Crockpot White Chicken Chili (no Sauteeing!) Recipe

I made a White Chicken Chili Freezer Meal with chicken, white beans, corn, and green chiles that requires no sauteeing and slips easily into my meal prep routine.

I didnt think a no-sauté crockpot white chicken chili could surprise me, but this one did. I threw everything into the slow cooker, including cream cheese and diced green chiles, and let it do the work, and the result is creamy without feeling heavy.

Folks keep calling it White Chicken Chili Crockpot Recipes Healthy and even tag it as a White Chicken Chili Freezer Meal, which makes sense because it reheats like a dream. I like that its bold but not fussy, so you can meal prep without spending hours.

Try it one night and it might become one of those pantry lifesavers you keep making.

Ingredients

• Chicken: Lean protein, fills you up, mild flavor that soaks spices.
• Beans: Fiber and plant protein, creamy texture, helps digestion and satiety.
• Corn: Sweet starch, adds crunch and carbs, balances savory notes in chili.
• Green chiles: Mild heat, bright pepper flavor, brings slight tang and depth.
• Onion and garlic: Aromatics that build base flavor, tiny protein and antioxidants.
• Cream cheese: Adds creaminess and richness, increases fat for silky mouthfeel.
• Sour cream or yogurt: Tangy, cools heat, adds protein and creamy tang.
• Lime juice: Bright citrus acid, lifts flavors and balances richness.
• Cilantro and cheese: Fresh herb adds brightness, cheese gives melty, salty finish.

Ingredient Quantities

• 1 1/2 to 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs (whichever you got)
• 2 cans 15 ounce great northern beans or cannellini beans
• 1 can 15 ounce sweet corn or 1 to 1 1/2 cups frozen corn
• 1 can 4 ounce diced green chiles, mild or hot
• 3 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 1 small yellow onion
• 2 to 3 garlic cloves
• 1 to 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 to 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 4 ounces cream cheese
• 1/2 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, optional
• 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack or pepper Jack cheese, optional
• Optional toppings: diced avocado, chopped green onions, tortilla chips, lime wedges

How to Make this

1. Prep: chop the onion, mince the garlic, drain and rinse the beans and corn if using canned, open the green chiles, and trim any fat off the chicken. Cube the cream cheese so it melts faster later.

2. Layer into the crockpot: place the chicken breasts or thighs in the bottom, add both cans of drained beans, the corn, diced onion, minced garlic, and the can of green chiles.

3. Season: sprinkle on the cumin, chili powder, oregano, kosher salt and black pepper, then pour in the 3 cups low sodium chicken broth so everything is just covered.

4. Cook: cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours until the chicken is very tender and shreds easily.

5. Thicken trick: remove about 1 to 2 cups of the chili liquid into a bowl, scoop out 1 can of beans or about half the pot contents into a blender or use an immersion blender in the crockpot, puree until smooth and stir back in to make the broth creamy without extra cream.

6. Shred the chicken in the pot with two forks or pull it out and shred on a cutting board then return it to the crockpot, stirring well so shredded chicken gets coated.

7. Add the creamy stuff: toss in the cubed cream cheese, sour cream or Greek yogurt, and stir until melted and smooth. Taste and adjust salt and pepper, add more chili powder or cumin if you want more kick.

8. Finish: stir in the fresh lime juice and most of the chopped cilantro, save some for garnish. If using, stir in the shredded Monterey Jack or pepper Jack so it melts through.

9. Hold and serve: keep on warm for 10 to 20 minutes so flavors meld, then ladle into bowls and top with diced avocado, chopped green onions, tortilla chips and extra cilantro and lime wedges.

Equipment Needed

1. Slow cooker or crockpot (6 to 8 quart)
2. Cutting board (plastic or wood, whatever you got)
3. Chef’s knife for chopping onion cilantro and trimming chicken
4. Can opener
5. Colander or fine mesh strainer to drain and rinse beans and corn
6. Measuring cups and measuring spoons
7. Immersion blender or regular blender
8. Two forks for shredding or a pair of tongs
9. Heatproof spatula or wooden spoon and a ladle for serving

FAQ

Crockpot White Chicken Chili (no Sauteeing!) Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Chicken (1 1/2–2 lbs): swap with boneless skinless turkey breast (same weight) or 3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken for a shortcut, just reduce crockpot time if chicken’s already cooked.
• Great northern / cannellini beans: use navy beans, butter beans, or even black beans for a different flavor and color, same can size and timing works fine.
• Cream cheese / sour cream: replace cream cheese with 1/3 cup heavy cream plus 1 tsp cornstarch to thicken, or use 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt or dairy free coconut yogurt stirred in at the end for tang.
• Sweet corn / diced green chiles: frozen or canned corn work interchangeably, or try 1 cup fire roasted corn for smokiness; swap the canned green chiles with 1 seeded chopped jalapeño or 1 roasted poblano for fresher heat.

Pro Tips

1) Sear the chicken quickly before it goes in the pot. You dont need to cook it through, just get some brown bits for flavor. It makes a big difference in depth and the broth wont taste flat anymore.

2) Control the thickness by saving liquid and using the mash method. Scoop out a cup or two of the broth and either puree some beans or mash them by hand, then stir back in bit by bit until you like the texture. If you want it chunkier just use a potato masher, if you want silky go blender.

3) Treat the dairy gently. Take the cream cheese and sour cream out a bit early so they arent fridge cold. Stir them in off heat or with the pot on warm not boil, otherwise yogurt can split and cheese gets grainy. If you reheat leftovers add a splash of stock or milk and stir slowly.

4) Make ahead tips: this freezes great but dont freeze the dairy. Portion and freeze the chili plain, then thaw and finish with cream cheese, sour cream and lime when you reheat. Also rotisserie chicken works fine if youre short on time and keeps the texture nicer than overcooked shredded crockpot chicken.