Creamy Crockpot White Chicken Chili is so easy, just toss everything in! With sweet corn, chiles, chicken, and white beans, it’s packed with flavor!
Love slow cooker soups? Try my popular Chicken Chili or Green Chili Chicken Enchilada Soup next!
Crockpot White Chicken Chili
White chicken chili is one of my family’s favorites (right up there with white chicken enchiladas), and I’m excited to share this easy recipe with you! It takes just 10 minutes to prep—no pre-cooking or chopping is needed. Just toss everything in the crockpot and let it do the work!
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make Crockpot White Chicken Chili:
- Chicken: Thighs stay tender and shred easily; breasts can dry out if overcooked.
- Green enchilada sauce: Old El Paso® mild works great, or use a spicier one for more heat.
- Chicken stock: Use a high-quality stock like Swanson’s® for better flavor.
- Cream cheese: Full-fat brick melts best; avoid lower-fat or tub versions.
- Beans: Drain and rinse Great Northern beans to reduce sodium.
- Corn: Frozen corn goes right in—no need to thaw.
- Green chiles: Mild for flavor; hotter chiles for more spice. Fire-roasted for more flavor!
- Spices: Oregano, paprika, chili powder, and cumin add a rich flavor.
- Cilantro & lime (optional): Adds a fresh, bright finish to the chili.
Crockpot White Chicken Chili Notes
- Spice levels: For mild chili, use mild enchilada sauce and green chiles. For more heat, use medium or hot versions.
- Shredded chicken: Add the chicken back after whisking in the cream cheese to avoid stringy chicken.
- Thickening: Chili should be thick and hearty. Full-fat cream cheese thickens it, and toppings like sour cream and cheese add more thickness. For extra thick chili, use 1 cup of chicken stock.
- Cooking Time: Cook raw chicken for 3-5 hours on high or 4-6 hours on low, until it shreds easily or hits 165°F.
- Slow Cooker vs. Pressure Cooker: Slow cooker = long and low; pressure cooker = fast and high. Choose based on how much time you have!
How To Make Crockpot White Chicken Chili
- Prep the Crockpot: Spray the crockpot with cooking spray so nothing sticks.
- Add Main Ingredients: Use 1 cup of broth for a thicker chili or 2 cups for a thinner one.
- Cook: Try not to lift the lid while it cooks—this slows things down!
- Finish the Chili: Softening the cream cheese first makes it mix in nice and smooth.
- Serve It Up: Toppings add flavor and crunch—don’t skip them!
Toppings
If I had to pick just three toppings for this White Chicken Chili, they’d be cheese, sour cream, and lime juice. I highly recommend at least those! But here’s a full list of options:
- Cheese: I like to grate Monterey Jack or sharp cheddar cheese over each bowl and let it melt before stirring.
- Sour cream: Light sour cream is my favorite in this chili.
- Lime juice: A few squeezes of lime brighten the chili, plus I serve extra lime wedges on the side.
- Chips: Crushed tortilla strips add a nice crunch.
- Cilantro: If you like cilantro, it adds freshness. If not, use parsley.
- Avocado: A ripe avocado on top adds extra creaminess.
Storage
Crockpot White Chicken Chili Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat slowly over low heat, stirring often. Don’t boil or use high heat, as it can cause the ingredients to separate.
More Slow Cooker Favorite Recipes
Crockpot White Chicken Chili
This creamy, flavor-packed Crockpot White Chicken Chili is the ultimate “set it and forget it” meal! Sweet corn, fire-roasted green chiles, tender chicken, white beans, and a simple seasoning blend make it delicious.
Video
Equipment
- 6-quart Crock-Pot 6-quart
Ingredients
- Cooking spray
Add First
- 1 (10-ounce) can green enchilada sauce
- 2 (15.5-ounce) cans Great Northern white beans drained and rinsed
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, see note 1
- 1-1/2 cups frozen corn
- 2 (4-ounce) cans diced green chiles mild
- 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- 3/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 2 cups chicken stock or broth, see note 2
Add Later
- 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese see note 3
- 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro optional
- 1 large lime optional
- Optional toppings for serving, see note 4
Instructions
- Spray the inside of a 6-quart Crock-Pot with cooking spray. Trim any fat from the chicken and, if using breasts, cut into 2–3 pieces.
