Keto White Chicken Chili
Published February 2, 2020 • Updated March 6, 2026
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I make this keto white chicken chili anytime I want something warm, creamy and filling. Tender chicken thighs, cauliflower rice, and a spicy cream cheese broth with only 6.5g net carbs per serving. Ready in 25 minutes in the Instant Pot or toss it all in the slow cooker before work.
I make this white chicken chili anytime I’m craving something warm, spicy and creamy. It’s always a tough call between this and my keto taco soup, but this one wins when I want something rich and cheesy without the tomato base.
Traditional versions rely on cannellini beans for body. Those beans add 15 to 20 grams of net carbs per cup. My keto version skips the beans entirely and uses cauliflower rice instead. You still get that chunky texture, and the total drops to just 6.5g net carbs per serving.
The real star is the broth. Green chilis, cumin and oregano build the flavor base, then cream cheese melts into everything and creates this thick, velvety sauce that coats every piece of shredded chicken. I’ve tested this with both heavy cream and cream cheese, and the cream cheese version holds up better as leftovers. Heavy cream tasted great on day one but thinned out in the fridge overnight. Cream cheese keeps its body even after three days.
This recipe works in the pressure cooker (25 minutes), slow cooker (6 to 8 hours), or on the stove top (45 minutes). I use the pressure cooker on weeknights. Toss everything in, set it to cook for 15 minutes, and dinner is on the table before my kids finish homework. The slow cooker version is great for days when I want dinner waiting for me, and it builds a slightly deeper flavor from the longer cook time. If you have leftover rotisserie chicken, skip the pressure cook step and stir it in shredded at the end. Cuts total time to about 10 minutes. I do the same thing with my keto crack chicken leftovers.
You can also turn this into a freezer meal. Bag all the raw ingredients, freeze flat, and cook from frozen when you need it. I keep two or three bags in the freezer at all times for those weeks when meal planning falls apart. It stores for up to 3 months and the cream cheese broth holds together when you thaw it.
Top it with avocado, shredded cheese, cilantro and a squeeze of lime. Scoop it up with pork rinds for a low carb chili dip, or serve it alongside my beef chili for a chili bar night. My kids eat two bowls and never notice the cauliflower rice (it disappears into the broth). A reader named Tasha said her son, who had vetoed every healthy chili since they went keto, went back for seconds without a word and asked her to save leftovers for school lunch. If you want more creamy comfort bowls, try my clam chowder or chicken noodle soup.
How to make this creamy chili
3 ways to cook this chili
Pick the method that works for your schedule. I’ve made this all three ways and they all produce the same creamy broth.
Pressure Cooker Method
The Instant Pot is my preferred method for this chili. Everything goes in one pot, and dinner is ready in about 25 minutes including the time it takes for pressure to build.
Add all the chili ingredients except the cream cheese. Pressure cook on high for 15 minutes. Quick release the pressure, stir in the cream cheese, then shred the chicken with a hand mixer right in the pot.
I use my pressure cooker for this all the time. If you want more recipes like it, try my lasagna soup or sesame chicken.
Slow Cooker Method
Add all the chili ingredients (except cream cheese) to the crock pot first thing in the morning. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. When you get home, stir in the cream cheese and shred the chicken. I prefer the taste of the slow cooker version when I have the patience for it. The long cook time builds a deeper, rounder flavor in the broth.
Stove Top Method
Add all the chili ingredients to a stock pot except the cream cheese. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and let simmer for 30 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Stir in the cream cheese until melted and creamy, then shred the chicken right in the pot.
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Ingredients
1.5 to 2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs -
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
-
1 (14.5oz) can diced tomatoes
-
1 (4.5 oz) can diced green chiles
-
2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
-
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
-
1 teaspoon salt
-
1 teaspoon dried parsley
-
1 teaspoon cumin
-
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
-
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
-
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
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1/2 teaspoon black pepper
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8 oz cream cheese, cut into 6 to 8 pieces
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1 1/2 cups (10 oz) cauliflower rice, frozen or fresh
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toppings for chili- avocado, limes, cheese, cilantro
Step by Step Instructions
Step by Step Instructions
Add ingredients
Add chicken thighs, chicken broth, diced tomatoes, green chiles, heavy cream and seasonings to the liner of the Instant Pot. Stir to combine.
