There are so many varieties of chili out there, but this creamy white chicken chili will soon be your favorite! In fact, many readers have written in to say this chili won 1st place in their chili contests! Just dump everything in your slow cooker and let it do the hard work for you!
Recipes like my Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala and Crockpot Meatloaf are great for when you want a family pleasing meal with minimal effort. We love cooking in the crockpot, and this is one of my Slow Cooker Recipes you’ll definitely want in your recipe box!
WHITE CHICKEN CHILI RECIPE
We have officially entered chili season!! Until now, our hands-down favorite has always been my Turkey Chili.
While it still holds a special place at our dinner table, this creamy white chicken chili has taken the top spot. It’s so deliciously savory with just the right amount of spice! Plus, it’s almost effortless since it cooks in your slow cooker!
HOW TO MAKE WHITE CHICKEN CHILI
- Add chicken to slow cooker
- Top with seasonings
- Add onion, garlic, beans, chiles, corn, cilantro and chicken broth
- Cover and cook on low for 8 hours
- Remove chicken to a plate and shred, then return to slow cooker
- Add cream cheese and half and half
- Cover and cook on high 15 minutes
- Serve and enjoy!
COOKING TIPS FOR CHICKEN CHILI
This white chicken chili is really so easy that I don’t have many tips!
- Be mindful of heat levels – there are several heat levels for diced green chiles, so be sure you’re getting the one you really want. The hot versions can be pretty spicy!
- Go toppings crazy – like most chilis, you can top this recipe with so many delicious things! Tortilla strips, jalapenos, sour cream, cheese, cilantro, green onions, avocados, etc.
VARIATIONS OF THIS RECIPE
- Protein swap – try making this chili with leftover shredded turkey!
- Extra protein – try adding a can of black beans, just make sure you drain and rinse them, or they can turn your chili an odd color.
- Add heat – for a spicier chili, try using the hot variety of green chiles, and/or add some diced jalapeno to the slow cooker.
- Non-Dairy – you can enjoy this chili without adding the cream cheese and half and half.
A lot of creamy white chicken chili recipes don’t have corn in them, but I added some here because the subtle sweetness goes really well with the heat level from the green chiles.
MAKING CREAMY CHICKEN CHILI AHEAD OF TIME
This recipe is great to make ahead of time, and reheats very well!
FREEZING
This chili freezes beautifully, with some minor adjustments.
Complete the recipe through step 4, then cool completely and freeze. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
When reheating, add cream cheese and half and half and serve as desired.
STORAGE
Chicken chili can be kept refrigerated in an airtight container for 4-5 days.
While this chili is perfect for those chilly Fall nights, where you can curl up on the couch with a big bowl and switch on the tv, it’s also really great for game day!
You can feed quite a few people with this chili (especially if you have a big slow cooker like this one, and you can double the recipe), and even pick up a carrying case so you could take this chili tailgating!
Try a big slice of this skillet cornbread alongside this chili… you’ll love it!!
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT FOR THIS RECIPE
- PROGRAMMABLE SLOW COOKER – This is the one I have, and I really love it! It won’t break the budget, but works really well.
BE SURE TO SCROLL DOWN TO CHECK OUT OTHER READERS’ COMMENTS FOR TIPS AND REVIEWS.
AND DON’T FORGET, IF YOU’VE MADE THIS RECIPE, LEAVE A COMMENT AND PLEASE GIVE IT A STAR RATING LETTING ME KNOW HOW YOU ENJOYED IT!
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @the_chunky_chef on Facebook and Instagram!
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts trimmed of excess fat
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 24 oz. chicken broth (low sodium)
- 2 15oz cans great Northern beans drained and rinsed
- 2 4oz cans diced green chiles (I do one hot, one mild)
- 1 15oz can whole kernel corn drained
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp cumin
- 3/4 tsp oregano
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- small handful fresh cilantro chopped
- 4 oz reduced fat cream cheese softened
- 1/4 cup half and half
TOPPINGS:
- sliced jalapenos
- sliced avocados
- dollop of sour cream
- minced fresh cilantro
- tortilla strips
- shredded Monterey jack or Mexican cheese
Instructions
- Add chicken breasts to bottom of slow cooker, top with salt, pepper, cumin, oregano, chili powder, and cayenne pepper.
- Top with diced onion, minced garlic, great Northern beans, green chiles, corn, chicken broth and cilantro. Stir.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours or on HIGH for 3-4 hours.
