A creamy, flavor packed slow cooker White Chicken Chili recipe made with tender chicken, sweet corn, white beans, and chiles stewed in a rich broth. Dump, set and forget! Crockpot, Instant Pot & Stove Top instructions included!
October is national chili month! I am consumed and fulfilled by this White Chicken Chili when I crave something light, yet comforting, easy, and fresh tasting.
I was first introduced to White Chicken Chili at over a decade ago at our Annual Chili Cook-off at work. After growing up with only traditional smoky beef chili and my beloved Cincinnati Chili, I was blown away by this award-winning chili recipe. It placed 2nd that year of 43 entries! It was definitely my favorite though.
It wasn’t what I’d been expecting at all. But I was hooked, and here’s why:
- Hands-off slow cooker ease. Perfect for busy nights or when you want comfort without hovering.
- Easy to find ingredients. Pantry staples and the ability to dump everything in one pot and go about your day.
- Texture. Everything melds together perfectly, yet each ingredient adds distinct flavor and lots of texture.
- Excellent for gatherings. big batch recipe perfect for workday dinner, game-day meal, or freezer-friendly leftovers.
Ingredients and Notes
This recipe is super easy to throw together, and here is an overview of the ingredients for it, plus ideas to customize or make substitutions, if needed.
- Chicken -For speed, I prefer a pre-made rotisserie chicken but grilled or sautéed chicken is just as good. I use both thighs (dark meat) and breasts or white meat.
- Green chilies - be sure to buy the mild kind unless you like heat.
- Cumin, Oregano & Chili Powder - these creates the perfect blend of spices!
- Beans - Great Northern Beans are my favorite as they have a neutral taste and hold their shape well. Cannellini beans (creamiest + more flavor) or Navy Beans (starchy but best thickener) also work well.
- Corn - Canned or frozen corn works well.
- Neufchatel cheese (reduced fat cream cheese) - You can also use regular cream cheese.
- Half & Half – I often substitute a blend of half milk and half heavy cream just so I don’t have to buy one more thing.
- Cilantro - feel free to add more or remove due to taste. If leaving out the cilantro, I would add ½ cup more diced onion or add green onions at the end.
- Desired toppings - avocado, tortilla strips, Regular Fritos chips, shredded cheese, sour cream, jalapeños, fresh cilantro, and hot sauce are some ideas.
🌶️Spice/heat level tip: My basic version includes mild chiles, which makes it mild and kid friendly. However, you can boost the heat by substituting hot chiles, jalapeños, or adding cayenne. I sometimes serve with a bottle of hot sauce as well.
White Chicken Chili Cooking Variations
On the fateful day I first fell in love with this soup, my colleague had prepared her version in a slow cooker. In the fall everyone loves a good crock pot recipe. But it’s just as easy to prepare this in a dutch oven or instant pot. All of the instructions below are also available for print in the recipe card at the bottom.
Stove top variation
This method is built for speedy cooking so I recommend using rotisserie or grilled chicken.
- The Easiest Way to Shred Chicken. Dump cooked, hot chicken breasts into a stand mixer with paddle attachment. Turn the mixer on low speed (2) and mix until the chicken is magically shredded! You can increase the speed after it gets most of the giant chunks. Alternatively, you can shred with two forks.
- Cook the onions & garlic. These aromatics make all the difference! Over medium heat, cook the onions for 5-7 minutes or until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute.
- Simmer. Add the chicken, chicken broth, beans, green chiles, corn, cumin, oregano, chili powder. Salt and pepper to taste. Simmer about 15-20 minutes.
- Add the Cream Cheese first and then the half & half. Stir until smooth and creamy. Bring back to temperature if necessary. Serve hot with your choice of toppings!
In an Instant Pot or Pressure Cooker
This variation is much the same as the slow cooker version, but the timing will be greatly different.
- Add raw chicken breasts to the pressure cooker.
- Add in oil, onion, garlic, chicken broth, beans, green chiles, cilantro, corn, salt, black pepper, cumin, oregano, and chili powder. Stir.
- Cover with lid and seal, switch the valve to the “sealing” position and cook for 20 minutes on high pressure. Once it finishes, let it naturally depressurize for 10 min then switch the valve to the “venting” position to completely release steam before opening the lid.
- Remove the chicken breasts and shred with 2 forks or a stand mixer. Return the chicken to the instant pot.
- Cut cream cheese into cubes and add both the cream cheese and half & half to the chili mixing well. Serve with desired toppings and enjoy!
💡How To Thicken Chili – This chili is thick and rich already, but you can make a thicker, creamier chili by puree ¾ cup of the beans in a food processor or immersion blender.
