Crockpot White Chicken Chili
4 h 50 min
|
easy
Recipe by Eunice
Introduction
This crockpot white chicken chili is creamy, zesty, and properly seasoned with garlic, cumin, and green chiles, with a bouillon-backed broth that makes the chicken shred tender and the beans and corn sing. I know, I know my hispanic heritage is coming through here, but trust me, this meal is really good.
It is a dump-and-go easy dinner for weeknights, game day, or snow days. I thickened the chili with cream cheese, a splash of heavy cream, and a touch of masa for that silky, spoon-coating finish that begs for a toppings bar and a second bowl.
Ingredients (6 servings)
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Ingredients for the Chili:
- 2 Tbsp olive oil olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, finely diced yellow onions 0.21 lb large
- 4 cloves garlic, minced garlic 0.36 head (for garlic clove)
- 1 fresh green jalapeño pepper, seeded, minced fresh green jalapeño peppers 0.2 lb
- 1½ tsp ground cumin ground cumin 0.13 oz
- 1½ tsp ground coriander ground coriander seeds 0.11 oz
- 1 tsp dried oregano dried oregano 0.11 oz
- ½ tsp chili powder chili powder 0.04 oz
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper cayenne pepper 0.02 oz
- 1 tsp kosher salt kosher salt 0.13 oz
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper black peppercorns (for freshly ground black pepper)
- 1½ lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, trimmed boneless, skinless chicken breast 1.5 lb
- 1 can (15 oz) Great Northern beans, drained, rinsed Great Northern beans 14.93 oz (15 oz)
- 1 can (15 oz) cannellini beans, drained, rinsed cannellini beans 14.93 oz (15 oz)
- 1 cup frozen corn kernels frozen corn kernels 0.32 lb
- 1 can (4 oz) diced green chilies, undrained diced green chilies 4 oz (4 oz)
- 3 cups chicken broth chicken broth 24 fl oz
- 2 cubes chicken bouillon chicken bouillon 0.78 oz
- 1 lime, juiced lime 1 ct
- ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped fresh cilantro leaves 0.5 oz
Ingredients to Finish:
- 1 block (8 oz) cream cheese, room temperature cream cheese 8 oz (8 oz)
- ½ cup heavy cream heavy cream 4 fl oz
- 1 Tbsp masa harina corn flour masa harina corn flour 0.24 oz
Ingredients for Serving (Optional Toppings)
- 1 avocado, sliced avocado 1 ct
- 1 cup tortilla chips, crumbled tortilla chips 1 oz
- 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese shredded Monterey Jack cheese 4 oz
- ½ cup sour cream sour cream 4 oz
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped fresh cilantro leaves 0.25 oz
- 1 lime, cut into 4 wedges lime 1 ct
How to Make Crockpot White Chicken Chili
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Bloom aromatics and spices
Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat until shimmering.
Add the diced onion and jalapeno and cook until translucent and sweet, about 5 to 7 minutes.
Stir in the garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
Add cumin, coriander, oregano, chili powder, cayenne, salt, and pepper and stir for 30 seconds to bloom the spices.
Pour in 1 cup of the chicken broth to deglaze and scrape up any browned bits.
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Build the slow cooker base
Pour the skillet mixture into the slow cooker.
Add the great northern beans, cannellini beans, frozen corn, diced green chiles with their liquid, remaining chicken broth, and bouillon cubes.
Nestle the chicken breasts on top and submerge them slightly.
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Slow cook until tender
Cover and cook on Low for 4 to 5 hours or on High for 2.5 to 3 hours, until the chicken is 165 F and easily shreds.
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Shred mid-cook for deeper flavor
About halfway through the cook, pull the chicken out, shred it with two forks on a cutting board, then return it to the pot and stir.
This lets the chicken soak up the seasoned broth for the rest of the cook.
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Thicken and enrich
Stir in the cream cheese cubes, cover, and let them melt on High for 10 minutes, then whisk smooth.
Whisk the masa harina into the heavy cream to make a lump-free slurry and stir it into the chili.