- Remove chicken to large mixing bowl, shred, then return to slow cooker.
- Add cream cheese and half and half, stir, then cover and cook on HIGH for 15 minutes, or until chili is creamy and slightly thickened.
- If you want to ensure a smooth blend of the cream cheese, try adding the softened cream cheese to a small mixing bowl, then adding a few ladles of the chili from the slow cooker. Whisk until smooth, then stir that mixture into the slow cooker and proceed with adding the half and half and cooking on high for 15 minutes.
- Stir well and serve with desired toppings.
Want to save this recipe for later? Click the heart in the bottom right corner to save to your own recipe box!
Chef Tips
STOVETOP DIRECTIONS
- Cut chicken breasts into 3 pieces each, then set aside.
- Add a Tbsp of butter and Tbsp of olive oil to a large dutch oven or soup pot. Heat over MED heat and add onions. Cook for 4-5 minutes, then add garlic for 1 minute, stirring often.
- Add salt, pepper, cumin, oregano, chili powder, and cayenne pepper. Stir.
- Add in chicken, great Northern beans, green chiles, corn, chicken broth and cilantro. Stir.
- Increase heat to MED HIGH and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer. Simmer uncovered for 30-40 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the chili is thickened to your liking.
- Remove chicken to a bowl to shred, then add it back to the pot. Add in half and half and cream cheese, stir well and let simmer a few minutes. Stir, then serve as per the recipe.
INSTANT POT (PRESSURE COOKER) DIRECTIONS
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Add chicken breasts to pressure cooker (I personally use a 6 quart Instant Pot).
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Add in onion, garlic, chicken broth, beans, green chiles, cilantro, corn, salt, black pepper, cumin, oregano, chili powder, and cayenne powder. Stir.
- Cube cream cheese and place on top of the chili.
- Cover and seal with lid, switch the valve to the "sealing" position and cook for 20 min on manual high pressure. Once it is done cooking, let it naturally depressurize for 10 min then switch the valve to the "venting" position to completely release steam before opening lid.**
- Remove the chicken breasts to a plate or bowl and shred with 2 forks.
- Add half and half. Stir everything together in the pot to melt the cream cheese into the chili and warm the half and half, then return the shredded chicken and stir to combine. Serve garnished as desired.
Video
Nutrition Disclaimer
The Chunky Chef is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Gina says
I made this for my family for the first time. It turned out wonderfully! Everyone loved it even my very picky grandson. I’ll be making this much more often. Thanks for sharing.
Cecile Foster says
For Christmas, our family had a variety of soups instead of a traditional meal. My contribution was this recipe with bowls of various add-ones, and it was the favorite of everyone, even the children. There was very little left. The whipping cream and cream cheese gave it the creamy texture, and the chilies added a little zing. Thank you for sharing this delicious recipe that I will make again and again.
Alexis says
I’ve never liked traditional red chili but this was perfect! As others have said, my only complaint is it is a little runny but some cornstarch, flour, or using less chicken broth would do the trick. I’m also someone who constantly has to up the spices for recipes I find, but your spice measurements for this chili are spot on! Thanks for sharing!
Jennifer says
Making this right now. Do you think I could substitute half and half for coconut milk?
The Chunky Chef says
I’ve not tested it, but a few other readers have successfully done so
Ryan says
I added more chicken than called for, by about half a pound. Used regular cream cheese, and added 5 oz of it instead of the 4 oz called for. Bumped up all the spices, except for the cumin, by about 1/3. Bumped up everything! But that’s just the kind of guy I am. So good, one of the tastiest things I’ve ever made.
Stephanie Roberts says
This is so easy & delicious! The toppings (cheese, avocado, jalapeno, and tortilla chips) are a must!
Mary says
I want to make this recipe today… Can I add the cream cheese and half and half all In The beginning ?
The Chunky Chef says
I’ve not tried it, as cooking dairy for a long time in a slow cooker can curdle it. It doesn’t always happen, but some slow cookers cook at hotter temperatures than others.
Coree says
I want to make this for my weekly food prep. Do you think it will freeze well?
The Chunky Chef says
I haven’t attempted it, since dairy can be finicky to try and freeze. My advice would be to freeze it BEFORE adding any dairy, then add the dairy when reheating. However, a few other readers have had success with freezing it as is, so use your best judgement 🙂
Renate says
What constitutes a serving? I’m making it in my crockpot right now. Thanks!
