One of my goals this year is to go camping more as a family. We’ve gone camping in the years past, and with three little boys, it can be umm… challenging. I love seeing my boys running wild and free in the wilderness as they were meant to do, but the bugs, meal planning, and freezing cold nights make me think twice.
No one sleeps very well, washing dishes is a pain in the rear, and the boys get dirt in every little crevice! It’s a lot of work to prepare for the trip, a lot of work once you get there, and a lot of work to put everything away when you get home. That’s a lot of work!
But on the other hand, we make memories, spend time with family and friends, become one with nature, and unplug from technology… which is all good and needed.
Last summer when we camped with my sister’s family and some family friends, my sister made this white chicken chili, froze it in Ziplocs and then warmed it up in a dutch oven for dinner.
It was pretty slick for campground cooking. I’m all about doing the prep work at home ahead of time where my dishwasher can do the dirty work for me!
It’s one of my family’s favorite meals in the wintertime, and I’ve made a few changes to make the recipe a little healthier.
The original recipe calls for canned soup and a packet of taco seasoning, and I simply made a white sauce that substitutes for the canned soup, and added the spices one by one. This cuts down on the processed food a little bit, and really doesn’t add too much time to the prep.
It’s convenient because it cooks all day while you do your thing, and then you add the creamy ingredients an hour before serving.
Go crazy with the toppings if you can! Fritos, shredded cheese, avocado, cilantro, and sour cream are my favorite. When we go camping again this year, I’m definitely putting white chicken chili on our menu!
PrintCreamy Crockpot White Chicken Chili
A family favorite made healthier, and so easy too! No cream of chicken soup or seasoning packets.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 hours
- Total Time: 6 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
- Category: Soup
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: American
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
- 15 ounce can white corn, drained
- 2 15.5 ounce cans white beans, drained (Cannellini or Great Northern are good)
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon Better Than Bullion chicken base
- 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
- 1/2 cup sour cream
Instructions
- Place chicken breasts on the bottom of a crockpot, and add chili powder, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, chicken broth, green chiles, corn and beans. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.
- About an hour before serving: In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium high heat. Whisk in flour, and allow to bubble and brown a bit. After a few minutes, gradually whisk in the milk and chicken base.
- Allow the sauce to simmer for 4-5 minutes, whisking frequently until it is slightly thickened. Add salt and pepper.
- Pour sauce into crockpot and mix to combine.
- Add sour cream and mix.
- If chicken has not already shredded with stirring, take out large pieces, shred them with two forks, and return to the crockpot.
- Let the chicken chili cook on low 1 more hour if you can.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Serving
- Calories: 421
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 704mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 7.1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5.5g
- Trans Fat: 0.4g
- Carbohydrates: 39g
- Fiber: 7.1g
- Protein: 36g
- Cholesterol: 92mg
Disclaimer: the links in this post for the Better than Bullion chicken base are Amazon affiliate links.
This chili is a must try, Julie! I simply love white chicken chili and I loved that you healthed it up from your original version.
Thank you Sally, sweet of you to stop by LLK!
Hi! I’m hoping to try this soon, but I was wondering if I cooked it on high in the crockpot how long you would recommend cooking it for?
I would cook it for three hours on high end then check to see if the chicken will easily shred. All crockpots run a little differently so your first time might be a bit of a test! Enjoy!
Sounds and looks delicious! I am going to make this tomorrow! Can I use white kidney beans and/or chick peas?
Sure thing. You can use any kind of beans you enjoy.
I made this a couple nights ago. And wow super good. I did leave out the cream cheese and half/half to cut down on the calories. Ive only been on this site for a couple of wks and already love the food. Id have to say this chilie is better then chilie with beef. Thank you,
Jeanelle
I’m glad you are enjoying the recipes Jeanelle! I have to agree about this chili compared to traditional beef chili – it’s nice to change it up now and then!
Where was cream cheese and half and half listed
I think an older version had those ingredients. I made this before, but had to search for it again as it was gone from my board. This is a “healthier” version. I’ve made it again for dinner right and am just waiting a but longer for it to be ready! Will compare as I remember it being very very good before.
I have everything but the green chilies, will it still taste as good?
I really want to double the white chicken chili recipe but afraid my crockpot won’t hold it. How long and what temp if I do it in my cast iron pot in the oven?
I have made this and LOVED it. I want to make it again today and I want to use already cooked shredded chicken. How do I alter the cooking to accommodate for the cooked shredded chicken instead of raw chicken breasts?
This chili sounds amazing and your photos are just gorgeous! PINNED
Thank for your sweet words, Aimee, and for pinning too!
This chili sounds (and looks!) amazing! Perfect way to warm up on a chilly evening!
Thanks Jessica! Hope you get a chance to try it!
