White Chicken Chili is creamy, comforting, and filled with tender shredded chicken, white beans, sweet corn, and mild green chilies that add just the right amount of heat to the broth. Everything simmers together in the slow cooker until the flavors blend beautifully, and the result is a cozy bowl of chili that’s rich, hearty, and perfect for chilly days or easy weeknight dinners.
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The slow cooker does all the work in this tasty White Chicken Chili, and I love coming home and tucking into a big bowl of this chili! Just add the ingredients, walk away, then return to a pot of tender chicken and creamy broth. The cream cheese melts in at the end for the silkiest texture, and it’s mild enough for kids while still being flavorful for adults. Serve it with tortilla chips or warm cornbread, and you’ve got a full, comforting meal with almost zero effort.
Ingredients
- Boneless chicken – If you want to shred the meat, use chicken breasts. If you want juicy flavor, use thigh meat.
- White beans – Great Northern or cannellini beans work best.
- Mild diced green chilies – Like it spicy? Use a seeded and diced jalapeno (or two) instead.
- Diced onion – I like using white or yellow onions for the best flavor.
- Chicken broth – Cook with low or no sodium-added to control the salt.
- Spices: Garlic powder, cumin, dried oregano
- Dried oregano
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Cream cheese – Use full-fat cream cheese so it doesn’t split.
- Heavy whipping cream – You could use half and half or even whole fat milk.
How to Make White Chicken Chili
Scroll down for the full recipe card with exact measurements and printable instructions.
Place the chicken, drained white beans, corn, green chilies, diced onion, chicken broth, garlic powder, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper directly into your 6-quart slow cooker. Give everything a gentle stir so the ingredients settle evenly into the broth.
Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on Low for 6–7 hours or High for 3–4 hours, until the chicken becomes tender enough to shred easily. The broth will become flavorful and aromatic as it simmers.
Remove the cooked chicken from the slow cooker and shred it using two forks. Return the shredded chicken to the pot and stir to combine it with the beans and vegetables.
Add the cubed cream cheese and pour in the heavy cream or milk. Cover the slow cooker again and let the cream cheese melt for 10–15 minutes. Stir until the broth becomes smooth, creamy, and evenly blended.
Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed, then ladle the chili into bowls and serve warm.
Serving Suggestions
White Chicken Chili is delicious with tortilla chips, cornbread, or plain rice. Add sliced jalapeños, shredded cheese, or a squeeze of lime for extra flavor. It’s naturally mild and kid-friendly, but you can easily stir in hot sauce, chili flakes, or diced jalapeños if you prefer more heat.
Storage Tips
Store leftover chili in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat gently in the microwave or on the stovetop, stirring occasionally to keep the creamy texture smooth. You can also freeze the leftovers; just pop them into a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months.
Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili
Add Preferred SourceEquipment
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pound boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- 15 ounce white beans or 1 (15-ounce) can white beans, drained and rinsed
- 15 ounce sweet corn or 1 (15-ounce) sweet corn, drained
- 4 ounce mild diced green chilies or 1 (4-ounce) can
- 1 small onion diced
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- salt and pepper to taste
- 4 ounce cream cheese cubed
- ½ cup heavy cream or milk
Instructions
- Add the chicken, white beans, corn, green chilies, onion, chicken broth, garlic powder, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper to the insert of slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on Low for 6–7 hours or High for 3–4 hours, until the chicken is tender.
- Remove the chicken, shred it with two forks, and return it to the slow cooker.
- Add cubed cream cheese and heavy cream or milk. Cover for 10–15 minutes, then stir until smooth and creamy.
- Adjust seasoning and serve warm.
Nutrition
A Note on Nutritional Information
Nutritional information for this recipe is provided as a courtesy and is calculated based on available online ingredient information. It is only an approximate value. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site cannot be guaranteed.