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I Make The Creamiest Keto White Chicken Chili In Under An Hour
The first time I made this keto white chicken chili, it was one of those chilly nights when I wanted something cozy but didn’t want to spend all evening in the kitchen. I always keep shredded chicken meal prepped in the fridge, so once the base was simmering, I melted in the cheeses and stirred in the chicken. My keto dinner came together fast, and I’ve been hooked ever since. Here’s why:
- Creamy comfort food – The broth turns thick and cheesy with melted cream cheese and Mexican blend cheese, and the green chiles give it just the right kick. If you’ve enjoyed my keto chicken tortilla soup, this low carb white chicken chili is a bit like it’s richer, creamier cousin.
- Very keto friendly – Regular versions of this dish use white beans, plus flours or other starches, so they’re not keto friendly. But making white chicken chili keto is actually super easy if you skip those and rely on simple low carb ingredients instead! My version has just 5.7 grams net carbs per bowl, but it’s still so hearty and satisfying!
- Simple ingredients – Like most of my keto recipes, this one uses simple staples you can find at any grocery store. I also thicken it naturally with cheese (one of my favorite soup tricks) instead of any specialty thickeners.
- Great for weeknights – I can make this start to finish in under an hour! And most of that time it’s just simmering on the stove while I prep toppings or keto cornbread on the side.
I recently tested this keto white chicken chili again to double check the ratios, and updated it to increase the chicken and garlic. Not only do I think it’s even better now, my kids had a friend over that day and she begged her mom to make it. Make it with me, and I think your family will do the same! (And then, try my classic keto chili recipe too, so you can let me know which one your family likes best.)
Reader Review
“This is a fave in our house, and in regular rotation for our lunches. I meal prep a double batch at the beginning of the week and we have it for lunches all week. My husband loves it. It was a huge hit at a church fellowship meal too!” –Teri
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my keto white chicken chili recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
- Shredded Chicken – I usually meal prep my easy Instant Pot shredded chicken with boneless, skinless breasts (or chicken thighs), but honestly any method works… slow cooker, stovetop, whatever you like. And if I know I’ll be in a rush, I grab a rotisserie chicken for a shortcut.
- Green Chiles – They give the chili a gentle heat without being overly spicy. You can always add more (or less) depending on how you like it.
- Cheeses – Mexican blend shredded cheese for cheesy flavor and cream cheese to make it creamy, which also acts as a natural thickener. Feel free to swap the Mexican blend with cheddar cheese if you prefer, or pepper jack if you like extra heat.
- Aromatics – Onions and garlic! I like yellow onion here, but any color works.
- Chicken Broth – I used store-bought this time, but homemade broth or bone broth gives this keto white chicken chili more depth. If bone broth feels too strong, you can cut it with a little water.
- Heavy Cream – For rich, creamy flavor. You can lighten it up with half and half, but this adds some carbs. Full-fat coconut milk or coconut cream also make good substitutes.
- Olive Oil – For sauteing the aromatics.
- Spices – Cumin adds warmth, dried oregano provides a little herby flavor, and cayenne pepper gives a gentle kick. You can also add chili powder if you like, but I find the green chilies (above) are enough without it.
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How To Make Keto White Chicken Chili
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
- Cook the aromatics. Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven. Sauté the onion until it softens and starts to smell sweet. Then, toss in the garlic and let it cook just long enough to smell amazing.
- Build the base. Pour in the broth and cream, then stir in the green chiles and spices. I let it simmer until the flavors come together and the liquid reduces a bit.
- Melt in the cheeses. Lower the heat, add the cream cheese and shredded cheese, and stir until melty and smooth.
- Stir in the shredded chicken. Let it warm through until you’ve got a thick, comforting pot of keto white chicken chili. Don’t forget the toppings — see my serving ideas below!
My Recipe Tips
- Skip the lid. I simmer this keto white chicken chili uncovered, because this allows it to reduce and thicken as it cooks.
- It’s important for the cream cheese to be very soft at room temperature. If it’s cold, you’ll have little chunks in your soup. If I forget to soften it, I microwave it to soften before stirring in.
- This keto chicken chili is very rich, so use less cream cheese if you want less richness. I thought it was perfect as -is, but my friend, Maria, made it and told me she preferred it with half the cream cheese. A few reviewers have said the same thing. I tried this and it’s also good but not as thick.
- You can speed up blending in the cream cheese with an immersion blender. Just give it a spin before returning the chicken to the pot.
- Add the shredded chicken gradually, 1 cup at a time. The ideal amount can vary depending on how much the soup reduced during simmering. That’s why I prefer not to add it all at once, so I can check if the ratio of chicken to creamy broth seems right. If you have extra shredded chicken, you can always use it to make my chicken bacon ranch casserole or chicken florentine soup.
- Can you use raw chicken? Yes! When I don’t have any on hand, I just cook raw chicken breast right in the soup. Add 2 pounds to the pot at the same time as the broth, and remove it once cooked through, after about 20 minutes of simmering. Shred chicken and set aside until it’s time to add it back in toward the end.
- Do you need to add a thickener? I usually find the cream cheese and simmering make the low carb white chicken chili thick enough. If you like it even thicker, you can always stir in a little cornstarch substitute.
- Want to lighten it up? My favorite way to do this is to add keto vegetables. They add some carbs, but make the soup lower calorie per serving. You can saute heartier veggies, like green bell peppers or mushrooms, together with the onions, or add softer veggies, like zucchini or cauliflower rice, in the last few minutes of simmering.
- Can you make it in a Crock Pot? Yes, you can adapt this keto white chicken chili recipe for a slow cooker. I would slow cook the ingredients through step 3. It tastes better if you saute the onions and garlic on the stove first, but you can add them in raw if you really want to. Once the soup is cooked and you’ve shredded the chicken, you can stir in the cream cheese and shredded cheese.