This chili is delicious and my kids even love it! Do you think there would be room in a standard sized crock pot to double the recipe?
Elizabeth, I’m so glad you and your kids liked it! In my 5 quart crockpot, I can do a recipe and a half, but not quite a double recipe.
This is the family`s new favorite recipe! I have recommended this to everyone I know. Its so simple and so delicious! Thank you!
If I were to do a recipe and a half, how long would I let it cook for?
You should be fine with the same cooking time but just to be sure you could add an extra hour. Just make sure your crockpot is large enough.
Im wondering with the chilli and cayene powder will it a spicy for kids? I have toddlers
My three young boys love this chili, but I do add some extra sour cream to their bowls to cool it down a bit. You could always cut the seasoning down by half and see how they like it.
Doubled the recipe for a 1st night dinner in my son and daughter in law’s new home. Took the chili
In my slow cooker. There were 5 of us absolutely loving it!! Such a hit and they now have leftovers while unpacking over the weekend. Paired with a couple of bottles of Santa Margherita, salad and baguette. Thanks for sharing this truly delicious recipe!!
Sounds like a lovely dinner. What a sweet mom to bring it to the new homeowners!
Made this tonight and it was delicious!!! My husband accused me of getting it from a restaurant and trying to pass it off as my own. :). Looking forward to trying some of your other recipes.
Shara, haha! That makes my day! Thanks for letting me know how it worked out for you!
Do you drain the beans and corn?
I have everything to makes this today! Sounds amazing!
Good question – yes, you do drain the beans and corn. I will note that in the recipe. Hope you enjoy!
I made it the same day I asked my question and it is absolutely YUMMY! Easy to make as well. Thank you so much!
Elizabeth, glad you liked it! And thanks for taking the time to post your question.
What kind of white beans did you use?
Hi Jillian, I have used both Cannellini and Great Northern.
Thank you for this recipe! We made a few adjustments based on the ingredients we had (and also because we don’t like spicy) and really enjoyed it.
Glad you enjoyed it Polina!
How many servings does this make?
Mary, this recipe will yield about six servings.
Made this chili for dinner tonight…it was delicious and my family loved it! It’s a very filling meal!
Laura, I’m so glad your family enjoyed the chili! Thanks for letting me know!
As the recipe stands, Is this spicy? My husband does not like spicy but doesnt mind a “little kick”. Would he be happy with this or do I need to adjust it? Thanks
Wendy, I would describe this recipe as having just a little kick, but it really isn’t too spicy. My three little boys like to eat it if that helps 🙂
Can this be frozen as well?
Yes, it can be frozen.
one of my all-time favorite recipes. It’s fantastic. I’m new to freezing food though, what would you recommend to freeze it in?
Hi! I’d let it cool a bit, then ladle it into a gallon size freezer ziplock. Squeeze out all the air before sealing and then freeze it flat so it’s easy to store. So glad you enjoy!
How many pounds of chicken did you use?
You will want to use about 1 1/2 pounds of chicken.
Thanks, Julie! I was wondering about this too. I’m going to try it today.
I came across this recipe today & used it in place of my normal white chicken chili recipe… We tend to prefer things a lil spicier around here so I kicked up the spices a notch, but the recipe provided a perfect base to play with if you like to add your own twist, the consistency was great & my 2 yr old asked for seconds. I also had never tried corn before and it’s a nice addition. Thanks for sharing, will use this again & visit for other recipes!
Kristin, glad you made it your own! Thanks for letting me know how it worked out.
This is in my crockpot right now. I just shredded the chicken and will do the thickening soon. It smells (And so far tastes) absolutely delicious!! Can’t wait for the finished chili. Perfect for this snowy/icy day!!!!
Stay warm and enjoy Rebecca!
Just the other day my husband saw canned white Chili and wondered if it would be good. Uh not. It was canned – yuk. This sounds really good. I think I will make this for him. Thanks
Charlotte, this recipe beats canned chili any day of the week! Hope you guys enjoy!
Can I do this chili a day in advance or the thickening will be bad the next day ?
I think it would be fine to make the day before. We have definitely enjoyed it leftover. You may just need to add a bit more milk or chicken broth when you reheat it if you find it’s too thick.
Thank you for sharing your recipe! I made this for a chili cook off today and won 2nd place. I am 99% sure that I didn’t win first place because my chili was the very first one gone, so a lot of people didn’t get to try it out! (More people kept coming after my chili ran out.) I did add some chorizo to it, but otherwise I followed the recipe exactly and it was wonderful. My 2-year-old ate two bowls of it. Thank you! Will definitely make this again!
That is so great! Chorizo would be a great addition I’m sure! Thanks for letting me know Sarah.
Can I use regular granulated boullion instead of the Better Than Bullion chicken base? I don’t believe I’ve ever seen that in our stores.
