir until fully melted into the broth.
8. Stir in the heavy cream and Monterey Jack cheese until smooth and creamy. Do not boil hard after adding the dairy.
9. Taste and adjust with more salt, pepper, or Cajun seasoning if needed.
10. Serve hot with parsley or cilantro, extra cheese, crushed tortilla chips, or lime if desired.
Notes
Use rotisserie chicken to make this chili faster, but taste before adding more salt because rotisserie chicken and Cajun seasoning can both be salty.
For a thicker chili, mash some of the white beans before adding the cream cheese, or simmer uncovered for a few extra minutes.
Keep the heat low after adding cream cheese, heavy cream, and shredded cheese so the broth stays smooth and creamy.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Cajun-inspired American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 485
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 890mg
- Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 34g
- Fiber: 9g
- Protein: 34g
- Cholesterol: 105mg
Keywords: Hearty Cajun White Chicken Chili, Cajun white chicken chili, creamy chicken chili, easy dinner, dinner ideas, comfort food, one pot chili, chicken chili recipe