By Becky Hardin
Updated Jul 18, 2025
I know I have a surefire hit on my hands any time I make this crockpot white chicken chili recipe! This slow cooker recipe is filled with shredded chicken, white beans, green chiles, an array of spices, and cream cheese to make a creamy chicken chili that’s oh-so comforting. Whether I cook up this white bean chili for a weeknight dinner with the family or for guests, everyone finishes their bowls with a smile.
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5-Star Review
“Such delicious flavors and so easy to make! Added a can of corn (drained) per daughter request. It’s her favorite meal once soup season hits. Also favorite for friends gatherings, very rarely have leftovers when I bring this over. Thanks so much!” -Heidi
Easy Crockpot White Chicken Chili
I always get asked for my creamy white chicken chili recipe —it’s one of those comfort foods that everyone seems to love. So I knew I had to come up with a slow cooker version that would be just as delicious but even easier to make. Turns out, making this white bean and chicken chili in my crockpot couldn’t be simpler. I just toss in a few pantry staples—like canned beans, green chiles, broth, and spices—along with some chicken breasts, then let the slow cooker do all the work. A few hours later, I stir in some cream cheese and a splash of cream, and it turns into the coziest, creamiest chili ever. It’s perfect for busy weeknights, chilly weekends, or anytime I want a hearty meal without hovering over the stove.
Ingredients1x2x3x
- ▢ 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- ▢ 1 tsp salt
- ▢ ½ tsp pepper
- ▢ 1 tsp cumin
- ▢ 1 tsp dried oregano
- ▢ ½ tsp chili powder
- ▢ ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
- ▢ 1 yellow onion diced
- ▢ 3 garlic cloves minced
- ▢ 30 oz. great northern beans drained and rinsed (2 standard cans), cannellini also work
- ▢ 8 oz. diced green chiles drained (2 standard cans)
- ▢ 3 cups chicken broth
- ▢ 4 oz. cream cheese cut into cubes
- ▢ ½ cup heavy cream
- ▢ ¼ cup chopped cilantro
- ▢ sour cream, tortilla strips, and cheese for garnish
Video
Instructions
- Spray the slow cooker insert with nonstick spray.
- Arrange the chicken in a single layer in the bottom of the crockpot. Sprinkle the chicken with salt, pepper, cumin, oregano, chili powder, and cayenne. 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp pepper, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp dried oregano, ½ tsp chili powder, ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
- Top evenly with the onion, garlic, great northern beans, and green chiles. Pour over the chicken broth. 1 yellow onion, 3 garlic cloves, 30 oz. great northern beans, 8 oz. diced green chiles, 3 cups chicken broth
- Cover and cook on high for 2-3 hours or on low for 5-7 hours until the chicken is cooked through.
- Remove the chicken from the slow cooker and place on a cutting board. Shred the chicken and return it to the pot.
- Add the cream cheese and heavy cream. Stir, cover, and cook on high for 15-20 minutes until the cream cheese has melted and the chili is warmed through. 4 oz. cream cheese, ½ cup heavy cream
- Stir in the cilantro and serve! ¼ cup chopped cilantro, sour cream, tortilla strips, and cheese for garnish
Equipment
- 1 Crockpot
Becky’s Tips
- The cream cheese and heavy cream are optional, but I love making this chili nice and creamy! If you prefer a thinner/brothier chili, skip Step 4 and add the shredded chicken back into the crockpot to serve.
- I rely on canned ingredients for convenience. Throwing in cans of white beans and green chiles is great for quick prep. I sometimes add a can of corn as well to bulk up the chili a little bit.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How to Make White Chicken Chili in a Crockpot Step by Step
Prepare chicken: Spray the slow cooker insert with nonstick spray, and arrange 4 chicken breasts in a single layer in the bottom of the crockpot. Then sprinkle the chicken with 1 tsp of salt, ½ tsp black pepper, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp dried oregano, ½ tsp chili powder, and ¼ tsp cayenne pepper.
