Easy Crockpot White Chicken Chili
Crockpot white chicken chili is an easy prep, dump and go recipe, made with healthy ingredients. It’s deliciously creamy without any dairy!
We are huge fans of slow cooker chili around here, as it’s always a crowd pleaser recipe, and can be made ahead with a mostly hands-off cook time, making it perfect for busy weeknights or relaxed weekends at home.
Chicken chili is a particular favorite, and you can find my 6-ingredient Slow Cooker Chicken Chili on the menu often.
This slow cooker white chicken chili is another twist, using healthy ingredients like chicken, white beans and green chilis for a completely easy dinner anytime.
It’s also made thick and creamy without any dairy, and is very mild, making it a hit with just about anyone.
And the best part? It’s a super-easy dump-and-go slow cooker recipe, meaning prep takes just a few minutes, while still yielding wildly delicious results.
Tip: For a vegetarian option, check out this delicious Slow Cooker Vegetarian Chili!
How to Thicken White Chicken Chili
I use three methods to thicken this slow cooker white chicken chili.
First, I puree a bit of the beans with the cooking liquid to create a smooth thick and creamy finish without any cream.
Second, I add a bit of dairy-free creamy cheese at the end to bump up the creaminess, creating a luscious and delicious texture.
Of course, you can use traditional cream cheese, or skip this step altogether.
Third, I allow the chicken chili to cool for about 30 minutes, which will allow it to thicken naturally.
Tip: If you love corn, feel free to add a cup of fresh, frozen defrosted, or canned along with the beans.
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions for Crockpot White Chicken Chili
Chicken: Use boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, either will work in this recipe. If you happen to have leftover rotisserie chicken or cooked turkey, that will also work here.
Onion: Red onion can also be used, or omitted if you’re sensitive to onion.
Beans: To keep the chicken chili white, I call for white beans like Great Northern or cannellini. You could also use black beans, as well as pinto beans for extra color.
Diced green chilis: Use mild to keep the chili less spicy, or look for hot green chilis to kick up the heat.
Salsa verde: Sometimes called tomatillo salsa, look for jarred green salsa in the salsa section.
Garlic: I use granulated garlic powder to keep this recipe easy, but two minced garlic cloves will also work.
Cumin: Ground cumin adds to that chili flavor, so I don’t recommend skipping it.
Chicken stock: Using low sodium if you are watching your sodium intake.
Cream cheese: Adds a wonderful creaminess to this recipe. Use traditional or dairy-free, depending on your dietary preferences.
Tip: This chili is very mild, but if you want it spicier, use spicy green chilis and spicy green salsa verde.
How to Store or Freeze Leftovers
Homemade white bean chicken chili will keep well in the fridge for up to 3-4 days, in a sealed container
This recipe also freezes well, store in a sealed freezer friendly container for up to 2-3 months
Make Ahead Tip: This recipe can be made ahead! Perfect for meal prep on busy weeks (or anytime you need to feed a crowd quickly & easily)
What to Serve with Slow Cooker Chicken Chili
Don’t forget those toppings!
Think 4-ingredient guacamole, sour cream (traditional or dairy-free), chopped onion, cilantro, fresh lime juice, jalapenos, Monterey jack cheese or dairy-free cheese shreds.
You can also add crunchy tortilla chips, a warm tortilla or even these one-bowl cornbread muffins on the side for dipping.
This Recipe Is…
Easy Crockpot White Chicken Chili
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts , or thighs
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 15-oz cans white beans, drained and rinsed (such as Great Northern or cannellini)
- 1 4.5-oz can mild diced green chilis
- 1 cup mild green salsa verde , (tomatillo salsa), divided
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1 tsp granulated garlic powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- ½-1 tsp kosher salt
To Add at the End
- 4 tbsp cream cheese , (traditional or dairy free)
Optional Toppings
- avocado, sour cream (traditional or dairy-free), crushed tortilla chips, chopped onion, cilantro, fresh lime juice, jalapeno, Monterey jack cheese or dairy-free cheese shreds
Instructions
Slow Cooker Instructions
- Add the chicken, onion, white beans, green chilis, 1 cup of salsa verde, chicken stock, garlic powder, cumin, and salt to a 6-quart slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours or low for 6-8 hours.
