CrockPot White Chicken Chili is an easy, healthy, and hearty slow cooker chicken chili recipe that's full of familiar yet craveable flavors.
You asked for more healthy crock pot recipes and I’m so happy to deliver with CrockPot White Chicken Chili! Not only is this easy white chicken chili low in fat yet high in protein and fiber, but it’s gluten free and dairy free too.
Best of all, this recipe falls into the “add nearly everything into the slow cooker then push on” category — aka the very best kind!
It’s not an exaggeration to say that my entire family loves this dish. Don’t tell my Signature Chili, but it might be my favorite chili recipe on IGE. Each bowl is slightly thick and velvety, and full of familiar yet craveable flavors.
Good anytime of year – just don’t forget the cornbread!
Watch How to Make It
What’s Inside
Lean, boneless skinless chicken breasts join fridge and pantry staples including canned white beans, green chiles, broth, and dried and fresh herbs and seasonings to create a healthy bowl of white chili that’s made for you right in the crock pot.
I think there’s a common misconception that chicken breasts take forever to slow cook, but all you need is four hours on low. It should shred with just the tap of a fork.
How Do You Thicken White Chicken Chili?
I love this crockpot chicken chili because the broth is slightly thick and luxurious. To thicken it, all you have to do is combine a splash of milk with gluten free flour (or regular flour if you don’t need to eat GF) then drizzle the mixture into the crock pot during the last 30 minutes of cooking.
Nearly no work yet you get that fabulous, velvety texture which thickens a bit further after adding crushed tortilla chips and/or shredded cheese to each bowl.
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Pin ItMake or Prep Ahead — 3 Ways
Not only is CrockPot White Chicken Chili a relatively quick cooking slow cooker recipe, but it’s easy to make or prep ahead of time. Here are my favorite ways to make or prep the recipe ahead of time so dinner is a breeze:
- Make freezer packs. Add all the ingredients into a gallon freezer bag then remove as much air as possible and freeze flat. 24-48 hours before slow cooking, place the bag in the fridge to thaw then dump into the crock pot and cook according to the directions. I stocked the freezer with a bunch of these before going on maternity leave with Cameron.
- Prep the night before. Add all the ingredients into the removable crock portion of your Crock Pot then place in the refrigerator overnight. Let the pot sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes then pop it into the base and cook according to recipe instructions..
- Cook ahead of time. Slow cook the recipe then cool completely and transfer to a large storage container. Scoop into bowls later in the week then reheat in the microwave. Voila – nearly instant supper!
How Spicy is It?
As written, this dish isn’t too spicy for my young children, though you could definitely up the ante by adding more fresh jalapenos into the mix, topping your bowl with fresh or pickled jalapeno slices, adding a dash or 17 of green Tabasco sauce, or topping each bowl with shredded Pepper Jack cheese.
How to Make CrockPot White Chicken Chili
Start by adding chicken breasts, canned great northern beans, canned diced green chiles, fresh jalapenos that have been seeded and minced, garlic, shallot or onion, plus seasonings including salt, pepper, cumin, and dried oregano into a 6-quart Crock Pot.
Next add fresh lime juice plus chicken broth then stir, cover, and cook on low for 4 hours.
After four hours, shred the chicken and place into the refrigerator.
Whisk together milk (any kind) and flour (gluten free, if you need it!) in a small dish then pour into the chili and stir to combine. Cover and cook on high for 30 minutes. This will give the chili just a touch of velvety thickness.
Stir the chicken back into the soup then scoop the CrockPot White Chicken Chili into bowls and serve with your favorite chili toppers. I hope you love this easy crockpot chicken chili recipe – enjoy!
