This Crockpot White Chicken Chili is SO easy! It's made in one pot with white beans, and seasoned with green chilies – plus the chicken is so tender!
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Ingredients in white chicken chili
Instead of using ground beef and tomatoes like in traditional red chili, white chili uses chicken and broth. I use boneless, skinless chicken breasts because they cook quickly and are easy to shred once cooked since they don’t have bones.
Other ingredients you will need for this crockpot chicken chili are:
- Onions
- Garlic
- Green chiles
- White kidney beans
- Corn
- Chicken broth
- Lime juice
- Spices and seasonings
How to make crockpot chicken chili
You can lightly brown your chicken breast in a skillet before adding it to the soup if you want, but it's an unnecessary step as the meat will cook completely during the time it is in the crockpot. Chicken is fully cooked when it reaches an internal temperature of 165F. You can check it using a meat thermometer before you remove it from the pot if you are unsure or using larger breasts.
Unless you want to add some crisp edges and caramelized flavor, searing the outside of the meat first is an unnecessary step.
This soup is so easy to make. You just dump the ingredients together and let the slow cooker work its magic!
- Put all the soup ingredients in the crockpot
- Cook on high for four hours or low for eight hours
- Remove the chicken and shred it. You can shred the chicken with a knife and for or pull it apart with two forks.
- Put the shredded chicken back in and stir to combine.
- Serve and top your chili!
Ingredient substitutions
You could use turkey, beef or pork in this recipe in place of the chicken. If using ground meats, I recommend that you brown them a bit first to ensure a nice texture. You can even leave the meat out altogether and add extra veggies and beans for a vegetarian dish, or add lentils.
If you like your chili a little spicier, use jalapenos instead of green chiles.
If you want to add some more veggies to this white chicken chili, try some of these:
- Kale or spinach
- Bell peppers
- Cauliflower
- Leeks
- Carrots
- Parsnips
How do you thicken white chicken chili
Chili is supposed to be thicker than soup, but sometimes it doesn't turn out that way. There are a few methods you can use to thicken your chili.
- Flour – Don’t add flour directly to the pot of chili though. Remove a small amount of hot broth and dissolve the flour in that then add it back to the white chicken chili.
- Potato masher – You can lightly smash some of the ingredients so it thickens the broth.
- Cornmeal – This you can sprinkle right on top of the chili and stir.
- Tortillas – This is a common chicken chili topping so you can tear off a few pieces and add them right to the chili. Let it simmer for about ten minutes to soak up the extra broth.
- Uncover – This is harder to do when using the crockpot, but you can partially vent the lid to allow more moisture to escape.
- Cornstarch – A universal thickening agent, cornstarch only takes a minute to thicken a soup. Like flour, you want to dissolve the cornstarch first in broth, water or milk before adding. This is making a slurry. Then you can add it to the chili.
What to serve with chicken chili
This warm comfort food is a perfect winter dish. These sides compliment the slightly spicy flavor of the chili:
- Cornbread or garlic bread
- Rice
- French fries
- Grilled cheese sandwiches
- Southern collard greens or roasted broccoli
- Roasted potatoes
The best toppings ideas
This is perfect party food. Make a huge batch of chili (it’s easy to double or triple this recipe!) and offer a table full of toppings. You can keep the chili hot in the crockpot for hours so everyone has time to eat.
Here are some toppings ideas to get you started:
- Avocado
- Sour cream
- Jalapenos
- Cilantro
- Lime wedges
- Tortilla strips
- Queso or other shredded cheeses
- Beans
- Fried onions
- Scallions
- Tomatoes or pico de gallo
- Hot sauce
Storing and reheating
Crockpot white chicken chili will last in the refrigerator for five days. That means you can make the whole dish ahead of time and just reheat it when you are ready to eat.
Or you can use this recipe as meal prep. Divide it into individual servings and lunches will be ready to go.
To reheat a single serving of white chicken chili, warm it in the microwave for 2-3 minutes, stirring halfway through. You can put a plate or towel over the bowl to keep it from splattering.
You can also reheat the whole pot either on the stove top or in the crock pot.
Freezing crockpot white chicken chili
This recipe works great as a freezer meal as well. Crockpot chicken chili will last for three months in an airtight container in the freezer. Leave all of the toppings out of the freezer. Those should be added to the hot chili.
To thaw, leave it in the refrigerator overnight. Then you can reheat using any method you prefer.
You can also reheat from frozen if you've frozen in individual portions. Simply microwave for 6-8 minutes on high, stirring halfway through.
More easy chili recipes
Meal prep tools for this recipe
- Grab some glass meal prep bowls if you plan on turning this chili into your weekly lunches.
- I get all my free-range chicken from Butcher Box, conveniently delivered to me frozen.
- Get a meat thermometer to make sure your chicken is cooked through
- Freeze this recipe in glass microwave-safe bowls up to 3 months
Crockpot White Chicken Chili
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb chicken breasts
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp each salt & pepper
- 1 can green chilies
- 1 can white kidney beans drained and rinsed
- 1 cup corn
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 1 tbsp lime juice
Topping Ideas
- Avocado
- Sour cream
- Sliced jalapenos
- Cilantro
- Lime wedges
- Tortilla strips
Instructions
- Add all ingredients in the order in which they are listed, except for toppings, to the crockpot. Cook on high 4 hours, or on low for 8 hours.
- When soup is done, remove chicken breasts and shred, then add back to pot.
- Serve in large bowls and add toppings of choice. Enjoy!
Video
Nutrition
*Nutritional info includes a couple slices of avocado
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