Add the other chili ingredients: Next, add 1 diced yellow onion, 3 cloves of minced garlic, 2 cans of drained and rinsed Great Northern Beans (30 oz.), and 2 cans of drained green chiles (8 oz.). Then pour 3 cups of chicken broth on top.
Cook: Cover the slow cooker and cook chili on HIGH for 2-3 hours; or on LOW for 5-7 hours (until the chicken is cooked through).
Shred the chicken: Remove the cooked chicken breasts from the slow cooker and place on a cutting board. Then shred the chicken and return it to the pot of white bean chili.
Make it creamy: Add 4 oz. cubed cream cheese and ½ cup of heavy cream. Stir, cover, and cook on HIGH for 15-20 minutes until the cream cheese has melted and the chicken chili is warmed through.
Serve: Set the cooker to WARM, and serve bowls of creamy white chicken chili straight from the crockpot, topped with fresh cilantro, tortilla strips, sour cream, jalapeños, or whatever toppings you like. Enjoy!
How to Store
Let crockpot white chicken chili cool to room temperature before storing. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days, or freeze up to 3 months. Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-high heat until fully warmed through. Thaw first if frozen.
Serving Suggestions
I always serve bowls of this creamy Crockpot white chicken chili with fresh cilantro, a dollop of sour cream, crumbled tortilla chips , and a sprinkle of shredded cheese. It’s perfect served up with fresh cornbread for the ultimate comfort food meal!
more chili recipes we love
Crockpot Chili Recipe
Sweet Potato Chili
Cincinnati Chili
Instant Pot Chili Verde
Crockpot White Chicken Chili Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Crockpot
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp chili powder
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 30 oz. great northern beans drained and rinsed (2 standard cans), cannellini also work
- 8 oz. diced green chiles drained (2 standard cans)
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 4 oz. cream cheese cut into cubes
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
- sour cream, tortilla strips, and cheese for garnish
Instructions
- Spray the slow cooker insert with nonstick spray.
- Arrange the chicken in a single layer in the bottom of the crockpot. Sprinkle the chicken with salt, pepper, cumin, oregano, chili powder, and cayenne. 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp pepper, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp dried oregano, ½ tsp chili powder, ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
- Top evenly with the onion, garlic, great northern beans, and green chiles. Pour over the chicken broth. 1 yellow onion, 3 garlic cloves, 30 oz. great northern beans, 8 oz. diced green chiles, 3 cups chicken broth
- Cover and cook on high for 2-3 hours or on low for 5-7 hours until the chicken is cooked through.
- Remove the chicken from the slow cooker and place on a cutting board. Shred the chicken and return it to the pot.
- Add the cream cheese and heavy cream. Stir, cover, and cook on high for 15-20 minutes until the cream cheese has melted and the chili is warmed through. 4 oz. cream cheese, ½ cup heavy cream
- Stir in the cilantro and serve! ¼ cup chopped cilantro, sour cream, tortilla strips, and cheese for garnish
Video
Notes
- The cream cheese and heavy cream are optional, but I love making this chili nice and creamy! If you prefer a thinner/brothier chili, skip Step 4 and add the shredded chicken back into the crockpot to serve.
- I rely on canned ingredients for convenience. Throwing in cans of white beans and green chiles is great for quick prep. I sometimes add a can of corn as well to bulk up the chili a little bit.
Nutrition
By Becky Hardin
Published Jul 12, 2017
This Essential Grocery List is an absolute life saver for my family on the busy weeks. When I started this journey to learn how to cook, I quickly realized that the first step in cooking is having staple ingredients on hand. I want to avoid having to run out to the grocery store every single time I prepare a new recipe. Having a well-stocked pantry has made my life in the kitchen so much simpler, because when it’s time to cook, I have what I need.
Essential Grocery List
It’s so helpful to have a basic grocery list to help me remember which foods to buy at the store. This food shopping list is my go-to!
It’s better to stock up on things like grains, seasonings and spices, baking essentials, oils, condiments, canned and frozen foods, etc. so I can just grab them when I need them. These things have a long shelf life , so I keep them in my kitchen for convenience.
