Best White Chicken Chili Mac and Cheese

If you ask me, combining chili and mac and cheese is one of the best ideas ever.

This comforting one-pot dinner brings together creamy pasta with all the flavors of white chicken chili. Tender chicken and poblano peppers simmer with salsa verde and green chilies for a nice kick.

It’s finished with cream cheese and melted cheddar that coat every bite of pasta. White beans add heartiness while the cumin and smoked paprika give it that cozy, warming spice.

It’s a satisfying weeknight meal that feels special enough for company but easy enough to make on a Tuesday.

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What Kind of Chicken Should I Use?

For this white chicken chili mac and cheese, boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs both work great. Chicken thighs tend to stay a bit more moist and flavorful during cooking, but breasts are leaner if that’s what you prefer. You can even use a rotisserie chicken from the store to save time – just shred the meat and add it in. If you’re starting with raw chicken, you’ll want to cut it into bite-sized pieces or cook it whole and shred it before adding it to the pot. Either fresh or frozen chicken works fine, just make sure frozen chicken is fully thawed before you start cooking.

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Options for Substitutions

This recipe is pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps, so here are some options if you need to make changes:

• Chicken: Ground turkey or shredded rotisserie chicken work great here. If using rotisserie chicken, just add it near the end since it’s already cooked.
• Poblano peppers: Can’t find poblanos? Green bell peppers will give you a milder flavor, or use jalapeños if you want more heat. You could also skip them and add extra green chilies.
• White beans: Great northern beans, navy beans, or cannellini beans all work equally well. Just drain and rinse whichever you choose.
• Pasta: Any short pasta shape works – elbow macaroni, shells, penne, or rotini are all good choices. The shape doesn’t really matter for this dish.
• Cheese: While a mix of monterey jack and cheddar is ideal, you can use whatever melting cheese you have on hand. Pepper jack adds a nice kick if you like things spicy.
• Salsa verde: If you don’t have salsa verde, add a squeeze of lime juice and an extra can of green chilies for that tangy, mild heat.
• Broth: Chicken broth is best here, but vegetable broth works fine too. You could even use water with an extra bouillon cube if needed.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake with this one-pot dish is adding all the pasta at once without checking your liquid levels – if the broth evaporates too quickly, your pasta will be crunchy and undercooked, so keep an eye on it and add a splash more broth if needed.

Another common error is overcooking the chicken in the first step, since it’s going back into the pot at the end – aim for just browned on the outside (about 5-6 minutes per side) because it’ll finish cooking when you stir it back in with the hot pasta.

Don’t skip sautéing those spices for a full minute before adding the liquid, as this step helps bloom their flavors and prevents that raw, powdery taste that can happen when spices go straight into broth.

Finally, make sure to turn off the heat before stirring in the cream cheese and shredded cheese – adding them to boiling liquid can cause the cheese to separate and turn grainy instead of creating that smooth, creamy sauce you’re after.

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What to Serve With White Chicken Chili Mac and Cheese?

This dish is pretty hearty on its own, but I love serving it with some warm tortilla chips and extra salsa verde on the side for scooping. A simple side salad with lime vinaigrette helps cut through all that creamy, cheesy goodness and adds a nice fresh crunch to your meal. If you want to make it feel more like a complete dinner spread, try adding some Mexican street corn or a quick avocado and tomato salad with a squeeze of lime. You could also serve it with some warm flour tortillas on the side if anyone wants to wrap up their mac and cheese burrito-style.

Storage Instructions

Store: This chili mac keeps really well in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container. The flavors actually get even better the next day after everything has had time to meld together. Just know that the pasta will absorb some of the liquid as it sits, so you might want to add a splash of broth when reheating.

Freeze: You can freeze this for up to 3 months, though the pasta texture might be a bit softer after thawing. Let it cool completely, then store in freezer-safe containers or bags. I like to portion it out into individual servings so I can grab just what I need for a quick dinner.

Reheat: Warm it up on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally and adding a bit of broth or water to loosen it up. You can also microwave individual portions for 2-3 minutes, stirring halfway through. Top with fresh cilantro and green onions right before serving to brighten it up.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 3250-3550
• Protein: 175-195 g
• Fat: 115-135 g
• Carbohydrates: 330-360 g

Ingredients

For the base:

• 3 tbsp butter (I like Kerrygold unsalted butter for this)
• 1 lb chicken (cut into 1/2-inch cubes)
• 1 yellow onion (diced into 1/4-inch pieces)
• 2 poblano peppers (seeded and diced into 1/2-inch pieces)
• 4 cloves garlic, minced

For the chili pasta:

• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 4 cups broth (I use Swanson chicken broth)
• 1/2 cup salsa verde (I prefer Herdez for the best tang)
• 6 oz green chilies
• 1 can white beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 lb pasta

For the finish and garnish:

• 4 oz cream cheese (room temperature, about 70°F)
• 2.5 cups cheese, shredded
• salt, to taste
• black pepper, to taste
• green onions, chopped
• fresh cilantro, chopped

Step 1: Prepare Mise en Place and Cook Pasta

• 1 lb chicken, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 yellow onion, diced into 1/4-inch pieces
• 2 poblano peppers, seeded and diced into 1/2-inch pieces
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 lb pasta

Dice the onion into 1/4-inch pieces, seed and dice the poblano peppers into 1/2-inch pieces, mince the garlic, and cut the chicken into 1/2-inch cubes.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until just al dente (about 2 minutes under the package time), then drain and set aside.

