Easy Crockpot White Chicken Chili

Get ready to dig into this delicious easy crockpot white chicken chili recipe. It’s a game-changer for dinner time and ideal for meal prep.

With its hearty beans and tender chicken, it’s a popular choice for game day, and you can totally make it the day before the big game. This chili is a huge hit, and the best part is, it’s an easy meal with simple ingredients.

this recipe!

Creamy White Chicken Chili

When the weather cools off, the crockpot is my new best friend. Slow cooker recipes are the perfect meal to enjoy after a long day. Dinner is hot and ready when you come in the door. Let the crockpot do the work for you!

When you’re craving something different from your usual tomato chili, this best white chicken chili has got your back!

It’s a famiy favorite and tastes even more delicious the next day. Whether you load it up with lots of toppings or keep it simple with just a few, you’re in for a treat!

Ingredients & Substitutions for Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili

This recipe uses simple ingredients, a lot you may already have in your pantry. You can find a full list of ingredients by scrolling to the bottom of this page. I’ve listed them below with any possible substitutions.

White beans (Navy beans) – be sure to drain the beans. Great northern beans are a possible substitute as well as cannellini beans. You ‘could’ use black beans or pinto beans but they will completely change the color of the soup.

Chicken broth- we used low sodium chicken broth or chicken stock.

Boneless, skinless chicken thighs – you could substitute boneless, skinless chicken breast and also shredded rotisserie chicken.

Green Chiles –Ortega or your favorite brand

Cooking onions – you could substitute sweet onions or red onions in a pinch.

Whole kernel corn – canned corn or frozen corn will work here as well as fresh corn, scraped off the cob.

Garlic – use fresh garlic for the best flavor!

Herbs & Spices – ground cumin, dried oregano, chili powder, cayenne pepper

Salt & Black Pepper

Optional for topping and garnishes – Jalapeno pepper, fresh cilantro, sour cream or Greek yogurt, shredded cheese, fresh lime wedges for a squeeze of lime juice

Why You’ll Love this Creamy White Chicken Chili Recipe

• Hearty comfort food that’s always a crowd-pleaser
• Creamy texture & delicious flavors – it’s a nice change from tomato based chilis.
• Easy slow cooker recipe – no-fuss crockpot recipe that you’ll want to add to your regular rotation
• Perfect game day food and busy weeknight wonder dinner!
• The best part about white chicken chili in the crockpot it is takes only five minutes of prep time!

How to make White Chicken Chili with Step-By-Step Photos

You can find a full printable recipe card at the bottom of this page. I’ve included step-by-step instructions with photos and tips to help you make the best chili recipe ever!

STEP ONE – Add 2 cans of the drained white beans with 1 cup of chicken broth into the bowl of a food processor and blend until smooth. Set aside.

TIP – No food processor? No problem – you can use a potato masher to mash the beans, then stir in the chicken broth and mix until well combined.

STEP TWO – Add the chicken, chiles, onion, corn, garlic and spices to a crockpot and pour the remaining broth and blended beans over top.

STEP THREE – Cover the crockpot and set it to the low setting to cook for 4 to 5 hours (or until the chicken is tender). Using tongs, remove the cooked chicken from the crockpot and place it on a cutting board or plate. Shred the chicken with two forks until you have bite-sized pieces.

(This is a good time to check for and remove any stray bones).

STEP FOUR – Transfer the shredded chicken back to the crockpot and stir into the chili.

TIP – Want to make your chili extra creamy? Stir in 1/2 cup of sour cream at this stage.

STEP FIVE – Spoon the chili into bowl and top with the optional garnishes.

White Chicken Chili Favorite Toppings

Whether you like few or many, we’ve listed our faves below.

Top with Veggies – sliced or diced avocados, sliced green onions, diced jalapenos

Add some creaminess & tang- Dollop of plain yogurt or sour cream.

Add a little crunch to every bite – serve with whole tortilla chips tucked into the side of the bowl or crushed tortilla or corn chips on the side.

Shredded cheese anyone? – shred your favorite white cheddar and sprinkle on top of the chili. Monterey Jack and even Parmesan add delicious flavor too!

Add more flavor – Serve with fresh lime wedges to squeeze on top right before eating and chopped fresh cilantro.

What to Eat with White Chicken Chili

My herbed beer bread (or cheddar beer bread) takes about five minutes to mix up from scratch and it would be delicious with this chili, or this garlic bread too!

A simple side salad like this kale salad with lemon dressing or this cheesy corn casserole are all great choices.

Air fryer sides like baked potatoes or twice baked potatoes pair perfectly with this chicken chili. Make a few extra and freeze them for later!

Variations

Swap the protein – leftover shredded turkey after Thanksgiving dinner would be yummy!

Turn up the heat – add some sliced Jalapeno peppers

Make it extra creamy – heavy cream, or a few cubes of cream cheese will make it more creamy

Vegetarian – Make is vegetarian by omitting the chicken and chicken broth and replacing it with vegetable broth. Add in your favorite veggies like zucchini, diced carrots, green peppers.

White Chicken Chili in Crockpot with Cream Cheese – Stir in a few cubes or half a brick of an 8 ounce cream cheese into the chili.

Sandra’s Top Tips

For an even thicker chili, make up a slurry with 1 Tablespoon of cornstarch and 3 Tablespoons of heavy cream and stir into the chili towards the end of the cooking time.

Load up the toppings – this chicken chili is even better when you load up the toppings.

Storage

Place cooled leftover chili in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to five days.

Can You Freeze White Chicken Chili?

Yes! White chicken chili freezes well in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw in refrigerator, then reheat in microwave until heated through.

Check out these chicken recipes next!

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