Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili

This Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili is the perfect cozy recipe for a cold night with chicken, white beans, and a slightly spicy broth. It's healthy, delicious, and filling.

This white chicken chili recipe! Yum. I could eat it every night. Beans, chicken breast, and just the right amount of spice from the green salsa.

When it comes to slow cooker soups, this one is a winner. We also love this Slow Cooker Chicken Fajita Soup, Taco Soup, and Black Bean Soup.

Top it with lots of fresh cilantro, onions, more jalapenos, avocado, and a touch of sour cream for the ultimate cozy dinner.

Plus since it freezes well, you can make a big batch and store leftovers for a future meal. Looking for something without beans? Try this Mexican Chicken Soup.

Why We Love White Chicken Chili

There are so many reasons to love this chili, but here are the top three.

• Hearty and filling: This chili is packed with beans, chicken breast, and veggies so it will keep you satisfied and full for hours.
• Make it homemade or use shortcuts: While the recipe below calls for store-bought green salsa and canned beans to save time, you can easily swap homemade salsa, chicken stock, and beans.
• Budget-friendly: This recipe relies on affordable and easy-to-find ingredients.

Ingredients and Substitutions

Here is everything you need to make this crockpot white chicken chili.

• Chicken: Use chicken breast, chicken thighs, or really any chicken you like. If you prefer using rotisserie or pre-cooked chicken, add it at the end so it doesn’t overcook. Bone-in chicken can be used, but you need to increase the cooking time.
• Beans: Since this is white chicken chili, white beans, like cannellini or navy beans, are most commonly used. However, you could swap in pinto beans, kidney beans, or black beans.
• Onion and garlic: It’s almost impossible to make soup without starting with some aromatics. Onion and garlic ensure the broth, chicken, and beans are full of flavor.
• Green chilies: Another common ingredient in white chicken chili is canned diced green chilies. If you prefer fresh, swap in jalapeno or poblano peppers.
• Spices: Since this is a white chili, chili powder isn’t normally used. Instead, use a combination of cumin, oregano, bay leaf, salt, and pepper.
• Chicken broth: Always reach for a chicken broth that is flavorful. Since canned beans and salsa can be high in sodium, try and use low-sodium broth if possible.
• Green salsa: This secret ingredient adds tons of flavor to the chili without the need to saute lots of vegetables. Choose one at the spice level you prefer. You can also swap in homemade green salsa.
• Refried beans: Instead of using cream, cream cheese, or sour cream to make a creamy base for the chili, I like to use a can of refried beans. It’s a healthier way to thicken the chili and adds extra fiber, protein, and nutrients.
• Cilantro and lime: Once the chili is finished cooking, it needs some freshness to brighten things up. Cilantro and lime juice are the perfect way to do this.

How to Make Creamy White Chicken Chili

Many popular crockpot white chicken chili recipes are for a creamy version that uses heavy cream, cream cheese, or sour cream. This version is dairy free and uses refried beans to make it “creamy” without the need for a diary product.

If you want to make a more traditional version, simply add one of the following right before serving:

• ½ cup of heavy cream combined with 2 tbsp masa harina or cornstarch (Pioneer Woman’s chicken chili)
• 1 cup cubed cream cheese with ¼ cup heavy cream (creamiest option)
• 1 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt (tangier option)

Dairy-free: If you don’t have refried beans, you can add an extra can of white beans. Then blend 2-3 cups of the chili (without the chicken) when it is finished cooking. Add the blended soup back to the slow cooker to thicken the chili.

Best Toppings for White Chili

One of the best things about this recipe is that you can finish it off with toppings that suit your tastes.

• Cilantro
• Jalapenos
• Onions
• Avocado
• Sour cream or Greek yogurt
• Baked tortilla chips
• Shredded cheese
• Queso fresco
• Lime juice
• Green onions

Freezing Leftover Chili

Like so many soups and chili recipes, this soup only gets better after a night in the fridge when the flavors really have time to combine.

The best way to freeze chili is to freeze it stored flat in plastic zipper bags specifically designed for the freezer. They’re thicker than regular food storage bags and will help protect your leftovers from freezer burn.

But before you fill your freezer bags, the chili needs to be fully cooked. Freezing it while it’s warm will raise the temperature in your freezer and could cause other foods to start thawing.

Ideas for Leftover White Chicken Chili

This chicken and white bean chili is awesome on its own or as a topping for many other foods, but if you want to repurpose the recipe, try some of these ideas:

• Quesadillas: Make a quick quesadilla using a low-carb tortilla, part-skim mozzarella, and this chili filling. Just use a slotted spoon so you don’t add too much broth and get a soggy quesadilla.
• Stuffed sweet potatoes: White bean chicken chili is a tasty topper for regular potatoes and also makes a great filling for sweet potatoes.
• White bean and chicken soup: Try adding some extra chicken broth to thin the chili into a soup. If you find it needs more kick, add an extra dash of cumin and top your bowl with slices of fresh hot peppers.
• White chili scramble: Believe it or not, this is delicious with scrambled eggs for a spicy Southwestern-style breakfast.

No matter how you use it, this easy white chicken chili is sure to become a frequent go-to in your recipe repertoire. These leftover ideas also work great for this classic Healthy Turkey Chili.

What Is the Difference Between Chili and White Chili?

Many purists argue that any chili with beans isn’t a true chili. But even the International Chili Society, the founder and operator of the World Championship Chili Cook-Off, eventually expanded its competition in 2009 to include a “Homestyle Chili” category where the recipes must include beans.

And, under its “homestyle” definition, both red and white chilis can claim the world championship title.

What usually makes chili white is the color of the beans -- you can experiment with different types of white beans in this recipe to find your favorite -- and the type of meat used.

This easy white chicken chili recipe calls for chicken breasts, but you could substitute skinless turkey or ground chicken or turkey. Really, the spices and the slow cooker will help make any dish delicious.