Creamy Crockpot White Chicken Chili: Best Easy Recipe
This creamy crockpot white chicken chili is the ultimate cold-weather comfort food. Made with simple pantry ingredients and cream cheese for a velvety texture, it’s a hands-off meal that feels like a hug in a bowl.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 6-7 hours on low or 3-4 hours on high
- Total Time: 6 hours 15 minutes to 7 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Mexican-American
Ingredients
Scale
- 1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2–3 breasts)
- 2 cans (15 ounces each) white beans (Great Northern or cannellini), drained and rinsed
- 2 cans (4 ounces each) diced green chiles
- 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened and cubed
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano (preferably Mexican)
- 1 teaspoon chili powder (mild)
- 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper (or to taste)
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped (for garnish)
- Juice of 1 lime
Instructions
- Prep your ingredients: Dice the onion, mince the garlic, drain and rinse the white beans, and cube the cream cheese.
- Layer the ingredients in the crockpot: Place the chicken breasts in the bottom. Sprinkle the diced onion and minced garlic over the top. Add the drained white beans and both cans of green chiles.
- Add the seasonings: Sprinkle the cumin, oregano, chili powder, salt, and pepper evenly over everything. Do not stir yet.
- Pour in the chicken broth: Gently pour the broth around the edges of the crockpot, not directly over the chicken. The broth should almost cover the chicken but not completely submerge it.
- Cook on low for 6-7 hours or high for 3-4 hours.
- Shred the chicken: Remove the chicken breasts to a cutting board or large bowl. Use two forks to shred the meat into bite-sized pieces.
- Add the cream cheese: Return the shredded chicken to the crockpot. Add the cubed cream cheese and stir gently until completely melted and incorporated (about 2-3 minutes).
- Finish with lime juice: Squeeze the juice of one lime into the chili and stir. Taste and adjust salt and pepper if needed.
- Let it rest: Turn off the slow cooker and let the chili sit for 10 minutes before serving.
- Serve and garnish: Ladle into bowls and top with fresh cilantro, shredded cheese, sour cream, or crushed tortilla chips. Lime wedges on the side are always a good idea.
Notes
Do not add the cream cheese at the beginning; it will separate. Add it at the end after shredding the chicken. For deeper flavor, brown the chicken first in a hot skillet. If the chili is too thick, add extra broth; if too thin, leave the lid off for 15-20 minutes on high. Taste and adjust seasoning twice: once before adding cream cheese and once after.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (about 1.5
- Calories: 385
- Sugar: 4
- Sodium: 780
- Fat: 18
- Saturated Fat: 9
- Carbohydrates: 24
- Fiber: 6
- Protein: 34
Keywords: white chicken chili, crockpot chili, creamy chili, slow cooker chili, chicken chili, easy chili recipe, comfort food, winter recipe