This slow cooker white chicken chili is full of perfectly shredded chicken, creamy stock and finished off with all the fresh toppings. Cook in a crockpot for an easy dinner the family will love.
Typically, I am not one to reach for my Crock-Pot when it comes time to plan and prep dinner. I much prefer to have full control over my dishes, tasting and adjusting as I cook. I often find crockpot meals to be bland, overcooked, and mushy.
The Crock-Pot, and other slow cookers, are great when making things like shredded chicken tacos, pork, and even homemade broths. However, soups and other dishes with elements that require different cooking times and techniques, I haven't found it to be a great option.
The other issue I find with crockpot meals, mainly soups, is recipes are typically full of canned cream of soups, cream cheese, heavy cream, and other ingredients I usually don't use a lot of in my soups.
This white chicken chili recipe makes me eat all those words. At the end of the day, I am a mom of two very busy kids and between school and activities, some nights we need dinner quick. This chili is quick to put together but doesn't taste like it.
I finish off my white chicken chili with a technique I learned from Lovely Little Kitchen, where she makes a roux and adds it to the soup 30 minutes before serving. This makes for a creamy texture without having to add loads of cheeses and creams. I prefer to save that for the toppings.
Finish it off with cilantro, limes, avocado, and grated cheese to add a freshness to it. Get even more ideas of what you can serve with chili.
My other go-to crockpot recipe is Crock Pot Chicken Tacos. Another great weeknight dinner!
Tips and Notes
1. Don't skip the fresh stuff:
Use as fresh of ingredients as you can. That means fresh garlic cloves, real limes, freshly grated cheese, and cilantro. This really makes a big difference with this soup and brings out a freshness to it.
2. Season the chicken with salt and pepper first:
The first thing you want to do is coat the chicken in olive oil and then sprinkle it with salt and pepper. Set aside (or in the Crock-Pot) while you gather and prepare all the other ingredients.
3. Making a Roux:
If this is a new process for you please don't worry! Making a roux, especially this one, is super simple and worth the step. You can skip it, but the chili will not turn out as creamy and will have a more brothy texture.
I will have instructions in the next section.
Instructions
Start off by placing the chicken in the crockpot, coating it in olive oil, and sprinkling it with salt and pepper on all sides. Set aside while you gather all the other ingredients.
Add in diced onions, beans, corn, chilies, and garlic.
In a small bowl mix together all the spices.
Sprinkle on top of the chicken mix. Using a spatula, mix it all together.
Add in the can of chicken broth.
Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours. If chicken is frozen it will take up to 8 hours to fully cook. If chicken is thawed it will be closer to 6. Need it faster? Cook on high for 4 hours.
Chicken is done when it easily falls apart and shreds. If it doesn't shred easily allow it to cook a little longer.
About a half-hour before you are ready to serve, remove chicken from the Crock-Pot and transfer to a plate or cutting board to shred. Note: It will be juicy so I prefer a plate so I can add the juices back into the soup. Next, make the roux.
How to Make a Roux:
Step one: In a small saucepan melt butter over medium heat.
Step two: Sprinkle in flour and whisk until it starts to bubble. Keep whisking and allow the flour to cook and even turn a little brown. Be careful not to burn it though.
Step three: While whisking, slowly pour in the milk. It will start to thicken, but as you pour the milk it will thin out. Add the salt.
Step four: Allow to simmer until it starts to thicken up to a creamy texture. It's ready when you can dip a spoon in and it coats the back of it.
You made a roux! Now add it to your soup and stir to incorporate.
Cover and cook on low for an additional 30 minutes, or until the soup has thickened up.
Finish it off with all of your desired toppings and serve warm. My kids opt for Fritos every single time as their preferred "topping".
Substitutions
- Gluten-Free: The roux does call for flour so select a good gluten-free option to use as a thickener. Zest for Baking has 10 alternative Gluten-Free thickening agent ideas.
- Beans: This recipe calls for Cannellini White Kidney Beans but I have also used Great Northern Beans and they work as well. I just find the Cannellini Beans hold up a little better. You could also use Pinto or even Garbanzo Beans.
Variations
- Spicy: If you want your chili to be spicy add in some fresh jalapenos before cooking and some cayenne. Can also be served with some hot sauce of your choosing.
- Vegetarian: If you would like to leave out the chicken just substitute for more beans and vegetable stock instead of chicken stock.
- Add More Veggies: This soup could handle extra veggies if that is your goal. Peppers would be a great addition. I would avoid things such as zucchini as they cook very quickly and could get mushy.
- Make it Non-Creamy: Don't want to add flour and milk to your soup? No problem. Just leave out the roux and instead add some more chicken broth in the beginning.
