Creamy, a bit spicy, and loaded with Southwestern flavors, keto White Chicken Chili is a must-try for anyone who loves flavorful food! It’s also an easy fix, and with so much hearty goodness, you’ll go back for seconds! Hungry?
Thick, chunky, and loaded with tender chicken, this easy-peasy keto chili recipe is made in a snap and has all the cooked low-and-slow flavors you’re craving! Easy enough for novice cooks, you’ll impress everyone with this dish!
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👩🍳 What You Need To Make Keto White Chicken Chili
You don’t need any special equipment to make this keto chicken chili – just gather some ingredients, and you’re ready to cook!
- A large skillet with tightly fitting lid
- Avocado or olive oil
- Onion – fresh is best!
- Garlic – fresh is best!
- Jalapeno
- Cumin
- Oregano
- Chili powder – use your favorite or make a batch of my super delish Chili Powder blend
- Leftover rotisserie chicken
- Chicken broth / stock – look for no or low-sodium to control the salt, or make your own Chicken Bone Broth
- Canned green chilies – use your favorite spice level
- Cream cheese
- Green bell pepper – or poblano peppers
- Heavy whipping cream
- Xanthan gum (optional)
- Lime juice
- Avocado, fresh cilantro, sour cream, cheese – for garnishes. Pick your favorites!
How To Make Low Carb White Chicken Chili
If you use rotisserie chicken, this White Chicken Chili recipe couldn’t be any easier! If you want to use fresh chicken, see my notes below.
- Sautee the onion, garlic, and jalapeno in the avocado oil until translucent. Add the cumin, oregano, and chili powder and cook for an additional minute or until fragrant.
- Add the leftover shredded chicken and chicken broth and simmer, covered.
- Add the cream cheese, bell pepper, and heavy whipping cream. Simmer a few more minutes.
- Thicken with xanthan gum (see note below) or your favorite thickener. This step is optional, but without it, your keto white chicken chili will be runnier.
- Add the fresh lime juice, and garnish this easy White Chicken Chili recipe with fresh cilantro and all your favorite toppings.
How Do You Make White Chicken Chili With Fresh Chicken
You can use fresh chicken breast or chicken thighs to make this dish – here’s how:
- Remove the skin and bone from 1-pound of raw chicken, if necessary. Chop it into 1/2-inch pieces.
- When you saute the onion, garlic, and jalapeno, add the chicken along with an extra tbsp of oil. Sautee the chicken along with the onion, garlic, and jalapeno until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are translucent. Add the broth and continue on with the rest of the recipe.
How Do You Thicken White Chicken Chili?
My favorite keto substitute for cornstarch is xanthan gum. Xanthan gum is a natural product that has zero carbs and no flavor. It is a widely-used ingredient – just read some labels, and you’ll see it everywhere. From dressings to soups and even baked goods, it’s pretty common. However, this can be a bit tricky to use.
Xanthan gum thickens as it sits, and unlike flour or cornstarch, it takes a few minutes to thicken. Always start with a small amount of xanthan gum – in this recipe, 1/2 teaspoon is plenty. Stir it in and let it sit for a few minutes. Resist the temptation to add more xanthan gum! If you add too much, you’ll end up with a slimy mess.
Recommended
Chef Jenn’s Cooking Tips
- The spice level is easy to control in this dish. Like extra spice? Add more jalapeno or up the spice level with a habanero or serrano pepper.
- I freeze leftover rotisserie shredded chicken to make dishes like this – then dinnertime is a breeze!
- Fresh spices are essential – dried spices should be replaced every few years for maximum flavor.
- Don’t over-simmer this dish. You’re only cooking it long enough to blend all the flavors.
What To Serve with Low Carb White Chicken Chili
This hearty meal doesn’t need much to go with it, but a crispy salad with Green Goddess Dressing or your favorite veggies would pair nicely with it. I love leftover Grilled Vegetables for a simple meal, Zucchini Noodles, or even asparagus in the air fryer. Want something spicy? Try these Smoked Jalapenos! Keep the side dish flavors simple so that they don’t compete with your white chicken chili recipe. And if you need something sweet for dessert, check out the low-carb options for making this Cinnamon Cheesecake Dip!
Can You Make Keto White Chicken Chili Ahead Of Time?
