Keto White Chicken Chili Recipe

I just made a Keto Chicken Poblano Soup that’s ridiculously creamy, totally low-carb, and looks like something you’d pay good money for.

I’m obsessed with this Keto White Chicken Chili because it hits all the best notes without trying too hard. I love the tang and creaminess from cream cheese and the bright, smoky zip of roasted poblano peppers.

It’s the kind of Chicken And Poblano Soup that makes you raid the fridge for extra toppings and eat it straight from the bowl at midnight. And yes, it’s low carb so it fits right into my Keto Mexican Soup Recipes rotation.

Hearty, but light. Comforting, but not cloying.

Spoon in, shut up, eat. No weird fillers.

Totally real. Flavor bombs, not fake substitutes.

Ingredients

• Chicken: hearty protein, keeps it filling and comforting.
• Oil: browns chicken nicely, adds savory mouthfeel.
• Onion: adds sweetness and background savory notes.
• Roasted poblano: smoky, mild heat, lots of character.
• Garlic: punches up aroma, it’s classic and cozy.
• Green chiles: tangy zip, little green pepper kick.
• Chicken broth: keeps it soupy and savory, not bland.
• Cumin: warm, earthy whisper, subtle taco vibe.
• Oregano: herbal lift, it’s quietly Mediterranean-smart here.
• Chili powder: gentle warmth, ties the spices together.
• Salt: brings everything into focus, don’t skip it.
• Pepper: bright peppery snap, simple finishing touch.
• Cream cheese: creamy body, makes it rich and silky.
• Heavy cream/coconut: smooths texture, dairy or dairy-free option.
• Lime juice: bright acid, wakes up the whole bowl.
• Cilantro: fresh herb lift, you’ll want extra on top.
• Shredded cheese: melty, cheesy comfort, totally optional.
• Avocado: cool creamy topping, nice contrast to heat.
• Jalapeño: fresh heat and crunch, slice sparingly.
• Thickener: xanthan or arrowroot, gives body without carbs.

Ingredient Quantities

• 1 1/2 to 2 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts (or thighs), cut into big chunks
• 1 tbsp olive oil or avocado oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
• 2 poblano peppers, roasted, peeled, seeded and roughly chopped (about 1 cup)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (4 oz) can diced green chiles, drained
• 4 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp chili powder (mild)
• 1 to 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt, to taste
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 4 oz cream cheese, softened and cut into cubes
• 1/2 cup heavy cream or full fat coconut milk for dairy free
• 1 to 2 tbsp fresh lime juice (about 1 lime)
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus extra for garnish
• 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack or pepper jack cheese, optional
• 1 ripe avocado, diced for topping (optional)
• 1 jalapeño, thinly sliced for garnish, optional
• 1 tsp xanthan gum or 1 tbsp arrowroot powder, optional if you want it thicker

How to Make this

1. Roast the poblanos under a broiler or on a gas flame until charred, seal in a bowl for 10 minutes, then peel, seed and roughly chop them into about 1 cup worth.

2. Heat the oil in the Instant Pot on Sauté or in a large Dutch oven over medium heat; add the chopped onion and cook until soft and slightly browned, about 5 minutes, then stir in the minced garlic and cook 30 seconds more.

3. Add the cumin, oregano, chili powder, salt and pepper to the onion mixture and cook 30 seconds to toast the spices so they actually sing.

4. Add the chicken chunks, roasted poblanos, drained diced green chiles and the 4 cups low sodium chicken broth; scrape up any browned bits from the pot so nothing gets wasted.

5. If using the Instant Pot, seal and cook on High Pressure for 10 minutes then quick release. If using the stove, bring to a gentle simmer, cover and cook 15 to 20 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.

6. Remove the chicken to a cutting board, shred or slice roughly, and return it to the pot; turn the heat off or switch the Instant Pot back to Sauté low.

7. Stir in the cream cheese cubes until melted and smooth, then add the heavy cream (or full fat coconut milk), lime juice and chopped cilantro; taste and adjust salt and pepper.

8. If you want it thicker, either whisk 1 tablespoon arrowroot powder with 2 tablespoons cold water and stir into the simmering soup until it thickens, or sprinkle 1 teaspoon xanthan gum while whisking quickly so it doesn’t clump. Start with less, you can always add more.

9. Stir in the shredded Monterey Jack if using so it melts into the soup, then ladle into bowls and top with diced avocado, extra cilantro and thinly sliced jalapeño if you like the look or a little heat.

10. Let the soup rest a couple minutes to settle, then serve with extra lime wedges. Leftovers keep well in the fridge for 3 to 4 days and actually taste better the next day.

Equipment Needed

1. Instant Pot with lid or large Dutch oven (one or the other, your choice)
2. Rimmed baking sheet or cast iron skillet for roasting poblanos under the broiler or over a gas flame
3. Large heatproof bowl to steam/seal the charred peppers
4. Chef’s knife and cutting board for chopping peppers, onion, cilantro and slicing chicken
5. Wooden spoon or heatproof spatula for sautéing and scraping browned bits
6. Measuring cups and spoons for broth, spices and cream
7. Fine mesh strainer or small colander to drain the canned green chiles
8. Whisk and ladle for finishing, thickening and serving the soup

FAQ

Keto White Chicken Chili Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Chicken: swap with shredded rotisserie chicken for speed, or use ground turkey if you want a different texture.
• Poblano peppers: use roasted green bell peppers plus 1 small jalapeño if you want heat, or canned diced green chiles in a pinch.
• Cream cheese: replace with full fat Greek yogurt or mascarpone for a tangy creaminess, or use canned coconut cream to keep it dairy free.
• Xanthan gum: use 1 tablespoon arrowroot powder to thicken (not keto friendly) or simmer longer to reduce and naturally thicken the chili.

