Crockpot Creamy White Chicken Chili Recipe

If you are looking for a cozy fall dinner, this creamy slow cooker white chicken chili is the one. It cooks for 4 hours on low with cannellini beans, sweet corn, and mild green chiles. A block of cream cheese stirred in at the end makes it smooth, rich, and full of protein.

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Why I Boil the Chicken First for Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili

This was the first time I ever made white chicken chili. We are a beef chili family at our house. This fall I wanted a white bean chicken chili with more protein. I also wanted a creamy chili that was less acidic than a regular tomato-based one.

My husband does not like raw chicken going into the crockpot. So I did what my mother always did.

She put her chicken in a pot of boiling water and let it boil until it was cooked through. She made all of her chicken that way when I was a child. We did not have microwaves, air fryers, or convection ovens back then.

I boiled mine for 15 minutes, so no raw chicken juices ever touched the crockpot, and dinner was ready in about 4 hours on low.

The messiest part was cleaning up after the boiling. But shredding the chicken was so much easier, and it took less time than shredding chicken cooked in the crockpot.

My new chicken shredder tool made it even faster, and I love it. (I did not think anything was better than using 2 forks, but this tool was amazing.)

I started it at noon, and we ate around 5:30. My husband took one bite and said it was really good. (He has been objecting to me making this recipe for a month, so that was a huge compliment.)

I learned the warm water trick for the cream cheese from an Allrecipes video on YouTube. Two Minutes in warm water and the block was perfectly room temperature.

This chili is smoother, creamier, and richer than a tomato-based chili. For me, it is also easier on Jim’s stomach, with less acid. It was not very spicy, even with the cayenne.

The leftovers the next day were just delicious, a little thicker and still creamy, with a softer, smokier kick. We had it with crusty bread and biscuits.

What Is White Chicken Chili?

White chicken chili swaps the tomatoes and beef of classic chili for chicken, white beans, and green chiles. This version is creamy because of a block of cream cheese. If you love a beef chili, try my easy stovetop beef chili too.

More Beef Chili Recipes Your Family Will Love

• Easy Chili Recipe | Best Stovetop Beef Chili With Beans
• Easy Crockpot Chili with Ground Beef and Beans
• Pumpkin Chili with Turkey Sausage
• Impossible™ Meat Vegetarian Chili

Why You’ll Love This Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili

• It cooks in about 4 hours on low, so dinner is ready on a busy day.
• No raw chicken goes into the crockpot.
• The cream cheese makes it thick and creamy, with no flour needed.
• Chicken and three cans of cannellini beans make it a high-protein meal.
• It is a lighter fall chili than our beef version.
• Less acidic than a tomato-based chili.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• 1 1/2 pounds chicken breasts (about 2 large)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
• 2 cans (4 ounces each) mild diced green chiles
• 3 cans (15.5 ounces each) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 bag (12 ounces) frozen corn, thawed
• 1 block (8 ounces) cream cheese, room temperature (see the recipe card for how to add without lumps)
• Garnish: cilantro, jalapeño slices, blue corn chips, sour cream, lime wedges, and guacamole if you like

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

• Chicken: Use a rotisserie chicken instead and skip the boiling. Shred it and stir it in with the cream cheese.
• Beans: Cannellini are white kidney beans. Great northern beans work too.
• Cream cheese: It has to be room temperature, or it will leave lumps. Temper the cream cheese with some of the hot liquid and whisk to help it melt into the soup.
• Cayenne: Use less if your family likes it milder.

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Equipment Needed

• Slow cooker (crockpot)
• Large pot for boiling the chicken
• Chicken shredder tool, twist style, or two forks
• Whisk and a microwave-safe bowl
• Meat thermometer

How to Make Slow Cooker Creamy White Chicken Chili

1. Boil the chicken. Making white chicken chili in the slow cooker starts on the stove.
2. Put the chicken breasts in a pot of boiling water for 15 minutes, until mostly cooked. They will finish in the crockpot.
3. Fill the crockpot. While the chicken boils, add the corn, green chiles, garlic, onion, oregano, cayenne, chili powder, pepper, salt, cumin, beans, and broth.
4. Cook on low. Add the boiled chicken and cook on low for 4 hours.
5. Warm the cream cheese. Set the block in warm water for about 10 minutes, until it reaches room temperature.
6. Shred the chicken. Take the chicken out and shred it. Mine took no time at all with the shredder tool.
7. Temper the cream cheese. Whisk the cream cheese with 1/4 to 1/2 cup of the hot soup at a time until smooth. If you see chunks, microwave it in 15 second bursts.
8. Finish the chili. Stir the cream cheese and shredded chicken back into the crockpot. Cook on low for 30 more minutes.
9. Top with cilantro, jalapeño slices, blue corn chips, sour cream, and a squeeze of lime. Guacamole is a nice extra.

Tips and Tricks for Creamy White Chicken Chili

• Add the hot liquid to the cream cheese slowly. That is what keeps it smooth.
• Put the boiled chicken into the crockpot right away, since it is only mostly cooked.
• Check that the chicken reaches 165°F before you serve.
• Leftovers are even better the next day. The chili gets a little thicker, with a softer, smokier kick, so add a splash of broth when you reheat it on the stove.

What to Serve with White Chicken Chili

• Simple Sweet Moist Cornbread
• Easy 4 Ingredient Vegan Naan Bread: No Yogurt

Troubleshooting

Lumpy chili: The cream cheese was too cold. Whisk it with more hot soup, or microwave it in short bursts.
Too thick: Stir in a splash of chicken broth.

White Chicken Chili Frequently Asked Questions

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