Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili

This is one of those recipes that I make on repeat all fall and winter. It is warm and creamy and packed with flavor and my family never complains when this is on the dinner table.

Slow cooker white chicken chili is the dinner that makes the whole house smell incredible and requires almost nothing from you. Top with jalapeños and tortilla strips and you have a bowl that tastes like a restaurant-quality chili on a Tuesday night.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• Everything goes in raw and the slow cooker builds the flavor over several hours completely on its own. Minimal hands-on time for a genuinely impressive finished bowl.
• Green enchilada sauce and lime juice together add a bright, slightly tangy, slightly smoky depth to the base that makes this white chicken chili taste specifically more interesting and layered than a plain broth-based version.
• The cream cheese, sour cream, and Monterey Jack stirred in at the end transform the broth into something rich, creamy, and deeply satisfying that coats every bean and every piece of chicken beautifully.
• This makes a large batch that reheats excellently all week making it one of the best meal prep dinners for a busy fall or winter week.

Ingredients Needed to Make Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili

The Chili Base

Chicken breast goes in whole and raw and shreds perfectly after the long slow cook. Chicken bone broth is the liquid base and adds extra protein and richness over regular broth. Green enchilada sauce adds a smoky, slightly tangy depth that sets this apart from a standard white chicken chili. Mild diced green chiles add a gentle heat throughout. Great northern beans add a creamy, hearty element. Corn adds a natural sweetness. Minced garlic and lime juice build the aromatic and bright elements of the base.

The Seasoning

Chili powder and cumin are the primary spice drivers. Smoked paprika adds a warm, slightly smoky note. Oregano adds a herby background depth. Garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and salt season everything evenly throughout the long cook.

The Creamy Finish

Softened cream cheese whisked into the hot broth produces the rich, creamy base the chili is known for. A cornstarch slurry thickens everything to a hearty, spoonable consistency. Sour cream adds a slight tang and creaminess. Freshly shredded Monterey Jack melts into the chili and adds a mild, buttery cheese flavor throughout. Fresh cilantro adds a bright, herby finish.

The Toppings

Jalapeño slices, tortilla strips, extra cilantro, and sour cream make every bowl look finished and add the texture and freshness that makes every bite more interesting.

How to Make Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili

Step 1: Load the Slow Cooker

Add the chicken breasts to the bottom of the slow cooker. Pour in the bone broth, enchilada sauce, and lime juice. Add the green chiles, corn, beans, garlic, and all the seasonings. Stir to combine and make sure the chicken is fully submerged. Cover and cook on low for 3 to 4 hours or high for 2 to 3 hours.

Step 2: Shred the Chicken

Once the chicken shreds easily remove it from the slow cooker. Shred with two forks and set aside. Keep the slow cooker on low.

Step 3: Add the Cream Cheese

Soften the cream cheese in the microwave in 30-second increments until warm and very soft. Add to the slow cooker and whisk briskly until completely melted and smooth throughout the broth.

Step 4: Thicken and Finish

Mix the cornstarch and cold water until smooth and stir into the slow cooker. Return the shredded chicken. Add the cilantro, sour cream, and Monterey Jack and stir to combine.

Step 5: Final Simmer and Serve

Cook on low for an additional 30 minutes. Serve in deep bowls topped with jalapeño slices, tortilla strips, extra cilantro, and a dollop of sour cream.

Storing and Reheating

Store in a sealed airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The chili thickens as it cools. Add a splash of chicken broth when reheating and stir over medium-low heat or microwave on medium power in 60-second intervals stirring between each. The flavor deepens overnight and the leftovers are genuinely excellent.

How to Serve Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili

Serve in deep bowls with every topping on the table so everyone can build their own bowl. Tortilla strips add the crunch the creamy chili needs. Jalapeño slices add heat. A generous dollop of extra sour cream and a handful of fresh cilantro make every bowl look and taste like something from a good restaurant. Warm cornbread alongside for dipping into the creamy broth is always a good idea.

Meghankay

Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili

5 from 2 votes

This slow cooker white chicken chili cooks chicken breast in green enchilada sauce and bone broth with great northern beans, green chiles, and bold spices then finishes with cream cheese, sour cream, and Monterey Jack for a rich creamy weeknight dinner.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 4 hours hrs

Servings: 6

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  

• 1.5-2 lb chicken breast
• 16 oz chicken bone broth
• 10 oz green enchilada sauce
• 8 oz mild diced green chilies
• 2 freshly sqeezed limes
• 15 oz canned corn
• 2 cans great northern beans 15 oz
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• Salt to taste
• 8 oz cream cheese softened
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon cold water
• ½ cup freshly chopped cilantro
• ¼ cup sour cream
• ½ cup Monterey Jack cheese freshly shredded
• Garnish with jalapeño tortilla strips, and cilantro

Method

 

1. Add chicken breast to bottom of crockpot.
2. Next add 2 cups chicken bone broth, green enchilada sauce, juice of 2 limes, diced green chilies, rinsed canned corn and great northern beans, minced garlic, and seasonings listed above.
3. Make sure the chicken is submerged in the bone broth prior to cooking. Cover with lid, and cook on low for 3-4 hours or high for 2-3 hours or until the chicken easily shreds. I recommend cooking on low for this recipe, to help enhance the flavors.
4. Once the chicken is cooked, keep slow cooker set to low, remove chicken from crockpot. Shred and set aside.
5. Soften cream cheese in the microwave in 30 second increments for about a minute total.
6. Add softened cream cheese to slow cooker and whisk briskly until all the cream cheese has melted and is well combined.
7. Next add cornstarch slurry (1 tablespoon cornstarch and 1 tablespoon cold water mixed together) into the slow cooker. This will help thicken the chili. If you prefer a thinner chili consistency, you can omit it.
8. Add shredded chicken back into the crockpot.
9. Next, add ½ cup freshly chopped cilantro, sour cream, and Monterey Jack cheese.
10. Let it cook on low heat for an additional 30 minutes.
11. Then serve with your preferred toppings such as jalapeños, cilantro, tortilla strips or additional sour cream.

Notes

• Low and slow is the move for this recipe. Cooking on low rather than high allows the flavors to develop more fully and produces a richer, more complex finished chili.
• Make sure the cream cheese is thoroughly softened before adding it to the slow cooker. Warm it in 30-second increments and whisk it in immediately while the chili is still hot so it melts completely without any lumps.
• The cornstarch slurry is optional but recommended. It thickens the chili into a heartier, more substantial consistency that holds up better on top of rice or with tortilla strips for dipping.
• Make sure the chicken is fully submerged in the broth before putting the lid on. Any exposed chicken can dry out unevenly during the cook.