Creamy Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili – Easy & Perfect
This creamy slow cooker white chicken chili is a set-it-and-forget-it meal that turns simple pantry ingredients into a velvety, comforting bowl of goodness. Perfect for busy nights, it’s a crowd-pleaser that tastes like it simmered all day.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 hours (low) or 3 hours (high)
- Total Time: 6 hours 15 minutes (low) or 3 hours 15 minutes (high)
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 1½ pounds (680g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 2 (15-ounce) cans white beans (Great Northern, cannellini, or navy), drained and rinsed
- 1 cup (150g) frozen corn
- 1 (4-ounce) can diced green chiles
- 2 cups (480ml) low-sodium chicken broth
- 8 ounces (226g) cream cheese, softened and cubed
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1½ teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano (preferably Mexican)
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon salt (plus more to taste)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper (plus more to taste)
- Fresh cilantro, for garnish (optional)
- Lime wedges, for serving
Instructions
- Prep your ingredients first: dice the onion, mince the garlic, drain and rinse the beans, and cube the cream cheese.
- Layer the ingredients in the slow cooker: start with the diced onion and minced garlic on the bottom. Place the chicken breasts on top. Sprinkle the cumin, oregano, chili powder, salt, and pepper over the chicken. Pour in the drained beans, frozen corn, and diced green chiles. Do not stir.
- Pour the chicken broth around the edges, trying not to rinse the spices off the chicken.
- Cook on low for 6 to 7 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours.
- Remove the chicken and shred it with two forks. Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker.
- Add the cubed cream cheese and stir until completely melted into the broth, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Taste and adjust seasoning, adding more salt, cumin, or a squeeze of lime juice as needed.
- Let the chili sit for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve with lime wedges.
Notes
For a thicker chili, mash half a can of beans and stir them in, or let the chili cook uncovered for 15-20 minutes. For a spicier version, add a diced jalapeño with the onion and ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper. To make dairy-free, use dairy-free cream cheese. Leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1½ cups
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 6
- Sodium: 780
- Fat: 16
- Saturated Fat: 9
- Carbohydrates: 28
- Fiber: 7
- Protein: 35
Keywords: white chicken chili, slow cooker chili, creamy chili, easy chili, chicken chili, slow cooker recipe, comfort food