Pro Tips

1) Roast poblanos until theyre really blackened then let them steam in a bowl with a lid or plastic wrap for at least 10 minutes. The skin will peel off so much easier and you wont lose half the pepper to the peel.

2) Use thighs if you want more forgiving, juicy meat, especially if you plan to simmer longer. If you use breasts, dont overcook them; pull and shred right when they hit 165 F and theyll stay tender.

3) When adding cream cheese and heavy cream, take the pot off high heat and stir in the cubes slowly so they melt gentle. If the soup is too hot it can split, so temper by stirring in a few spoonfuls, then the rest. Same for shredded cheese, add it off heat so it melts smooth and not grainy.

4) For thickening, start with half the xanthan gum or arrowroot the recipe calls for. Sprinkle xanthan gum in small amounts while whisking fast so it doesnt clump. Arrowroot makes it glossy but dont boil it long or it will thin out again. Adjust after it cools a bit since soups tighten up as they chill.

Keto White Chicken Chili Recipe

Recipe by James Level

0.0 from 0 votes

I just made a Keto Chicken Poblano Soup that's ridiculously creamy, totally low-carb, and looks like something you'd pay good money for.

Pin

Servings

6

servings

Calories

511

kcal

Equipment: 1. Instant Pot with lid or large Dutch oven (one or the other, your choice)
2. Rimmed baking sheet or cast iron skillet for roasting poblanos under the broiler or over a gas flame
3. Large heatproof bowl to steam/seal the charred peppers
4. Chef’s knife and cutting board for chopping peppers, onion, cilantro and slicing chicken
5. Wooden spoon or heatproof spatula for sautéing and scraping browned bits
6. Measuring cups and spoons for broth, spices and cream
7. Fine mesh strainer or small colander to drain the canned green chiles
8. Whisk and ladle for finishing, thickening and serving the soup

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 to 2 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts (or thighs), cut into big chunks

• 1 tbsp olive oil or avocado oil

• 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped

• 2 poblano peppers, roasted, peeled, seeded and roughly chopped (about 1 cup)

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 (4 oz) can diced green chiles, drained

• 4 cups low sodium chicken broth

• 1 tsp ground cumin

• 1 tsp dried oregano

• 1 tsp chili powder (mild)

• 1 to 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt, to taste

• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

• 4 oz cream cheese, softened and cut into cubes

• 1/2 cup heavy cream or full fat coconut milk for dairy free

• 1 to 2 tbsp fresh lime juice (about 1 lime)

• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus extra for garnish

• 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack or pepper jack cheese, optional

• 1 ripe avocado, diced for topping (optional)

• 1 jalapeño, thinly sliced for garnish, optional

• 1 tsp xanthan gum or 1 tbsp arrowroot powder, optional if you want it thicker

Directions

• Roast the poblanos under a broiler or on a gas flame until charred, seal in a bowl for 10 minutes, then peel, seed and roughly chop them into about 1 cup worth.
• Heat the oil in the Instant Pot on Sauté or in a large Dutch oven over medium heat; add the chopped onion and cook until soft and slightly browned, about 5 minutes, then stir in the minced garlic and cook 30 seconds more.
• Add the cumin, oregano, chili powder, salt and pepper to the onion mixture and cook 30 seconds to toast the spices so they actually sing.
• Add the chicken chunks, roasted poblanos, drained diced green chiles and the 4 cups low sodium chicken broth; scrape up any browned bits from the pot so nothing gets wasted.
• If using the Instant Pot, seal and cook on High Pressure for 10 minutes then quick release. If using the stove, bring to a gentle simmer, cover and cook 15 to 20 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
• Remove the chicken to a cutting board, shred or slice roughly, and return it to the pot; turn the heat off or switch the Instant Pot back to Sauté low.
• Stir in the cream cheese cubes until melted and smooth, then add the heavy cream (or full fat coconut milk), lime juice and chopped cilantro; taste and adjust salt and pepper.
• If you want it thicker, either whisk 1 tablespoon arrowroot powder with 2 tablespoons cold water and stir into the simmering soup until it thickens, or sprinkle 1 teaspoon xanthan gum while whisking quickly so it doesn’t clump. Start with less, you can always add more.
• Stir in the shredded Monterey Jack if using so it melts into the soup, then ladle into bowls and top with diced avocado, extra cilantro and thinly sliced jalapeño if you like the look or a little heat.
• Let the soup rest a couple minutes to settle, then serve with extra lime wedges. Leftovers keep well in the fridge for 3 to 4 days and actually taste better the next day.

Notes

• Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.

Nutrition Facts

• Serving Size: 427g
• Total number of serves: 6
• Calories: 511kcal
• Fat: 30.9g
• Saturated Fat: 14.3g
• Trans Fat: 0.2g
• Polyunsaturated: 1g
• Monounsaturated: 6g
• Cholesterol: 171mg
• Sodium: 629mg
• Potassium: 802mg
• Carbohydrates: 8.2g
• Fiber: 2.8g
• Sugar: 1.6g
• Protein: 48g
• Vitamin A: 417IU
• Vitamin C: 24mg
• Calcium: 140mg
• Iron: 0.8mg