Cook uncovered on High for 10 to 15 minutes until slightly thick and creamy, stirring a few times.
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Finish bright and adjust
Stir in the lime juice and chopped cilantro.
Taste and adjust salt, pepper, and cayenne until it sings, because we are not making bland hospital food.
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Serve with toppings
Ladle into warm bowls and top with avocado, crumbled tortilla chips, Monterey Jack, sour cream, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime to taste.
Substitutions
- Swap chicken breast with boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- Thighs stay juicier in the slow cooker and bring a richer, slightly darker chicken flavor while shredding like a dream.
- Replace masa harina with finely crushed tortilla chips or cornstarch
- Crushed chips add corn flavor and body with a subtle toasty note, while a cornstarch slurry gives a neutral, glossy thickness without changing the taste much.
- Use Neufchatel or dairy-free cream cheese for the cream cheese
- Neufchatel lightens the richness without losing the creamy mouthfeel, while a good dairy-free cream cheese keeps it silky and friendly for dairy-sensitive guests if stirred in at the very end off heat.
Tips
- Control your salt with bouillon and broth
- If your broth is not low sodium, start with one bouillon cube and add the second after tasting at the end so you season like a pro, not a fire hydrant.
- Bloom spices in fat for maximum payoff
- That quick sizzle in oil unlocks fat-soluble flavors so the chili tastes round and deep instead of flat.
- Mid-cook shred for better absorption
- Shredding halfway increases surface area, letting the chicken pull in the chile-laced broth so every bite is seasoned through.
- Thicken two ways for luxe body
- Masa brings gentle corn flavor and soft viscosity, and the cream cheese emulsifies into the broth for a smooth, velvety finish without graininess.
- Keep dairy silky
- Cube cream cheese at room temp and melt gently, and if it looks streaky give it a quick whisk or a few seconds with an immersion blender to bring it together.
- Bright things go last
- Add lime juice and cilantro at the end so you keep the pop and prevent bitterness from overcooking.
- Optional smoky upgrade
- Char the jalapeno under a broiler or over a gas flame, peel, and mince for a subtle smoky edge that plays beautifully with the green chiles.
Nutrition Facts *
| Energy | 631 | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 46 | g |
| Total Fat | 29 | g |
| Carbohydrates | 45 | g |
| Dietary Fiber | 11 | g |
* Approximate, per serving.
Data source: USDA FoodData Central.
FAQ
- My chili is too thin, how do I fix it without wrecking the flavor?
- Whisk another tablespoon of masa into 2 tablespoons of cream or broth and stir it in on High for 5 minutes, or mash a scoop of beans against the side of the pot to thicken naturally.
- It came out too salty, can I save it?
- Add unsalted broth to dilute, toss in a peeled potato for 15 minutes to absorb some salt then remove it, and finish with extra lime juice to balance.
- The cream cheese looks curdled, what did I do wrong?
- It likely went in too cold or was stirred too little, so bring it to room temp next time and whisk vigorously or hit it briefly with an immersion blender to smooth it out.
- Can I use frozen chicken in the slow cooker?
- Do not cook frozen chicken in a slow cooker because it lingers in the temperature danger zone, so thaw in the fridge first for safe, even cooking.
- How do I make it spicier without blowing it up?
- Leave some jalapeno membranes in, add a pinch more cayenne, or finish bowls with hot sauce so everyone can tune their own heat.
- Can I use rotisserie chicken instead of raw?
- Yes, add shredded rotisserie chicken in the last 30 minutes on Low so it warms and takes on flavor without drying out.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this creamy bowl with warm cornbread or buttered rice. I like to add pickled red onions for a clean snap that cuts through the richness.
In the summer I like to swap half of the corn for charred kernels from the grill and finish with smoked paprika. Then pour myself a crisp lager and claim the good bowl of chili because I earned it.
More pairings:
Reviews
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Kat, Idaho: This was so good! Thank you for sharing.
: Glad you enjoyed it, Kat! 😊
Made this recipe? How did it go?
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