- Add all “add first” ingredients to the crockpot. Stir to combine and ensure the chicken is submerged.
- Cover and cook on low for 4–6 hours or on high for 3–5 hours, until the chicken easily shreds.
- Remove the chicken from the crockpot and shred it in a bowl. Don’t add it back into the crockpot yet.
- Soften the cream cheese in the microwave (about 1 minute) and add it to the Crock-Pot. Use a whisk to briskly mix the softened cream cheese into the chili. Once smooth, return the shredded chicken to the crockpot and stir in cilantro and 1–2 tabelspoons lime juice (optional).
- Ladle chili into bowls and top with your favorite toppings like cheese, sour cream, avocado, or tortilla strips.
Final step! Please let us know how it was by leaving a review.
Recipe Notes
Note 1: Chicken thighs are best—they add more flavor and become tender, shredding easily. Breasts have less flavor and can dry out if overcooked. Be sure the chicken is fully thawed before cooking.
Note 2: Use high-quality broth or stock for the best flavor. Swanson’s® is my favorite. For a thicker chili, use 1 cup of stock; for a regular consistency, use 2 cups.
Note 3: Use full-fat, brick-style cream cheese for the best results.
Note 4: Don’t skip the toppings! They really elevate the chili. Sharp cheddar, Monterey Jack, sour cream, lime juice, cilantro, avocado, jalapeños, or tortilla strips are all great options.
Instant Pot Directions: Add all “add first” ingredients. Seal the Instant Pot and cook on manual mode for 15 minutes with an immediate pressure release.
Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat slowly over low heat, stirring often. Don’t boil or use high heat, as it can cause the ingredients to separate.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 497kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 116mg | Sodium: 871mg | Potassium: 1243mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 892IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 192mg | Iron: 7mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
So flavorful and definitely a crowd pleaser. I love beans in my soup so I added an extra can of beans and an extra can of green chilis. So delicious!
Yay! I’m so thrilled to hear this! Thanks Lauren!
Hi would this meal be able to be frozen for a friend postpartum?
I haven’t tested freezing this recipe yet, and with all the dairy in it, I’m not positive it’ll freeze well. That said, I’ve had a few readers comment that they’ve frozen it successfully, so it might work! I just can’t say for sure. I’ll add it to my list of things to test!
Absolute perfection. I doubled the recipe and am so glad I did. Hubby and I each immediately went back for seconds and we now still have leftovers for tomorrow. He could not stop raving about it. So glad to add this to our regular menu. Easy, cheap and delicious. What more could you ask for?!
Ahh this makes me so happy to hear!! Love that you both went back for seconds, and even better that you have leftovers! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave such a sweet review!
I avoided white chicken chili for 39 years because my head said it was “probably gross.” But I decided to give it a shot one day because we had so much chicken in the freezer and I was sick of the same ol’, same ol’. And it’s soup season, you know? Anyway, we’ve made this a couple times now because it’s a highly requested dinner, and every time it’s such a hit for the whole family! Usually make it as written because it is seriously fantastic and doesn’t need any alterations; however, I forgot to take out some chicken from the freezer to thaw in time BUT had some frozen rotisserie that would thaw in time! The flavors are definitely better when everything has the whole day to simmer together instead of 30-ish minutes BUT it was still absolutely fantastic!!
Standard recipe: 1000/10
Rotisserie chicken and thrown together in 30 minutes: 100/10
Have not found a time I’ve altered a single recipe of yours; they are truly perfect as-is!
The 1000/10 vs. 100/10 ratings made me laugh! I’m so glad you gave white chicken chili a chance after 39 years and that it’s now a requested dinner! Thank you for sharing how the rotisserie version worked, too. Your kind words about my recipes mean so much to me. Seriously, thank you for taking the time to write this!
I won 1st place in a chili cookoff with this recipe!!! Found your page randomly in a search! My first time making chili in a crockpot. It was delicious! The only change I made from the recipe was I doubled the amount of chicken that the recipe calls for (to make it more “meaty”). Worth it in my opinion:)
Oh my gosh, FIRST PLACE!! That is amazing!! Congratulations! I’m so thrilled this recipe was a winner for you, especially on your first try making chili in the crockpot! Love that you doubled the chicken too. Thanks so much for sharing this with me!