- Make it Creamier: If you want it even more creamy, add in about ½ cup of sour cream when you add the roux. This will intensify the creaminess.
Storage
Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. Will keep up to 3-4 days.
Creamy soups do not hold up well to freezing. When brought back to room temp and heating it can cause the milk to separate. If you would like to freeze, leave out the roux and add it after it is thawed.
Reheating
- Microwave: Divide soup among individual bowls and microwave for 1 minute. Stir, taste, and return to microwave for an additional 1 minute. Continue until you reach desired temp.
- Stove: Pour soup into a saucepot and bring to temp over medium heat. Stir often to prevent burning. If you opted to freeze the soup, this will be when you want to make and add the roux in.
Did you try it? I would love to hear your thoughts on this recipe! Leave me a comment below or tag me on social media @dirt.dough.
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📋Recipe
Crockpot White Chicken Chili
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Soup
- 1.5-2 pounds Chicken Breast - Can be frozen or thawed. Will cook at different times. See Notes.
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1 Medium Onion - Diced
- 2 Cloves of Garlic - Minced or Pressed
- 2 15.5 ounce Cans White Cannellini Beans
- 1 4 ounce Can Diced Green Chilies
- 2 cups Frozen Corn
- 1 teaspoon Oregano
- 1 teaspoon Cumin
- ½ teaspoon Paprika
- 1 14.5 ounce Can Chicken Broth
For the Roux
- 3 tablespoons Butter
- 3 Tablespoons All Purpose Flour
- 1 Cup Milk
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
Toppings
- Fresh Cilantro
- Limes
- Shredded Extra Sharp White Cheddar Cheese
- Sour Cream
- Jalapenos
- Fritos
Instructions
- Start off by placing the chicken in the crockpot, coating it in olive oil, and sprinkling it with salt and pepper on all sides. Set aside while you gather all the other ingredients.
- Add in diced onions, garlic, beans, corn and chilies.
- In a small bowl, mix together all the spices.
- Sprinkle on top of the chicken, veggie and bean mix. Using a spatula, mix it all together.
- Dump in the can of chicken broth.
- Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours. (See notes on cooking time)
- Chicken is done when it easily falls apart and shreds. If it doesn't shred easily allow it to cook a little longer.
- About a half-hour before you are ready to serve, remove chicken from the crockpot and transfer to a plate or cutting board to shred. Dump back in the Crock-Pot.
Making the Roux
- In a small saucepan melt butter over medium heat.
- Sprinkle in flour and whisk until it starts to bubble. Keep whisking and allow the flour to cook and even turn a little brown. Be careful not to burn it.
- While whisking, slowly pour in the milk. It will start to thicken, but as you pour the milk it will thin out.
- Add the salt.
- Allow to simmer until it starts to thicken up to a creamy texture. It's ready when you can dip a spoon in and it coats the back of it.
Putting together
- Pour the roux into the crockpot along wtih the shredded chicken and stir to mix everything together.
- Cover and cook for an additional 30 minutes, or until soup starts to thicken up.
- Seve warm and finish with your desired toppings.
Notes
- Spicy: If you want your chili to be spicy add in some fresh jalapenos before cooking and some cayenne. Can also be served with some hot sauce of your choosing.
- Vegetarian: If you would like to leave out the chicken just substitute for more beans and vegetable stock instead of chicken stock.
- Add More Veggies: This soup could handle extra veggies if that is your goal. Peppers would be a great addition. I would avoid things such as zucchini as they cook very quickly and could get mushy.
- Make it Non-Creamy: Don't want to add flour and milk to your soup? No problem. Just leave out the roux and instead add some more chicken broth in the beginning.
- Make it Creamier: If you want it even more creamy, add in about ½ cup of sour cream when you add the roux. This will intensify the creaminess.
- Gluten-Free: The roux does call for flour so select a good gluten-free option to use as a thickener. Zest for Baking has 10 alternative Gluten-Free thickening agent ideas.
- Beans: This recipe calls for Cannellini White Kidney Beans but I have also used Great Northern Beans and they work as well. I just find the Cannellini Beans hold up a little better. You could also use Pinto or even Garbanzo Beans.
- Microwave: Divide soup among individual bowls and microwave for 1 minute. Stir, taste, and return to microwave for an additional 1 minute. Continue until you reach desired temp.
- Stove: Pour soup into a saucepot and bring to temp over medium heat. Stir often to prevent burning. If you opted to freeze the soup, this will be when you want to make and add the roux in.
What happened to the avacado you listed in the begining?
Hi Maureen! Are you referring to where the avocado is in the photo? The avocado is just an optional topping. It is definitely not necessary.