Creamy White Chicken Chili {Stovetop or Slow Cooker}
Easy and so delicious, this best-ever white chicken chili has been a family favorite for years (with no signs of stopping!). With directions for stovetop or slow cooker, it’s versatile, simple, and tasty!
Let’s talk about chili.
Creamy white chicken chili to be exact.
I like classic red chili. Here are a few of my favorite red chilis:
My Mom’s Classic Red Chili
Slow Cooker Red Chili
Hearty Turkey and Bean Chili
Sweet Heat Louisiana Chili
But if I’m being honest, I LOVE (double heart, love, love, love) white chili.
And I hate to throw out exclamations like this: but this creamy white chicken chili is the best of the best of the best.
I mean, just read through the comments and you’ll see why so many people rave about this white chicken chili.
Not only is it a cinch to throw together, but the flavor is amazing.
Over the years, I’ve kept the basic recipe the same, but you can see below that I’ve added some notes to make this recipe even more delicious.
It also works beautifully in the slow cooker.
And since I know people will ask (can’t blame you), I actually have tried this in the Instant Pot as well.
But it definitely falls into the category of: it’s just as fast to make it on the stovetop. By the time the IP comes up to pressure, cooks the chicken, and the pressure releases, this white chicken chili can be ready to go via a saucepan on the stove.
However, I’m not one to talk you out of using that Instant Pot every single day of your life. So, feel free to give it a go.
I didn’t include directions for the IP below because I don’t make it that way, but you can try tossing everything but the dairy ingredients in the IP (use whole chicken breasts) and cook for 8 minutes on high pressure (probably 3 minutes for cubed chicken, but the other ingredients, like the onion, may not soften fully).
Let the pressure naturally release for 10 minutes, quick release the rest of the way, stir in the sour cream and cream/milk, select Saute and heat through.
See How To Make It Here:
And also, if you are interested, here are a few of my other beloved white chili recipes:
White Bean Chicken Chili (with a little extra flair that makes it different than today’s recipe)
Roasted Garlic and White Bean Chili
Slow Cooker White Bean Chicken Chili (not creamy, more brothy)
Slow Cooker Jalapeño Popper White Bean Chili
What to Serve With This
- Chili toppings, like shredded cheese, tortilla chips, etc.
- My Favorite Cornbread
FAQs for Creamy White Chicken Chili
No, cooking time stays the same.
Yes!
Yes I freeze it all once it is made- the texture can be a little grainy, but we don’t mind.
Creamy White Chicken Chili
Ingredients
- 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)
Instructions
- 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 15 to 30 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 a 5- or 6-quart slow cooker, place 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts whole (without cutting into pieces).
- 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 back into 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 chili cook warm through on low temperature. Serve.
Notes
Recommended Products
Recipe originally posted September 2008; updated with new pictures, recipe notes, commentary.
The video in this post was made in partnership with Inspo
I never comment on the recipes that I make, but this one was awesome. Everyone in my family, and I have two teenage boys, and their friends could not get enough of this. I topped it with green onions, south western flavored tortilla strips and grated cheese…. this will definitely become a weekly rotation…. thank you!
Thank you so much, Christine! I appreciate you taking the time to let me know!
Okay, I know this sounds crazy, but my husband and I are on the key diet and this recipe fits the bill except the beans. Do you think it would still be good sans beans?
Sorry Keto not key!
If you leave them out, I’d probably double the chicken!
So we hate sour cream… I know it’s crazy….so can I sub something for that? Thanks!
You could try plain yogurt or try leaving it out and maybe upping the cream?
Oh my word. I loved watching your video! So good! Can’t wait to try this!
Thanks, Melissa!
Um, you are the CUTEST in that video. I need more of those! I’d love cooking along with you for more of our family favorite recipes like this one.
Haha, you are so sweet, Mickie. I have a few more of these coming in the next few weeks (some super fun ones with my kids, too).
