Creamy White Chili with Cream Cheese

© Dotdash Meredith. All rights reserved. Used with permission.

This rich and creamy chili comes together in a flash thanks to quick-cooking chicken thighs and canned white beans. Mashing some of the beans acts as a fast thickener when your soups don't have a long time to simmer. Cream cheese adds the final bit of richness and a hint of sweet tang.

Prep/Cook Time: 25 Minutes, Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 2 15-ounce cans no-salt-added great northern beans, rinsed, divided
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into bite-size pieces
• 1½ cups chopped yellow onion (1 medium)
• ¾ cup chopped celery (2 medium stalks)
• 5 cloves garlic, chopped (2 tablespoons)
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 3 cups unsalted chicken stock
• 1 4-ounce can chopped green chiles
• 4 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese
• ½ cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves

Directions

1. Mash 1 cup beans in a small bowl with a whisk or potato masher.
2. Heat oil in a large heavy pot over high heat. Add chicken; cook, turning occasionally, until browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Add onion, celery, garlic, cumin and salt. Cook until the onion is translucent and tender, 4 to 5 minutes.
3. Add the remaining whole beans, the mashed beans, stock and chiles. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in cream cheese until melted. Serve topped with cilantro.

Nutritional Information

Per Serving: 318½ Calories, Total Fat: 11⅞ g, Saturated Fat: 3⅖ g, Cholesterol: 60½ mg, Carbohydrates: 29⅖ g, Fiber: 9⅖ g, Total Sugars: 5 g, Protein: 23⅒ g, Sodium: 328⅘ mg, Potassium: 661½ mg, Iron: 2⅘ mg, Folate: 49⅞ mcg, Calcium: 139½ mg, Vitamin A: 510⅔ IU, Vitamin C: 50⅓ mg