Warm up on a cold night with this delicious and easy crockpot white chicken chili recipe. Packed with flavor and protein, this dish is sure to become a family favorite. So grab your ingredients and get cooking.
This tasty slow cooker recipe is ideal for gamedays, movie nights, and cozy nights in. Serve with corn muffins, beer bread, and garlic knots.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Seasonings: ground cumin, chili powder, dried marjoram or oregano, cayenne pepper, fresh cilantro, salt, and freshly ground black pepper
- Chicken: boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- Chicken broth: preferably low-sodium
- Beans: this recipe works with any white beans, such as Great Northern beans, white navy beans, white kidney beans, or cannellini beans.
- Green chiles: diced and canned or fresh roasted and diced Anaheim or poblano peppers.
- Cream cheese: full-fat, please
- Cheese: Cheddar, Monterey Jack, Pepper Jack, or a Mexican blend
How to Make Crockpot White Chicken Chili
First, heat a little oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until it is soft, stirring several times. Reduce the heat to low and add the garlic, cumin, chili powder, marjoram, and cayenne pepper.
Add the chicken breasts to the bottom of the crockpot. Add the cooked onion mixture, 2 cups chicken broth, great northern beans, green chiles, and corn to the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours. Remove the chicken and shred it with two forks.
Temper the cream cheese by adding several tablespoons of the hot liquid and stirring until the mixture is smooth and warm. An immersion blender comes in handy for this task. Turn the crock pot to warm and blend the cream cheese into it. Stir in some chopped fresh cilantro.
Ladle the chili into bowls and, if desired, top with cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese, tortilla strips, jalapeno rings, sour cream, and avocado.
Preparation Tips
- Fresh sweet corn can be substituted for canned corn. If you have the time and like to cook, blacken the corn in a skillet for even more flavor.
- Soften the cream cheese by removing it from the fridge about 1 1/2 hours before starting the recipe. You can also cut the cream cheese into cubes, place them on a microwave-safe plate, and heat for 15-second intervals until warm.
- Turn up the heat with a little more cayenne pepper or minced jalapeno pepper.
- For a thick and creamy texture, puree several cups of the chili and add it to the pot. This can be done with an immersion blender in the pot, with a Pyrex measuring cup and an immersion blender, or in a stand blender. Don’t forget to remove the center cap on the stand blender to allow steam to escape.
- If the chili becomes too thick, stir in more chicken broth until the desired consistency is reached.
Serving Suggestions
Serve with Fritos, tortilla chips, homemade crostini, or cornbread. Sometimes, I like to serve it with a garden salad, Mexican coleslaw, or Doritos taco salad.
Storage and Reheat
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, provided the rotisserie chicken is fresh. Reheat in the microwave at reduced power, on the stovetop over low heat, or in the crockpot on low.
More Chili Recipes
Crockpot White Chicken Chili
Ingredients
- 1½ tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1½ teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon dried marjoram or oregano
- ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- 1½ lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2-3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 (15-ounce) cans Great Northern beans drained and rinsed
- 1 (7-ounce) can diced green chiles
- 1 (15-ounce) can whole-kernel corn drained
- 8 ounces cream cheese room temperature
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
- cheddar cheese optional
- Monterey Jack cheese optional
- tortilla strips optional
- jalapeno rings optional
- sliced avocado optional
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until it is soft, stirring several times. Reduce the heat to low and add the garlic, cumin, chili powder, marjoram, and cayenne pepper.
- Add the chicken breasts to the bottom of the crockpot. Add the cooked onion mixture, 2 cups chicken broth, great northern beans, green chiles, and corn to the slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours. Remove the chicken and shred it with two forks.
- Temper the cream cheese by adding several tablespoons of the hot liquid and stirring until the mixture is smooth and warm. Turn the crock pot to warm and blend the cream cheese into it. Stir in the chopped fresh cilantro.
- Ladle the chili into bowls and, if desired, top with cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese, tortilla strips, jalapeno rings, sour cream, and avocado.
Notes
- Fresh sweet corn can be substituted for canned corn. If you have the time and like to cook, blacken the corn in a skillet for even more flavor.
- Soften the cream cheese by removing it from the fridge about 1 1/2 hours before starting the recipe. You can also cut the cream cheese into cubes, place them on a microwave-safe plate, and heat for 15-second intervals until warm.
- Turn up the heat with a little more cayenne pepper or minced jalapeno.
- For a thick and creamy texture, puree several cups of the chili and add it to the pot. This can be done with an immersion blender in the pot, with a Pyrex measuring cup and an immersion blender, or in a stand blender. Don’t forget to remove the center cap on the stand blender to allow steam to escape.
- If the chili becomes too thick, stir in more chicken broth until the desired consistency is reached.
Michelle
Probably the best white chicken chili we’ve ever made! I did not have marjoram, so I did use oregano as suggested. Topped with cilantro and more cheese. Absolutely delicious.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Michelle! I am so glad that you like it,
Stephanie
The perfect recipe for winter nights! I always love a warm and hearty meal like this. ALways feels like home. Simply delicious.
Julie H
I have never had chicken in my chili! What a fantastic idea for something a bit different – thank you for sharing your recipe.
Beth Pierce
My pleasure, Julie! Enjoy!
Camila N
This Crockpot White Chicken Chili was incredible! It was creamy, comforting, and had just the right amount of spice.
Karen
Ooo this was to die for and super creamy. It was an absolute treat with the family. I will make it again, soon!
Karen
This white chicken chili is the best and I love that you can make it the crock pot. It is great for movie days and game nights Thanks a lot for the recipe.
Beth Pierce
My pleasure, Karen!
Beth M
My family loves chilli, so it was so great to make a chicken one with a white sauce for a change. This is a lovely warming meal and I love the addition of the extra spices. It was all so tasty!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Beth! I am so glad that you liked it1
Sammy
This white chicken chili was incredibly easy to make and so yummy! This will be on regular rotation at our house from now on!
Maria
Wow! This Crockpot White Chicken Chili was creamy and cheesy. My husband loved it and wants me to make it again this week. Thanks for the fabulous recipe.
April
This is one of our favorite recipes! It’s so filling and full of flavor.
Benji
Great recipe. I love the flavors, and it was nice and thick. I’ll be making it again.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Benji! So glad that you enjoyed it!
Sandra
This dish wass delicious and comforting! A new family favorite.
Krystyn
The creamy texture and hearty protein make it both satisfying and cozy. This crock pot white chicken chili is the perfect comfort food for chilly nights!