Description
This Crockpot White Chicken Chili is a comforting and flavorful slow-cooked meal perfect for a hearty lunch or dinner. Tender chicken breasts simmered with spices, beans, corn, and green chiles create a rich and satisfying chili. Cream cheese is blended in to add creaminess and depth, making this dish both tasty and easy to prepare.
Ingredients
Scale
Proteins and Dairy
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 6 ounces (¾ block) cream cheese
Vegetables and Beans
- 1 large onion, diced
- 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 (4 oz) cans fire roasted mild diced green chiles
- 2 (15.5 oz) cans cannellini beans (white kidney beans), drained and rinsed
- 1 (15.5 oz) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 ½ cups frozen corn, thawed
- Fresh cilantro for garnish (optional)
Seasonings and Broth
- 1 ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 bay leaf
Instructions
- Layer the Chicken and Spices: Place the boneless skinless chicken breasts into the bottom of your slow cooker. Evenly sprinkle ground cumin, salt, black pepper, chili powder, cayenne pepper, dried oregano, and ground coriander over the chicken.
- Add Liquids and Vegetables: Pour in the chicken broth, then add the diced onion, minced garlic, and fire roasted green chiles. Place a bay leaf on top to infuse additional flavor. For softer beans, you can add them now, otherwise wait to add them later.
- Cook the Chili: Cover and cook on LOW for 6–8 hours or on HIGH for 3–4 hours, until the chicken is tender and falls apart easily.
- Add Beans and Corn: About 2 hours before the cooking time ends, add the drained cannellini and pinto beans along with the thawed corn. Allow the chili to continue simmering and develop flavors.
- Blend for Creaminess: Scoop out about 2 cups of the chili, including some beans and broth, and place it into a blender or food processor with the cream cheese. Blend until smooth and creamy. Alternatively, use an immersion blender directly in the slow cooker to thicken the chili.
- Shred the Chicken: Remove the chicken breasts from the slow cooker and transfer them to a cutting board. Shred the meat into bite-sized pieces using two forks, then return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker and stir everything to combine.
- Adjust and Serve: Taste the chili and adjust seasoning if necessary. Garnish with fresh cilantro if desired. Serve hot with optional toppings such as shredded cheese, sour cream, lime wedges, tortilla strips or chips, and sliced avocado. Enjoy your hearty white chicken chili!
Notes
- For a thicker chili, blend more of the chili with cream cheese or use an immersion blender longer.
- If you prefer super-soft beans, add them with the chicken at the beginning of cooking.
- Customize spice levels by adjusting cayenne pepper and chili powder according to your taste.
- Leftover chili keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and freezes nicely for up to 3 months.
- For a dairy-free version, omit the cream cheese or substitute with a dairy-free cream cheese alternative.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 310
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 720mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 6g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 75mg