However, I do have to go to the supermarket sometimes, and there’s a way to make that trip easy and hassle-free: I keep a grocery list! If I go in blindly, I’ll leave with things I don’t need, and nothing that actually helps me prepare a good meal.
In the list below, I’ve compiled everything I always have on my stock-up grocery list.
I’ve got you covered! I created an easy grocery list filled with all of the essentials. Plus there’s a free printable version that you can take with you to the grocery store. It has everything you need to stock your pantry, your freezer, and your refrigerator.
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List
What to Buy at the Grocery Store
This is the perfect grocery list filled with all the basics and essentials. It should help get you going if you’re new to cooking, or if you’re just left staring helplessly at an empty pantry and don’t know how to fill it.
When I first started cooking, things could seem overwhelming. I quickly realized that they more prepared I could be, the more confident I felt. If you already have the basics in your kitchen, then you can shop stress-free.
So print out our easy grocery list, stock up your pantry and fridge, and you’ll be cooking in no time!
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Fresh Produce
- Apples
- Bananas
- Strawberries
- Avocados
- Bell Peppers
- Carrots
- Broccoli
- Garlic
- Lemons/Limes
- Onion
- Parsley
- Cilantro
- Basil
- Potatoes
- Spinach
- Tomatoes
GRAINS
- Breadcrumbs
- Pasta
- Quinoa
- Rice
- Sandwich Bread
- Tortillas
MEAT/PROTEIN
- Chicken
- Eggs
- Ground Beef
- Sliced Turkey
- Lunch Meat
DAIRY
- Butter
- Sliced Cheese
- Shredded Cheese
- Milk
- Sour Cream
- Greek Yogurt
BAKING GOODS
- Baking powder
- Baking Soda
- Granulated Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Flour
- Honey
- Vanilla Extract
- Dry Yeast
- Chocolate Chips
- Cocoa Powder
- Powdered Sugar
FREEZER
- Fruit and Berries
- Frozen Veggies (Corn, Peas, Broccoli, etc)
- Juice Concentrate
- Pizza or Other Convenience Meals
- Pie Crust
- Cookie Dough
CANNED/DRIED GOODS
- Chicken stock/broth
- Salsa
- Diced Tomatoes
- Jam/Jelly
- Peanut Butter
- Pasta Sauce
- Beans (Black Beans, Chickpeas, Baked Beans, etc)
- Soups
- Tuna
- Green Chiles
- Canned Veggies
- Coffee or Tea
Get more details on the best non-perishable and pantry foods
CONDIMENTS/SPICES
- Black Pepper
- Chili Powder
- Cinnamon
- Crushed Red Pepper
- Cumin
- Garlic Powder
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Mayo
- Nutmeg
- Paprika
- Salt (Course Sea Salt and Kosher Salt)
- Soy Sauce
- Steak Sauce
- Hot Sauce/ Buffalo Sauce
- Salad Dressings
OILS/VINEGARS
- Apple cider vinegar
- Balsamic vinegar
- Coconut Oil
- Olive Oil
- Vegetable/Canola Oil
- Red Wine Vinegar
- White Vinegar
- Cooking Wine
- White Wine Vinegar
SNACKS
- Crackers
- Nuts
- Quick Oats
- Popcorn
- Tortilla Chips
- Cereal
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Click ☝🏻 for my FREE Grocery List Printable!
I hope this essential grocery list can help you buy what you need and make your home cooking so much easier!
Stock Your Kitchen
Find more ideas for your grocery list, stock up your kitchen, and print more cooking guides and charts to keep handy!
Non-Perishable Foods to Stock Up On
Frozen Vegetables to Stock Up On (and Recipes to Make)
Ultimate List of Cooking Herbs for Your Kitchen
Ultimate List of Cooking Spices for Your Kitchen
Cooking Oil 101: Types of Cooking Oils to Use
26 Types of Pasta and When to Use Them
What Fruits and Vegetables are in Season?
Meat Temperature Chart (Free Printable)
How to Meal Prep (Guide for Beginners)
Basic Cooking Measurements & Kitchen Conversion Chart
