Chili is delicious, but what do you do if you’re in the mood for lighter flavors and want to swap out ground beef for healthier chicken? Break out the crockpot and try this easy white chicken chili.
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Southwestern White Bean Chicken Chili
Bold southwestern flavor and simple, hands-off cooking combine to create a hearty and delicious chili. This lighter, healthier, lower-stress alternative to traditional chili is a true crowd-pleaser.
What makes Crockpot white chicken chili so good?
The fusion of American, Mexican, and Native American culture that characterizes Southwest cuisine shines in this tasty recipe, with flavorful ingredients like canned green chilis, fresh lime juice, and vibrant spices.
The mild chicken breast is deeply imbued with these flavors over the hours in the crockpot while infusing the mixture with a rich chicken flavor of its own.
It’s a perfect comfort food — warm, rich, satisfying, and available by the heaping bowlful.
Why You’ll Love This Easy White Chicken Chili Recipe
We’ve mentioned the incredible flavors, but home cooks everywhere will also love the incredible simplicity. Besides less than ten minutes of cooking onions and garlic in a pan, the recipe relies entirely on a crockpot, also known as a slow cooker.
These versatile appliances allow you to simply dump in your ingredients, turn them on, and go about your business. With four to six hours of total cooking time, almost entirely hands-off, it’s an ideal way to have a delicious Sunday night dinner without slaving over the stove all day or to meal prep for lunches and dinners ahead.
Ingredients You Will Need For White Chicken Chili
While the list of ingredients might seem long, the reality is they’re all familiar and affordable products, many of which may already be waiting in your pantry:
- Boneless, skinless chicken breast
- Canned white beans
- Corn kernels
- Canned diced green chiles
- Onion
- Garlic
- Chicken broth
- Olive oil
- Fresh lime juice
- Black pepper
- Cayenne pepper
- Ground cumin
- Ground coriander
- Dried oregano
Ingredient Notes and Recipe Variations
This recipe is highly flexible, meaning you can use any white beans you have on hand, including Navy (pea) beans, Great Northern beans, Cannellini beans, or baby Lima beans (also known as butterbeans.) Feel free to experiment and find the kind that you like most!
While this chili is generally relatively mild, it’s easy to amp up the flavor using additional cayenne pepper, chili powder, or fresh hot peppers, or dial it back by eliminating the cayenne or using the mildest canned chiles.
For creamy white chicken chili, add 4 ounces of cubed cream cheese and up to 1 cup of heavy cream at the end of the cooking time. Stir until the cream cheese is melted.
How to Make Chicken With White Bean Chili
This recipe benefits from the best feature of crockpot cooking — a low-and-slow, set-it-and-forget-it style simple enough for even beginner cooks:
- Heat olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat.
- Saute onions and garlic until soft, about eight minutes.
- Add the cooked onions and garlic to your crockpot, along with the rest of the ingredients.
- Cook on low for 3-4 hours.
- Remove the chicken breast, use forks to shred it, and return it to the pot.
- Cook for another 1-2 hours.
- Finish off your mouthwatering crockpot white bean chicken chili with a variety of toppings and garnishes.
Troubleshooting Tips: How to Thicken White Bean Chicken Chili
If you find your white chicken chili is a little too soup-like for your taste, there are a few easy fixes.
One simple method involves stirring in a tablespoon or two of cornstarch or flour, both of which can help absorb some of the excess liquid. Even cornmeal may do in a pinch. Add these near the end of the cooking process, but allow them a few minutes to simmer and disperse.
Alternatively, slightly mashing some of the beans (particularly Navy beans) can add a thicker, creamier element to your chili.
What to Serve With White Bean Chicken Chili
A big part of the fun of this crockpot white chicken chili is how each diner can customize their bowl with their favorite add-ons. Some of the best choices include:
- Cheese: shredded cheddar or Monterey jack, or crumbled queso fresco
- Tortilla chips or tortilla strips
- Chopped tomatoes
- Avocado or guacamole
- Sliced radishes
- Red or white chopped onion
- Arugula
- Sour cream
- Fresh cilantro leaves
It’s also easy to pair with a mix of healthy and diverse sides. Classic options include cornbread or tortilla chips, while roasted or grilled vegetables or a simple salad are also perfect pairings.
How to Store Leftovers
This white bean chicken chili is as easy and convenient to store as it is to cook. First, allow the batch to cool to room temperature. Then, pour it into an airtight container. It’ll stay at its best for three to four days in the fridge.
It also does well in the freezer, lasting as long as four to six months. You can freeze it in a freezer-safe container or plastic freezer bags.
How to Reheat
If your chili is frozen, thaw it in the refrigerator overnight. Then, heat it on the stovetop over medium-low heat until warmed through.
You can also reheat the white bean chicken chili in the microwave for a minute or so at a time, stirring between cycles.
Can’t get enough chili? Here’s a whole bunch of hearty chili recipes.
- 2 Alarm Chili Kit
- Basic Chili Recipe
- Cincinnati Chili
- Coney Island Chili
- Indiana Chili
- Instant Pot Wendy’s Chili
- Original Chili Recipe
- Pedernales Chili
- Pork Chili Verde Recipe
- Quick and Easy Chili – A tried and true family recipe
- SOS Chili
- Steak and Shake Chili
Check out more of my easy soup recipes and the best crockpot recipes here on CopyKat!
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Crockpot White Chicken Chili
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups chopped onion
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast
- 3 teaspoons minced garlic
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 4 ounces diced green chilies
- 14 ounces corn kernels
- 28 ounces canned white northern beans
Optional Garnishes
- Sliced green onions
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Diced tomatoes
- Avocado slices
- Sour cream
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and onion and sauté for 8 minutes.
- Transfer the garlic and onion to a slow cooker along with the remaining ingredients. Cook on low for 3 to 4 hours.
- Remove the chicken breast and shred it. Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker and cook on low for another 1 to 2 hours.
- Garnish with your choice of the following: green onions, shredded cheddar, diced tomatoes, sliced avocado, or sour cream.
I made this yesterday exactly as the recipe and it was very disappointing. It lacked flavor. Despite the added spices it tasted like chicken in chicken broth. Not a keepr.
Dan, I appreciate your opinion on this recipe.
Would love to have recipe for Grand Marnier Shrimp from HUNAN CHINESE RESTAURANT in
Denville, N.J. 07834
Nell
Thank you. TY, TY! My Momma could taste a dish an in time, create it. Often, impoving it. She didn’t let me in the kitchen much. I seemed to be clumsy, often cut myself or slop (her words) all over
Hominy is also a great alternative to beans in white chili. I like to slow cook several pounds chicken with onions and garlic till they fall off the bones, then stir in a gallon can of hominy with cumin, salt and pepper and a big jar of green salsa or restaurant-style lime and garlic salsa, heat it back up.
I have searched everywhere for WBCC from Olga’s restaurant. I made this WBCC & it’s good & filling. It’s also 0 points on Weight Watchers, so I’ll make it again, of course. Give Olga’s WBCC a try, pretty please.
Thank you for your suggestion. I will keep it in mind. I am glad you liked this recipe.
Would love to have the white bean chicken chili recipe from the Blackeye Pea Restaurant in Houston, Texas.
Thank you for your request. I think the one near me closed.
Would love to have the white bean chili recipe from Pottery house cafe and grille on pigeon forge
Great suggestion, I appreciate it.