- Chicken thighs
- Chicken broth
- Diced tomatoes
- Green Chiles
- Heavy Cream
- Chili powder
- Salt
- Dried parsley
- Cumin
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Dried oregano
- Black pepper
Pressure cook
Spread cubed cream cheese around the chicken chili broth mixture. Secure the Instant Pot lid and set the valve to seal. Pressure cook on high for 15 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes before releasing the remaining pressure manually by turning the valve to vent.
- Cream cheese
Add cauliflower rice
Add cauliflower rice. Let set for 2 minutes until cauliflower rice is heated through.
- Cauliflower rice
Slow cooker instructions
Add the chicken broth, diced tomatoes, diced chiles and seasonings to the liner of a slow cooker. Mix to combine. Add in chicken thighs and cream cheese. Cover and cook on high for 3 to 4 hours or low for 6 to 8 hours. Twenty minutes before you want to eat, add in cauliflower rice.
- Avocado (optional)
- Limes (optional)
- Cheese (optional)
- Cilantro (optional)
Nutrition disclaimer
The nutrition information provided is an estimate and is for informational purposes only. I am a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.); however, this content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or other qualified health provider before making any lifestyle changes or beginning a new nutrition program.
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Get My Macros + Recipes →Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use rotisserie chicken to make this faster?
I do this all the time when I have leftover rotisserie chicken in the fridge. Skip the pressure cook step entirely, stir the shredded chicken in at the end, and just heat everything through for about 5 minutes. Total time drops to around 10 minutes. My Instant Pot shredded chicken works for this too if you batch cook on Sundays like I do.
Can I use chicken breast instead of thighs?
I've made it with both, and chicken breast works fine here. The broth has enough fat from the cream cheese and heavy cream that the leaner breast doesn't dry out. You can also use leftover rotisserie chicken. I add it shredded at the end and just heat it through (skip the pressure cook step since it's already cooked).
How do I thicken this chili?
I usually don't need to thicken it because the cream cheese makes the broth pretty thick on its own. But if you want it even thicker, I stir in an extra ounce of cream cheese and let it simmer uncovered for about 5 minutes. You can also add a teaspoon of xanthan gum, but stir it in slowly or it clumps.
Can I add jalapeños for more heat?
I add diced jalapeños when I want more kick. Two jalapeños with seeds takes it from mild to medium heat. I've also tried a pinch of cayenne on top of the chili powder, and that works if you want background heat without the jalapeño chunks. One of my readers bumped the green chiles to a can and a half and said that was her sweet spot.
Can I use salsa verde instead of green chiles?
I've done it, and it works. About half a cup of salsa verde replaces the can of green chiles and the flavor shifts a little more tangy. I like it both ways. The salsa verde version is slightly thinner, so I add an extra ounce of cream cheese to compensate.
What can I use instead of cauliflower rice?
I've skipped the cauliflower rice entirely and the chili is still thick enough from the cream cheese broth. If you want some bulk without the cauliflower, diced zucchini works. I cut it small so it blends in. Riced broccoli is another option I've tried, though it changes the color slightly.
How long does this chili last in the fridge?
I get about 4 days out of it in an airtight container. It also freezes well for up to 3 months. The cream cheese base doesn't separate when you thaw and reheat, which is the main reason I use cream cheese instead of heavy cream in recipes like this.
Can I make this dairy-free?
I haven't tested a fully dairy-free version yet, but readers have told me they used dairy-free cream cheese and coconut cream in place of the heavy cream. The broth comes out thinner without real cream cheese, so I'd add a teaspoon of xanthan gum if you want it thicker. I'm planning to test this myself and will update the recipe when I do.
My husband has a rule about dinner needing rice or bread with it, it's not negotiable, so I honestly wasn't sure how this was going to go. He ate the whole bowl and then wanted to know what I did to the broth (the answer is cream cheese, which he would have said no to if I'd asked first). Something about the way it gets silky and thick got him. Four stars because I think I rushed the seal on my Instant Pot and mine came out thinner than it probably should have been, but I'm making it again this week to fix that.
The cream cheese confession never gets old. Thin broth in the IP is almost always the valve, needs to be fully clicked to sealing before the timer starts.
I only had chicken breasts, not thighs, and I was nervous about it the whole time. The cream cheese broth kind of saves you though. By the time the chicken shredded and soaked up all that cumin and chili powder it tasted like I'd done everything right. Threw a diced jalapeño in too. I love heat and it was perfect, cuts right through the creaminess in a way I didn't see coming. Squeezed lime over the bowl at the end and that's non-negotiable now. Still pretty new to cooking, so a recipe I can mess with this much and it still turns out good? That's exactly what I needed.
