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Easy creamy pumpkin chicken chili with shredded chicken, white beans, corn, avocado and tortilla strips.

Easy Creamy Pumpkin Chicken Chili

A cozy one-pot pumpkin chicken chili made with shredded chicken, white beans, pumpkin purée, green chiles, smoky spices, and cream cheese. It's thick, savory, creamy, and ready in about 40 minutes for an easy fall dinner.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 6
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion diced
  • 1 poblano pepper diced
  • 4 garlic cloves minced
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1½ teaspoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • Pinch of cayenne pepper optional
  • 1 cup pure pumpkin purée
  • 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth plus more as needed
  • 2 15-ounce cans cannellini or Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 4-ounce can diced green chiles
  • 1 cup corn fresh or frozen
  • 3 cups shredded cooked chicken
  • 4 oz full-fat block cream cheese softened and cubed
  • 1 –2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • Salt to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • Optional Toppings
  • Diced avocado
  • Fresh cilantro
  • Shredded Monterey Jack
  • Sliced jalapeño
  • Tortilla strips
  • Roasted pumpkin seeds
  • Lime wedges

Method
 

  1. Dice onion and poblano and mince garlic.
  2. Drain and rinse the beans.
  3. Mash approximately 1 cup of the beans roughly with a fork.
  4. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat.
  5. Add onion and poblano and cook for 5–6 minutes.
  6. Add garlic and cook for approximately 30 seconds.
  7. Stir in cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, oregano, and cayenne. Cook for 30 seconds.
  8. Add pumpkin purée and cook for 1 minute.
  9. Gradually stir in chicken broth.
  10. Add whole and mashed beans.
  11. Stir in green chiles and corn.
  12. Add shredded chicken.
  13. Simmer gently for 15–20 minutes.
  14. Adjust consistency with additional broth if necessary.
  15. Reduce heat to low.
  16. Stir in softened cream cheese until completely incorporated.
  17. Remove from heat and add lime juice.
  18. Season with salt and black pepper.
  19. Rest for 5 minutes before serving.
  20. Serve with your preferred toppings.

Notes

Use 100% pure pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling.
Mashing some of the white beans creates a naturally thicker, creamier broth.
Keep the heat low after adding cream cheese to help it melt smoothly.
The chili thickens considerably after refrigeration, so add a splash of broth when reheating.