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This Crock Pot White Chicken Chili Recipe is loaded with chicken, corn, beans, and even a splash of beer. Hearty yet nutritious, it’s simple to make and just plain tasty!
Get ready to warm up with a delightful bowl of Crockpot White Chicken Chili. This easy-to-follow recipe combines chicken with a rich blend of ingredients like beans, green chilies, corn, and even a splash of beer, all seasoned with classic Southwestern spices. And the best part is that the crock pot does almost all the work!
What Is White Chicken Chili?
White Chicken Chili is a popular variation of traditional chili that typically features chunks of chicken, white beans, green chilies, and sometimes corn. Unlike traditional red chili, which is made with tomatoes and red chili peppers, White Chicken Chili has a lighter, often creamier base. The flavors are usually enhanced with spices like cumin, chili powder, and garlic, and it might be thickened with cream or blended beans.
Why We Love This Crockpot Chili Recipe
- Flavorful: A blend of chicken, white beans, green chilies, and spices creates a rich taste.
- Easy: With the use of a slow cooker, this chili cooks itself, requiring minimal hands-on time.
- Adaptable: It can be adjusted to suit different tastes or dietary needs.
- Hearty: Packed with protein and nutritious ingredients, it’s a good-for-you meal that fills you up.
- Versatile: Whether it’s a family dinner or a game-day feast, this chili fits the bill.
Ingredients
- Chicken Breasts, but you can also use rotisserie chicken as a shortcut.
- Chicken broth, low-sodium or regular.
- Beer adds a depth of flavor
- Onion & Garlic
- Great Northern Beans add a creaminess to the chili.
- Green chilies for a touch of heat.
- Sweet corn kernels to add sweetness and texture to the chili.
- Spices like cumin, chili powder, paprika, salt, and pepper season this chili.
- Garnishes, like lime wedges, avocado, jalapeno, sour cream, and cilantro.
How To Make Crockpot White Chicken Chili
Who can resist a chili, right? It’s perfect for those cold winter nights, and it is easy to whip up and super tasty, but it’s also good for you and fills you up.
- Combine the ingredients. Place the chicken on the bottom of the slow cooker then add the broth, beer, onion, garlic, beans, green chilies, and corn. Stir in the seasonings.
- Cook. Cook for 3.5 to 4 hours on high or 5 to 6 hours on low.
- Shred the chicken. Place the chicken on a cutting board for a few minutes then shred.
- Blend the soup. Transfer a couple of the soup to a blend and blend until smooth. Return to the crockpot and stir. Add the chicken back to the crockpot as well.
- Enjoy. Ladle into bowls and top with your desired garnishes.
Recipe Tips And Variations
- Check for doneness. Use a meat thermometer to check if the chicken is cooked through. It should read 165°F (75°C) at the thickest part.
- Taste as you go. Always taste and adjust seasonings as needed, especially with salt.
- Make it vegetarian. Omit the chicken and use vegetable broth, adding extra beans or other plant-based proteins.
- Try different beans. Use cannellini beans or chickpeas as a substitute for Great Northern Beans.
- Make a creamier broth. For a creamier chili, whisk in a splash of heavy cream or a dollop of sour cream to the pot before serving.
- Beer: I use whatever I have on hand, but Dos Equis is great! Modelo Negra is a good choice, as well as Guinness or Samuel Adams, perhaps.
- Make it alcohol-free. If you prefer not to use beer, replace it with additional chicken broth.
- Add more veggies. Feel free to add other vegetables like bell peppers or diced tomatoes for more texture and flavor.
Serving Suggestions
I love to serve chicken chili with some crusty bread, cornbread, or biscuits for dipping. But if you want to add more, red cabbage slaw pairs very well with the flavors, and jeera rice will turn it into a more substantial meal.
Storing Instructions
- To refrigerate, transfer the cooled leftovers to an airtight container; seal and keep in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
- To reheat, add larger portions of chili to a pot and warm it over medium heat on the stovetop or warm individual servings in the microwave.
