Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili
This slow cooker white chicken chili is comfort food at its finest. Tender shredded chicken, creamy white beans, zesty salsa verde, and corn are all simmered together with warm spices until everything is perfectly cozy and flavorful. It takes just 15 minutes to prep, then your slow cooker does the rest. It’s naturally gluten-free and dairy-free, packed with protein, and with a subtle spice that can easily be toned down if you have anyone who is spice-averse in your family. Perfect for busy weeknights, meal prep, or feeding a crowd.
Subtly nutritious, seriously delicious.
It’s true, I love adding nutrition INTO meals. But only if it’s still super delicious. And we did that here, let me tell you about this white bean chicken chili.
It’s creamy without cream, but from beans instead! It’s a little secret trick that adds thickness, creaminess, and fiber and protein to the chili. It’s…
🥄 So easy: Just 15 minutes of prep and your slow cooker does the rest of the work for you!
🌶️ Packed with flavor: The chicken is simmered in a brothy salsa verde that adds a tangy, slightly spicy kick that makes white chicken chili so good.
🫘 Creamy without the cream: Blending one can of beans makes it thick and velvety with no dairy needed – it’s naturally dairy-free, though you can add it in with the toppings.
🍗 Protein-packed: Loaded with chicken and white beans to keep everyone full and satisfied.
🎉 Totally customizable: Load up with cheese tortilla chips, diced avocado, cheese, jalapeños, and cilantro so everyone gets exactly what they want.
You’ll also want to try my vegetarian white bean chili, classic ground beef chili, and slow cooker turkey squash chili next time.
Ingredient Notes
You’ll need some fresh ingredients and pantry staples to bring this healthy white chicken chili to the dinner table: chicken breasts, garlic, a blend of warm spices (cumin, chili powder, oregano, garlic powder, and sea salt), salsa verde, chicken broth, two cans of white northern beans, frozen corn, and a lime. Then load up on your favorite toppings – tortilla chips, shredded Monterey Jack cheese, avocado, jalapeños, cilantro, and sour cream all work beautifully.
Emily’s Tips & Tricks
- Pro tip: Blending one of the cans of beans into the chili results in a creamy, thick texture but it does add one extra step. I think it’s worth thew few minutes, but you can also skip if you prefer!
- Feeding kids without pressure: Soups and stews can be tough for young eaters as everything is mixed together. Serve a small portion of the chili in a taster bowl (like, one spoonful!) and be sure to serve a few sides you know they will eat in case they don’t like the main meal (milk, fruit, bread with butter).
- Variations: Swap out the breasts for chicken thighs if you prefer dark meat. You could also use boneless pork shoulder (cut into 2-inch pieces) for a pork version.
- Additions: If you want this to be even creamier, take a tip from our neighborhood chili cookoff winner! Her white chili is finished with cubes of cream cheese, which adds a rich and creamy texture throughout, without watering anything down.
Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili Recipe
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 6-7 hours
- Total Time: 0 hours
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
This slow cooker white chicken chili is loaded with tender chicken, white beans, salsa verde, and warm spices. Just 15 minutes of prep for a cozy dinner!
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. chicken breast (skinless, boneless)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp. sea salt
- 1 tsp. ground cumin
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 1 tsp. chili powder
- 1 tsp. oregano
- 2 cups salsa verde
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 2 15-oz. cans white northern beans, rinsed and drained
- 10 oz. frozen corn
- 1 lime
- Toppings: tortilla chips, shredded Monterey jack, avocado slices, jalapeno, lime wedges, cilantro, sour cream
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine minced garlic, sea salt, cumin, garlic powder, chili powder, and oregano. Rub seasoning mixture all over chicken breasts, pressing in to coat. Place seasoned chicken in the bottom of a 6-qt. slow cooker.
- Pour salsa verde over the chicken, then pour chicken broth around the sides. Cover the slow cooker and cook on Low for 6 to 7 hours until the chicken is very tender and easy to shred.
- Remove chicken from the slow cooker and transfer to a cutting board. Using an immersion blender, blend one can of the drained beans directly in the slow cooker until smooth.
- Shred the chicken and return it to the slow cooker along with the remaining can of drained beans and frozen corn. Stir to combine.
- Cover and cook on High for 30 more minutes until corn is heated through. Squeeze lime juice into the chili and stir. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve with desired toppings.
Notes
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Freeze in freezer-safe containers (like Souper Cubes) for up to 3 months. Reheat in the microwave or stovetop until hot.
- Ingredients: White northern beans work best here, but you can substitute great northern beans or cannellini beans if that’s what you have. For the salsa verde, choose one with good flavor since it’s a main ingredient. I like medium heat, but use mild if you’re sensitive to spice.
- Tools: A 6-quart slow cooker is ideal for this recipe. An immersion blender is super helpful for blending the beans right in the pot, but if you don’t have one, carefully transfer one can of beans with a little broth to a regular blender, blend until smooth, and stir it back in.
- Serve with: Serve this with warm cornbread, tortilla chips for scooping, and plenty of fresh toppings.
More Chicken Dinner Recipes
If you like this salsa verde chicken chili, you might also like some of these other easy chicken dinners:
About the Author
Emily Dingmann is a recipe developer and founder of My Everyday Table, where she helps busy families take the stress out of weeknight dinners. With a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and over 20 years of experience, Emily specializes in simple, nourishing recipes and weekly meal plans that actually work for everyday life. She’s a Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor who believes delicious food and good nutrition go hand in hand.
Get started: Weeknight Dinners Guide | Weekly Meal Plans | About Emily
Food styling and photography by Loren Runion.
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