- Uncover, remove the chicken, and shred with two forks or dice into chunks.
- Using an immersion blender, blend the bean mixture for 5-10 seconds. Alternatively, carefully, remove ½ to 1 cup of the bean mixture to a blender. Cover, blend on high, then add back to the chili, stirring to combine. Note: blending for just a few seconds will add a creaminess to the chili, while leaving the texture of most of the beans.
- Ladle a few tablespoons of the bean mixture into a medium bowl. Add the cream cheese and stir until well incorporated.
- Add the chicken back to the slow cooker, along with the cream cheese mixture, stirring to combine. Taste and add additional salt or salsa if desired.
- Serve with any toppings you like.
Instant Pot Instructions
- Add the chicken, onion, white beans, green chilis, 1 cup of salsa verde, chicken stock, garlic powder, cumin, and salt to a 6-quart pressure cooker.
- Cover and set to high pressure for 20 minutes. Allow to naturally release for 10 minutes, then quick release.
- Follow remaining slow cooker steps 4-6.
Stovetop Instructions
- Add the chicken, onion, white beans, green chilis, 1 cup of salsa verde, chicken stock, garlic powder, cumin, and salt to a large Dutch oven.
- Cover, bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer. Cook on medium-low heat, covered, for 40-60 minutes, until the chicken is tender and easily shreds with a fork, stirring occasionally.
- Follow remaining slow cooker steps 4-6.
This recipe was so easy and delicious! I topped my bowl with shredded Monterey Jack, pickled jalapeños, and a few crushed tortilla chips. Yum! We will definitely be making this again. Thanks Robyn!
Heather, yay, so glad you enjoyed this one! Those toppings sound like the perfect combo – yum! Thanks so much for leaving a review!
Loved this recipe!! Delicious and super easy for a beginner cook like me
Kira, fantastic, so happy to hear this was a hit! thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review!
Always looking for more chili recipes- Fantastic! I just topped
It with avocado. Made in Instant Pot- easy and delicious! Thank you!
Alison, so happy to hear you enjoyed this one. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review!
Never comment on recipes. But HAD to this time. Literally the best soup I’ve ever made. I added some Mexican chili powder at the end, as it wasn’t quite spicy enough for me. But the flavor was great, never the less. Next time I’ll use the hot salsa verde. My toppings were cilantro, jalapeños, sour cream, crushed tortilla chips, and Mexican cheese. Can’t wait to make again!
Joanna, I’m so thrilled to hear you enjoyed the recipe, and I agree, hot salsa verde will give it that extra little kick! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review!
Made it multiple times in the past month. I even made ahead to reheat while on the road in our camper van this week!! Crowd pleaser and perfect for the cold weather.
Alex, so happy to hear you’re enjoying this one – what a great idea to make it ahead and reheat, too! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review!
Really liked it, very tasty. I mostly followed the instructions, with the exception that I bumped the cumin and garlic powder up to a tablespoon each, and added a few more cans of beans – a couple more white, a pinto, and a black, at least – since I had the room in the slow cooker and it would stretch the chicken out some. Worked out great! The flavors are really excellent.
Kim, so glad you enjoyed this one, and thanks for the tip on adding more beans, I’m sure that will be helpful to others. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review!
I’ve made this recipe a couple of times already and I now keep the ingredients in the cabinets at all times. I use frozen chicken tenders in the instant pot (same cook time) and it’s the perfect nothing to dinner in less than 45 minutes meal.
Lisa, so happy to hear this one is a go-to for you – great tip on the IP, too! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review!
We have made this twice recently and it is easy and delicious!
Woohoo, this one is on repeat at our house too! So happy you are enjoying!
