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.
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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!
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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.
Jill says
This is very watery and more like a soup. How can you thicken the sauce?
The Chunky Chef says
Traditionally, white chicken chili is thinner than regular chili. You can whisk some cornstarch into the half and half before adding it.
Jami says
Amazing Recipe!! Won 1st place in our work Chili Cook off!😍 I doubled the recipe, but you won’t need to double the broth. I probably added 32 oz of broth. Added extra cayenne for some heat. I also used three cans of green chilies and one serrano pepper seeded. A few friends have made, and really loved it, thank you for sharing.
Tamara says
I absolutely love this recipe. It’s easy and simply delicious. I’ve made it twice in one week.
Debra Austin says
How can I make this without the crockpot? I have cooked rotisserie chicken I’m using and not enough time for the crockpot.
The Chunky Chef says
I haven’t officially tested this, but I’m sure it will work well. Add all ingredients up to cream cheese and half and half to a large stockpot or whatever you usually cook soup in (substituting a few cups of shredded rotisserie chicken for the raw chicken breasts). Stir well and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Partially cover the pan with the lid and simmer for about 25-35 minutes, or until the chili is thickened to your liking. Add in half and half and cream cheese, stir well and let simmer a few minutes. Stir, then serve as per the recipe.
lb says
Best white chili I’ve ever had or made!
Cindy says
Just won my neighborhood’s chili cook off with this recipe! Stuck to the recipe; Doubled all of it except I used 32 oz chicken broth instead of 48 oz. Perfect! Would definitely make again!
Michaela Franks says
My fiance & I work really weird times. If I were to cook it on low for 15 hours (basically enough time for one of us to go to work and the other to get home) do you think that be okay? At the end of the 15 hours we would shred the chicken & cook on high for 15 minutes. Since it is chicken, it makes me nervous.
The Chunky Chef says
I’ve never tried to cook chicken that long before… so I’m not sure if it would have an off texture or not. You could always make it as directed on a weekend, or your day off, then reheat it when each of you is home. Leftovers of this recipe are wonderful 🙂
Maria Everette says
Michaela, you could buy a roasted chicken, shred it and add it to your crockpot later then you don’t have to worry about the chicken texture being off. Or you could make this when you guys are in bed and cook on low overnight and be ready in the morning….good luck!
Jessica says
Any ideas if this will freeze okay?
The Chunky Chef says
I haven’t tried it, because I’ve had bad luck with freezing soups with dairy in them.
lb says
I did freeze some of this in individual, 1 serve containers for food prep lunches. It held up very well in the freezer. I did use them up within a month, so not sure about long term freezing? Hope this helps. This is hands down my new favorite soup!
Amy says
This recipe is delicious!! I did change a few things thing though. First I doubled everything. Second I did not use half and half, I substituted it for a couple spoonful’s of low fat sour cream. I also used the lowest of fat cream cheese I could find. I did not put in cilantro or corn. I substituted the corn for hominy. I also used the cheaper “grocery store” branded items instead of name brand. I cooked it low and slow for 8 hours in my crock pot, took the chicken out to shred (it basically shredded itself) and put it back in the pot and added the cream cheese. Perfect!
bri says
Could I use ground chicken instead?
The Chunky Chef says
I haven’t tested the recipe that way, so I can’t say for certain.
McKenzie says
This recipe tastes amazing! So easy! Definitely make this! I made it with your jalapeño skillet cornbread recipe which was also amazing! My husband loved them both!
Lauren says
I’m not a cook, so this is a stupid question, but do I put frozen chicken in? or thawed?
The Chunky Chef says
No such thing as a stupid question 😉 Thawed works best for this recipe.
Caren says
I won the church Chili Cookoff tonight with your recipe! Thanks! It was delicious. I did swap out the raw chicken with a rotisserie chicken which added a little more flavor to the chicken. I’d use a bit less broth next time also as I like it thicker. But it won! Thanks!
Madeline says
Did you double up t serve a large amount of people? I have an office chili cook-off for about 20 people. I just wanted to make sure this could make enough for a couple people. I have a large Crock pot.
Tiffany says
This was my first time ever making or eating chicken chili and I must say this recipe was absolutely delicious. I was unsure all day of how it would turn out, but myself as well as my hubby and children were very pleased. The only thing I did differently was added an extra can of beans. Will definitely be making again!
Kayla Kiefer says
How much does this make??
The Chunky Chef says
I’ve never measured the exact volume, but it’s 6 decent-sized servings.
susie says
I made this in my instant pot yesterday and it is amazing – thank you! One of the best soups I’ve ever had! I sautéed the onions, added the spices, then the broth, chilies, and chicken (I doubled the chicken). Covered and set to pressure cook for 12 minutes, natural release for 10 minutes. Take the chicken out to shred. I doubled the cream cheese, beans, and corn and stirred those in. I also added a cup of frozen chopped kale. When I put the chicken back in I also needed to add a cup or two more of broth. Perfection!
Amanda says
I made this today and it was delicious. My husband really liked it. How do you think it’ll reheat?
The Chunky Chef says
I’ve found it reheats very well!
Angela says
If you double this recipe, could it all fit in a 7 quart crockpot?
The Chunky Chef says
I think that would be a little too full… I would say you’d need at least an 8 quart.
Angie says
I want to try this, but no one in my family likes beans. what if I leave them out? would that be OK?? Maybe I’ll add extra chicken?
The Chunky Chef says
I’ve never tested the recipe that way, but I think it would be okay. I’d add some extra chicken though.
Lindsey says
You could pulse the beans lightly in a food processor before adding or use an immersion blender (at the end or with the chicken broth before adding it to the crockpot if you don’t want to blend everything) to break them down – this way your family might not even notice they’re in there! I do this with regular chili to sneak in foods my family doesn’t like the texture of, works like a charm!
Joshua Seideman says
Absolutely delicious. Followed recipe but w/ a few liberties of my own:
– added a serrano pepper to spice it up a little more, held back the chili powder
– added crispy bacon (chopped) toward the end
– used one can of great northwestern beans, one can of white pinto
Have fun with this recipe! But i highly recommend.