Description
This Crockpot White Chicken Chili is a comforting and flavorful slow-cooked dish featuring tender shredded chicken, white beans, fire-roasted green chiles, and a creamy texture from cream cheese. It’s seasoned with a blend of cumin, chili powder, and cayenne pepper, making it perfect for an easy weeknight meal that comes together with minimal effort.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Seasonings
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
Broth and Vegetables
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 large onion, diced
- 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 (4 oz) cans fire roasted mild diced green chiles
- 1 bay leaf
Beans and Corn
- 2 (15.5 oz) cans cannellini beans (white kidney beans), drained and rinsed
- 1 (15.5 oz) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 ½ cups frozen corn, thawed
Final Touches
- 6 ounces (¾ block) cream cheese
- Fresh cilantro for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken and seasoning: Lay the boneless, skinless chicken breasts directly into the bottom of your slow cooker. Sprinkle all the dry spices — cumin, salt, black pepper, chili powder, cayenne pepper, dried oregano, and ground coriander — evenly over the chicken.
- Add liquids and vegetables: Pour in the chicken broth over the seasoned chicken. Then add the diced onion, minced garlic, and fire-roasted diced green chiles. Place a bay leaf on top.
- Begin slow cooking: Put the lid on your slow cooker and cook on LOW for 6–8 hours or on HIGH for 3–4 hours, until the chicken is very tender and easily shredded.
- Add beans and corn: During the last 2 hours of cooking, add the drained and rinsed cannellini and pinto beans along with the thawed corn to the slow cooker. Continue cooking to allow all flavors to meld and beans to soften.
- Thicken the chili: Scoop about 2 cups of the chili—including beans—into a blender or use an immersion blender; add the cream cheese and blend quickly until smooth and creamy. Pour this thickened mixture back into the slow cooker and stir well.
- Shred the chicken: Remove the chicken breasts from the slow cooker and place on a cutting board. Shred into bite-sized pieces using two forks, then return the shredded chicken into the chili and stir to combine.
- Adjust seasoning and serve: Taste the chili and adjust salt or spices as needed. Remove the bay leaf. Garnish with fresh cilantro if desired, and serve with toppings like shredded cheese, sour cream, lime wedges, tortilla strips or chips, and sliced avocado. Enjoy your hearty white chicken chili!
Notes
- If you prefer softer beans, add them at the beginning with the other ingredients instead of later.
- An immersion blender works well for thickening the chili without transferring to a blender.
- Customize the heat level by adjusting the amount of cayenne pepper or choosing mild vs. spicy diced green chiles.
- Leftovers keep well and the chili often tastes even better the next day after flavors have melded.
- Serve with your favorite chili toppings to add texture and flavor contrast.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 850mg
- Fat: 11g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 6g
- Protein: 32g
- Cholesterol: 85mg
