Description
Comforting White Chicken Chili simmers quietly in slow cookers, merging Mexican-inspired flavors with hearty ingredients. Creamy, zesty, and packed with tender chicken, this chili delivers a soul-warming meal you’ll savor to the last spoonful.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein:
- 1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or thighs)
Beans and Vegetables:
- 2 (15 ounces) cans white beans (cannellini or great northern), drained and rinsed
- 1 (4 ounces) can diced green chilies
- 1 small onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
Seasonings and Additional Ingredients:
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 0.5 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 0.5 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- 0.25 teaspoon black pepper
- 0.5 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional, for spice)
- 4 ounces cream cheese, cubed
- 0.5 cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
Instructions
- Prepare the slow cooker by layering chicken breasts at the bottom, creating a foundational protein base for the chili.
- Sprinkle chopped onions and minced garlic over the chicken to infuse aromatic flavors throughout the dish.
- Gently pour white beans and diced green chilies around the chicken, ensuring even distribution of ingredients.
- Season the mixture with cumin, oregano, chili powder, smoked paprika, salt, black pepper, and optional cayenne for a robust and complex flavor profile.
- Pour chicken broth over the ingredients, ensuring all components are slightly submerged and well-moistened.
- Cover the slow cooker and allow the mixture to simmer on low heat for 6-7 hours or high heat for 3-4 hours, enabling the chicken to become supremely tender and flavors to meld together.
- Carefully extract the chicken and use two forks to shred the meat into delicate, bite-sized pieces, then return it to the cooking liquid.
- Introduce cream cheese, sour cream, and fresh lime juice into the chili, stirring gently to create a rich, velvety texture.
- Let the chili rest for an additional 10-15 minutes, allowing the dairy components to fully integrate and create a smooth, creamy consistency.
- Ladle the chili into serving bowls and garnish with optional toppings like shredded cheese, fresh cilantro, sliced jalapeños, or crispy tortilla chips.
Notes
- Swap chicken breasts with thighs for richer flavor and more tender meat.
- Reduce spiciness by cutting cayenne pepper or using mild green chilies for sensitive palates.
- Make dairy-free by replacing cream cheese and sour cream with coconut cream or cashew cream alternative.
- Prep ingredients night before and store in refrigerator to save morning cooking time.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 7 hours (on Low) or 4 hours (on High)
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 290
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 480 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 8 g
- Protein: 20 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg