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Make it. Don’t question it. Just do it. You will not be disappointed. This recipe was so good! The tots and the hot sauce make it next level! I was sad when it ran out.
Creamy Chicken Soup with Tots: An Essay

You need to be putting tator tots on your creamy soups. That is the beginning and the end of this persuasive essay.
Soup is already a top ten food for me, and this one is weeknight easy, just a little spicy, extra creamy, and uncluttered.
But when you take the chicken, white beans, green chiles and cumin and oregano wrapped in a blanket of creamy soup and level it up with the crispity golden bite of a perfectly seasoned tot? Oof. Wow. This is peak winter food.
I’ve always been extremely loyal to Sarah’s White Chicken Chili – it’s one of my favorite soups and one that many of you have told me has won you all kinds of awards at chili cookoffs. So the bar is high for soups/chilis like this on POY.
But this new creamy spicy soup has earned its place on the site. It’s easier, there’s just less going on with it, and it’s a bit thicker and maybe even a bit more comfort-food cozy.
Spicy white chicken soup with tots. That’s my thesis. The end!

How To Make This Amazing Soup
1
Cook the onions and garlic.
Sauté until they’re nice and golden. The house smells yummy already.

2
Add the spices and green chiles.
Flavor, flavor! Let’s get it going.

3
Add everything else.
Chicken, beans, broth, sour cream, cream, and that little cornstarch slurry! Everybody in the pan to make it nice and creamy and delicious.

4
Simmer till it’s thickened.
Behold the creaminess. It’s next level.

5
You’re Done! Yum.
Top with tots, cilantro and green onion, and hot sauce. A true hungry person masterpiece.

Watch How To Make This Recipe
Spicy White Chicken Soup with Seasoned Tots
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4–5 servings 1x
Description
Chicken, white beans, and green chiles folded up in a creamy soup blanket and topped with golden, crispity seasoned tots. WOW. Top combo.
Ingredients
For The Soup
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- two 4-ounce cans diced green chiles
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- one 15-ounce can white beans (I usually use white chili beans or great northern beans)
- 3 cups cooked, shredded chicken (rotisserie chicken is very yummy, or you can just add cooked chicken breast)
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in 2 tablespoons water
Toppings
- 1 bag frozen seasoned tator tots
- chopped cilantro and green onion
- hot sauce (I like a few shots of Tabasco on this)
Instructions
- Make Your Tots: Follow package directions for a bag of frozen tator tots. The soup doesn’t take too long so I usually like to do this first (they usually take 20-30 minutes).
- Cook the onions and garlic: Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven. Add onions and garlic; sauté until nice and fragrant, about 5-10 minutes.
- Add spices: Add green chiles, spices, and salt. Give it a minute to get nice and yummy.
- Add everything else: Add beans, chicken, broth, sour cream, cream, and cornstarch slurry. Simmer until slightly thickened.
- You’re Done! Top each bowl of soup with a pile of seasoned tots, some cilantro and green onion, and a shot of hot sauce if you want. Absolute delight.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: white chili, chicken chili, white chicken chili, tater tots