What to Serve with CrockPot White Chicken Chili
- Cornbread
- Gluten Free Flatbread
- Gluten Free Focaccia
- Gluten Free Biscuits
- Sliced fresh or pickled jalapenos
- Crushed tortilla chips
- Shredded Monterey Jack or Pepper Jack Cheese
- Fresh lime wedges
- Chopped fresh cilantro
- Sour cream
More Crock Pot Recipes You’ll Love
- Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
- Crock Pot Salsa Chicken
- Crock Pot Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
- Crock Pot Mojo Pork
- Crock Pot Cheeseburger French Fries
- Crock Pot Buffalo Chicken Dip
- Crock Pot Italian Beef Sandwiches
- Crock Pot Sausage and Peppers
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken breasts
- 15 oz can great northern beans, drained and rinsed
- 4 oz can diced green chiles
- 1 – 2 jalapenos, seeded then minced, use 1 made for a mild chili
- 1 onion or shallot, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1-1/2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- big pinch dried oregano
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 small lime
- 1/4 cup milk, any kind
- 1 Tablespoon flour
- Toppings: green Tabasco sauce, verde sauce, lime wedges, tortilla chips, shredded cheese, chopped cilantro, sour cream
Directions
- Add first 12 ingredients — chicken breasts through lime juice — into a 6-quart crock pot then stir to combine. Cover then cook on LOW for 4 hours or until chicken shreds easily.
- Remove chicken from crock pot then shred and place in the refrigerator. Whisk flour and milk together in a small dish then drizzle into chili and stir to combine. Cover then cook on high for 30 minutes. Stir shredded chicken back into chili then scoop into bowls and serve with toppings.
Notes
- To make freezer packs: Add all the ingredients for the CrockPot White Chicken Chili into a gallon freezer bag then remove as much air as possible and freeze flat. 24-48 hours before slow cooking, place the bag in the fridge to thaw then pour into the crockpot and cook according to recipe directions.
- To prep the night before: Add all the ingredients into the removable crock portion of your CrockPot then place in the refrigerator overnight. Let the CrockPot sit at room temperature for 30 minutes then pop it into the base and cook according to directions.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.
Photos by Ashley McLaughlin
Do you think a can of fire roasted tomatoes could be added to this recipe?
Such a great, yummy, easy recipe! My son is allergic to dairy and LOVES this! It’s a hit for the entire family, especially if the kids get to squeeze some fresh lime over the top before indulging! Great recipe!!
Also wanted to add, my dairy allergic son is only 18 months old and it’s his favorite!!! And my husband has been asking me for years to find a “good” white chicken chili recipe, as many others we’ve tried did not fit the bill! So good!!
The Crock-pot White Chicken Chili is a great recipe! I love love love it! It has quickly become a family favorite. Thanks for sharing it!
My daughter told me about your site and I have made a dozen or so recipes. OMG! everything has been delicious….SO delicious! Your White Chicken Chili is the best I ever had! We raced to the crockpot for seconds.
I have a daughter with a dairy allergy and one with a corn allergy. With corn, we can’t do any milk alternatives since they all contain corn. Can we just skip the dairy and maybe use water?
You can skip the flour/milk step altogether – I do it all the time when I’m feeling lazy (which is often!) and the chili still turns out great. :)
My husband is nightshade free. Do you have any suggestions on substitutions for the jalepeno and green chili’s without sacrificing the taste?
Hello! This sounds amazing and I am going to try this. One question, don’t the beans get really soggy cooking for so long? If you use canned beans?
I made this for my niece when she was in town who eats gluten and dairy free. Kate loved it.
I made this Crock Pot White Chicken Chili tonight for dinner and it was phenomenal! So amazingly good! This chili has SO much flavor! This one is a keeper for sure! Love that it’s gluten free!
I want to thank you for the rcipe fi chicken chili.Ireally appreciate yor letting me print this.Iwas really sad today I was made a fool of by someone who had a recipe on line and she made me use up almost all my paper and didm.d give mr the recipe.This really hurt for now I only have a few printing papers. I’m a senior person and I really have to be careful.I assure you when I can get some more paper I’d like to try a few of your recipes.One question can I make these not gluten? I’ll try when I can get more paper. Thank you.
This was so so good! And I’m not even gluten free;-) Very flavorful and easy! Thanks for the recipe!
Has anyone adjusted this to cook in an Instant Pot yet? Four hours of cooking time is tough if you want it to cook all day when you are at work. I don’t like to just keep it on “warm” for four more hours. It will be overdone by that point!
Quick question: (I apologize if I missed the same questions from someone else) Can you throw in frozen breasts instead of thawed? Would you simply adjust the cook time from 4 hours on low to 6-8? I’ve done it with other recipes, but was curious if you’ve tried it with frozen breasts. Thanks!
Hi Katie! The USDA doesn’t recommend using frozen meats in the crock pot which is why I go with fresh! https://www.fsis.usda.gov/shared/PDF/Slow_Cookers_and_Food_Safety.pdf