What happens when you take a zesty and flavorful chicken chili and add Queso to it? Magic, that’s what happens! This Queso White Chicken Chili is the perfect comfort food and a cool weather menu staple!
Hi there and happy Monday! It’s a crisp fall Monday in Columbus today, a welcome relief from the 90 degree weather we had last week! It’s finally starting to feel like football weather! Football and fall weather go together like football and chili! Football and chili go together like baseball and cracker jacks! Chili goes into our menu rotation on full blast come fall. We’ve already plowed our way through a batch of my go-to chili (you can check out that recipe here) so I decided to take another stab at perfecting my White Chicken Chili recipe.
When I say take another stab, what I mean is that every previous attempt has been a fail. You know how when you make up a recipe and it isn’t quite right and you keep tweaking it and then it’s over-tweaked and you don’t really know where it went (even more) wrong? Yeah, that’s been my situation with attempting to find a white chicken chili recipe that I love. Well I finally found the missing piece. Queso! Queso, you complete me. Or at least you complete my white bean chicken chili.
Are you ready to try it? Let’s go!
What beans do you use for Creamy White Chicken Chili?
Any kind of white beans will do. I used Great Northern for this one but I’ve also used Cannelini and those work just as well. One of my favorite tips for this recipe is mashing half of the beans. My friend Heather taught me this trick and it adds such a dreamy creamy consistency to your white chicken chili. This Queso Chicken Chili has layers of flavor and is the perfect bowl of comfort!
Check out the video and grab the printable recipe card below.
Grab a bowl of this, and some football or Netflix and you have the perfect night in, I’d say!
Tips for making any soup
I highly recommend using a dutch oven to make this chicken chili and any soup. I have a glass electric cooktop and after over 2 years in our house, I still can’t predict how hot it will decide to be on a given day. These are the sautéed onions for the chili in a dutch oven. In any other pan, by this point in the cooking there would be several scorched spots.
How to serve Queso White Bean Chicken Chili
With more queso, of course! Also adding some tortilla strips, avocado, cilantro and sour cream round out the flavors perfectly.
Queso White Chicken Chili
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken breast cooked and shredded
- 4 cans Great Northern beans 2 cans mashed, 2 cans whole beans
- 6 cups chicken stock
- 8 oz. Queso cheese shredded
- 2 cups onion diced
- 2 poblano peppers diced
- 2 cans diced green chiles 4 oz. cans
- 2 limes juiced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
- ½ teaspoon dry mustard
- ½ teaspoon pepper
Optional toppings
- Sour cream
- Avocado
- Cilantro
- Tortilla strips
- More shredded queso!
Instructions
- In a large dutch oven, sauté onion in olive oil over medium heat until softened. Add peppers and garlic and sauté until onions are browned.
- Rinse and drain beans. Mash 2 cans of the beans, leave 2 cans whole. (The mashed beans give the chili a wonderful creaminess!)
- Add spices, chicken stock and beans; simmer on medium heat for 20 minutes.
- Add shredded chicken, chiles and lime juice; simmer for 20 more minutes.
- Add queso and stir until cheese is melted.
- Top with your favorite fixings!
Video
I hope you enjoy this yummy Queso White Chicken Chili recipe as much as we do! Please let me know if you try it, I’d love to hear what you think!
Pin in for later!
JEN says
DO YOU BY ANY CHANCE HAVE THE NUTRITIONAL CONTENTS FOR THIS RECIPE, CAL, FAT, CARB ETC?
Lydia says
Hi Jen, I don’t unfortunately. I’ve heard there are a lot of apps and websites that do that though if you put ingredients in.
Kylie says
Do you drain the beans or anything else?!