Yes, you can make this dish ahead of time, and it reheats really well on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Storage
This amazing keto chicken recipe will keep well in the fridge for 4-5 days (and in fact, the flavor will get better!), or you can freeze it for up to 3 months.
My favorite way to freeze saucy and soupy recipes is by using Souper Cubes! These amazing freezer-safe cubes are perfect for freezing portions of all my favorite soups, stews, and other saucy meals. I freeze them then pop them out and put the rectangular frozen blocks into a zipper-top freezer bag. It makes storing them SOOOO much easier!
Where can you find these Soup Cubes? You can order them from Souper Cubes – how cool is this?
Frequently Asked Questions
White chicken chili is traditionally made with cannellini beans, a legume, making it NOT a good keto choice. However, we can get all the same flavors with a few different ingredients, keeping it keto. So, this bean-less version made with keto-friendly ingredients is definitely a good keto choice.
Yes! It takes about 30 minutes from start to finish to make this tasty dish. Plus, when you use rotisserie chicken meat, you cut down on the cooking time without sacrificing any flavor!
This dish is loaded with protein, making it a great choice for keto dieters, and with just 7 net carbs per hearty serving, it’s perfect for your keto lifestyle (or low-carb diet).
Step By Step Process
Keto White Chicken Chili
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
- 1/2 cup diced onion
- 1/2 jalapeno seeded and diced
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 2 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp oregano
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 4 cups rotisserie chicken cubed
- 3 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 4.5 ounce canned chilis
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 cup diced bell pepper
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 1/2 tsp xanthan gum optional
- avocado, sour cream, cilantro for garnishes optional
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion, jalapeno, and garlic. Sautee until the onion is translucent, about 4 minutes.
- Add the cumin, oregano, and chili powder and cook an additional minute or until fragrant.
- Add the chicken, chicken broth, and canned green chilis. Bring the skillet to a simmer, cover, and turn down the heat so the mixture is barely simmering.
- Remove the lid and add the cream cheese, breaking it up with a spoon or spatula. Keep the heat on low to melt the cream cheese. Once the cheese is melted, add the green bell peppers and heavy whipping cream. Return the mixture to a simmer and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Turn off the heat. Add the lime juice and thicken the mixture by whisking in the xanthan gum (optional).
- Serve topped with avocado, lime, jack cheese, sour cream, or your favorite chili toppings.
Notes
Chef Jenn’s Cooking Tips
- The spice level is easy to control in this dish. Like extra spice? Add more jalapeno or up the spice level with a habanero or serrano pepper.
- I freeze leftover rotisserie shredded chicken to make dishes like this – then dinnertime is a breeze!
- Fresh spices are essential – dried spices should be replaced every few years for maximum flavor.
- Don’t over-simmer this dish. You’re only cooking it long enough to blend all the flavors.
Nutrition
A Note on Nutritional Information
Nutritional information for this recipe is provided as a courtesy and is calculated based on available online ingredient information. It is only an approximate value. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site cannot be guaranteed. Erythritol carbs (sugar substitutes) are not included in the carbohydrate counts as they have been shown not to impact blood sugar, and they have zero calories and zero carbs. Net carbs are the total carbs minus fiber.
WANT EVEN MORE Easy KETO Recipes?
I’m always trying new recipes, but the following are some of my all-time favorites:
- Grilled veggies
- This Southern chicken casserole
- Meaty and cheesy Parmigiana
- Beefy minestrone soup
And if you need help counting carbs, this net carb calculator will help!
This chicken chili looks so creamy and flavourful. Loving it!
Now this is my kind of comfort food. So creamy and delicious.
This looks quite good. Creamy and delicious, perfect dinner. I just saved the recipe and I will give it a try.
I made this healthy option chicken chili for our lunch today! WOW! It was absolutely delicious! Thanks for sharing!
This white chili recipe is delicious, keto or not! Love the addition of heavy cream in the recipe. My family loved it!
This recipe is simply delicious! It was my first attempt at a “white chili”. Having cut my teeth on Texas-style red I was skeptical, but we absolutely loved this version. My husband said, “Put it at the top of the list, because it’s fantastic!”.
It is quite different from traditional chili, isn’t it? I’m sooo glad you loved it, and thanks so much for coming back to comment! ~Jenn