This is a healthy, hearty, and super easy slow cooker white chicken chili made with cannellini beans and green chilies. Super tasty and perfect healthy comfort food!
If it were socially acceptable to hibernate all winter and watch Netflix all day, I would. Especially if I had an unlimited supply of this healthy slow-cooker white chicken chili!
Give me a good book and a crock pot full of delicious and hearty chili, and there’s a good chance I wouldn’t leave until March (or May if you live in Ohio!).
Table of Contents
Why you should make this recipe
This chili is perfect for warming you up on a chilly day but also completely acceptable to eat when it’s not cold out! It’s hearty, zippy, and feel-good, but healthy at the same time.
Of course, the beauty of any slow cooker recipe is that it should be easy to make. Throw everything in, then set it and forget it, right? Well, I have good news: this recipe is no exception!
And the best part is that it’s flavorful. Just because it’s made in the crock pot, doesn’t mean it has to lack flavor. It’s creamy and delicious with just the right amount of heat and subtle tanginess. It’s perfection in a bowl!
Ingredients
This slow-cooker white chicken chili comes together with 8 main ingredients plus seasonings. You likely have many of these in your pantry right this minute.
It’s a simple recipe that can be prepped in the morning and ready to be enjoyed by evening.
Check out this simple ingredient list:
- Chicken breasts: boneless and skinless chicken breasts are best but chicken thighs will work too; you will need approximately 1 ½ pounds of lean meat which is about 3 chicken breasts.
- Onion: two medium yellow onions add great flavor
- Garlic cloves
- Canned green chiles: these usually come in 4-ounce cans so you will need 2 cans.
- Cannellini beans: drained and rinsed; also known as white kidney beans. You will need two 15-ounce cans.
- Whole kernel corn: drained; you will need two 15-ounce cans.
- Low-sodium chicken broth
- Greek yogurt: low-fat or fat-free Greek yogurt for leaner chili
- Lime juice
- Ground cumin
- Dried oregano
- Salt and pepper
You may also want to garnish the chili with toppings like cilantro, avocado, and freshly sliced jalapeno.
Step-by-step instructions
All you have to do to make this amazing, hearty dish is throw everything in the slow cooker and let it cook for 6-7 hours. That’s right, prep time is less than 10 minutes!
Then, once you’re ready to eat, there are just a few more steps to make it a truly perfect chili.
Step 1: In a large slow cooker, add diced onions, green chiles, minced garlic, beans, corn, lime juice, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper, and chicken broth. Stir to combine. Place chicken breasts on top, making sure they are submerged in the broth. Turn on low and cook for 6-7 hours.
Step 2: Once cooked, remove the chicken from the slow cooker and transfer it to a shallow dish. Shred it with 2 forks and return it to the slow cooker.
Step 3: Pour 1 cup of soup from the slow cooker into a blender. Add Greek yogurt to the blender and blend until it reaches a smooth consistency. Stir this yogurt-soup blend back into the chili and mix well.
Step 4: Cook for 15 more minutes on low heat setting for all the flavors to combine. Serve with fresh cilantro and diced avocado on top.
That’s it! This white chicken chili is so full of flavor and so easy to make. It may quickly become one of your go-to easy recipes.
Expert tips
The only “trick” to this recipe is blending the cup of soup with the Greek yogurt at the end.
If you just dump the yogurt in the slow cooker, it will become lumpy and won’t mix well. But when you blend it with the chicken stock, it turns the yogurt into a smooth consistency that easily mixes with the rest of the soup.
So don’t skip this step! It’s not very hard, and it really improves the texture of the chili.
Variations
This crock pot white chicken chili is an incredibly easy recipe to make. One of the best perks of this recipe is how easily it can be modified depending on taste preferences, dietary needs, and what you currently have in your kitchen pantry.
Check out these simple modifications to make it even easier or to simply add a spin to it:
- Use leftover protein: swap the chicken breasts with leftover roast meat like chicken or turkey. Add it diced or shredded in the last hour of cooking time.
- Load with veggies: this is a classic white chili recipe with beans, corn, and chicken but feel free to pack it with extra veggies like zucchini, diced green bell peppers, yellow squash, and spinach.
- Salsa verde: instead of canned chiles, use salsa verde for extra seasoning. It is bright and tangy and comes with loads of flavor. Salsa verde typically starts with roasted tomatillos, jalapenos, and other aromatics and is basically major flavor in a jar. If you do use salsa, make sure you go with mild so there’s room to adjust as needed.
- For extra creamy: use cream-style corn instead of whole kernels. Just be sure to check the ingredient list for added sugar.
- Spice it up: add chili powder and smoked paprika to add a kick to it.
- Dairy-free chicken chili: sub Greek yogurt with unsweetened coconut milk to give you the creamiest results while keeping it dairy free.
Serving Suggestions
This hearty meal is a great option on its own. It’s packed with so much flavor and will keep you full longer with all the healthy fats and protein.
White chicken chili is traditionally garnished with chopped fresh cilantro and diced avocado. You can also drizzle some fresh lime juice and add a dollop of sour cream for extra-rich texture.
If you wanted a little crunch factor, break up some low-carb tortilla chips over the chili. Or serve it with low-carb cornbread for a complete comfort meal.