This was FANTASTIC! My husband is working on his second bowl of it right now. I did sour cream and milk – didn’t have chili’s but this was amazing even without them. I will be adding this to my weekday rotation! Thank you!
I’m makimg this right now! Would a can of corn be good with it? What about replacing the whipping cream for cream cheese? I love soup in the fall and cant wait to try it!
You could definitely experiment with both of those variations. 🙂
One of our regulars now. So yummy!
Our family favorite. Outstanding recipe and so easy to make.
So, SO tasty. We just hit our first legit cold snap in Texas and I can’t wait to eat this tonight! It’s one of our favorites! (Incidentally, I also saw your Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Streusel Cake that you posted as I hopped on here to get the chili recipe, and I had a happy-fall-freak-out. Can’t wait to try that one, too! Hooray for October!)
I had a question on this: how much of the simmering in step 3 is necessary if you are adding cooked chicken at the end? Is the simmering still important for the flavors to blend, or can you bring it to a boil, remove from heat, and add the dairy and cooked chicken?
Thanks for blessing our table yet again, Mel!
Hey Annie, you can definitely cut some of the simmering out – the more it simmers, the more concentrated the flavor (and it will thicken just a little), but it isn’t absolutely necessary if you are adding cooked chicken at the end.
Make this. Right now. Delicious!
I have a 3 year old and 1 year old and they ate. it. up.
I did dial down the cayenne to only 1/8tsp and used only 1 can of green chiles and it was the perfect level of spiciness for our tastebuds.
Also, I HIGHLY recommend using the 1/2 cup of milk and 1 Tbsp of flour in lieu of the whipping cream.
Mel…you are a wonder. Thank you for keeping my family fed. And happy.
Excellent and easy to make. My family loved it.
This was very delicious and I’ll definitely make it again. Next time I’ll omit all of the salt, however; it was way too salty for us.
I tried the slow cooker way and it made my busy day (but needed to feed company dinner all the same) so much nicer. Company loved it. I loved it. My almost 2 year old loved it. My 5 and 8 year old are kind of scared of beans and chicken so I can’t say the same for them. But I’ll happily take the leftovers. 🙂 And they were happy trying the chili then enjoying your cornmeal crescent rolls. Those rolls are our fave. Thanks again for another yummy quick feed guests dinner option! 🙂
This is so good – freezes great minus dairy (I don’t even bother adding the dairy).
Just found your blog…wow! what yumminess….I am going to try your zucchini soup base for this…will let you know how it goes…maybe a dallop of sour cream on top for good measure…
This looks really yummy. I hadn’t heard of a white chilli before. I want to give this a try.
This is the second of your recipes that I’ve made, and both were terrific! (The first was refried beans.)
I really appreciate the fact that you obviously test your recipes thoroughly AND do such a careful job of making the directions and ingredient lists very clear. Those facts really put you head and shoulders above the pack, for sure! (Not to mention the minor detail that your recipes are REALLY GOOD!)
I’m looking forward to making more of your recipes (as well as making this and the refried beans again, of course… going to double the recipe on the chili next time, for sure!).
Thank you!
Thank so much for the comment, Michelle!
A family favorite of ours. And great to assemble ahead of time and put in the freezer (minus the dairy, of course).
Also, I made white chicken chili using stovetop instructions. Plan on doubling recipe next time because I want more leftovers of it :-).
I made this soup for supper last night and it was delicious! My family and I loved it! Comes together pretty quickly and very flavorful. I only used one can of green chilis, and 1/2 cup or so of sour cream (no whipping cream) and it was yummy. For toppings, we had cheddar cheese, tortilla chips, and sliced green onions. Will be making again soon.
Also made your quick spaghetti sauce and cashew chicken wraps this week. Both fantastic! First time making the cashew chicken and I see why it made top 25 favorite recipes. WOW-good stuff.
