This White Chicken Chili is creamy and delicious. It’s an easy recipe you can make in your slow cooker for a cozy dinner.
We love this white chicken chili on cold, chilly days and love it during the summer because it isn’t too heavy. It’s easy to prep and simmers for hours in a slow cooker for an easy dinner. Top it with your favorite toppings like cilantro, sour cream, and tortilla chips.
I love easy crockpot recipes, and one of our family favorites is this white bean chicken chili. We make it all year round, but we especially love it during the fall and winter months. It’s comforting but not heavy, and it’s so simple to make in the slow cooker.
Easy Slow Cooker Recipe
The ingredient list might look long but I promise this recipe is not hard to make. The majority of the ingredients are simple pantry items with a few fresh ingredients.
It usually takes me about 20 minutes to prep it in the morning. Then, I leave it to simmer for hours on low. There are a few extra steps to turn it into a creamy white chili just before it’s done in the last hour.
What I love best about this recipe is that my kids gobble it up. They love it with some cornbread on the side, and I always think we’ll have leftovers, but it just disappears. Luckily, it’s easy to make, and I keep the ingredients on hand, so it’s a breeze to make whenever we get a craving.

Ingredients
The first step in this recipe is to slow cook the chicken with seasonings, vegetables, and beans in the broth. Here are the ingredients you’ll need:
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Chili powder, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper
- Chicken broth
- Canned diced green chiles
- Green chile salsa
- Frozen corn
- White beans – great northern or cannellini beans will work fine
These ingredients are for the base recipe. After they’ve simmered for hours you will need thicken it with a few more ingredients.
Prep and Slow Cook
Place the chicken breasts in the slow cooker and sprinkle salt and pepper over the top. Layer the rest of the ingredients on top, finishing with the beans.
Cover the slow cooker and cook the chicken chili on low for five to seven hours. Or, you can cook it on high for two to three hours.
How to Thicken White Chili
Once the meat has cooked in the seasoned broth, you will need to thicken it, so you get that amazing creamy texture that everyone loves. This is what you will need:
- Butter and flour
- Milk – the higher the fat content in the milk, the creamier it will be
- Better than Bouillon chicken base
- White pepper and seasoned salt
- Sour cream
Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and continuously whisk until the mixture is bubbling. Cook it for two to three minutes.
For a smooth sauce, slowly whisk in the milk and chicken baste. So, add a little at a time while whisking, and once it’s smooth, add more until you’ve added all of the liquid.
Simmer the sauce for four to five minutes or until it’s slightly thickened. Whisk constantly while it’s cook to prevent lumps or scorching on the bottom of the pan. Season the sauce with salt and pepper.
Remove the chicken from the crockpot and shred it using two forks. Place the shredded meat back in the crockpot and then pour in the sauce and stir to combine. Add the sour cream, stir again, and then give the chili a taste. If it needs more salt and pepper, add more to your taste.
Cover the slow cooker and cook the chili for one hour longer.
Topping Ideas
Ladle it into bowls and garnish with your favorite toppings. Here are some we love to add:
- Crushed tortilla chips or corn chips
- Sliced jalapenos for a kick of heat
- Diced red onion or sliced green onions
- Shredded cheese like white cheddar, Monterey Jack, or pepper jack cheese
- Chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
At our house, this white chili recipe gets five stars every time I make it. It’s definitely the best recipe I’ve ever tried! I think it will be your new family-favorite, too. Enjoy! XOXO San
More Amazing Slow Cooker Recipes
I use my slow cooker to make everything from soup to main dishes, to dips, and even desserts! Here are a few more dinner recipes you might like or browse all of my crockpot recipes for even more inspiration.
Pin this to your favorite Pinterest board for later.

Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili
Ingredients
- 3-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts uncooked
- 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- dash of cayenne pepper
- 14.5 ounce can chicken broth
- 4.5 ounce can chopped green chiles
- 3 tablespoons green chile salsa
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 2 15.5 ounce cans white beans I used Great Northern
White Sauce
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon Better Than Boullion chicken base
- 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
- 1/2 cup sour cream
Instructions
- At the bottom of your slow cooker add chicken and season with salt and pepper. Add chili powder, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, green chile salsa, chicken broth, green chiles, corn, and beans.
- Top with lid and cook on low for 5-7 hours or high for 2-3 hours.
- Once slow cooker has cooked for the time above in a small saucepan melt butter over medium-high heat. Once completely melted whisk in flour and continually stir until mixture is bubbly and cook for 2-3 minutes. Slowly whisk in the milk and chicken base.
- Allow the sauce to simmer for 4-5 minutes while constantly whisking. Cook until sauce is slightly thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Remove chicken and shred. Place chicken back in slow cooker and pour sauce and sour cream then stir to combine. Season with more salt and pepper if desired.
- Cook on low for 1 more hour.
I made this today and it is wonderful! Followed the recipe exactly – very easy, just delicious. I like that you can spice it up/down depending on your family’s tastes. Thanks so much for sharing.
This weather has me craving CHILI!
Same here! Enjoy!
Great recipe as written. My family enjoyed it, and it was fast to make. Thanks.
I’m so glad you all liked it, thank you!
I love using my slow cooker on cold days and this is what I’m going to make tonight!!!
I hope you enjoy!
I love white chicken chili! It’s the best when I can eat it while curled up in a blanket!
It really is perfect for these cold nights, enjoy!
This chili is so hearty! This is exactly what I need for dinner!
Thanks, enjoy!
Love how creamy this chili is! So delicious!
Thank you, enjoy!
So good! Loved this recipe, turned out great.
So glad you enjoyed it!
White chicken chili is my favorite soup ever, this was amazing!
It got so cold today so I had this in the slow cooker and it was the perfect way to warm up for dinner. Loved the chicken in it.
This White Chicken Chili is seriously making me hungry!
I love how filling and comforting this is!
A good chili is what I need right now! So perfect for this season!
Everything about this chili is so good! Love the flavor, it’s such a family favorite!
So delicious and definitely a new favorite of ours! I’m so excited to make this again soon!