Hi Denise, thanks for your question. I think it might be easier to substitute one can of condensed cream of chicken soup for the Better than Bullion Chicken Base, butter, flour, and milk instead of trying to substitute granulated bouillon – Just because you would have to use hot water to dissolve the bullion, and I’m not sure if the extra liquid would be too much for the chili. Hope that is helpful!
Thank you very much for replying. Can’t wait to try this. It looks and sounds delicious!
Hope you enjoy!
If you used the soup instead, would you still stir it in at the same time or would you pour it in at the beginning?
Lizzy, I think you would add it in at the beginning. Enjoy!
I love the Better than Bouillon product. I tried a sample at a ‘big box store’ and it was so good. It’s all I use now. Didn’t realize they made a vegetarian version
Stumbled upon your website while searching for a white bean chicken chili recipe. This recipe is AMAZING! Making it again tomorrow for our houseguests. Hoping to make it a bit creamer and spicier than the last batch. Whether I succeed or not doesnt matter because this is so delicious just the way it is.
Hi Ann! I’m so glad you are enjoying this recipe! Thanks for letting me know.
I just made this yesterday, and it’s great. However, I am on a low-calorie diet, and I was wondering how many calories are in this chili. I cannot find it anywhere, and I need to know so I can write it down. Thanks.
Hi Sarah, I do not provide nutritional information for my recipes. You can Google “calorie calculator” and enter in the ingredients listed in the recipe to find out the information you are needing. I’m so glad you liked it. Thank you for letting me know!
I am thinking about making this in large quantities for a camping trip. How far in advance do you think is safe to make it? And do I just add some liquid like you suggested above when I go to reheat it? And how long does it take to warm up? I’m gonna try making it for my family sometime in the next week to test out my cooking skills. 😉 Thanks!
If you are planning to freeze it, you could make it up to 3 months in advance. I would say reheating time will depend on your camping stove, altitude, and how much you make as well. I would plan on giving yourself an hour to get it warmed up and then you could just turn it to low until you are ready to serve. Be careful not to let the bottom burn (camping stoves can be tricky), so stir frequently. I think you could just bring up an extra can of chicken broth just in case it’s too thick, but you may not need it. Assuming you won’t have electricity to just plug in a crockpot, right?
Perfect. Thanks, Julie!
Can you put frozen chicken in the crock pot or should it be thawed first?
Frozen is just fine. Thanks for your question Susan.
Just tried the Crockpot Creamy White Chicken Chili tonight, and everybody loved it! I am going to add fresh chopped jalapeno’s next time I make it, just because I like a little more of a kick……otherwise it was FANTASTIC!
Awesome Michael, so glad it was a hit! And good idea with the jalapeños :0)
OMG I didn’t drain the beans I didn’t know 🙁 will it still taste okay?
Don’t worry, I think it will be just fine!
Can I add chicken that has already been cooked to cut down on my time? I would like to make it for dinner tonight, but I don’t have 6-8 hours. Suggestions on how to make it fast?
I think if you just made it on the stovetop it would be ok too. Just add all the ingredients listed through white beans, and simmer for at least half an hour. Follow the directions for the remaining ingredients (flour, milk, butter, etc) and add to the pot.
Made this tonight exactly as stated except I did cut up the chicken. We loved it! Great with cornbread!
I’m glad you liked it Kim!
I’m so glad I stum upon this recipe. I want to make this for dinner tonight, but only have dry northern beans instead of canned ones. If I put this in the crockpot all day will dry beans be fine? And if so how many should I use?
Hi Britney! I think you could use dry beans if you soak them in water overnight, but I’ve never tried it before. Let me know how it works if you do. Thanks for your question.
HI! I am going to try to make this tonight 🙂 Can you tell me what your toppings are in the picture above?
Melody
Hi Melody! The topping are Fritos, co-jack shredded cheese, fresh cilantro, and diced avocado. Hope you enjoy!
Can you cut up the chicken before putting it into the pot? or will it cook too fast?
I don’t think cutting up the chicken beforehand would be a problem. This recipe is pretty forgiving 🙂
But yes, it will cook faster so adjust your cooking time accordingly.
Do you know how much faster? This is pretty much the first time I am using a crock pot
Ok scratch what I just said about adjusting the cooking time. Sorry! I’m on my phone and thought you were asking about a different recipe. The nice thing about a crockpot is that it’s hard to over cook things so no worries! If you prefer to cut the chicken up ahead of time so you don’t have to later, keep your cooking time on low for 6-8 hours.
Just made this today and it is so good! One more question though, could the chicken, beans, and corn be mixed and frozen before hand and then thrown in with the spices and then the rest of the ingredients?
Yes, I think it would be fine to freeze the chicken, beans, and corn together ahead of time. I’m so glad you made this and liked it. Crockpots are so convenient!