I’m going in for shoulder surgery in a few weeks and trying to prep some freezer meals for my family. Do you think I could put the ingredients (minus the broth, sour cream, and whipping cream) in a freezer bag and dump into a crock pot when it’s time to make it? Do you know if canned beans freeze well? Thanks in advance!
I definitely think it’s worth a try (and good luck with your surgery!). The canned beans will probably be a little softer after freezing/thawing, but it should be ok.
I made this for supper tonight 1/20/2018 loved it! I made a couple changes such as using beer instead of chicken broth and diced pork. So for being a single man I’m Impressed it was so easy to make! THANK YOU!!! I will make it again
This was delicious!!! Thank you so much Mel!!! I only added one can of chilies because kids won’t eat it if it’s spicy, and I did 3/4 cup of sour cream. I also subbed a pinch of red pepper flakes instead of cayenne bc I ran out of it. I’m doubling the recipe next time I make it.
I admit, I made this recipe in the Instant Pot because I was feeling lazy and didn’t feel like cutting up the chicken. In my defense, I had just come in from shoveling the driveway in sub-zero temps. 🙂
I sauteed the onion and garlic for a few minutes and then added the spices. After that I added all the other ingredients and cooked on high pressure for 9 minutes. I shredded the chicken right in the pot and added about 1.5 cups of sour cream.
This was delicious and perfect for those days when you don’t feel like cooking!
I made this last month and everyone in the family loved it. It’s on the menu plan again this week. The one change I made was to add half a head of very finely chopped cauliflower. It added some bulk (with four kids and another on the way plus a farming husband the more food the better) and nutrients and not a person in the family noticed.
Wonderful idea to add cauliflower!!! I was going to try it with the zucchini creamy base and reduce the sour cream…
Love this. And so easy. So easy, in fact, I re-read the recipe twice to make sure I wasn’t missing a step. Only added one can of green chiles to not tempt the fates of turning my picky eater against me and was heavy with the beans. Next time I might add some corn to it. Everyone loved it and my picky eater asked for left overs for lunch the next day. Great soup to combat these freezing east coast temps this weekend.
Love it, Every time I make it everyone wants the recipe.
Hi Mel!! Making this as we speak 🙂 How would subbing out the whipping cream for evaporated milk work?
Love it! Have been asked for the recipe several times.
This recipe is the best. I made this for our neighborhood chili cook off. Although we never voted, my crockpot was the only empty one at the end of the night!
Even my picky eater loved this!
I’ve made this a while back and my family looked at me crazy when I said White Chicken Chili.. needless to say my fiancé took it to work for leftovers lunch, the guys at work (we live in South Ms) were all like WHAT never heard of such a thing, we’ve only heard of the old chili the red kind.. Lol.. they try it and then looked at my fiancé and said when’s she going to send us a crockpot full of white Chicken Chili??
The only thing I’d recommend is yield on amount of sour cream.. but in all it’s amazing and wonderful for those who can’t quit eat the other kind of Chili the red kind..
Made this for dinner tonight. Super easy, fast and oh so yummy! I omitted the sour cream but it was still so good…Thanks!!
My family and I add cooked Orzo pasta in with this chili and it is delicious! I pass this recipe along to everyone!
How much orzo do you add to the soup? Do you make 1 cup dry and add what that yields to the soup?
I have dried beans, I wonder if this would work with those instead of canned?
You’d probably want to precook the beans so they are tender when adding to the soup – otherwise, they’ll take a LONG time to soften in this recipe.
I won a chili cook-off with it! Great!
We love this recipe and have made it several times for friends and family! What a hit. Quick question — about how much chili does one recipe make? I’m thinking its approximately one gallon. Thoughts?
I think it’s probably less than that – about 10 cups, give or take.
This was so so good! I did it just as the recipe suggested and we all loved it, even my picky 10 yr old!
Hi Mel,
I’m making this tonight but only have greek yogurt, no sour cream! Is this ok to substitute with?
Thanks, Maggie
I think that would work!
