Name: Crockpot White Chicken Chili
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 4 h
Total time: 4 h 20 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts (boneless skinless chicken thighs are great, too, or a combination of white and dark meat); 1 cup diced yellow onion ( 1 medium onion); 2 teaspoons ground cumin; 1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano (or Mexican oregano); ½ teaspoon kosher salt; ½ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper; 1 jar (48 ounces) great Northern beans, rinsed and drained (or 3 15-ounce cans); 1 can (14.5 ounces) petite diced tomatoes, undrained (regular diced tomatoes are fine, too); 1 can (4.5 ounces) diced green chiles; 3 cups chicken broth (reduced sodium if possible); optional toppings: tortilla chips/strips, chopped or sliced jalapeño peppers, diced avocado, fresh cilantro, shredded cheese, sour cream, etc.

At a glance

What stands out: Crockpot white chicken chili is our go-to recipe for cool weather entertaining and busy weeknights. This white chili recipe is straightforward to mix and it’s a real crowd-pleaser. We've included several ways to adapt this recipe to make it reliable for YOU!

How long it takes: 15 minutes to prep, 4 to 8 hours in the slow cooker
Equipment you’ll need: crockpot
Servings: 8

A bowl of crockpot white chicken chili topped with sliced jalapeños and chopped herbs, surrounded by shredded cheese, tortilla strips, an avocado, and a small bowl of salt.

Chili that Does The Work For You

We've made this slow cooker white chicken chili a hundred times, and every batch is a little different, but it’s always straightforward and always satisfying. We recently retested this recipe, so it comes out evenly every time, but you can still make it your own: creamy, rich, or a touch lighter if you like.

Why we love it:

Pantry-friendly: Most ingredients are staples you probably already have.
Busy-day hero: Toss it in the crockpot in 10 minutes, head out, and come home to an memorable dinner.
Party favorite: Everyone loves it with toppings: sour cream, cilantro, tortilla strips.
Flexible cooking: Crockpot, Instant Pot, or stovetop – choose what works for you.

Comforting, versatile, and effortless, this chili is a go-to year round.

Straightforward Recipe Variations

Make it with dark meat. Not a fan of chicken breasts? Boneless skinless chicken thighs work well too. We especially love a combination of the two. The recipe calls for 1 ½ pounds but you can add a little more chicken or use a little less. It’s your call!
Stretch it. If you’re suddenly expecting a crowd and you need to make a bigger batch of chili, add a can of black beans or pinto beans. We like to add corn, either fresh, frozen, or canned. Add the corn right before serving so it doesn’t get tough.
Add cheese. When we're making crockpot white chicken chili for a party, we almost always stir in 1 to 2 cups of shredded Monterey Jack cheese. Cheese adds so much great flavor and it also thickens up the chili to make it more chili-like and less soup-like. Alternatively, you can keep the cheese on the side and use it as a garnish. Shred the cheese yourself instead of buying pre-shredded cheese because it melts more smoothly into the chili.
Make creamy chicken chili. Stir in 4 ounces of full-fat cream cheese just before serving the chili. You’ll love the slightly tangy flavor cream cheese adds to this chili. (If you like creamy chili, be sure to try our queso chili, too!)
Substitute salsa. Don’t have a can of green chiles and a can of diced tomatoes? We often substitute a jar of our favorite salsa instead of those two ingredients. It’s straightforward and the taste is fantastic.
Make it spicy. Add an extra can of green chilies, diced fresh jalapeño peppers, or red pepper flakes to turn up the heat. You can use pepper Jack cheese instead of Monterey Jack cheese, too!
Add cilantro. Instead of just sprinkling it on top, chop up a bunch of cilantro and stir it into the chili right before serving it.
Omit the beans. Are you doing a Whole30? Leave out the beans! If you want, replace them with a couple of diced red potatoes or sweet potatoes. Potatoes are another great way to bulk up your chili, with or without beans.

Overhead view of raw chicken breasts, diced tomatoes, white beans, chopped onions, diced green chiles, chicken broth, and small bowls of spices on a light surface.

Gather Ingredients An overhead view of a white slow cooker filled with a tomato-based mixture containing diced onions, peppers, and seasonings.

Combine Ingredients Shred Chicken Blend A Portion Return To Crockpot Add Chicken Garnish Serve!

Suggested Toppings for Chicken Chili

We like Greek yogurt, fresh cilantro, and sliced jalapeños. Try tortilla chips or strips, diced avocado, shredded cheese, sour cream, chopped tomatoes, or onions.

Keeping leftovers

Refrigerate: Cool chili to room temperature and refrigerate in a covered container for up to 4 days.

Freeze: Chili freezes well. Even if you’re only serving two people, crockpot white chicken chili is reliable for putting into the freezer to use for future meals. Place cooled chili into freezer-safe containers; freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Reheat: Individual servings can be reheated in the microwave. Heat larger amounts in a saucepan over medium heat on the stove.

Jerk Chicken Chili – straightforward one pan meal!

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Yield: 6
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 4 hours
Total: 4 hours 20 minutes

Ingredients

1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts (boneless skinless chicken thighs are great, too, or a combination of white and dark meat)
1 cup diced yellow onion ( 1 medium onion)
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano (or Mexican oregano)
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
1 jar (48 ounces) great Northern beans, rinsed and drained (or 3 15-ounce cans)
1 can (14.5 ounces) petite diced tomatoes, undrained (regular diced tomatoes are fine, too)
1 can (4.5 ounces) diced green chiles
3 cups chicken broth (reduced sodium if possible)
optional toppings: tortilla chips/strips, chopped or sliced jalapeño peppers, diced avocado, fresh cilantro, shredded cheese, sour cream, etc.

Method

Add all ingredients to a 6-quart crockpot. Stir to combine.
Cover and cook for 4 hours on High, or 7 to 8 hours on Low.
Remove chicken breasts to a large plate, cool slightly, and use two forks to shred it into bite-sized pieces. You can also chop it if you prefer.
With the chicken removed, scoop out 3 cups of the chili. Purée with a stick blender until smooth. Stir the blended mixture back into the chili. This helps to thicken the chili. Be sure to do it after you remove the chicken!
Return the shredded chicken to crockpot; cover and cook on low for 15 to 20 minutes, or until you’re ready to eat. If you're serving the chili at a party, keep the chili on Warm.
Serve with your favorite toppings!

Notes

Shortcut: Substitute a jar of your favorite salsa for the canned tomatoes and green chiles.

Add-ins: To make your chili go further, add a can of rinsed and drained black or pinto beans and a can of drained canned corn (frozen or fresh corn is fine, too). You can also add a couple of diced potatoes or sweet potatoes. Add extra chicken if you want.

Creamy chili: Stir in 4 ounces of cream cheese just before serving, or melt 1 to 2 cups of shredded Monterey jack cheese into the chili when it’s finished cooking.

Spicy chili: Add another can of diced green chiles, chopped fresh jalapeño peppers, extra chili powder to taste, or a pinch of red pepper flakes. If you’re adding cheese, consider using pepper Jack cheese.

Alternative cooking options: Try our Instant Pot white chicken chili or stovetop white chicken chili.

Storage: Leftover chili can be refrigerated in a covered container for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months (thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating). Individual portions of chili can be reheated in the microwave; heat larger amounts in a saucepan over medium heat.