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 and green chiles, flavorful broth, and both dried and fresh herbs and spices 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.
Make 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 little kids, all currently 8 and under, 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 gluten free flour (or AP flour if you don’t need to eat GF) 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
- 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:
- Crock Pot Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
- Crock Pot Breakfast Casserole
- Crock Pot Mojo Pork
- Crock Pot Italian Beef
- Crock Pot Cheeseburger French Fries
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CrockPot White Chicken Chili
Description
CrockPot White Chicken Chili is an easy, healthy, and hearty slow cooker chicken chili recipe that's full of familiar yet craveable flavors.
Ingredients
- 1lb chicken breasts (~2 large chicken breasts)
- 15oz can great northern beans, drained and rinsed
- 4oz can chopped green chiles
- 1 - 2 fresh jalapenos, seeded then minced (use 1 made for a mild chili)
- 1 shallot or 1/2 onion, 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
- juice of 1/2 small lime
- 1/4 cup milk, any kind
- 1 Tablespoon gluten free flour (or AP flour if you don't need to eat GF)
- 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 and cook on low for 4 hours or until chicken shreds easily.
- Remove chicken 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.
- Leave a comment and star rating if you loved the recipe! Thank you for considering!
Notes
To prep ahead of time:
- 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 dump into the crockpot and cook according to the directions. I stocked the freezer with a bunch of these for maternity leave!
- 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 20-30 minutes then pop it into the base and cook according to directions.
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.
Video
So when you say to put all the ingredients for the crockpot chicken chili into a freezer bag, are you including the spices and chicken broth? Thx
Did this recipe change? I feel like the steps with milk and flour are missing…
This is excellent and SOOOOOO easy. My picky 7 year old took one bite and said “oh this is good!” (Almost unheard of). Truly scrumptious.
How much milk and flour?
Hi. I love this recipes and have made it many times. I am making it today. I was thinking it used to have milk and flour or cornstarch to thicken it up after you take the chicken out. Could you please give me that part of the recipe? Thanks.
The link you’ve posted to show how to create this recipe on the stove top is taking me to a treadmill work out. Is there another way to view this? Thank you!
This looks like a new favorite comfort food! Great time of year to have this!
I make white chicken chili w a very similar recipe and we like to add ‘leftover’rice as an another ‘topping’.
I love this chicken chili and made it weekly for several months back in 2019 (it hit the spot for dinner after my nightly hot yoga class). I decided yo mage it again today and could have sworn it used to call for adding a little milk and flour at the end. I’m not saying it needs it, but I’m just wondering if I’m losing my mind.
Where is the measurements for the flour and milk? I don’t see them
Hi,
I saw one of your chili sites and would love the recipe for it.It’s called MASON JAR Chili with Cornbread Topping.
I’m enjoying your site….it’s great……
So delicious
My husband really doesn’t like chili wuth tomato sauce so we make this instead. Very tasty alternative!
The video says to add flour and milk but the website recipe doesn’t mention either. What are the written instructions for the last part?
Hi Rachel! Sorry about the confusion – I removed that step after making this recipe over and over and over and feeling like it didn’t significantly add to the recipe – just one less step, I thought! Sorry for the confusion!
Yummy! Made this and used leftover cooked shredded chicken in place of the 1# chicken breast. I slowed cooked everything else and then added the chicken at the end. It turned out great!
I thought the crockpot white chili was really bad. It didn’t cook in 4 hours on low. When the chicken finally got cooked the resulting chili was very thin and really very flavorless. It needed carrots and more spices. Also, sauteing the mire poix before adding to the crockpot might have given it more flavor.
Did you remove the flour and milk from the recipe?
So good!! Lots of flavor. I used two jalapeños and added one poblano pepper and it had the right amount of spice for us! We like spicy and will be making this again. Thank you!
I actually made this and it is excellent. It’s super flavorful and healthy and low calorie. I double the recipe or it wouldn’t last long…lol.
This was an awesome recipe! We don’t normally like spicy so I left our the jalapeños and cut the chopped chili peppers in half. My husband thought it was still too spicy, but everyone else loved it.
I also figured out I can throw it all in my Instant Pot on high for 15 minutes, then use my Instant Pot like a slow cooker for the last 30 minutes when you add the milk. The chicken is even more moist than when using my slow cooker!