Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili

Made with lean chicken breast, this hearty white chicken chili is a simple, healthy slow-cooker meal that only needs 15 minutes of prep time. The best chicken chili recipe out there.

I love me a good slow cooker recipe! Throw everything together and cook on low-and-slow for 6-8 hours, undisturbed while you go about your day and as you walk into the door after a long day at work, dinner is magically finished and set.

Of all the slow-cooked meals, I will always tend to gravitate towards chicken. I just find it the best at absorbing the juices it is cooked in and these juices, trust me, are ones you will want to mop up!

In this  Mexican inspired chili recipe, the chicken meat gets so unbelievably tender during the slow cooking process– so tender, you can simply shred the breast apart using a fork. If you use chicken tenders, you might even be able to shred them just by giving the chili a good stir in the slow cooker.

The mildly spiced, creamy white chicken gravy is so deliciously savory with just the right amount of heat and great Mexican aromas from oregano, cayenne pepper, and cumin! Bring out the big spoon! Plus, it’s almost effortless since it cooks in your slow cooker!

The secret to getting that perfect creamy and thick texture without having to add any cream or cream cheese to this dairy-free recipe is to blend part of the chili and return it to the pot. The blended white beans will thicken it naturally!

How to make Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili:

Step 1-4 - Place the chicken breast in the slow cooker, then add the onion, garlic, jalapeño, white beans, spices, salt and chicken stock.

Step 5 - Give it a stir, place the lid on and cook on LOW for 5-6 hours or HIGH for 3-4 hours, or until chicken is cooked through and tender.

Step 6 - Remove the chicken breast from the slow cooker, place them on a cutting board and shred them with two forks. Return shredded chicken to the slow cooker. Stir in lime juice.

Step 7 - If you have an immersion blender, blend some of the soup (about ¼th) directly in the slow cooker. If you don’t, transfer about ¼th to ⅓rd of the soup to a blender or food processor and process until creamy.

Step 8 & 9 -  Return the blended mixture to the slow cooker and mix to combine with the rest of the chili. This is what makes this chili “creamy” without any cream! At this point, you can stir in ½ cup to 1 cup additional chicken stock if you prefer a thinner consistency. Taste and add more salt to taste if needed.

Serve topped with sliced or chopped avocado, fresh cilantro leaves and your favorite chili toppings (toppings pack a lot of flavors, so don’t skip them!)

How to store white chicken chili? 

Leftovers keep in the fridge for 3 to 4 days (without toppings, obviously. Store those separately). To freeze, let the chili cool down completely, then transfer to air-tight containers and freeze up for 4 months.

Which beans shall I use for making this chili recipe? 

All white beans work here! Canned or soaked and cooked. I like Great Northern beans or Cannelloni beans. If using canned, just make sure to drain and rinse them.

How to make this chili spicier? 

You can easily add some more heat to this mild chili. For a spicier slow-cooker chicken chili, you could add some more cayenne pepper, a bit of red chili powder. Another easy way to up the heat is to leave the seeds in one of the jalapenos. For a more complex spiciness, use a mix of jalapenos and poblano peppers, though you could also add in some serrano chilis. And make sure you leave the seeds in the jalapenos to give it even more of a kick.

Alternatively, make the recipe as described and up the ante when it comes to the toppings! Simply add some more freshly diced or pickled jalapenos on top.

Toppings for white chicken chili

This is the fun part and as the chicken chili itself is a pretty bland color, we want to take our pick from the veggie rainbow here. Apart from the aesthetics, toppings also pack a lot of flavors, so don’t skip them! Here are my favorites:

• diced avocado
• sliced onion
• sour cream or dairy-free cashew cream
• fresh cilantro
• pico de gallo
• lime wedges
• tortilla chips

Tips for making this recipe:

• This recipe also works using leftover rotisserie chicken or leftover roast turkey from Thanksgiving.
•  You can also add half a cup of rinsed, drained quinoa toward the end of the cooking if you want a super thick and hearty chili.
• Chickpeas could be used here but they are not as creamy as white beans when blended, plus nuttier in taste.
• For making this on the stovetop, I would sautee the onion first and add in the chicken once the onions are already partially cooked. Then put the cooked chicken breast and golden onions into a large pot and add the other ingredients. Cover and cook on a low to medium heat, just simmering - not boiling - until the beans are softened.
• If you want to add some color and subtle sweetness, stir in some corn! It goes really well with the heat level from the green chiles.
• This slow-cooker chicken chili recipe is great to make ahead of time, and reheats very well!