I made this last night and it was delicious. It had just the right amount of heat for me, and my fiance’ added a little hot sauce to his. We both enjoyed it so much, we went back for second helpings! It was very easy to make and not a lot of clean-up. Most importantly, it was done FAST! I love that crockpot meals are ready to eat when I’m done working and ready to eat. I’ll be making this again.
Rachel, yay, so happy to hear this one was a hit and that it was so easy for you prepare. Slow cooker for the win!
A hit with my very picky family. Made in instant pot instead, added chicken and all ingredients except beans and cream cheese. Cooked 9 minutes, quick release. Used better than bouillon for chicken stock. Didn’t need to adjust seasonings at all.
Donna, fantastic, so happy to hear this was a hit, and thanks for the tip on the Instant Pot, super helpful!
I made the recipe as listed, using slow cooker on low for about 6.5 hours. I was surprised how good this chili tasted! Thanks for the recipe!
Sara, so happy to hear you enjoyed this one. Thanks so much for leaving a review!
Delicious and filling! I made this on the stove top this afternoon for dinner tonight, with some modifications. Added a second cup of chicken broth, used chicken thighs, skipped the salsa verde (because my hubby and kids can’t tolerate any heat) and added chopped kale + True Lime sprinkles at the end. I forgot to put in the cream cheese (oops) but didn’t miss it. It was a hit with 2 of my 3 boys, which counts as a win around here! I’ll add this chili to my list of dinner ideas!
Sonja, love that you made this one your own based on your family’s preferences. Thanks so much for sharing your tips!
This chili is AWESOME!! I have already made it twice. We use a medium level green salsa and it seems to add just the right amount of heat, without being too much. Also – we are cilantro lovers – so at the end we chop up a bunch of cilantro into the soup – and let it cook for 25 minutes or so before we eat. SO DELICIOUSSSS!!!!!
Celeste, ohhhh, love the idea of adding heaps of cilantro, and good call on the medium salsa. Thanks for the tips and for leaving a review!
If I don’t have an immersion blender can I simply pour it into my ninja and blend for a few seconds and pour back into the crockpot?
Kaitlin, absolutely! I recommend carefully ladling about 1 cup of the bean mixture to start. Blend it until smooth in your ninja, then add back and stir. Hope that helps and that you enjoy!
Made this recipe today and everyone from my 1 1/2 year old to my husband LOVED it. My 4 year old says it makes her want to dance! We followed the instructions pretty exactly and added a dollop of sour cream to top it off with a side of tortilla chips. Absolutely adding to my dinner recipe rotation.
Kaitlin, this review just make my day! What’s better than a review that makes you want to dance? Thanks again for leaving a review!
Delicious. Have made multiple times and even my toddler loves it. Thank you.
Jessica, yay, so glad you enjoyed and thanks so much for leaving a review!
We LOVE this recipe. I use the Simplified Reset version, which just doesn’t use salsa verde or cream cheese, and doesn’t blend anything. I’ve made it both ways, and we strongly prefer the Simplified version. We enjoy this so much that we now keep all the ingredients on hand to make it. And honestly, every time we make it we are still astounded by how good it is. There’s like 5 ingredients and it makes no sense how delicious and flavorful it always comes out, BUT IT DOES! Every time!
Nicole, I prefer the simplified version too, because it’s just that – simplified! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review!
Bomb.com — did this yesterday. Didn’t use cream cheese. Just the chicken, stock, onion, spices, and used Trader Joe’s fire roasted green chilies and their green tomatillo salsa in the refrigerated section. Legit. Topped with tons of cilantro and avocado. My husband had 3 bowls.
Yay, so glad you enjoyed without the cream cheese! Those toppings sound amazing. Thanks so much for leaving a review!
I’ve made this at least a dozen times. It’s become a family favorite! We prefer it with Greek yogurt mixed in vs. the cream cheese, but overall super easy and really tasty!
Yay, so glad you’re enjoying this one, and what a great tip about the yogurt! Thanks for sharing and for leaving a review!