I like to slightly undercook the pasta here since it will continue cooking in the chili sauce, which keeps it from getting mushy.

Step 2: Sear Chicken and Build Aromatics

• 3 tbsp butter
• 1 lb chicken, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 yellow onion, diced into 1/4-inch pieces
• 2 poblano peppers, seeded and diced into 1/2-inch pieces
• 4 cloves garlic, minced

Heat 3 tablespoons butter in a large pot over medium-high heat until foaming.

Add the diced chicken and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pieces are browned on all sides.

Remove the chicken to a plate, then reduce heat to medium and add the diced onion and poblano peppers to the same pot, scraping up any browned bits.

Sauté for 5-7 minutes until softened, then add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.

Step 3: Toast Spices and Build the Chili Base

• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 4 cups broth
• 1/2 cup salsa verde
• 6 oz green chilies
• 1 can white beans, drained and rinsed
• cooked chicken from Step 2

Add the cumin, smoked paprika, and chili powder to the pot and stir constantly for about 1 minute to toast the spices and release their oils.

Pour in the chicken broth, salsa verde, and green chilies, stirring well to combine.

Return the cooked chicken to the pot and add the drained white beans.

Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and cook for 5 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.

Step 4: Add Pasta and Create the Cheese Sauce

• cooked pasta from Step 1
• 4 oz cream cheese, room temperature

Stir the cooked pasta from Step 1 into the chili mixture, breaking up the cream cheese into small pieces and adding it to the pot.

Stir constantly over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until the cream cheese is completely melted and incorporated, creating a smooth, creamy sauce.

I prefer to use room-temperature cream cheese because it melts more evenly without creating lumps in the sauce.

Step 5: Finish with Cheese and Season

• 2.5 cups cheese, shredded
• salt, to taste
• black pepper, to taste

Remove the pot from heat and stir in the shredded cheese until completely melted and the dish is creamy and well combined.

Taste the chili mac and cheese and adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper as needed.

The salsa verde and green chilies provide good base flavor, so add salt gradually to avoid over-seasoning.

Step 6: Serve and Garnish

• green onions, chopped
• fresh cilantro, chopped

Ladle the white chicken chili mac and cheese into bowls and top generously with chopped green onions and fresh cilantro.

Serve immediately while hot and creamy.

Best White Chicken Chili Mac and Cheese

Delicious Best White Chicken Chili Mac and Cheese recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Total Time 57 minutes mins

Servings 8 servings

Calories 3400 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the base::

• 3 tbsp butter (I like Kerrygold unsalted butter for this)
• 1 lb chicken (cut into 1/2-inch cubes)
• 1 yellow onion (diced into 1/4-inch pieces)
• 2 poblano peppers (seeded and diced into 1/2-inch pieces)
• 4 cloves garlic, minced

For the chili pasta::

• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 4 cups broth (I use Swanson chicken broth)
• 1/2 cup salsa verde (I prefer Herdez for the best tang)
• 6 oz green chilies
• 1 can white beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 lb pasta

For the finish and garnish::

• 4 oz cream cheese (room temperature, about 70°F)
• 2.5 cups cheese, shredded
• salt, to taste
• black pepper, to taste
• green onions, chopped
• fresh cilantro, chopped

Instructions

 

• Dice the onion into 1/4-inch pieces, seed and dice the poblano peppers into 1/2-inch pieces, mince the garlic, and cut the chicken into 1/2-inch cubes. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until just al dente (about 2 minutes under the package time), then drain and set aside. I like to slightly undercook the pasta here since it will continue cooking in the chili sauce, which keeps it from getting mushy.
• Heat 3 tablespoons butter in a large pot over medium-high heat until foaming. Add the diced chicken and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pieces are browned on all sides. Remove the chicken to a plate, then reduce heat to medium and add the diced onion and poblano peppers to the same pot, scraping up any browned bits. Sauté for 5-7 minutes until softened, then add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
• Add the cumin, smoked paprika, and chili powder to the pot and stir constantly for about 1 minute to toast the spices and release their oils. Pour in the chicken broth, salsa verde, and green chilies, stirring well to combine. Return the cooked chicken to the pot and add the drained white beans. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and cook for 5 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
• Stir the cooked pasta from Step 1 into the chili mixture, breaking up the cream cheese into small pieces and adding it to the pot. Stir constantly over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until the cream cheese is completely melted and incorporated, creating a smooth, creamy sauce. I prefer to use room-temperature cream cheese because it melts more evenly without creating lumps in the sauce.
• Remove the pot from heat and stir in the shredded cheese until completely melted and the dish is creamy and well combined. Taste the chili mac and cheese and adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper as needed. The salsa verde and green chilies provide good base flavor, so add salt gradually to avoid over-seasoning.
• Ladle the white chicken chili mac and cheese into bowls and top generously with chopped green onions and fresh cilantro. Serve immediately while hot and creamy.