My mom made white chicken chili every fall and I kind of just stopped hoping for it when I went keto, like it was just something I had to let go. Made this last Sunday and when the cream cheese started melting into the broth and that cumin smell hit, I don't know, I was back in her kitchen for a second. The chicken thighs came out falling apart tender. Four stars because I let my cauliflower rice sit too long and it got a little soft (totally my fault, not the recipe), but this is the one I'll keep coming back to.
My husband inhaled his bowl and went back for more without saying a word, which from him is louder than any compliment. I'd probably ease up on the cumin just a touch next time, but the cream cheese broth is freaking unreal.
Silent second bowl says everything. The cumin is easy to dial back, 3/4 teaspoon still has the depth without it being too forward.
My teenager has made it his personal project to catch every keto ingredient I sneak in. He ate two full bowls of this, then asked how I got the broth so thick and creamy. I told him cream cheese. He went quiet for a second, then asked if I could make it again next week. Best review I've gotten from this kid in two years of keto cooking.
That pause gets me every time. Two bowls and a standing request, from a kid who spent two years trying to catch you - that's the win.
I've tried a bunch of keto white chicken chili recipes and they're always watery. This one isn't. The cream cheese broth actually has body to it.
The cream cheese isn't optional. I tried pulling it back once and the broth went thin fast.
Made this Tuesday when it was brutal outside and I needed something that would actually warm us up, and my son, who has vetoed every 'healthy' chili I've put in front of him since we went keto, went back for a second bowl without saying anything and then asked me to save him the leftovers for school lunch. That's the thing with this one, the cream cheese broth is so thick and rich it doesn't register as diet food to anyone who isn't looking for it. I used the slow cooker, had it going by 9am, and the chicken thighs were falling apart by dinner, I just shredded them with a fork in about 30 seconds flat. My only note is I'd go heavier on the green chiles next time, maybe a full can and a half, because we like heat and it needed a nudge. Four stars from me but honestly four and a half if that were an option.
When the kid who vetoes every healthy dish saves the leftovers for school lunch, you're done arguing. Slow cooker thighs are perfect for this. They just shred themselves.
352 calories and 6.5 net carbs for a bowl this filling is hard to beat. I skipped the tomatoes to drop the carbs a bit more and it was still plenty flavorful with the green chiles and cumin.
Yes! I do the same thing sometimes when I want it under 5g net. The green chiles carry so much flavor on their own.
I made this for the first time today with boneless chicken breasts (only had about a pound) and skipped the green chiles since I didn't have any. Still turned out so good. Can't wait to try it again with the chiles next time.
Nice! The chiles add a little kick and some depth, so definitely try it next time. I usually go with one can if my family's eating it, two if it's just me and my husband.
Nice! The green chiles add a good kick, but the chili still works without them. If you want that little bit of heat next time without the chiles, I sometimes throw in a pinch of cumin and a dash of cayenne.
Used the slow cooker method with chicken breast. 6 hours on low. Came out great.
Chicken breast holds up better than people expect in the slow cooker. The cream cheese broth keeps it from drying out even at 6 hours.
My kids ate two bowls each and asked when I'm making it again. The cauliflower rice disappears into the broth so they had no idea.
Paige that's the trick with the cauliflower rice in this one. It just melts right in. Two bowls each is a win.
Solid recipe. The cream cheese makes it really rich which I liked but my wife thought it was too heavy. Next time I'll cut the cream cheese to 6 oz and see how that goes.
Cutting it to 6oz should fix that. I sometimes do the same thing when I want it lighter. Still thick enough to carry the spice.
This is my go-to when it gets cold out. Made it four times since November.
Four times since November, that's the best kind of feedback. I make it more in winter too, something about the creamy broth when it's cold out.
Just made this on my stove top and it's excellent! Annie, your recipes are terrific!
Stacy thank you! Stove top works just as well honestly. Glad you liked it.
Made this last night an it was fantastic! I served it with a little chopped onion, shredded cheese, dollop of sour cream and a few crispy fried strips (cut up a low carb tortilla and fried until crisp). Definitely will make this again!
Never tried fried tortilla strips on chili. I always go pork rinds for the crunch. Stealing this.