Keto White Chicken Chili
By
My keto white chicken chili recipe is creamy, cheesy, and flavorful! No one will guess it’s low carb and this easy to make.
Instructions
[ See step photos See my tips ]Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and saute for 5-7 minutes, until soft.
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Add the garlic and saute for 1-2 minutes, until fragrant.
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Add the chicken broth, heavy cream, green chiles, cumin, oregano, cayenne pepper, sea salt, and black pepper. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to medium and simmer for about 40 minutes, until soup has reduced and thickened a bit.
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Reduce heat to low. Stir in the cream cheese and shredded cheese, until the cheese has melted and the soup is smooth.
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Stir in the shredded chicken. Simmer the keto white chicken chili for about 5 minutes, until thick and creamy. Adjust salt and pepper to your taste.
Did you make it? Leave a review or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 cup
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to help you get a creamier texture, the perfect chicken-to-broth ratio, and how to thicken if needed.
- Store: Keep leftovers in the fridge for up to 3–4 days. It reheats very well!
- Meal prep: I think this keto white chicken chili tastes even better the next day, so go ahead and make a big batch! You can also just prep the ingredients ahead of time, too.
- Reheat: Warm it gently on the stove over medium-low heat, or pop it in the microwave.
- Freeze: This low carb white chicken chili keeps well for about 3 months in the freezer.
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
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Keto White Chicken Chili
Serving Ideas
This keto chicken chili can easily be a one-pot meal and honestly, that’s how we enjoy it most of the time! But if you want to round it out, here are a few of my favorite pairings:
- Toppings – I left them off the recipe card to keep things simple, but for me they make the bowl complete: sour cream, lime wedges, avocado, and plenty of fresh cilantro. I also like to crush in almond flour crackers for crunch. Shredded cheese or hot sauce are great extras, too.
- Salad – I like to balance low carb white chicken chili with something fresh but still seasonal, like my fall salad or brussels sprout salad.
- Bread – We usually go for keto-friendly options like keto dinner rolls, almond flour biscuits, or even a slice of keto white bread with butter. My keto cornbread is also a classic pairing that makes it feel like a true comfort meal.
262 Comments
Susan Zale
0Wonderful recipe! My whole family loved it. We added sliced jalapeños for some extra heat. Soo good ?
Shanea Wilson
0Fixed this for supper tonight, it’s every bit as good as the regular kind I’ve always made, it’s delicious, so thick, cheesy and creamy!
Kelli
0Super easy! So creamy and delicious!
Brian
0Made this for dinner this evening and it was a hit with the whole family. I expected leftovers for lunch tomorrow but there were none left. Needless to say, this is going to be one recipe to keep. Amazing Flavor and very filling.
Kristian connley
0I made this recipe for a camping trip with my sisters. It was rainy and cold the day I served this dish. It was warm, creamy, delicious and comforting. It was the most loved and talked about of all the meals we had. Thank you so much for helping me be a Rockstar for my sister’s! ?
Robin P.
0Very delicious. Have also made using beef broth and shredded beef roast in place of chicken broth and shredded chicken in the recipe and was also yummy!
Barb
0Delicious – my husband (doing Keto) and me (not doing Keto) loved it.
Barbara
0This is a great way to use leftover roast chicken. I made a couple of changes. For the peppers, I used a giant jalapeño that I sautéed with the onion and garlic. And during the simmering phase, I added a small amount of xanthan gum to thicken it. It was great.
Laurie
0Hubby didn’t like this so much, but I think it is delicious! So creamy and flavorful
Beth Jackson
0This recipe is on repeat at my house, my husband and I absolutely love it! Thick creamy goodness with a lil kick! So good! I’ve got a batch on the stove right now, so excited for dinner tonight!
Linda
0I made this last night and it was AWESOME!!! I cooked the chicken in the broth and spices like you said in the notes and added the chicken back in at the end. I write your notes on my printed sheet (I keep a binder of recipes) with a “family rating system” – we all loved it! Thank you! ❤
Mona Lee
0This was so so good. It had so much flavor!! I used a rotisserie chicken and half of a serrano pepper. I also only used half the cream cheese because it was already pretty thick!
Sharon
0Can you freeze this chili?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Sharon, Yes, you can. Storage instructions are in the post above.
Connie Barnett
0If I subbed ground chicken how much should I use?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Connie, I have never used ground chicken in this recipe, but I think 1.5 to 2 pounds would work. I recommend browning it separately first, rather than adding to the soup raw.
Brandie
0This one is a winner in our house! I followed the recipe just as it is and it turned out so very creamy, full of flavor and really filling. Thank you!
Allison
0Awesome recipe! Very delicious and easy to make. The only critique I have is that this is more like a chicken tortilla soup than a chili but still very delicious ?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Allison! I have a keto chicken tortilla soup recipe if you would like to compare the two. I don’t think this one is more like tortilla soup.
Keely Guthery
0This is absolutely ? delicious. I made a few changes, using a chopped and sauteed sweet bell instead of green chilis, taking out the cayenne and using chipotle powder instead, subbing low fat cream cheese and no heavy cream. It will go into our permanent rotation. So glad for a chili recipe to use chicken and NO beans. Thank you!!!
Patricia A Boyles
0Delicious and so easy to make! I used a can of diced jalapeno peppers since I didn’t have fresh. Will definitely be making again.
K McD
0This is a family favorite, and having a large family with different tastes and some eating healthy and some not concerned about it, that’s saying something! Thanks!
Pamela Meadows
0Could this be made in a slow cooker or instant pot?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Pamela, I’ve added instructions for this to my post above.
Sherry Redlawski
0I LOVE this recipe. Warms my heart.
CK
0Very flavorful and quite delicious!