FAVORITE RECIPE!! Vegetarian tip: Sub cauliflower for the chicken, add another can of beans, and it is DELICIOUS!
I have served this (vegetarian-style) for dinner parties, family dinner and friend dinners- everyone always asks for the recipe. My daughter’s boyfriend recently asked for me to make this and I can’t tell you how happy that made me. Thank you for this recipe!!
Another amazing and simple recipe from you! Absolutely delicious, tater tots on soup is beyond genius. If I could only get recipes from one website for the rest of my cooking days it would be yours 🫶 Thank you!
This soup is amazing! I love the flavors and the spicy-ness level is just right! I used the Trader Joe’s ready made pulled chicken and it was super easy! An amazing soup that comes together in less than 40 min?! Yes please! SO GOOD! Even without the tater tots, this soup is a masterpiece.
This turned out excellent! All the flavors came together in a way that really surprised us! It had just enough heat without being overpowering. I substituted half the sour cream with cream cheese because my husband can’t stand sour cream, and now I’m considering just using cream cheese instead because it was delightfully good! Add all the toppings – both the cilantro and green onions.
This one was just ok. Your other soups are great. I feel like you other white chicken chili is better. The tots were interesting as an option but would work the same in a better soup. Overall your recipes are fun and I appreciate the fun ideas you have, line the tot idea. Was thinking the tots would work even better in a cheeseburger soup. Or a puréed broccoli cheese soup.
Do you think this would freeze well? Any tips?
Yes, this should freeze well. Freeze in an airtight container, and reheating on the stove would probably work the best!
LOVE your recipes! Reference your material all the time for meal planning. This recipe was no exception. Wanted to make it a little healthier:
– added zucchini to the end of the onion/garlic sauce
– blitzed a 1/4 cup cottage cheese with 1/4 cup milk in place of heavy cream.
Turned out great!
Do you think this chili would freeze well?
I want to serve this for a crowd at my son’s bday…do you think I could make a couple batches ahead of time, freeze, then thaw and warm in a crockpot for serving?
Hi – I love white chicken chili’s– are there any good dairy free swaps for the heavy cream and sour cream?
Thank you!
So excited to get this! How would you change it to make it crockpot friendly?
I’d add everything to a crockpot besides the sour cream, heavy cream, and cornstarch slurry and cook on low for 8 hours, then shred the chicken and add the remaining ingredients!
So good!
I substituted the white beans with garbanzo. Also used Greek yogurt instead of sour cream. Added riced cauliflower for more veggies and bulk. Making again this weekend.
I love chicken in any form and preparation, so I’ve tried recipes from all over the world. Your soup is simply delicious. My better half and the kids insisted, that we’ll have this regularly.
I used Lima Beans and will try other type of beans, delicious!! Thank you for this great soup recipe.
This was weird in a good way. Used mini tots for maximum crunch and lots of Cholula.
So fast and SO good! I grabbed some precooked shredded chicken from Aldi which made even faster. Might use more cornstarch or less liquid next time because it was a little thinner than I expected, but I’ll wait to see how it does as leftovers. Will definitely make again!
I never thought of adding seasoned tots to chili before, but what a genius idea! It must add such a nice crunch and extra flavor to the dish. Definitely going to give that a try next time I make chili.
Is there a specific substitution you would recommend for vegetarians? Obviously won’t be the same, but worth a shot!
You could replace with more beans!
Do you drain the beans?
Yes, drain and rinse!
Why haven’t I put tots on soup or chili before? I used the crowns so it was super crispy. Luxurious mouth feel, one of the best White Chicken Chili recipes I’ve ever made.
This was a 5/5 dinner for my family! Will definitely make again 🙂
Wilhelmina,
If and when you decide to make the dish again, can you please update us prior to making it? And, what ingredients you choose to use? Please and thank you in advance. 🙂
This soup is INSANELY delicious! It will officially replace my white chicken chili recipe on most occasions! I substituted cream of chicken soup in place of heavy cream because it was what we already had. SO. SO. SO. GOOD.
That swap sounds delicious!
Can you sub arrowroot powder for cornstarch? Thanks!
I don’t have much experience with arrowroot, but I would imagine it would work just fine to thicken things. Let us know how it works if you give it a try!
This White Chicken Chili with seasoned tots is an absolute game-changer! 🌟 The blend of creamy soup, tender chicken, and perfectly seasoned tots creates a flavor explosion that’s nothing short of magical. I love how it takes a classic dish to a whole new level of comfort and simplicity. The step-by-step guide makes it so easy to recreate this masterpiece in my own kitchen. The addition of green chiles, cumin, and oregano adds a delightful kick, and topping it all with cilantro, green onion, and hot sauce is pure genius. This recipe is a winter winner, bringing warmth and joy to every bite!
Big hit! And that included props from
Three teenagers. I found some loaded tots from Aldi for the top. Yum! Also doubled the slurry cause we like it a bit thicker. Hubs raved, leftovers in fridge, what else could you want from a recipe?
I just made the recipe and with four cups it was still liquidy.
I’d add extra chicken, beans, and cream cheese. Definitely don’t need more than 4 cups of broth
This looks delicious! Any advice on what veggies could be added so I don’t need to serve them separately on the side?
Melanie,
Squash with light seasoning in a pan with a tid bit of Canola Oil and warmly cooked makes a great side serving with the Chicken. In addition, if you don’t feel like cooking Squash over the stove, you can also steam some veggies and add seasoning to them. Steaming vegetables takes virtually less than 15 to 20 minutes and helps deter feelings of going off track with dieting. Hope this helps. 🙂