More Chili Recipes
- Slow Cooker Beef Chili
- No Beans Chili
- Turkey Chili With Butternut Squash
- Texas No Beans Chili
- Chili Stuffed Poblano Peppers
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Crock Pot White Chicken Chili
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 4 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup Dos Equis beer
- 1 large yellow onion,, diced
- 3 cloves garlic,, minced
- 2 cans (15-ounces, each) low sodium Great Northern Beans, , drained and rinsed well
- 1 can (4.5 ounces) green chilies
- 1 cup canned sweet corn kernels,, drained and rinsed
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon chili powder,, or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon paprika,, or to taste
- salt and fresh ground black pepper,, to taste
- lime wedges,, for serving
- 1 avocado,, sliced or diced, for garnish
- jalapenos slices,, for garnish, optional
- sour cream,, for garnish, optional
- chopped fresh cilantro,, for garnish
Instructions
- Place chicken on the bottom of your slow cooker.
- Add chicken broth, beer, onion, garlic, beans, green chilies, and corn.
- Stir in cumin, chili powder, paprika, salt and pepper.
- Cover and cook for 3.5 to 4 hours ON HIGH, or until chicken is thoroughly cooked. Or cook on LOW for 5 to 6 hours, or until chicken is done.
- Remove chicken breasts from the pot and place on a cutting board; let cool for a few minutes.
- Shred chicken and set aside.
- Transfer about 1 cup of the soup into a blender and process until blended; stir it back into the soup until thoroughly combined.
- Stir shredded chicken back into the soup.
- Ladle chili into bowls; serve with lime wedges and garnish with avocado, jalapeno slices, sour cream, and cilantro.
- Serve.
Notes
- Check for Doneness: Make sure the chicken is cooked through by using an instant-read meat thermometer. It should read 165°F (75°C) at the thickest part.
- Taste and Adjust: Always taste and adjust seasonings as needed, especially with salt, since the spiciness of chilies and salt content in broth can vary.
- Spice Level: Adjust the heat by using milder or hotter green chilies.
- Alternate Proteins: Consider using chicken thighs instead of breasts or even turkey as a substitute.
- Alcohol-Free: If you prefer not to use beer, replace it with additional chicken broth or water.
- Additional Vegetables: Feel free to add other vegetables like bell peppers or diced tomatoes.
- Storage: Keep leftovers in an airtight container and in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
I made this yesterday and we ate however much we wanted but now for lunch I’m looking to get a serving size for the 160 calories. Maybe 1 cup? Or do you think more?
Very tasty! And so simple. Added more spice cuz we like things spicy but otherwise followed to a T. I did shred the chicken directly in the slow cooker cuz it fell apart. It’s a little thin but packed with flavor!
So sorry if this has already been asked and answered – can this be made in an Instant Pot?
Hi!
Yes, this can be cooked in the IP. Place everything in the IP, put the chicken breasts on top and pour in the chicken broth. Secure the lid on your pressure cooker in its sealing position. Select the manual setting and set the cooking time for 15 minutes at high pressure. The pot will take about 10 minutes to come up to pressure before the cooking program begins. When done, do a quick release, remove the chicken, shred it, and then stir it back into the IP with the rest of the soup. Then, serve.
This is amazing!!! I had to make some tweaks (we don’t drink beer) and added some chipotle (as we love it!) I also threw in some mushrooms and chopped bell pepper.
Our slow cooker seems to be bionic! 2 hrs on high and it was ready. We are a two person household so have lots of lovely leftovers, I just had some and it tasted even better today! I also think the leftover sauce could be drunk as a broth it is that good.
Hi- what did you do to substitute the beer? We do not drink either.
Hi!
You can use non-alcoholic beer, or a general substitute like, water, chicken broth, or apple juice. Even ginger ale will work.
Thank you for sharing! Plan to make this tonight. I may use Guiness instead of Dos Equis, probably slightly less than a cup though because of the stronger flavor.
I hope you enjoy it! Thank YOU! 🙂
Hi there,
Can this be made in an instant pot?
Looks pretty good but I would DEFINITELY not use Guinness beer- it is TOTALLY different from Dos Equis. Gross.
Also the amount of spices called for seem paltry- 1/4 tsp chili powder for an entire slow cooker meal? I plan to at least double them.
Thank you Katerina for sharing with us this simple yet amazing recipe for the Crock Pot White Chicken Chili . I tried the recipe at home and I should say it sure is packed with all the Southwestern flavors. My family loved it and have asked for it to be made again, which happens rarely. All appreciations to you for giving us a healthy and pot filled with chicken, corn, beans and a portion of beer.
I am so happy that you and your family enjoyed this recipe! Thank you! 🙂
Delicious, thanks so much!
Thank YOU! 🙂
Wow this looks so delicious! It would be perfect for some of the colder nights up here!