Hi, how many does this serve? I have a chili cookoff next weekend AND a party–thought I’d make a big batch for both events. Not sure if I’ll have to triple or more the recipe.
It serves about 6. The yield is always right above the recipe titles :).
I feel like such a dummy. How have I always missed that? you learn something new everyday I guess.
Made it for dinner tonight and my husband and I loved it! It was a little too spicy for my toddler, though. I used green salsa instead of green chiles. It was a mild salsa. Do you think it was the salsa or the cayenne pepper?
In my blender I blend 1 of the cans of either great northern or cannelli beans with 1/2 cup of chicken broth and add it to pot. It thickens the chili and it’s so tasty. I ve used ground turkey and “brown” it with onoins, garlic and the other spices and its soo good. I always add the sour cream but no milk. Everything else stays the same. Its a family favorite!
I made a double batch of this yesterday on the stove. I used cooked shredded chicken breast (which I had made following your recipe) and added more chicken broth and just a small amount of milk mixed with flour (instead of sour cream/whipped cream). Everyone loved this! I served it with your corn muffins. Thanks!
I make this at least once a month and have been for years. It is pretty much my favorite meal ever. I switch it up based on what happens to be in my fridge or pantry and it’s super delicious every time.
I have been making this recipe for years and kind of forgot about it until I saw it on Pinterest today! Back on the meal plan for this week. There was a point early in my marriage (when I was learning how to cook) I would make this and the chicken veggie dumpling soup close to every week! Thanks for always amazing recipes Mel.
One of my favorites from Mel! I’ve been making this for years now, and it’s always a crowd pleaser. This is a family favorite and well as a hit whenever I take in a meal or feed a crowd. My favorite way to make it is with rotisserie chicken! So easy!
I have been making your recipe for YEARS. I love it so much. Definitely has become a family favorite, and a great meal for new moms, those recovering from hospital stays, etc. Thank you so much! Do you still have the original post from 2008? I am asking because I wanted to compare what modifications you made. I probably should know it by memory after all the times of making this, but I am just curious. ha!
I freeze it all – once it is completely made. The texture can get a little grainy, but we don’t seem to mind.
I didn’t change the recipe – I just added some additional notes to the bottom to indicate some changes/adaptations I’ve made over the years.
Ok, gotcha! Thanks!!
Does the white chicken chili freeze well?
Yes, I freeze it a lot. The texture is slightly different after thawing and reheating but we don’t mind.
I am guessing you freeze without any dairy in there though, correct? You add the sour cream once re-heating? I have heard of a weird separation thing that happens when freezing anything dairy…
I freeze it all – once it is completely made. The texture can get a little grainy, but we don’t seem to mind.
Aaah! Mel! You’ve done it again! I tell you, I have never made anything on your blog that is “just ok” (and I’ve made probably 50 or so of your recipes). Everything of yours is “knock-your-socks-off-good”. This one is no different.
I decided to use my fellow church members as guinea pigs at our chili cook off because whenever I told the hubs I was going to make a white chicken chili, he would make gagging sound effects, so I never did it at home (I don’t think I could eat the whole thing by myself). The hubs took your classic slow cooker chili to the cook off and I took the white chili chicken one. The white chicken chili one got first place (are you kidding?! This coming from the gal who only knew how to make spaghetti when she got married!!), and my husband had more than two bowls of it. Not only did it get first place, but my 9 year old picky eater son (who already thinks that Mom and Dad just eat weird stuff) was convinced that if enough other people liked it, Mom and Dad must not be too crazy and he tried it too!! (That’s more miraculous than first place!)
Love your blog, love your food. Love that you only post tried and true recipes and that you aren’t just posting stuff to bulk up your content. Thanks for all your wonderful recipes! The biggest problem is that I haven’t had time to try them all!
This is awesome!! Thanks for taking the time to let me know. I’m not going to lie, kind of excited the white chicken chili beat your husband’s chili offering. 🙂
He was happy about it too! It will definitely be going into the meal rotation!!!