Can You Freeze White Chicken Chili?

Yes, there are two effective methods for how to freeze white chicken chili. Use our expert tips for freezing and reheating this comfort food dish.

As authors of two popular freezer meal cookbooks, we’ve done our fair share of testing freezer meals of all kinds and have become experts at the best methods for freezing.

This cozy dinner happens to be one of my personal favorites, especially our Crock Pot White Chicken Chili or our Instant Pot White Chicken Chili. We’ve frozen this recipe many times, so you can be assured our directions are correct.

You have two options for freezing this chili–before fully cooking it and after it’s fully cooked.

Method #1: Freeze Before Fully Cooking

If you like to prep freezer meals in bulk (which is our specialty!), this is a great freezing method. The chili will turn out tasting just like a fresh meal when you use this technique. I recommend making a double batch to use your time in the kitchen efficiently. Here’s how to use this method…

1. Saute the aromatics in the recipe, if directed to. Then, add all the ingredients to a gallon-size freezer bag or freezer container and seal. (Here are our favorite freezer containers.)
2. Label the package with the date and contents, and freeze in the back of the freezer for up to 3 months for best quality. (Our printable Freezer Labels can be helpful.)
3. To prepare the chili from frozen, it’s best to thaw it in the refrigerator for about 24 hours first or use one of these other safe thawing methods. Then, cook according to recipe instructions.

Method #2: Freeze After Cooking

If you have leftovers of the chili, you can freeze those after cooking. Even white chicken chili with cream cheese or dairy in it will freeze and rewarm just fine. Here’s how…

1. Fully cook and then fully cool the soup. It’s really important that the soup is entirely cooled down before freezing to avoid ice crystals forming on the top. It can sit at room temp up to 2 hours but then you will need to refrigerate it after that.
2. Ladle the soup into individual containers like Soup Cubes or 2-cup Pyrex glass containers OR into a gallon-size freezer bag and seal.
3. Label the container(s) with the date and contents. (Our printable Freezer Labels can be helpful.)
4. Place the meal in the back of the freezer where it’s coldest. It’s best to use this freezer meal within 3 months.
5. To prepare the chili from frozen, either thaw it in the refrigerator or use the defrost setting on the microwave. Then, warm in the microwave, in a pot on the stove, or in the slow cooker.