Storage and reheating instructions
This chili is a great way to meal prep for the week or to have a quick, delicious meal ready in the freezer!
If you plan to eat it soon, you can store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.
For longer storage, I would recommend freezing it in separate containers portioned out by serving size. That way, you won’t have to thaw the whole thing, you can just take out as much as you want for a convenient, healthy, super tasty chili.
To reheat leftover chili, warm it up in a small pot over medium heat on the stove, stirring often so the bottom doesn’t scorch.
Nutrition
Each serving contains only 247 calories, 26 grams of protein and 25 grams of net carbs. With a nutrient profile like that, you can always come back for seconds.
To keep calories low, use low-fat or fat-free Greek yogurt. You can also omit the Greek yogurt completely for a dairy free chicken chili. Add a little bit of avocado for a touch of creaminess, if desired. And always check the ingredient list of any packaged food you use like canned corn to ensure it doesn’t contain added sugar.
Frequently asked questions
Absolutely! As written, this recipe has 25 grams of net carbs per serving. However, you can easily cut the beans and corn in half if you want to reduce the carb count. I am fine with 25 grams of carbs in a main meal, but I know that many people with diabetes prefer fewer carbs. If that’s your preference, feel free to customize to your liking!
An easy way to thicken chili is to add a creamy ingredient like cream cheese or for a leaner version, Greek yogurt. Additionally, you can blend a few cups of the chili into a smooth consistency and stir it back into the soup. Another easy way to thicken chili is by adding a little bit of cornstarch as a thickening agent. Make a slurry by mixing one tablespoon of cold water with cornstarch and add it to the chili. Keep in mind, this will increase the carb count.
The most certain difference between the two chilis is the color. As the name suggests, white chicken chili typically boasts all light colored ingredients like chicken, white beans, corn, and green veggies. White chicken chili commonly uses a lighter broth like chicken broth. Regular chili, on the other hand, starts off with a rich base of red chiles, tomato sauce, red or black beans, hearty beef for meat, and stewed in beef broth. Both are delicious and both can be part of a healthy diet.
The good news is that this soup freezes beautifully. To freeze, transfer the chili into freezer bags, souper cubes, or an airtight freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and warm it up gently over medium heat on the stove, stirring often so the bottom of the pot doesn’t burn.
More healthy chicken recipes
You can never have too many healthy and tasty chicken recipes, right? If you’re looking for a few more to try, check out some of my favorites that I know you’ll love:
- Stuffed Chicken Breast
- Prosciutto Wrapped Chicken Breast with Cream Cheese
- Smothered Creamy Skillet Chicken
I also put together my top healthy diabetic chicken recipes for even more tasty inspiration!
When you’ve tried this dish, please don’t forget to let me know how you liked it and rate the recipe in the comments below!
Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili
Ingredients
- 2 yellow onions, medium diced
- 8 ounces canned green chiles
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic about 4 cloves
- 30 ounces cannellini beans drained and rinsed
- 30 ounces whole kernel corn drained
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 4 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts approximately 3 chicken breasts
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
Optional toppings:
- Cilantro
- Avocado
Instructions
- To a large slow cooker, add diced onions, green chilies, minced garlic, beans, corn, lime juice, cumin,oregano, salt and pepper, and chicken broth. Stir to combine. Place chicken breasts on top, making sure they are submerged in the broth. Turn on low and cook for 6-7 hours.2 yellow onions, medium, 8 ounces canned green chiles, 1 tablespoon minced garlic, 30 ounces cannellini beans, 30 ounces whole kernel corn, 1 tablespoon lime juice, 1 tablespoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon sea salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 4 cups low sodium chicken broth, 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
- Once cooked, remove the chicken from the slow cooker and transfer to a shallow dish. Shred with 2 forks and return to the slow cooker.
- Add 1 cup of soup from the slow cooker to a blender. Add Greek yogurt to the soup and blend until it reaches a smooth consistency. Stir this yogurt-soup blend back into the chili and mix well.1 cup Greek yogurt
- Cookfor 15 more minutes on low heat setting. Serve with fresh cilantro and diced avocadoon top.Cilantro, Avocado
I loved this recipe. I topped with avocado and was impressed.
This was so easy and amazingly tasty. I will make this a lot for my family. Loved it
Do you put raw chicken in the slow cooker for the chicken chili recipe?
Yes, the chicken will be cooked through after the 6-7 hours in the slow cooker
Very good, easy to make, freezes great. Loved it!
Hello love your recipes! With the white chicken chili recipe how much soup is considered 1 serving?
The whole batch is 10 servings
Thank you So much for the reply ! I am basing 1 serving size is 1cup of chili mixed to total 10 servings is that correct?
I’m not sure if it equals 1 cup, unfortunately, that’s not how the recipe was created. I’d suggest you do a visual assessment and split it up into portions. Might be easiest to split it in 2 after you’re done cooking and then do the next split from there. When I make it again I’ll be sure to do the cup measurement.
Very delicious! I cut the recipe in half, used dried northern white beans, and added a jalapeño. Definately a keeper! Next time I’ll add avocado on top. Very easy to make. Great for a rainy weekend.