If you’re looking for something hearty, creamy, and packed with a little heat, this Spicy White Chicken Chili is one you need to try. We’re taking a traditional white chicken chili and kicking things up with smoked chicken breasts, jalapeños, Great Northern beans, cream cheese, and our Heath Riles BBQ Chili Seasoning and Garlic Jalapeño Rub.

The smoked chicken brings another layer of flavor to the pot, while the cream cheese gives everything a rich, creamy finish. Let it simmer for an hour or two, then load up a bowl with your favorite toppings. This is a great recipe for game day, a cool-weather weekend, or anytime you want something a little different from traditional beef chili.

Spicy White Chicken Chili | Heath Riles BBQ

Everybody has their own way of making chili, and we all know there’s a big debate about whether beans belong in it. But when it comes to white chicken chili, nobody seems to argue about the beans. I’ve always thought that was funny.

For this recipe, I wanted to put a little spin on traditional white chicken chili by bringing in some extra heat and smoky flavor. We smoked four large boneless chicken breasts ahead of time, shredded them up, and added them to a pot with onions, jalapeños, garlic, Great Northern beans, and chicken stock.

Then we seasoned everything with Heath Riles BBQ Chili Seasoning and Garlic Jalapeño Rub before finishing it with a block of cream cheese.

The result is a hearty, rich, and flavorful white chicken chili with just the right kick. You can smoke your own chicken like we did, use leftover chicken, or pick up a rotisserie chicken from the store to make things even easier.

Why This Recipe Works

The biggest thing I like about this chili is how much flavor you can build without making the recipe complicated. We start by cooking down the onions and jalapeños in a little bacon grease, then add garlic and chicken stock to bring all those flavors together.

The smoked chicken is another big part of what makes this recipe different. I used four large boneless chicken breasts that we had already smoked, but you don’t have to do it that way. A rotisserie chicken works just fine, and you can even smoke a whole chicken if that’s what you prefer.

Then there’s the seasoning. Our Heath Riles BBQ Chili Seasoning adds depth without overpowering everything else in the pot, while the Garlic Jalapeño Rub brings in another layer of garlic and pepper flavor.

Finally, the cream cheese gives the chili its rich, creamy finish. I used a whole block, but you can use half a block or leave it out if you prefer. That’s the good thing about making chili at home. You can adjust it to your taste.

The Ingredients

• Chicken Breasts. I smoked four large boneless chicken breasts ahead of time and shredded them for this recipe. You’ll need about 3½–4 cups of chicken, but you can also use rotisserie chicken if you want to save some time.
• Bacon Up Bacon Grease. A little bacon grease gets the onions and jalapeños started and adds another layer of savory flavor.
• Onion. We cook the onion down until it starts to soften, building the flavor base for the chili.
• Jalapeño. Adds some heat and pepper flavor to the chili.
• Garlic. I used one heaping tablespoon of garlic, adding it after the onions and jalapeños had cooked for a few minutes.
• Chicken Stock. About 48 ounces total helps bring everything together and creates the base of the chili.
• Mexican-Style Rotel. One can adds tomatoes, peppers, and another layer of flavor.
• Cumin. Two teaspoons bring some warm, earthy flavor to the chili.
• Heath Riles BBQ Chili Seasoning. Three tablespoons add that rich chili flavor without overpowering the chicken and other ingredients.
• Heath Riles BBQ Garlic Jalapeño Rub. Adds more garlic and jalapeño flavor to the pot.
• Great Northern Beans. Three cans of Great Northern beans make this chili hearty and give it that classic white chicken chili texture.
• Cream Cheese. One block adds a rich, creamy finish. You can use half a block if you prefer a lighter chili.
• Shredded Cheese. I added a little shredded cheese on top of my finished bowl.
• Cilantro. A little fresh cilantro adds color and flavor to the finished chili.
• Sour Cream. An optional topping that adds a cool, creamy contrast to the spice.
• Corn Chips or Tortilla Chips. Perfect for scooping up the chili. You can also serve it with crackers or bread.

Cooking Setup

This recipe comes together in a pot on the stovetop, but we smoked our chicken breasts ahead of time to give the chili some extra flavor.

If you don’t have smoked chicken ready to go, you can use a store-bought rotisserie chicken instead. You could also cook a whole chicken and shred the meat. The main thing is having your chicken cooked and ready to add to the chili.