Serving and Storage Suggestions
Make Ahead: This recipe is wonderful for brown bag lunches and potlucks because it heats really well. Just pack the toppings separately.
Freeze: This chili freezes beautifully, as long as you don’t add the cream cheese or half and half. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and add the cream cheese and half and half while reheating. Lasts 2-3 months.
Storing Leftovers: Chicken chili can be kept refrigerated in an airtight container for 4-5 days.
More of Our Favorite Soup Recipes
Cooking Video
I know some of my reader’s like to watch cooking videos so I had this quick and fun video made demonstrating how to cook this recipe!
FAQs
You can use breast or thighs as long as they are skinless. I generally prefer a mix of the two, but your preference is fine!
It will cook down some as it simmers. The easiest way to thicken this chili is to puree ¾ cup of the beans in a food processor. It creates a creamier base without altering the flavor of the chili at all. You can also make a cornstarch slurry with 1 tablespoon cornstarch and 3 tablespoon cooked broth. Stir until no lumps and then stir into the chili.
I recommend cooking the chicken breast with the chili in the slow cooker method. However, the stove top method is built for speed and pre-cooking the chicken cuts down on the overall time significantly.
This recipe works well with your bbq and chili favorites or southern staple sides such as cornbread, coleslaw, ranch pasta salad, simple grilled vegetables, cucumber salad, and slow cooker Mexican rice.
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Crockpot White Chicken Chili
Equipment
- Mixer with Large Paddle
Ingredients
Chili
- 1 lb Chicken Breasts About 2 breasts raw
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- ½ cup Yellow Onion diced
- 2 cloves Garlic minced
- 32 oz. Chicken Broth low sodium
- 30 oz Great Northern Beans 2 cans, drained and rinsed
- 8 oz diced green chiles mild or hot
- 15 oz Whole Kernel Corn Frozen or 1 can, drained
- 1 teaspoon Cumin
- ¾ teaspoon Oregano
- ½ teaspoon Chili Powder
- 1 teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 3 oz Neufchatel cheese (reduced fat cream cheese) cut into cubes
- ¼ cup Half and Half
- ¼ cup Chopped Fresh Cilantro optional
Topping Ideas
- tortilla strips, shredded cheese, jalapenos, avocado, cilantro, sour cream, hot sauce
Instructions
- In a 6 qt or larger slow cooker, add everything except the cream cheese and half & half. Stir together. Cook on low setting for about 8 hours.
- Pull the chicken out and shred it using forks or a stand mixer with paddle attachment.
- Return the shredded chicken back to the pot. Add the cilantro, cream cheese, and half & half stirring until well mixed. Serve with desired toppings.
- Serve with desired toppings.
Video
Recipe Notes
- For speed reasons, I recommend grilling the chicken or using rotisserie. Dump cooked, hot chicken breasts into a stand mixer with paddle attachment. Turn the mixer on low speed (2) and mix until the chicken is magically shredded! You can increase the speed after it gets most of the giant chunks. Alternatively, you can shred with two forks.
- To a large soup pot or dutch oven, add 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced onions and cook for 5-7 minutes or until translucent. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute or until fragrant but not burned.
- To the pot, add the shredded chicken, 32 oz. Chicken Broth, 30 oz Great Northern Beans, 8 oz green chiles, 15 oz Corn, 1 teaspoon Cumin, ¾ teaspoon Oregano, ½ teaspoon Chili Powder. Salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer and let cook, about 15 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
- Stir in Neufchatel cheese (reduced fat cream cheese) and Half and Half until well mixed. Warm back to temperature if necessary.
- Add raw chicken breasts to the pressure cooker.
- Add in oil, onion, garlic, chicken broth, beans, green chiles, cilantro, corn, salt, black pepper, cumin, oregano, and chili powder. Stir.
- Cover with lid and seal, switch the valve to the “sealing” position and cook for 20 min on high pressure. Once it beeps done, let it naturally depressurize for 10 min then switch the valve to the “venting” position to completely release steam before opening the lid.
- Remove the chicken breasts and shred with 2 forks or a stand mixer. Return the chicken to the instant pot.
- Cut cream cheese into cubes and add both the cream cheese and half & half to the chili. Serve with desired toppings and Enjoy!
Jessica says
FANTASTIC! This was my first time making white chili. I thought it was delicious. My husband really liked it too. He even took the leftovers for lunch!
Shannon says
I made this last night for my family and I was absolutely in love! They enjoyed it too 🙂 Thank you for such a great recipe <3