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.
Would love to make this tomorrow for my family, but don’t have any bouillon. If I omit, will it compromise the consistency of the flour/butter mixture?
Thank you!
It won’t compromise the consistency, but you will loose some of the chicken flavor. If you try it without the bouillon, try adding some salt if needed.
Thank you.
I am going to try this tomorrow 🙂 With commuting time factored in, I am at work 10 hours before I get home, do you think I can leave it on low that long without affecting the chicken too much? Or would you recommend letting it cook while we sleep, then putting it in the fridge while it’s piping hot and eating it after work? Thanks for your advice.
Kelly, I haven’t ever cooked it that long, but I think it should be okay. Depending on how hot the “Low” setting on your crockpot is, I would think it just might be a little brown on the edges of your crockpot but not really affect the overall taste. Hope you enjoy!
Looking forward to making for a neighborhood Halloween get together…but where do I find “Better than Bullion Chicken Base?”
It will be in a small jar near the chicken broth and canned soups. Enjoy!
Hello! I’m currently in the final steps of making the chili. Do I add flour milk and sour cream mixture in the crockpot and then cook the additional hour?
Hi Jocelyn,
Yes, you add your white sauce that you made on the stovetop to the crockpot (butter, flour, milk, chicken base, salt, and pepper) and mix. Then add your sour cream to the crock pot and mix. Shred the chicken, if it isn’t already. Then cook on low for one more hour if you have time just so everything can get all happy together! Hope you enjoy!
Thank you so much! Can’t wait to try it.
Made this for dinner tonight, smells wonderful. I will have a bowl when I get back from the gym, can’t wait! Easy to make and will be passing the recipe to friends at work.
Hi Karen – thanks so much for sharing this recipe with your friends! Hope you have a wonderful evening!
Sounds so yummy!
I was thinking of adding kale to get some extra veggies into the kiddos. Add what point do you think I should add the kale?
Hi Amy! I would add it an hour or so before serving to give it a little time to wilt down. Hope you and your family enjoys!
Hi! I’m going to try your recipe tomorrow. I am new to Crockpot cooking. Do you think this will fit well in my 4 quart crockpot? I also have a 7 quart one, but I suspect that will be way too big.
Your 4-quart crockpot will be perfect. Enjoy!
Thank you!!
This recipe sounds delish! I am making it for a work gathering and we do not have a stove in the office. Can you make the cream base ahead of time and refrigerate it until it is needed?
Thanks!!
Yes, I think that would be okay. It might help it mix in more smoothly if the cream base is close to room temp before you mix it in, but should workout just fine!
Hi – I’m also planning to bring this to a work potluck, and I’m wondering the same thing. Do you recall if it worked for you to make the base ahead of time?
I just started the chili. I’m looking forward to my first taste! Quick question… should I chop up an onion and add it to the chili? I’ve always done this with other chili recipes. I was curious to see if you’ve tried that, and if it makes a difference in the final result.
Donna, I haven’t tried adding an onion but I bet it would be good!
Hi!
I want to make this chili but don’t have 8 hours – any idea how to cut down on cooking time?
Also, do you have any substitute for the Better than Boullion? Perhaps chicken stock or broth?
You can use stock but your chili will be thinner because you are using more liquid.
You could use a rotisserie chicken (just pull the meat of the bones and shred) and just make it on the stovetop. Without actually having made it this way before, I think if it simmered for an hour or so it should be fine. Let me know how it goes if you try it.
Thanks Julie!
This is the stock I have – it’s a condensed version by Knorrs:
http://www.knorr.com/product/detail/245812/chicken-stock
It is a paste, just like BTB. Perhaps I can substitute the BTB with it?
Oh yes, that should be just fine!
I don’t have the Better than Bullion Base but I do have the cubes…will that work?
I think it will work out fine if you dissolve your cube in 1/4 cup hot water as a substitute for the chicken base. That way you aren’t adding too much extra liquid. Thanks for your question!
I added some diced red, orange, and green bell pepper to give it a more colorful look, and it won the prize for “best family-friendly chili” at our church’s Halloween cookoff! It’s easy to make a chili that’s not spicy, but they usually come out bland. This recipe has a lot of flavor without setting anyone’s mouth on fire. If you want more kick, you can just add some more cayenne pepper or your favorite hot sauce. Also, it was fantastic with some fritos corn chips. A recipe I will keep and re-use, for certain.
That’s so awesome that you won! Love the addition of the peppers. Thanks for letting me know!
Can this be cooked on high? If so , for how long?
Although I haven’t tried it myself, I would think 4 hours on high would be good.
4 hours on high was perfect! Cook three hours….. shred the chicken…. add the sauce… then cook for one more hour!
Great, thanks Kimberly!
I’m making this recipe for the second time tonight, I love it so much! I used a cube of bouillon because that’s all I had and it melted into the sauce just fine. Also, the fritos and avocado toppings are crucial–SO GOOD! Thank you!
Yay! So glad you love it!
This a winner. And I forgot the chills and cilantro so can’t waIt to make it again. I used avocados and baked scoops as toppings, so good!
I’m so glad you liked it! Its all about the toppings right?
This was perfect for a cold fall day to stay inside and watch football. The flavor was wonderful and it was so easy to make.
That sounds like a really good day Tracie!
I’ve made this several times and it is a guaranteed winner! I’ve always used ground poultry (because it’s usually cheaper and on sale somewhere), I add the second can of beans and an additional can of green chilies at the end with the cream base, and I consistently always forget to add sour cream – and still it is ALWAYS DELICIOUS and turns out perfect every single time. I like that this is a versatile recipe so I can play around with the spices and really customize it if I want to. Also, someone asked about making the cream base ahead of time and refrigerating it – that is what I always do, because I work afternoon hours and don’t have time to make anything when I get home, and it has always been absolutely fine. Thank you for this amazing recipe! I am keeping it in my rotation forever!