The Chunky Chef says
I don’t measure the serving size exactly, it’s just 1/6 of the crockpot. I would estimate around 1 1/2 – 2 cups.
Amanda says
This was sooo good! I’m not even a huge chili person, but this came out amazing. I added extra corn and chicken to the recipe, and I’m glad I did! I followed the recipe to a t otherwise, and it did not disappoint. Will definitely be making again!
Amanda says
Modified this recipe slightly for left over thanksgiving turkey (did not need so much time in slow cooker, cooked onions and added carrots (also cooked slightly ahead), everything else the same with a little extra spices. We needed a changed from the usual flavors of lefft over turkey. This was perfect. Will make again according to recipe at another time.
john says
Honey Crisp, Fuji, and Gala would be nice.
Cara says
This is one of our favorites! So much so that I add two cans of white beans to the cart when I’m in the bean aisle just waiting to make it again! Also a great one to bring to new moms and their families! Mmmm its cooking again as I write! Thanks for sharing!
Sindy says
I am planning on making this for a work chili contest. I have a coworker that is gluten free due to Celiac’s. Is this chili gluten free?
The Chunky Chef says
I don’t have any experience with gluten free, so I can’t say for certain and wouldn’t want to say the wrong thing and cause your coworker problems. I would show your coworker the ingredient list and see if they think it’s gluten free, as they’d have more knowledge on the subject than I would 🙂
Ellen Smyth says
I have a son with Celiac disease and this recipe is gluten free, as long as all the spices you use are labeled as GF.
Patty Grimm says
My daughter and granddaughter are have celiacs and sho far add long add your chicken and your broth(they make gluten free broth) are gluten free, there is nothing else in the recipe that would cause a problem. But do make sure your broth is gluten free.
Sarah says
This was delicious-my entire family-4 kids included-ate it all up. 4 stars because it was too hot! I even cut back on the chili powder. I will make this again, it was requested to be added to the repertoire, but put in 1/4 of the chili powder and halve the black pepper. I also added another can of beans and used pre-grilled leftover chicken and cooked for about 4 hours on high. I used more half in half, opting not to use cream cheese because of the added gums. Served with hot corn bread. There will be fighting over leftovers today!
Denise says
This recipe was delicious. I’m going to have to make a triple batch for my hungry family next time. Thank you for sharing Denise
Gloria says
We loved it. I make it with less chicken broth and sometimes I forget the half and half, and the cream cheese. It is so delicious both ways.
Dannielle says
First let me say we loved the flavor of this recipe. Yum! However, we were not keen on how thin this chili is. 😐 So my question is this if I want to make a thicker chili would heavy cream instead of half n half be the way to go?
The Chunky Chef says
Yes, traditionally white chicken chili is thinner than a “regular” chili. I would use heavy cream and whisk a little cornstarch into the cream before adding it to the crockpot.
Lauren says
Hello! How much heavy cream do you recommend? Thanks!
The Chunky Chef says
Hi there! I would try 1/4 cup heavy cream and 2 Tbsp of cornstarch.
David Jordan says
Excellent recipe. Tried it tonight, family loved it.
MJ says
I found your recipe and decided that it was just perfect for my needs. I needed a crockpot meal that could be served at a football tailgate. It had to satisfy ages 4-60 so I made it with minimal cayenne and chili powder. I did offer chopped chilis and jalapeños for toppings for those who wanted it spicy 🙋♀️. Everyone loved this chicken chili! We even had tailgate neighbors asking for a taste (based on our reactions.) Fast forward to the day after the game….we spent much of the day driving home and had to prepare a supper when we got home. We took the little bit of leftover chili, added a couple of handfuls of fresh spinach leaves to the pot, let them wilt, and mixed them into the chili. Wow! It added a whole new level of flavor. This recipe will definitely be in our future cold evening tailgate repertoire as well as just cold nights at home. Thank you for sharing this! (And, go Clemson! 🧡💜)
Kely says
If I need to double the recipe will it fit in my 6qt. crockpot?
The Chunky Chef says
I think it would be too full if it was doubled in a 6 quart.
Diana says
I was able to make 1.5X the recipe in my 6 quart instant pot. At the top of the recipe there is a slide for different amounts of servings. I just changed that to 9 servings instead of six and was able to print off the recipe with perfect ingredients for 9 servings.