Change up your chili game with this creamy and flavorful Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili recipe. Made from scratch with plenty of spiciness and decadence, this will be the best chicken chili you will ever make!
I make chili at least once a week and try to rotate my recipes. If I’m not making this chili recipe, I’m making Steakhouse Chili, Jalapeno Popper Chili, or Slow Cooker Turkey Chili.
How to make White Chicken Chili in the Crocpot
The first time I had crock pot white chicken chili was at a soup and chili party. A friend brought the chili, and it was the only pot that disappeared completely! I had to get my hands on that recipe, and now I can’t stop making it.
The creamy white chicken chili contains shredded chicken, white beans, corn, and more. When it comes to cooking, you’ll love the dump-and-go method. Whether you’re looking to win a chili cookoff or win your family’s approval, this will be a chili recipe to keep on hand. Another recipe with similar flavors is my Chicken Chile Relleno Soup!
Recipe Ingredients
- Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts – you can use boneless skinless chicken thighs if you prefer.
- White Beans – any type of white canned bean works well, I like cannellini beans for they are larger than most beans. If you can’t find these beans, find canned great northern beans.
- Corn – small can of drained yellow corn or two cups of frozen corn.
- Seasonings – cumin, chili powder, oregano and garlic powder (and salt and pepper)
- Chicken Broth – can use four cups water and two chicken bouillon cubes if needed. If you prefer you can use chicken stock. If you have leftover crockpot chicken stock, use that!
- Sweet Yellow Onion – diced
- Canned Diced Green Chiles – Small can of fire-roasted chiles or one diced poblano chile
- Sour Cream – add at the end of the cooking time to add creaminess to the chili
- Cilantro – this is also added at the end of the cooking time. If you do not like cilantro you can leave this out.
Variations
- In place of the fire-roasted chiles, use a diced jalapeno or a poblano pepper. Add a few shakes of hot sauce to your personal bowl.
- Don’t love sour cream? Try one of these variations:
- One block of cream cheese – add at the end, place in soup, and let melt for a few minutes. Stir into chili.
- Cream of chicken soup – One can of cream of chicken soup, add at the beginning of the recipe.
- Skip it! – Leave out the creamy part of this recipe if you want a healthier chili.
- You can use a turkey breast if desired. In fact, it will make for a wonderfully flavored chili! You can even use cooked ground turkey. In addition to leftover turkey, you can also use rotisserie chicken.
Step-by-Step Directions
Step 1 – Add the chicken breasts, drained canned beans, drained corn, seasonings, onion, green chilies, and chicken broth to the slow cooker. Stir. Wait to add sour cream and cilantro.
Step 2 – Cook on LOW for 8 hours or HIGH for 4 hours.
Step 3 – Remove the chicken breasts and shred with two forks. Add back to the slow cooker. Add the sour cream and chopped cilantro.
Step 4 – Stir and serve the hearty chili with your favorite toppings. Enjoy!
How to Serve Crock Pot White Chili
- White chicken chili can be served with a host of toppings such as: shredded Monterey Jack Cheese, Pepper Jack cheese, Colby Jack, lime wedges for a fresh squeeze of lime juice, fresh cilantro, additional sour cream, and cubed avocado.
- It also pairs great with the smaller Fritos (not the scoops) or crushed-up tortilla chips.
- Great sides are warmed flour tortillas, or cornbread with butter and honey (we love the Krusteaz brand)
- To make the recipe stretch into more servings consider serving over white rice!
FAQs
Yes, instant pot white chicken chili is one of our favorites! To turn this slow cooker version into an instant pot recipe: seal the lid on the instant pot. Move the valve to the sealing position. Cook on manual pressure for 20 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally. Shred the chicken and add the sour cream and cilantro after the cooking time is complete. (Check your manual for safety instructions).
This recipe, after cooking, doesn’t freeze well, for the cream will separate after being thawed. Though, it will last 3 days in the fridge in an airtight container. The best way to reheat this is on a pan on the stovetop, don’t overcook, or the sour cream may separate. Or you can cook in the microwave, but again don’t overheat!
You can make this recipe into a freezer meal by placing raw ingredients into a freezer Ziplock bag and freezing for up to 3 months. Thaw (in the fridge) and cook when you are ready. Keep the cilantro and sour cream separate and add that after cooking when shedding the chicken.