Once all the ingredients are combined, we’ll bring the chili to a boil, reduce the heat, and let it simmer for about 1–2 hours. You can let it go longer if you want, or even make it in a slow cooker.

The Process

Cook the Onions and Jalapeños

I started by adding a little Bacon Up Bacon Grease to my pot, then added the onion and jalapeño.

Let those cook for about 4–5 minutes, until the onions start to soften. You want to give those vegetables a little time to cook down and start building flavor before adding anything else.

Add the Garlic

Once the onions had softened, I added one heaping tablespoon of garlic.

Garlic doesn’t take long to cook, so you don’t need to let it sit in there very long. Stir everything together with your ThermoWorks spatula and let that garlic get fragrant.

I love the smell of onions and garlic cooking together, especially when you’ve got that jalapeño in there adding another layer of flavor.

Add the Chicken Stock and Rotel

Once the garlic was fragrant, I started adding some chicken stock to the pot.

This helps slow everything down and pulls up the flavors that have developed on the bottom of the pot. Give everything a good stir to get those onions, jalapeños, and garlic incorporated into the liquid.

Next, add one can of Mexican-style Rotel and stir it into the mixture.

Add the Cumin and Remaining Chicken Stock

Before going any further, I added two teaspoons of cumin.

Give that a good stir, then pour in the rest of the 32-ounce container of chicken stock. We’ll add a little more stock later once the chicken goes in.

Season the Chili

Now it’s time to add our Heath Riles BBQ Chili Seasoning.

I went in with three tablespoons, stirring everything together to make sure the seasoning was evenly distributed throughout the pot.

We’re also using our Heath Riles BBQ Garlic Jalapeño Rub to bring in some additional garlic and pepper flavor.

Once everything is stirred together, bring the mixture back up to a boil. Then we’re ready to add the chicken and beans.

Add the Smoked Chicken

For this recipe, we smoked four large boneless chicken breasts ahead of time and shredded them up.

You’ll need about 3½–4 cups of chicken, depending on how meaty you want your chili. I probably put a little more chicken in mine than most people would, but I like a lot of meat in my chili.

Add the shredded chicken to the pot and stir it into the seasoned broth.

Once all the chicken is in, add another 12 ounces of chicken stock. This gives us enough liquid to work with all that chicken and the beans we’re about to add.

Add the Great Northern Beans

Next, add three cans of Great Northern beans.

These are what give white chicken chili that classic hearty texture. Stir them into the chicken and broth until everything is evenly combined.

At this point, we’ve got our chicken, beans, vegetables, seasonings, and stock all working together.

Add the Cream Cheese

Put the lid back on the pot and bring the chili up to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer.

Now it’s time for the cream cheese. I took one block of cream cheese and roughly cubed it up so it wasn’t going into the pot as one big block.

Drop the pieces around the chili, spreading them out so they can start melting into the hot liquid.

This step is completely optional. I tasted the chili before adding the cream cheese, and it already had plenty of flavor and a good kick of spice. If you want a lighter version, use half a block of cream cheese or add a splash of cream instead.

Let the Chili Simmer

Once the cream cheese is in, put the lid back on and let it start melting before stirring everything together.

After the cream cheese has softened, give the chili a good stir to incorporate it throughout the pot.

Keep the heat turned down low and let the chili simmer for about 1–2 hours. You can let it go longer if you want. The goal is to give the chicken time to break down a little more, let the beans soften, and allow all those flavors to come together.

Build a Bowl

Once the chili has finished simmering, it’s time to serve.

I scooped some into a bowl and topped it with a little shredded cheese and fresh cilantro. I also had some sour cream and corn chip scoops to go along with it.

You can use tortilla chips, crackers, or whatever you like for dipping. The finished chili is hearty, rich, creamy, flavorful, and spicy.

If you’re looking for something a little different from traditional white chicken chili, this is a good one to try.

The Results

After simmering for a couple of hours, this Spicy White Chicken Chili turned out exactly how I wanted it. The cream cheese melted into the broth, giving everything a rich, creamy texture, while the chicken and Great Northern beans made it a hearty, filling meal.

The smoked chicken adds another layer of flavor, and the combination of Heath Riles BBQ Chili Seasoning and Garlic Jalapeño Rub brings plenty of depth to the pot. You've also got the jalapeño and cumin working together to give it a little kick without taking away from the other flavors.

