Crockpot White Chicken Chili

Creamy Crockpot White Chicken Chili with tender chicken breasts, hearty beans, and pantry staples. It’s healthier comfort food with 10 minutes of prep!

White chicken chili is one of our favorite slow cooker recipes!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• You asked: While I have my uber popular stovetop healthy white chicken chili recipe and Instant Pot white chicken chili, you have been asking for the slow cooker version.
• Family-friendly: Crockpot white chicken chili is not too spicy. It’s rich and creamy and kids love it, even picky eaters!
• Filling: This hearty chili is high in protein and fiber, filled with shredded chicken, tender beans, sweet corn, and a creamy broth. As tasty as it is, you may be too full for seconds.
• Easy and healthy: One of the easiest healthy chili recipes, slow cooker white chicken chili falls in the “dump-and-go category”, and it’s gluten free!

Ingredients for Crockpot White Chicken Chili

Filled with simple ingredients, this crockpot white chicken chili recipe is creamy, flavorful, and loaded with textures.

• Aromatics: Onion and fresh garlic add flavor to the entire dish.
• Oil: Used to sauté the onion and garlic. My go-to is avocado oil, but olive oil works well too.
• Spices: Cumin, oregano, chili powder, salt and pepper. White chicken chili in crockpot is highly customizable, so you can make this blend as spicy as you like.
• Chicken: You’ll need 3 large boneless skinless chicken breasts. They cook quickly in the slow cooker and are easy to shred.
• Cannellini beans: These white beans have a tender, fluffy texture with a slightly nutty flavor. You can substitute with navy beans or great Northern beans, just be sure to grab a can that’s low in sodium or no added salt. Also here is detailed tutorial how to cook dried beans on the stove.
• Diced green chilies: One can of green chilies adds a touch of heat and lots of flavor to crockpot chicken chili.
• Corn: This family favorite vegetable adds color and a bit of sweetness. Feel free to use whatever you have on hand – fresh, frozen, leftover Instant Pot corn on the cob, or crockpot corn on the cob.
• Chicken broth: I recommend low sodium chicken broth or chicken stock.
• Cream cheese: Cubed cream cheese helps thicken white chili while adding creaminess.
• Fresh cilantro: We add finely chopped cilantro towards the end to enhance the flavor.
• Lime juice: A squeeze of fresh lime juice is the perfect finishing touch.
• Optional: I love adding a dollop of yogurt on top along with tortilla chips and diced avocado on the side.

How to Make White Chicken Chili in Crockpot

Follow these easy steps and you’ll be filling your bowl with crockpot white chicken chili in just 3 hours. I use 7 quart Crock Pot.

There is a full recipe card below.

• Sauté onion and garlic: Preheat large non-stick skillet on medium-high heat, add oil and swirl to coat. Then add garlic and onion, and sauté for 3 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent burning.
• Fill slow cooker: Season onion and garlic with cumin, oregano, chili powder, salt and pepper, cook for 30 seconds while stirring. Remove from heat and transfer to the bottom of a large slow cooker. Then top with chicken, beans, green chilies, corn and chicken broth.
• Cook: Cover and cook white chicken chili in crockpot for 3 hours on high heat, or 6 hours on low heat.
• Shred the chicken: Turn off heat and shred chicken using 2 forks. I shred my chicken breasts right in the crockpot, but you can set them on a cutting board, shred, and return to the crockpot. 

• Add finishing touches: Add cream cheese, lime juice and cilantro. Stir until well combined, cover, and let chili sit in the warm crockpot for 5 minutes.
• Serve: Serve warm in a big bowl with your favorite toppings like tortilla chips, shredded cheddar cheese, more cilantro, and lime.

Tips for Best Results

Here’s my advice on how to make the best homemade slow cooker white chicken chili.

• Don’t overcook: All slow cookers vary, so it’s best to know your slow cooker and don’t cook this chili too long. The chicken can become tough and corn can burn.
• Adjust to taste: Soup and stew recipes are very forgiving, make this chili your own and adjust seasonings and ingredients to your liking.
• Shred chicken in crockpot: Letting the chicken rest for 5 minutes before shredding helps keep the juices inside. By shredding the chicken in crockpot lets you keep all that juice and flavor in the chili, plus save washing another bowl.
• Rotisserie chicken: Shred rotisserie chicken, add to crockpot, and cook for 2 hours on high or 4 hours on low. The chicken won’t be as moist, so you might have to add more chicken broth.
• You don’t have to sauté veggies with spices: It does add more flavor but if you are short on time or don’t want to, you can skip this step.

Variations

• Make dairy-free chili: Omit cream cheese, remove 1 cup beans, mash and return to slow cooker. Your chili will be dairy free and naturally creamy.
• Use yogurt instead of cream cheese: For a healthier chili with more protein, sub 1/2 cup Greek yogurt and omit cream cheese.
• Make it more spicy: The spice level “as is” is mild. If you would like more heat, add 1/8-1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, diced jalapeno with seeds when cooking, or add hot sauce to the bowl after serving.
• Chicken thighs: Boneless skinless chicken thighs can add a bit more flavor and they’re easy to shred.
• Protein swap: Shredded pork or turkey are delicious substitutions for this recipe.

What to Serve with Crockpot White Chicken Chili?

• Freshly baked almond flour cornbread.
• Fresh cilantro and lime wedges.
• Tortilla chips for dunking or tortilla strips for crunch.
• A spoonful of sour cream or Greek yogurt with green onion.
• Fresh or pickled jalapenos.
• Shredded cheddar cheese, Monterey jack cheese, or crumbled cotija cheese.

Can I Make It Ahead of Time?

Absolutely! White chicken chili can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave and you’ve got a quick and healthy dinner perfect for busy weeknights.

If you’re looking for healthy freezer meals, this one checks the box. Cook, cool, and freeze for up to 3 months.

Or make a freezer pack by adding all ingredients to a large freezer bag, remove air, and lay flat in the freezer. Thaw in the fridge for one day, then slow cook as per recipe.

How to Store and Reheat

Store: Let chili cool, transfer to an airtight container, and keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Freeze: Once it’s completely cooled, freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

Reheat: Let white chicken chili thaw in the fridge overnight, then reheat on the stove top in a small pot while covered on low heat.

FAQs

More Chili Recipes to Try

• Buffalo chicken chili
• Ground chicken chili
• Healthy turkey chili
• Instant Pot turkey chili
• Instant Pot beef chili
• White bean pumpkin turkey chili

More Crockpot Recipes

• Crockpot shredded chicken
• Crockpot chicken noodle soup
• Crockpot butter chicken
• Crockpot chicken thighs
• Crockpot whole chicken