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Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili
Ingredients:
- 1.5 lbs. chicken breasts (chicken thighs work great in this recipe too)
- 30 oz. Cannellini Beans (two 15-oz. cans) drained (can use great northern beans)
- 8.75 oz. can whole kernel corn (drained well) or two cups of frozen corn
- 30 oz. chicken broth OR chicken stock (two 15-oz. cans) or 4 cups water and 2 chicken boullion cubes
- 4 oz. can fire roasted green chiles or 1 diced poblano pepper
- 1 cup sweet yellow onion diced
- 1 tsp. salt
- ¼ tsp. pepper
- 1 tsp. chili powder
- 1 tsp. cumin
- ½ tsp. oregano
- ½ tsp. garlic powder
- 1 cup sour cream (ADD AT THE END OF THE COOKING TIME)
- ⅛ cup minced cilantro (ADD AT THE END OF THE COOKING TIME)
Instructions:
- Add the chicken, beans, corn, chicken broth, green chiles, onion, chili powder, cumin, oregano, garlic powder, salt and pepper to the slow cooker. WAIT TO ADD THE SOUR CREAM AND CILANTRO. Stir.
- Place the lid on the slow cooker. Cook on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 8 hours.
- When the cooking time is done, shred the chicken with two forks.
- Add the sour cream and cilantro. Stir.
- Serve and enjoy!
How to Video:
Sarah’s Notes:
- Fritos
- Monterey jack cheese
- Cornbread or warmed flour tortillas
- A squeeze of lime juice
- Additional sour cream
- Cubed avocado
- Chopped cilantro
- 1 block of cream cheese – add at the end, place in soup and let melt for a few minutes. Stir into chili.
- Cream of chicken soup – 1 can, add at the beginning of the recipe.
- Leave out the creamy part of this recipe if you want a healthier chili.
- In place of the fire-roasted chiles use a diced jalapeno.
- Add a few shakes of hot sauce to your personal bowl.
Nutrition Information:
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
Nancy says
Made this last night, it was really good! Had a nice Southwestern/Tex Mex flavor to it. If you don’t like cumin, you could cut that back a tad, but I liked it. I mistakenly thought I had more sour cream in the fridge than I had, & when I stirred it in it just didn’t look right. So I added a little heavy whipping cream to make up the difference & it worked out just fine. I did thicken it with the cornstarch slurry, & I liked the texture I wound up with. Cornbread on the side, made a nice dinner!
John says
How much cornstarch and water do you use for the slurry
Anonymous says
Until it looks like pancake batter not to thick but not runny either
tx_born says
I believe adding the entire can of beans – with liquid – would thicken the chili.
Melissa says
Can I use dried beans instead of canned?
Sarah Olson says
Yes! Should do fine, you may need to cook a little longer. I would do 6 hours on high.
Kelly says
Hi Sarah! About how many is a serving size? I love this recipe!
Sarah Olson says
Hi, I do not figure out serving sizes. I apologize.
Cameron K. says
This was excellent. It was my first attempt at making white chicken chili and it was a winner. My mom made it too. We did add the cornstarch mix to thicken at the end. Thanks so much for a new favorite!
Aim says
Do you add that after the sour cream?
Stephanie Leathers says
I am making the white chicken chili in my crockpot but I need to make extra. I have company over and my crockpot isn’t big enough.
What are the stovetop directions? I would like to cook them both at the same time.
Oh and I must tell you, we LOVE the white chicken chili crockpot recipe, can’t make it enough.
Thank you!!
Stephanie
Sarah Olson says
Hi Stephanie, I would follow the stovetop directions in a recipe like this. https://www.erinliveswhole.com/easy-white-chicken-chili/
Kel says
Is there anything I can use instead of broth? Milk..maybe?
Sarah Olson says
Milk may seperate and curdle. You can do water if needed. Or water and chicken bouillon.
Kate says
This is delicious. My only modification was to reduce the broth because i wanted to make it in my Instant Pot using the pressure cooker. Turned out great.
B. King says
This was delicious! I used frozen (thawed) corn, dried Great Northern Beans I had previously cooked, and hot peppers from my garden instead of canned. My family enjoyed it. I will be making it again!
Vicki says
I made today and it is Delicious.
Definitely a 5* recipe.
SHEILA VANDERMOLEN says
This is one of my favorite Chicken chili recipes! I did add a pouch of instant potatoes to thicken it up and it tasted great. thank you for your wonderful recipe. I will be enjoying this one for a long time to come!!
Julia Gray says
Ms. Sarah, I have had all types of White Chicken Chili and I must say yours is the best. I’m not a fan of corn unless I grow it ( not this time). The sour cream made all the difference as far as flavor goes. This is a keeper for me.
Thank You