I topped my bowl with shredded cheese and fresh cilantro, then served it with some sour cream and corn chip scoops. The finished chili was hearty, rich, flavorful, and spicy. If you want something a little different from your usual white chicken chili, this is a good way to change things up.

Perfect Pairings

This Spicy White Chicken Chili is plenty filling on its own, but if you're making it for game day or feeding a crowd, these recipes can help round out the meal.

• Honey Hot Jalapeño Cornbread. You can't go wrong with cornbread and chili. This Honey Hot Jalapeño Cornbread brings a little sweetness and heat that works great with the rich, creamy flavors of the white chicken chili. Serve a piece on the side or crumble it right into your bowl to soak up some of that flavorful broth.
• Heath's Homemade Guacamole. If you're putting together a game-day spread, this Homemade Guacamole is an easy appetizer to serve alongside the chili. Grab some tortilla chips and let everybody snack while the chili finishes simmering. The fresh, creamy guacamole is also a nice contrast to the heat in the chili.
• Grilled Corn with Citrus Lime Butter. This Grilled Corn with Citrus Lime Butter is another good side to serve with white chicken chili. The grilled corn brings a little smoky flavor, while the citrus lime butter adds some brightness that balances out the rich, creamy chili. It's a great option if you're feeding a crowd and want something besides bread or chips.

Storing Leftovers

One of the best things about making a big pot of chili is having leftovers for another meal. Once the chili has cooled slightly, transfer it to airtight containers and refrigerate it promptly. For food safety, get leftovers refrigerated within two hours of cooking.

You can keep leftover white chicken chili in the refrigerator for 3–4 days. When you're ready for another bowl, reheat it until it's steaming hot throughout, reaching 165°F.

Since this recipe contains cream cheese, the chili may thicken as it cools. If it's thicker than you like when reheating, add a little chicken stock to loosen it up. Warm it over low to medium heat, stirring occasionally to bring everything back together.

Keep toppings like sour cream, cilantro, shredded cheese, and corn chips separate until you're ready to serve so everything stays fresh.

Tips for the Best Spicy White Chicken Chili

• Smoke the chicken ahead of time. We used four large boneless chicken breasts that had already been smoked and shredded. This adds another layer of flavor without making the actual chili preparation any more complicated.
• Use rotisserie chicken to save time. If you don't have smoked chicken ready, pick up a rotisserie chicken from the store. You'll need about 3½–4 cups of cooked chicken, depending on how much meat you want in your chili.
• Don't rush the onions and jalapeños. Let them cook for about 4–5 minutes before adding the garlic. This gives them time to soften and start building flavor in the pot.
• Use chicken stock to bring up the flavor. After cooking the onions, jalapeños, and garlic, add some chicken stock and stir the bottom of the pot. This helps incorporate the flavorful bits left behind from cooking the vegetables.
• Adjust the cream cheese to your taste. I used a whole block of cream cheese, but you can use half a block or leave it out if you prefer. You can also add a splash of cream instead.
• Let the cream cheese melt before stirring. Cut the cream cheese into rough cubes and spread them throughout the pot. Put the lid back on and give it time to soften before stirring it into the chili.
• Give the chili time to simmer. Once everything is combined, let it simmer for about 1–2 hours. You can go longer if you want. This gives the chicken time to break down a little more, the beans time to soften, and all those flavors time to come together.
• Make it your own. This chili already has a good kick to it, but you can adjust the ingredients and toppings however you like. Add a little sour cream to balance the heat, or serve it with tortilla chips, corn chips, crackers, or bread.

Final Thoughts

This Spicy White Chicken Chili is a good one to make when you want something hearty, creamy, and a little different from your traditional pot of chili. You've got smoked chicken, Great Northern beans, jalapeños, garlic, and plenty of flavor from our Heath Riles BBQ Chili Seasoning and Garlic Jalapeño Rub.

The cream cheese brings everything together and gives it that rich finish, while the jalapeño and seasonings add just the right amount of heat. And if you don't have time to smoke chicken, using a rotisserie chicken makes this recipe even easier to put together.

Let it simmer for a couple of hours, load up your bowl with your favorite toppings, and you've got one fine pot of white chicken chili. Whether you're making it for game day or just looking for a good meal on a cool evening, this is definitely one worth trying.

Equipment & Tools

Pot, ThermoWorks Spatula