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
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1 (14.5oz) can diced tomatoes
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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
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1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
-
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
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1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
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1/2 teaspoon black pepper
-
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
Shred chicken
Shred chicken using an electric mixer or two forks.
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.
I had this ready in 25 minutes and the broth was thicker than I expected.
Every time I add cream cheese to a hot liquid it breaks on me, so I went in fully expecting a grainy mess (had a backup plan and everything). Broth came out completely smooth though, thick and even. 6.5 net carbs for a bowl like that. Not bad.
Work potluck last week and I'm still getting texts about it (one came in while I was sitting here writing this, which, hello). Made it the night before and actually panicked when I saw how thick it got in the fridge, but it warmed back up smooth. The cauliflower rice was the thing, a few people kept saying the texture was different from other chilis in a way they couldn't quite name, and I ended up explaining the whole keto-no-beans situation to four people over a bowl of soup, which was not on my agenda. My coworker who is very skeptical about anything labeled 'healthy' just stood over the pot with her bowl and said 'what did you put in this' in the most serious tone. I genuinely didn't know where to start.
What did you put in this is the best chili review I've heard. When it gets thick in the fridge, Lorraine, that's just the cream cheese thickening as it cools.
Never thought to use a hand mixer to shred chicken but it took 45 seconds and I'll never go back to two forks. Does the slow cooker version get that same thick broth, or is that an Instant Pot thing?
Same thick broth in the slow cooker. That creaminess is all the cream cheese, not the IP. I add the pieces in the last 30 minutes and stir a couple times until it melts smooth.
Oh interesting, I assumed the IP was doing something to it. Slow cooker version going in next time.
Brought this to a neighborhood pool day last weekend and I'm still thinking about the reaction. Made a double batch in the Instant Pot before heading over, and my friend gave me a look when I walked in with chili in June. But it went fast. Faster than the actual cookout food. A few people kept poking at what they thought was rice asking what it was, and when I said cauliflower, two of them just shrugged like it didn't matter. The cream cheese broth is what does it, that thickness makes it feel substantial without being heavy. Tripling it for the Fourth.
Two people shrugging at cauliflower rice is the dream. When you triple it for the Fourth, give the cream cheese extra time to fully melt in or you get pockets of it sitting at the bottom.
I've made this probably six or seven times now, and this last batch I finally tried the slow cooker version instead of the Instant Pot. The chicken falls apart differently. Almost pulls itself. The cream cheese dissolves so completely you'd never know it started as a block. Made it on a Saturday when we were out by the pool all day and came inside to the house smelling like this. Chili in June should not be this compelling.
My sister's coming for dinner next weekend with her family, and she's been dairy-free for about a year now. I really want to make this chili since everyone loves it, but the cream cheese and heavy cream are doing a lot of work in that broth. That's where I'm stuck.nnI've tried dairy-free cream cheese in soups before and it can go grainy once it heats up, which I really want to avoid here. Has coconut cream worked as a sub for the heavy whipping cream? I'm worried it'll make the whole thing taste tropical. And is there a dairy-free cream cheese brand you've had good results with in the Instant Pot? I don't want to swap out both at once without knowing what holds up, since I really need the broth to stay thick and not watery.
The heavy cream is only 2 tablespoons total, so coconut cream isn't going to make it taste tropical. That part's a non-issue. The cream cheese is the trickier swap, and I haven't done a full dairy-free run myself. From what readers have reported back, Violife and Kite Hill both hold up, but the thing that keeps coming up is adding it after the IP depressurizes, off the heat, and stirring until it melts in rather than letting it sit while the broth is still really hot. That's what seems to prevent the grainy problem.
Used fire-roasted green chiles instead of regular canned and threw in an extra half teaspoon of cumin. The broth has this deeper, almost smoky undertone that I liked a lot more. Making a double batch on Sunday.
Fire-roasted with the extra cumin, yeah that broth combo makes total sense. Regular canned chiles don't have that smokiness. Notes taken for Sunday.
Made this tonight and I cannot get over how rich the broth gets from the cream cheese. Would it work with chicken breast instead of thighs?
Breast works fine here. The cream cheese puts enough fat that the leaner meat won't dry out.
Made this Sunday and my wife, who never touches anything I make when I'm 'eating healthy,' asked what I put in the broth. I told her cream cheese and she didn't believe me.
Ha, she's not the only one. That broth doesn't taste like cream cheese, it just tastes rich and kind of mysterious. Nobody guesses it the first time.
Swapped half the cream cheese for goat cheese and the tang it adds to the broth is something else. It melts a little differently, sharper and more interesting. If you have some sitting around, try it.
Goat cheese hadn't crossed my mind for this one. That tang with the green chiles though, makes sense. Trying it next batch.
My mom used to make white chicken chili every fall, the old-fashioned kind with a can of white beans and sour cream stirred in at the end. I've been keto for three years and mostly made peace with not having it. Found this version last week and made it on a rainy Tuesday night without expecting much. The cream cheese broth has that same depth her version had, and the shredded chicken thighs fell apart the same way. I sat with my bowl for a while after.
That rainy Tuesday detail got me. The cream cheese does something to the broth I didn't fully plan when I first made this, that slow thick depth. Glad it took you back.
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.
Breast works here because the cream cheese broth carries enough fat to cover it. Lime at the end is smart, that acid against the cream hits different than the jalapeño alone.
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.
The cumin and cream cheese moment gets me every time I make this. For the cauliflower rice, I pull mine when it's still a little underdone because it keeps cooking in the hot broth. Two to three minutes max.