This was a hit for everyone!! I have two very picky eaters in my house, plus I have to eat gluten and dairy free, so it is really difficult to find meals that everyone likes. I am so happy to say that we found a gem with this one!! Thank you so much! It was delicious and is now in our regular rotation. Not to mention super quick and easy!!
Yay, so glad you and your fam enjoyed this one! The good news is that all 500+ of my recipes happen to be gluten- and dairy-free, so hopefully you’ll find more options to enjoy as well. Cheers!
So easy and so delicious!!! This was my first time ever making white chicken chili and it was a big hit! I’m definitely saving this recipe for the future! My family loved it!
Whoohoo, so happy this one was a hit! Thanks so much for leaving a review!
Absolutely delicious!! I was impressed at how well dairy-free cream cheese added the perfect creaminess. Dairy doesn’t agree with me and this recipe is definitely being added to my roster. Couldn’t have been easier, the hardest part was opening the cans, lol.
Jessica, so happy to hear you enjoyed this one as a dairy-free dinner! Thanks so much for leaving a review!
The whole house had seconds! Topped with cilantro and avocado, served with fresh bread and butter. What an easy and delicious meal, thank you!!
Jen, ohhhhh, love the idea of serving this one with bread and butter. Yum! Thanks so much for leaving a review!
I make this Every month. I make a big pot of it and freeze it for future meals.
It’s on the top of my list for my favorite food, plus it’s so simple to make.
Thanks for the recipe.
Yay, so glad you’re enjoying this one, thanks so much for leaving a review!
Oh no! I accidentally added the cream cheese in and its been cooking for 6 hours. ANything I can do to save it?
It should still taste great, Savannah! You can add a bit more at the end to freshen up the flavor, but otherwise you should be good to go. Hope you enjoy!
Made a dairy free version of this. I also substituted the Salsa verde out for a few spoons of basil pesto due to family allergies and it turned out amazing! Will definitely be making this again.
Emily, I love the idea of using pesto instead of salsa verde, I’ll have to try that next time! So glad you enjoyed, thanks so much for leaving a review!
I made this today in my cast iron Dutch oven, in time for my husbands lunch break. I doubled it, and made it pretty much as written, except for some extra garlic powder and green chiles. My husband LOVED it. He must have said so 5 times, plus he text me again after he was back at work to say how good it was. Then the family ate on it for the rest of the day as they all came and went. We topped it with tortilla chips. It really doesn’t need anything else. Thanks for a great recipe that I can tell will be very versatile.
Cristie, yay, so happy to hear this was such a hit and that you were able to cook it in your Dutch oven on the stovetop. Thanks you so much for leaving a reivew!
Wow — so delicious! This was an immediate “keeper” that we will have as part of our regular rotation. I used canned cooked chicken from Trader Joe’s as a super quick, low-mess option — two well-drained cans were plenty. Creamy, delicious, totally hits the spot. We also have one family member who loves chili but doesn’t really like tomatoes, and this is absolutely a perfect option.
Wow — so delicious! This was an immediate “keeper” that we will have as part of our regular rotation. I used canned cooked chicken from Trader Joe’s as a super quick, low-mess option — two well-drained cans were plenty. Creamy, delicious, totally hits the spot. We also have one family member who loves chili but doesn’t really like tomatoes, and this is absolutely a perfect alternative.
Kaye, wow, thank you so much for the tip on using canned chicken, super helpful! Thanks so much for sharing your review and kind words, too!
This was the best white chicken chili recipe I’ve made! Took it to a football party and everyone loved it. Came home with an empty crockpot.
I used a chili seasoning packet in place of the garlic powder and cumin. Threw in fresh minced garlic with the onion. Added extra chicken broth at the end to thin it out a little bit. Glad I did that because there was just enough chili for everyone.
This recipe is a keeper.
Wonderful to hear you enjoyed this one, Judy! Love the tweaks you made, too. Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts!