White cheddar apple chicken chili is a sweet and savory fall variation on a Southern classic. This variation of chicken chili will be a seasonal favorite on your dinner menu!

white cheddar apple chicken chili in two small white soup bowls

Have you ever had a savory apple dish before?

Most people tend to think of sweet apple dishes like apple pie or apple butter.

But you can use apples in any savory dish.

Like in this white cheddar apple chicken chili.

The apples cook to the consistency of soft potatoes and pick up the flavors of the chili so well.

And they add a subtle sweetness that is a nice background compliment to all the spice of the chili.

You won’t know the apples are there but they are definitely an added source of flavor in this quick chili.

Ingredients

To make this you’ll need:

Chicken– Make your life easier by chopping up rotisserie chicken. It cuts the cook and prep time down!
Olive oil
Spices– Chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper
Apples– Peeled and roughly chopped
Onion– Peeled, chopped, white onion
Roux ingredients– Butter and flour to thicken up the chili
Chicken broth– You can use low sodium to better control the saltiness
Half and half– Don’t use a lower fat dairy. You want the richness from the half and half.
Beans– Canned cannellini beans. While you could use other beans, cannellini beans will keep this chili white and have a really buttery texture/
Cheese– Shredded Mexican blend

white cheddar chicken apple chili in a large pot

How to Make

This cheddar apple chicken chili is pretty quick and easy to make so you can enjoy it any time.

Just heat the olive oil in a dutch oven over medium heat.

When the oil’s hot and shimmery, stir in the apples, onion, chili powder and cumin.

Cook, stirring occasionally, for 6-8 minutes, or until the apples and onions are soft.

Once the apples and onions are soft, transfer them to a plate, and set them aside.

Then, turn the heat down to medium low.

Melt the butter in the pot, then whisk in the flour.

Let the mixture cook for 60 seconds so the mixture forms a pastey consistency and the flour taste cooks out.

Whisk in the broth a little bit at a time until the mixture comes together.

Then whisk in the milk.

Let everything keep simmering, whisking occasionally, until the mixture’s thickened.

At this point, stir in the chicken, the apple/onion mixture, and the cannellini beans.

Then stir in the cheese until melted.

Serve with your favorite toppings!

a wooden handled spatula in a pot filled with white cheddar chicken apple chili

Topping Ideas

You can top this cheddar apple chicken chili with any of your favorite chili toppings like:

extra cheese
sour cream
fresh cilantro
tortilla chips

You could also add some freshly chopped apples to garnish!

Storing Leftovers

Store leftovers in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

The chili will thicken as it sits in the fridge.

Because of this, you may want to stir a little extra chicken broth in when you reheat the soup either in the microwave or on the stove.

a black spatula holding up a scoop of white cheddar chicken apple chili

What kind of apples should I use?

Use any kind of firm apple you like.

I used Braeburn initially but you could use something like Granny Smith instead.

Just don’t choose a softer apple because they will get to soft when you cook this.

Tips and Tricks

This chili is on the mild side. If you want it spicier, you could add a diced jalapeno.
When you stir the chili before adding the cheese, you can add more broth if you find the chili too thick. Do keep in mind though that this chili is supposed to be very thick.
Don’t use lower fat dairy. If you do, the chili might not thicken properly.

Other Chili Recipes

This cheddar apple chicken chili is a delicious seasonal variation of white chicken chili.

Make it and enjoy!

Looking for other chili recipes?

Try these:

If you’ve tried this CHEDDAR APPLE CHICKEN CHILI, or any other recipe on my site, let me know in the comment section how it turned out, we love hearing from our readers! You can also follow along with me on PINTEREST, FACEBOOK, and INSTAGRAM to see more amazing recipes and whatever else we’ve got going on!