Lydia says
Hi Kylie! Nope I sure don’t! 🙂
Katelyn Buell says
This recipe is the PERFECT white chick chili recipe. The only thing different I do is roast those delicious pablono peppers prior. I added diced jalapeño here and there too. This recipe won me a chili cook off back in October. Thanks so much Lydi!! -Katelyn
Lydia says
Hi Katelyn! Oh my goodness thanks so much for your note, that made my day! Your additions sound delish, I’ll have to try them. Congrats on the chili cook off! 🙂 – Lydi
Nikki says
Hi! What step do you add the green Chile’s? I wasn’t sure from the recipe. Making it right now! Thanks!
Lydia says
Hi Nikki! So sorry about that, I didn’t realize I didn’t have that step in there! I added them in when I added the chicken. How did you like it? 🙂
Alyson says
You did mention the chiles on step 4 in the making of it! 😉
Emily says
This looks amazing!
Lydia says
Thanks so much Emily! 🙂
Robyn says
Just wondering if this can be made in the crockpot?
Lydia says
Hi Robyn, absolutely! You can add all of the ingredients to the crockpot and when it’s almost cooked add in the cheese to melt it. If the cheese goes in at the beginning it can break down and get kind of globby. New word 😉 Enjoy and let me know how it turns out!
Hannah says
When I think of queso, I think of the melted cheesy dip they give you in Mexican restaurants. What is shredded queso? Do I find it at Walmart?
Lydia says
Hi Hannah! Haha yes me too, that’s where I got the idea… that’s my favorite dip! I got it at Kroger but I’ve seen it at many grocery stores. You may want to check in the specialty cheese section which in my stores is close to the deli. If you don’t see it you can ask the deli and they should be able to find it for you. It’s sometimes called Chihuahua cheese too. Enjoy!
amy says
This looks delicious, but I never heard of that cheese before. Where did you find it?
Lydia says
Thanks Amy! I got it in the specialty cheese section of my local grocery store. If you don’t find any listed as Queso Cheese I’ve also seen it called Chihuahua Cheese before. Enjoy! 🙂
Lauren says
Your chili looks delicious! Thanks for sharing it at Motivation Monday on Mom Home Guide!
mie says
Hmmm! That looks yummie!!!
Lydia says
Thanks Mie, it’s perfect for the cold temps we have here this time of year!
Kirsty Hijacked By Twins says
Whenever I do a chilli I always seem to use beef, next time I have to have a go with chicken! This looks delicious. Popping over from #meltinyourmouthmonday
Lydia says
I love beef chili too but it’s nice to mix it up sometimes! 🙂
LeAnn Voyer says
I was looking for a white chicken chili recipe and I happened across your blog. I would definitely try this recipe. It looks delicious!!!
Lydia says
Thanks so much LeAnn! I hope you love it, I’d love to hear after you make it! 🙂
Daniel P. says
I have an old family recipe for braised lamb shank done in the dutch oven. Trying to upgrade quality of kitchen one item at a time. This would do just the thing.
Lydia says
Ooooh that sounds delicious Daniel! Thanks for stopping by!
carol clark says
id make a stew or chili in it
Lydia says
Perfect for this time of year Carol! I plan to use it for that all season long!
Kathy says
I would use the dutch oven to make Cassoulet!
Lydia says
I’ve never tried to make that Kathy, I’d love to try your recipe if you don’t mind sharing? 🙂
Steve Weber says
I would love to try a short ribs recipe!
Lydia says
Good call Steve! I used it to make my Chianti Braised Short Ribs!
Raina DelRio says
I would love to make a hearty stew or chili.
Lydia says
Mmmm I love a good hearty stew Raina! Thanks for stopping by!
Heather D says
It’s getting colder outside so I also think some chili would be good.
Lydia says
I think I could live on chili all winter long Heather! 😉 Thanks for stopping by!
Jeffrey says
I would like to make some wedding soup in the Le Creuset. My grandma’s recipe would suit this pot just fine!
Lydia says
Oh Jeffrey I loooove wedding soup! If you would ever like to share your grandma’s recipe I’d love to try it! 😉