5 from 1 vote

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Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili Recipe

Made with lean chicken breast, this hearty white chicken chili is a simple healthy slow cooker meal that only needs 15 minutes of prep time. The best chicken chili recipe out there.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Tex-Mex

Keyword crockpot chicken chili recipe, slow cooker chicken chili, white chicken chili

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 6 hours

Total Time 6 hours 15 minutes

Servings 6

Calories 270 kcal

Author Marie

Ingredients

• 2 large chicken breasts about 1 ½ lb total
• 1 yellow onion minced
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 2 jalapeno peppers seeds removed, chopped
• 3 15- oz white beans drained and rinsed - - like Great Northern beans or Cannelloni beans
• 1 tablespoon  ground cumin
• 1  teaspoon  dried oregano
• ¼  teaspoon  cayenne pepper
• ½  teaspoon  salt + more to taste if needed
• 3 cups chicken stock divided
• 2 tbsp lime juice
• 1 avocado
• ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves roughly chopped
• Other toppings: sour cream or cashew cream to keep dairy free

Instructions

1. Place the chicken breast in the slow cooker, then add the onion, garlic, jalapeño, white beans, spices, salt and chicken stock.
2. Give it a stir, place the lid on and cook on LOW for 5-6 hours or HIGH for 3-4 hours, or until chicken is cooked through and tender.
3. Remove the chicken breast from the slow cooker, place them on a cutting board and shred them with two forks. Return shredded chicken to the slow cooker.
4. Stir in lime juice.
5. If you have an immersion blender, blend some of the soup (about ¼th) directly in the slow cooker. If you don’t, transfer about ¼th to ⅓rd of the soup to a blender or food processor and process until creamy. Return the blended mixture to the slow cooker and mix to combine with the rest of the chili. This is what makes this chili “creamy” without any cream!
6. At this point, you can stir in ½ cup to 1 cup additional chicken stock if you prefer a thinner consistency.
7. Taste and add more salt to taste if needed.
8. Serve topped with sliced or chopped avocado, fresh cilantro leaves and your favorite chili toppings (toppings pack a lot of flavors, so don’t skip them!)

Recipe Notes

• This recipe also works using leftover rotisserie chicken or leftover roast turkey from Thanksgiving. 
•  You can also add half a cup of rinsed drained quinoa toward the end of the cooking if you want a super thick and hearty chili.
• For making this on the stovetop, I would sautee the onion first and add in the chicken. Then put the cooked chicken breast and golden onions into a large pot and add the other ingredients. Cover and cook on a low to medium heat, just simmering not boiling until the beans are softened. 
• If you want to add some color and subtle sweetness, stir in some corn! It goes really well with the heat level from the green chiles.
• This slow cooker chicken chili recipe is great to make ahead of time, and reheats very well!

Nutrition Facts

Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili Recipe

Amount Per Serving (1 /6 serving, no toppings)

Calories 270 Calories from Fat 36

% Daily Value*

Fat 4g6%

Cholesterol 51mg17%

Sodium 428mg19%

Potassium 974mg28%

Carbohydrates 30g10%

Fiber 6g25%

Sugar 3g3%

Protein 28g56%

Vitamin A 205IU4%

Vitamin C 10.2mg12%

Calcium 126mg13%

Iron 5.7mg32%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

If you tried this Slow Cooker Chicken Chili Recipe, don’t forget to rate the recipe below and let me know how it went in the comments – I love hearing from you! You can also follow me on Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook for more deliciousness and behind-the-scenes!

More delicious Slow Cooker Recipes you will love:

• Slow Cooker Lemon & Rosemary Chicken
• Paleo Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef 
• Baked Beans
• Slow Cooker Quinoa Chicken Chili
• Ginger Beef Stew
• Slow Cooker Butter Chicken