White Chicken Chili Casserole

This white chicken chili recipe is “comforting, while also being great for a weeknight meal that only dirties one pan,” according to recipe developer Kathryn Hendrix. 

White Chicken Chili Casserole Ingredients

These are the simple ingredients you’ll need to make this filling white chicken chili casserole recipe: 

• Butter: This recipe starts with vegetables cooked in butter. 
• Fresh produce: An onion, a bell pepper, and two cloves of garlic give the casserole a rich flavor base. You can add a fresh jalapeno to the cornbread mix, if you like. 
• Chicken: This white chicken chili casserole is a great use for leftover cooked chicken. You can also get a rotisserie chicken to save time. 
• Canned vegetables: From the canned goods aisle, you’ll need white beans and green chiles. 
• Seasonings: Season the flavorful casserole with chili powder, ground cumin, dried oregano, salt, pepper, and (optional) cayenne pepper. 
• Soup: The creamy white sauce starts with a can of condensed cream of chicken soup. 
• Milk: You’ll need milk for the sauce and for the cornbread mix. 
• Cream cheese: Cream cheese adds richness and subtle tang to the creamy sauce. 
• Cornbread: A package of cornbread mix gives the casserole pleasant texture and heartiness. 
• Egg: An egg binds the cornbread mix together. 
• Garnishes: Garnish the white chicken chili casserole with cilantro and lime wedges. 

How to Make White Chicken Chili Casserole

You’ll find the full, step-by-step recipe below — but here’s a brief overview of what you can expect when you make this white chicken chili casserole: 

1. Cook the onion and bell pepper in butter in an oven-safe skillet. 
2. Add the garlic and continue cooking. 
3. Reduce the heat and add chicken, beans, and seasonings. 
4. Stir in the green chiles, soup, ⅔ cup of the milk, and cream cheese. 
5. Combine the cornbread mix, egg, remaining milk, and jalapeno in a separate bowl.
6. Smooth the cornbread mixture over the chicken mixture. 
7. Bake until the cornbread is fully cooked and the casserole is bubbling. 

Test Kitchen Tips

This recipe was developed in our test kitchen. Check out some tips and tricks from culinary experts that might make the cooking process easier: 

• Two (8.5-ounce) packages of cornbread could be substituted for one (15-ounce) package. Follow package directions to make the batter and pour evenly over the chicken chili mixture. Bake as directed, until toothpick tests clean. If you use this method the cornbread layer will be thicker than the original recipe.
• You can omit the chicken and double the beans for a vegetarian entree, according to Kathryn
• Optional toppings include hot honey, avocado, sour cream, and/or salsa or fresh pico de gallo. 

Editorial contributions by Corey Williams