Crockpot White Chicken Chili Soup
A rich and comforting slow-cooker white chicken chili featuring tender shredded chicken, Great Northern beans, green chiles, corn, aromatic seasonings, and a creamy finish of cream cheese and half-and-half. Serve it hot with your preferred toppings for a hearty meal.
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Ingredients
For the Chili:
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, suitable for easy shredding
- 1 can whole-kernel corn thoroughly drained
- 3/4 tsp dried oregano
- 2 garlic cloves freshly minced
- 2 cans Great Northern beans rinsed and drained
- Fresh cilantro chopped, for mixing into the chili
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 yellow onion finely diced to yield approximately 1 cup
- 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth such as Swanson
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 2 cans diced green chiles preferably Hatch
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground or regular black pepper
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp salt
For the Creamy Finish:
- 1/2 cup reduced-fat cream cheese softened for easier blending
- 1/4 cup half-and-half
For Serving:
- Fresh cilantro chopped
- Monterey Jack cheese grated
- Jalapeños thinly sliced
- Tortilla strips
- Avocado sliced
- Sour cream such as Daisy
Instructions
- Arrange the chicken breasts across the bottom of the slow cooker.
- Season the chicken evenly with the salt, black pepper, cumin, oregano, chili powder, and cayenne pepper.
- Add the chopped yellow onion, minced garlic, drained Great Northern beans, diced green chiles, drained corn, chicken broth, and chopped cilantro.
- Gently stir the ingredients together without disturbing the chicken more than necessary.
- Place the lid securely on the slow cooker.
- Cook on LOW for 8 hours. For a faster option, cook on HIGH for 3–4 hours.
- At the end of the cooking period, transfer the chicken breasts from the slow cooker to a large bowl.
- Using two forks, pull the chicken apart into bite-size shreds. Return all of the shredded chicken to the slow cooker.
- Add the softened cream cheese and half-and-half to the chili.
- Stir until incorporated, cover the slow cooker again, and cook on HIGH for an additional 15 minutes, allowing the mixture to become creamy and slightly thicker.
- For an especially smooth consistency, place the softened cream cheese in a small bowl and whisk it with several ladlefuls of hot chili. Once smooth, stir the mixture back into the slow cooker along with the half-and-half.
- Stir the finished chili thoroughly so the creamy ingredients and shredded chicken are evenly distributed.
- Ladle the chili into bowls while hot and garnish as desired with grated Monterey Jack cheese, sliced avocado, jalapeños, tortilla strips, sour cream, or fresh cilantro.
Notes
Low-sodium chicken broth helps provide better control over the overall salt level.
Freshly minced garlic is preferred for the fullest flavor, while Hatch green chiles may be used for the specified chile flavor.
Softening the cream cheese before adding it helps it blend more evenly into the hot chili.