white chicken chili slow cooker

Creamy Crockpot White Chicken Chili is the ultimate comfort food for chilly nights. It’s packed with tender chicken, beans, and spices, all slow-cooked to perfection with a rich, creamy texture.

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This effortless crockpot recipe brings together bold flavors of green chiles, cumin, and cayenne, balanced with creamy ingredients, making it a heartwarming favorite for any family meal.

Essential Ingredients for Creamy Crockpot White Chicken Chili

• Chicken breasts – Tender and juicy, they become perfectly shred-able after slow cooking.
• Great Northern beans – These hearty beans add texture and help thicken the chili.
• Diced green chiles – A mix of mild and hot adds depth without overwhelming heat.
• Reduced-fat cream cheese – Melts into the chili, making it luxuriously creamy.
• Chicken broth – Creates the flavorful base and keeps everything moist during the long cooking time.
• Cumin – Adds warmth and a subtle earthy flavor, perfect for chili.
• Corn – Provides a pop of sweetness that balances the spices.
• Cayenne pepper – Adds a slight kick of heat to warm things up.
• Fresh cilantro – Brightens the dish, bringing freshness to the rich flavors.

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Simple Steps for the Best White Chicken Chili

1. Layer and Season: Place chicken breasts in the crockpot and season them generously. Add beans, vegetables, and broth on top.
2. Slow Cook: Cook everything on low for 8 hours (or high for 3-4). The chicken will become tender and easy to shred.
3. Add Creamy Goodness: Once the chicken is shredded, stir in softened cream cheese and half and half. Let the chili simmer until thick and creamy.
4. Serve and Enjoy: Stir thoroughly and top with avocado, cheese, tortilla strips, and other favorite toppings for an irresistible meal.

Tips for the Perfect Creamy White Chicken Chili

For a richer texture, whisk the cream cheese with a few ladles of the chili before adding it back to the pot. This helps to achieve a smooth consistency. If the chili feels too thin, make a slurry of cornstarch and water to thicken it up.

To kick up the spice level, add extra cayenne or a few dashes of hot sauce. For those who prefer a milder chili, reduce the cayenne pepper or skip it altogether.

Storing Your Leftover Chili

Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. When reheating, add a splash of broth or half and half to loosen the consistency. For longer storage, freeze portions for up to 3 months—just thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

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white chicken chili slow cooker Recipe

This rich and creamy white chicken chili comes together effortlessly in a slow cooker, featuring the perfect balance of spices to warm you up on a cold night.

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Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 8 hours hours

Total Time: 8 hours hours 5 minutes minutes

Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 2 cans 15 oz each great Northern beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 yellow onion diced
• 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 4 oz reduced-fat cream cheese softened
• 2 cans 4 oz each diced green chiles (one hot, one mild)
• 24 oz chicken broth low sodium
• 1 can 15 oz whole kernel corn, drained
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp salt
• 3/4 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 cup half and half
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• Fresh cilantro small handful, chopped

Toppings:

• Sliced avocados
• Shredded Monterey Jack or Mexican cheese
• Tortilla strips
• Sour cream
• Sliced jalapeños
• Fresh cilantro minced

Instructions

• Place the chicken breasts at the bottom of your slow cooker and season them with cumin, oregano, salt, black pepper, chili powder, and cayenne pepper.
• Add the diced onion, minced garlic, beans, green chiles, corn, chicken broth, and chopped cilantro on top of the chicken. Stir gently to combine.
• Cover the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 8 hours or on HIGH for 3-4 hours.
• Once the chicken is cooked, remove it from the slow cooker and shred it in a large bowl. Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker.
• Stir in the softened cream cheese and half and half. Cook on HIGH for an additional 15 minutes until the chili thickens and becomes creamy.
• For a smoother blend of cream cheese, whisk it in a separate bowl with a few ladles of chili until smooth before stirring it into the slow cooker. Then add the half and half and continue cooking on HIGH for 15 minutes.
• Stir thoroughly, then serve with your choice of toppings.

Stovetop Directions

• Cut chicken breasts into 3 pieces each. Sauté diced onions in a tablespoon of butter and olive oil over medium heat for 4-5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for an additional minute.
• Season with cumin, oregano, salt, black pepper, chili powder, and cayenne pepper, and stir to combine.
• Add chicken, beans, green chiles, corn, chicken broth, and cilantro. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a simmer for 30-40 minutes, or until the chicken is thoroughly cooked.
• Remove the chicken to shred, then return it to the pot. Stir in the cream cheese and half and half, simmer for a few minutes, then serve.

Instant Pot Directions

• Add the chicken breasts, onion, garlic, chicken broth, beans, green chiles, corn, cilantro, and spices to the pressure cooker. Stir gently.
• Place cubed cream cheese on top, then secure the lid, setting the valve to the “sealing” position. Cook on manual high pressure for 20 minutes.
• Allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes, then manually release any remaining pressure.
• Shred the chicken and return it to the pot. Stir in the half and half to melt the cream cheese into the chili, and mix well before serving with your favorite toppings.

Notes

To thicken the chili further, dissolve 1 tablespoon of cornstarch in 2-3 tablespoons of milk, water, or broth. Stir this slurry into the chili and cook until thickened to your preference.