This easy white chicken chili is a crowd-pleaser when the weather turns cold. It’s creamy, comforting, and simple to prepare — about 5 minutes of hands-on prep for big flavor and tender chicken every time.
Want to jump to a section? Use the table of contents on the page to go straight to ingredients, instructions, or the recipe card.
🗝️ Key takeaways
- This creamy white chili is full of flavor and yields tender, well-cooked chicken every time.
- A budget-friendly, large-batch meal that’s perfect for family dinners, game days, or potlucks.
- Make it in a slow cooker for hands-off cooking or on the stovetop when you need dinner fast.
If you’re ready to switch up classic beef chili, this milder, creamier version with cream cheese is likely to become a new family favorite.
🧾 Ingredients
Below is an overview of the ingredients. Full measurements are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page.
For best texture and flavor, use regular (not low-fat) dairy ingredients; they help create the rich, silky sauce this recipe is known for.
📖 Variations
- Use boneless breasts or thighs; bone-in chicken works too—remove bones before serving.
- Substitute rotisserie or leftover shredded chicken or turkey and simmer 15–30 minutes if using cooked meat.
- Any white bean (cannellini, great northern, navy) works well.
- Swap Pepper Jack for cheddar for a different heat and flavor profile.
- Add poblano or guajillo chiles for extra depth — remove whole chiles before serving.
🔪 Instructions
This is a summary of the method. The full, printable steps are in the recipe card below.
- Place chicken in the slow cooker and season with chili powder, cumin, and garlic powder.
- Add canned green chiles (undrained), drained and rinsed white beans, corn, and chopped onions.
- Pour in chicken stock, cover, and cook on low until the chicken is tender.
- An hour before serving, shred the chicken in the cooker.
- Warm butter, half-and-half, cream cheese, and sour cream in a saucepan, whisk until smooth, then stir into the slow cooker.
- Cover and cook another hour. Serve topped with chopped cilantro and shredded cheese.
Stovetop instructions
If you forgot to start the slow cooker or are short on time, you can make this on the stovetop in about 30 minutes.
- Add chicken breasts to a heavy 4-quart pot and pour in enough chicken stock to cover.
- Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook 15–20 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
- Shred the chicken with two forks and return it to the pot.
- Add vegetables and seasonings and simmer 5–10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat the butter, half-and-half, cream cheese, and sour cream until smooth, then stir into the pot.
- Simmer on low for about 5 minutes (do not boil after adding dairy) and serve with your favorite toppings.
🎥 Video
🥫 How to store leftovers
Store cooled chili in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4–5 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave.
You can freeze the chili for up to three months in a freezer-safe container or heavy-duty bag; thawed chili may be a bit thinner in texture—stir well when reheating.
This recipe is excellent for using leftover turkey after holidays — it disguises leftovers and tastes fantastic.
💭 Things to know
Expert Tip: Avoid fat-free or low-fat dairy — they can make the chili watery and dull the flavor. Full-fat ingredients give the best result.
- The longer the chili simmers (within reason), the better the flavors meld.
- Warming the dairy before adding it helps it incorporate smoothly.
- If using the stovetop method, don’t let the chili boil after adding cream cheese and sour cream to prevent curdling.
- For a quicker cook in the crockpot, use the high setting for 3–4 hours, then switch to low for the final step where you add the cream sauce.
- Toppings we enjoy: avocado, cilantro, crumbled tortilla chips or Fritos, and extra shredded cheese.
👩🍳 FAQs
You can use milk to reduce fat, though the texture and richness will be lighter. For an extra-rich result, use heavy cream.
Some manufacturers advise against adding frozen meat to a slow cooker, but many home cooks do so successfully. If you use frozen chicken, ensure it reaches a safe internal temperature before serving.
Scoop out a cup of beans, puree them in a blender, and stir the puree back into the chili to thicken it naturally.
Either melt the cheese slowly into the warmed cream and whisk smooth before adding, or sprinkle shredded cheese on each bowl at serving time so it melts on the hot chili.
📚 Related recipes
If you like slow cooker meals, here are a few other favorites from the same collection.
- Crockpot Angel Chicken — quick prep and excellent flavor.
- Slow Cooker Brisket Sliders — rich, tender beef for gatherings.
- Creamy Tomato Tortellini Soup — comforting pasta soup with a silky base.
- Slow Cooker Guinness Beef Stew — hearty, warming, and full of depth.
-
Crockpot Angel Chicken Recipe (5-Minute Prep, Ridiculously Good)
-
Slow Cooker Brisket Sliders
-
Creamy Tomato Tortellini Soup
-
Slow Cooker Guinness Beef Stew
🍽️ Serve with…
Serve with crusty bread or a bread bowl for an indulgent presentation. Buttermilk cornbread is another classic companion.
If you want more ideas, there’s a large collection of suggested sides that pair well with white chicken chili to please even picky eaters.
📞 The last word
I sent my son off to college with a slow cooker and this recipe. It’s easy, comforting, and popular wherever it’s served — perfect for new cooks and busy families.
If you enjoy this chili, try other similar recipes like cheesy chicken enchilada soup or fiesta chicken next time.
If you make this recipe, please leave a comment and rating in the recipe card below — feedback from readers is always appreciated.
📖 Recipe
Creamy White Chicken Chili in the Crockpot
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds chicken breasts (or thighs), boneless
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 ½ cups chicken stock
- 4.5 ounces canned green chiles, chopped (undrained)
- 2 cups corn (white preferred)
- 30 ounces white cannellini beans, drained
- 2 cups chopped onions
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup half-and-half (light cream)
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ cup chopped cilantro (optional)
- 1 ½ cups shredded Pepper Jack cheese
Instructions
- Place chicken breasts in the crockpot.
- Add chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, chicken stock, green chiles, onions, corn, and beans.
- Cook on low for 7 hours.
- Shred the chicken in the slow cooker with two forks.
- An hour before serving, heat butter, half-and-half, cream cheese, and sour cream in a saucepan, whisking until smooth.
- Stir the cream mixture into the slow cooker and cook on low for about 1 more hour.
- Sprinkle with cilantro and Pepper Jack before serving.
Stovetop Instructions
- Add chicken to a heavy 4-quart pot and cover with chicken stock.
- Bring to medium heat and cook 15–20 minutes until tender.
- Shred the chicken and return it to the pot.
- Add remaining vegetables and seasonings and simmer 5–10 minutes.
- Mix the cream sauce ingredients while the chicken cooks, then add to the pot.
- Simmer on low about 5 minutes, remove from heat, and serve with toppings.
Notes
- For very quick prep, use rotisserie chicken and the stovetop method; it can be ready in about 15 minutes.
- Leftover turkey works beautifully in this chili.
- Try adding a couple of guajillo chiles for depth, then remove them before serving.
- Substitute cheddar for Pepper Jack if you prefer a sharper flavor.
- White hominy can replace corn for a different texture.
- Add diced bell peppers for extra flavor without much heat, or jalapeño for spice.
- Crumble tortilla chips or serve over Fritos for crunch.
Nutrition Facts
Carbs: 24 g |
Protein: 31 g |
Fat: 25 g
Nutrition information is an estimate. If you need precise values for medical reasons, verify with your own calculator.
This recipe has been tested several times. Changing ingredients or technique may affect the results.
First published August 15, 2018. Last updated September 9, 2023 for readability and clarity.