Easy Crockpot White Chicken Chili: Best Party Recipe
This creamy crockpot white chicken chili is the ultimate crowd-pleaser, featuring tender shredded chicken, white beans, and a velvety broth with a subtle kick from green chiles. Perfect for parties, it’s incredibly easy to make with simple ingredients and always impresses guests.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 6-7 hours (low) or 3-4 hours (high)
- Total Time: 6 hours 15 minutes to 7 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1.5 to 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 2 (15-ounce) cans white beans (Great Northern or cannellini), drained and rinsed
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 (4-ounce) cans diced green chiles
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano (preferably Mexican)
- 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper (or to taste)
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped (for garnish)
- ½ cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (for garnish)
- 1 medium avocado, diced (for garnish)
- Tortilla chips or strips (for serving)
Instructions
- Prep the aromatics: Dice the onion and mince the garlic.
- Layer the ingredients in the crockpot: Place the chicken breasts in the bottom. Add the diced onion, minced garlic, drained white beans, and both cans of green chiles. Sprinkle with cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper. Pour in the chicken broth, ensuring the chicken is mostly covered. Do not stir.
- Cook on low for 6-7 hours or on high for 3-4 hours, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F and shreds easily.
- Shred the chicken: Remove the chicken from the pot, shred with two forks, and return to the crockpot. Stir to combine.
- Make the creamy base: In a small bowl, whisk the softened cream cheese with ½ cup of hot broth from the pot until smooth. Pour the mixture into the crockpot and stir. Add the heavy cream and stir again.
- Finish and adjust seasoning: Let the chili cook for another 15-20 minutes on low. Taste and adjust salt, pepper, or cumin as needed. Stir in the fresh lime juice just before serving.
- Serve and garnish: Ladle the chili into bowls and top with cilantro, cheese, avocado, and tortilla chips as desired.
Notes
For a dairy-free version, skip the cream cheese and heavy cream and stir in a can of full-fat coconut milk at the end. To make it spicier, add a diced jalapeño or use hot green chiles. For a vegetarian option, replace chicken with two extra cans of white beans and use vegetable broth. The chili can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (about 1.5 cu
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 4
- Sodium: 680
- Fat: 18
- Saturated Fat: 10
- Carbohydrates: 22
- Fiber: 6
- Protein: 35
Keywords: white chicken chili, crockpot chili, slow cooker chili, party recipe, creamy chili, easy chili