Creamy White Chicken Chili {Stovetop or Slow Cooker} (2024)

Prep Time: 20 minutes mins

Cook Time: 25 minutes mins

Total Time: 45 minutes mins

• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (leave whole for slow cooker method)
• 1 medium chopped onion, (about 1/2 cup)
• 1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder or 2 cloves fresh garlic, finely minced
• 2 cans (15.5-ounces each) Great Northern Beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (14.5) ounce can chicken broth, (about 1 3/4 cups)
• 2 cans (4-ounces each) chopped green chiles (see note)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 cup sour cream
• ½ cup whipping cream (see note)
• Fresh cilantro, for garnish (optional)
• Shredded cheese, tortilla chips, other toppings (optional)

• Stovetop Directions:In a 4- or 5-quart pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the chicken, onion, and garlic powder (or fresh garlic, if using). Cook, stirring occasionally, for 1-2 minutes, until the onion starts to soften (it’s ok if the chicken isn’t cooked all the way; it will cook more in the next step).

• Add the beans, broth, chiles, salt, cumin, oregano, pepper and cayenne.

• Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 15to30 minutes.

• Remove from the heat; stir in the sour cream and cream.

• Garnish with fresh cilantro, if desired. Serve immediately with other toppings of choice, if desired.

• Slow Cooker Directions:In a5- or 6-quart slow cooker, place 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts whole (without cutting into pieces).

  See Also

  Super Easy White Chicken Chili — Smart In The Kitchen

• Add the chopped onion, garlic powder, beans, green chiles and all of the spices. Do not add the sour cream or whipping cream yet!

• Reduce the chicken broth to 12 ounces (about 1 1/2 cups) and pour in over the other ingredients. Stir the mixture around a bit to incorporate the dry spices. Cook on low for 5-7 hours.

• Remove the chicken to a cutting board and shred in bite-size pieces (or use a couple forks and shred right in the slow cooker). Add the shredded chicken backinto the slow cooker.

• In a small bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk together the sour cream and whipping cream until smooth. Whisk the cream mixture into the crockpot with the other ingredients. Let the chilicook warm through on low temperature. Serve.

Green Chiles: as happens with recipes that have been posted as long as this one has (since 2008!), I have additional notes that may help make the recipe even more delicious. Over the years, I’ve often subbed out the green chiles completely for a jar (12 ounces) of green salsa (salsa verde or tomatillo salsa). Yum, super yum.

Variations: also, I hardly ever use the whipping cream anymore. I either add extra sour cream OR use milk OR if I want a thicker chili, I blend 1/2 cup milk with 1 tablespoon flour and use that. There are SO many comments in the thread below about variations you’ve used as well.

Chicken: finally (sorry, I’m almost done), this chili is really delicious with already cooked chicken (like a rotisserie chicken or leftoverchickenor thissimple stovetop shredded chicken). Simply stir in cooked chicken at the end and heat through.