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Cozy Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili: Best Easy Recipe

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This creamy, velvety white chicken chili is made entirely in the slow cooker with simple pantry ingredients. It’s a hands-off, comforting meal that’s perfect for busy weeknights and guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 2 (15-ounce) cans white beans (cannellini or great northern), drained and rinsed, ½ cup reserved
  • 1 cup frozen corn
  • 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 (4-ounce) can diced green chiles
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 ounces cream cheese, softened and cubed
  • ½ cup heavy cream or half-and-half
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder (mild or ancho)
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper (or to taste)
  • Optional garnishes: fresh cilantro, sliced jalapeños, shredded Monterey Jack cheese, diced avocado, lime juice, tortilla chips

Instructions

  1. Sauté the aromatics (optional but worth it): Heat a splash of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook for 4-5 minutes until softened. Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
  2. Layer the ingredients in the slow cooker: Place the chicken breasts at the bottom. Add the drained white beans (reserving ½ cup), frozen corn, diced green chiles, sautéed onion and garlic, cumin, chili powder, oregano, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Pour the chicken broth over everything and stir gently.
  3. Cook low and slow: Cover and cook on LOW for 6-7 hours or on HIGH for 3-4 hours, until the chicken is tender and shreds easily.
  4. Shred the chicken: Remove the chicken to a cutting board and shred with two forks. Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker.
  5. Create the creamy base: Mash the reserved ½ cup of white beans with a fork until mostly smooth, or use an immersion blender to blend about ½ cup of the chili directly in the pot. Stir the mashed beans back into the chili.
  6. Add the cream cheese and cream: Stir in the cubed cream cheese until completely melted and incorporated. Then stir in the heavy cream or half-and-half. Let cook for another 10-15 minutes on LOW.
  7. Taste and adjust: Adjust seasoning with more salt, cumin, or a squeeze of lime juice as desired.
  8. Serve and garnish: Ladle into bowls and top with your favorite garnishes.

Notes

Don’t skip the bean-blending step—it creates the creamy texture without heavy cream. For deeper flavor, brown the chicken first. Watch the salt as canned beans and broth contain sodium. Let the chili rest on WARM for 15-20 minutes before serving for best texture. Use full-fat cream cheese to prevent curdling.

Nutrition

Keywords: slow cooker white chicken chili, easy white chicken chili, creamy chicken chili, crockpot chili, white bean chicken chili, comfort food, weeknight dinner

Find it online: https://bakebeam.com/cozy-slow-cooker-white-chicken-chili-best-easy-recipe/