Thanks Grace, so glad you love it!
This recipe sounds great and I cant wait to try it. However, my husband is allergic to chicken. Do you have any suggestions on how to make a pork or beef version. Thanks!
I think beef would be the easiest substitute. You could use a chuck roast, beef broth, and Better Than Bullion beef base in place of the chicken breasts, chicken broth, and chicken base. Let me know how it turns out if you try it!
Thanks for the response. I will definitely let you know how it turns out.
I made this with the beef substitutes and it was great. I used 1.5 pounds of chuck roast. When I make it next time, I plan to use 3 pounds and add a second can of corn.
Thanks for the recipe and beef alteration suggestions. We really enjoyed it!
Sounds great Jennifer! Might have to give it a try. Thanks for letting me know.
Hi – I am in the last step, everything is in the crock put but it is looking pretty thick. I did do 4 chicken breasts and seems like a lot of the liquid was absorbed during the day… any suggestions on how to make it a little more soupy and not so thick?
Hi Lisa, once you have added the creamy white sauce, if you still think it is too thick just add more chicken broth. You can use canned chicken broth, or mix one teaspoon of the Better Than Bullion Chicken base with 1 cup of warm water. Hope you enjoy!
I need to make it gluten free. What would you suggest to replace the flour for the thickening sauce?
I don’t have any experience with gluten free substitutions, but I’ve read that you can purée white beans to use as a thickener. Perhaps you could reserve a cup or so of the beans in this recipe, and mix with milk to add to the chili at the end. Let me know how it goes if you try it.
I cook gluten-free; you can substitute a gluten-free flour for the white flour such as brown rice flour or quinoa flour, or a gluten-free all purpose flour blend. (I also cook dairy-free, if you needed to do that you can substitute olive oil for the butter). Your roux should turn out fine. Good luck!
I am making this meal for the second time. My family and I LOVE IT!
Thank you!
Awesome to hear Jen!
What was the soup (and how much and did you add anything) you used to use in place of the scratch sauce? I’m thinking in terms of being more economical and simpler for a college apartment. 🙂
Hi Blake, this is a great recipe to make in a college apartment. To make it even more simple, omit the six ingredients listed after the white beans, and add two (10 ounce) cans of cream of chicken soup instead. You can do this when you add in all the other ingredients. Stir in the sour cream when you are almost ready to serve. Thanks for your question!
Best white chili I’ve made in some time (maybe ever)! Thanks for the great recipe. I followed all ingredients exactly except for the buillon (didn’t have any on hand) and it still turned out fine. The brown sauce and sour cream make it special. I’m taking it with me for lunches or dinners at the ski lodge this weekend and it will be perfect.
Good to know it still worked out okay without the bullion. Have fun skiing!
I made this tonight and it didn’t turn out well. Much, much too thick. I cooked it for probably 7.5 hours, added the roux and sour cream and didn’t need to cook any longer. Suggestions on what I may have done wrong other than cooking it too long? Followed the recipe to a T otherwise.
I know all crockpots do run a lithe bit differently as far as temperature goes, but that really shouldn’t have been too long. I’m not sure why it turned out thick, but just adding more chicken broth or milk at the end to thin it out should do the trick.
OMG Julie, I made batch one tonight as a test run…to the recipe exact! It’s got enough zing to leave a little tingle (I’m not a spicy lover), but every flavor comes through! This is going to be a hit with those 50 frat guys!!! I’ll report back after the weekend 🙂
Carol, sounds good! Excited to hear how it goes.
Wow! I saw this recipe on Pinterest and saving it for a rainy day, which happened to be yesterday! I didn’t do it in a crock pot, just on the stove and I added a whole onion and did fresh chillies instead of canned because I couldn’t find any. I also used leftovers from a roast chicken. It turned out great and it’s now officially a favorite chili recipe!! Thanks so much for sharing Julie!
Love how you improvised with the ingredients you could find. So glad you liked it!
Made this tonight! Found it to be a little thick to my taste so I added an extra cup of chicken stock after thickening. Other than that, the recipe was perfect! Definitely a keeper!
Glad you were able to get it to the consistency you prefer with a quick fix. Thanks for letting me know!
Hi! Excited to try this tonight! It’s been cooking all day in my crockpot 🙂 question-is it ok to make the soup completely without chicken base and not adding a substitute? If not, what is the best substitute? Definitely want that thicker consistensy and couldn’t find the base anywhere. Thanks!!
Hi Carra, the chicken base just adds a little more flavor. Do you happen to have a chicken bullion cube? If so, just dissolve it in a couple of tablespoons of hot water to make a paste, and add it to the milk/butter/flour white sauce that you put into the crockpot toward the end. Hope this helps!
Hi! I just had to let you know, I have tried multiple different White Chicken Chili recipes and this one is AMAZING!! And so easy! Thanks so much! 🙂
Yes you’ve gotten umpteen questions re: this recipe, HOWEVER mine is one i couldn’t find on here. I’ve been substituting greek yogurt for sour cream in most of my recipes. I’m nervous re: it curdling. i’m thinking i’ll just add it before serving, but wondering if anyone else has tried it at the ‘1-hour-left-to-cook’ mark. ?? smells delish, can’t wait to devour.
I think it would be ok to add just before serving, or even to offer as an option for toppings.
This soup was a big hit with my family! Easy to make and very yummy. Thank you for the awesome recipe 🙂
You are so welcome Emi. Always a happy day when the whole family enjoys dinner!