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Creamy Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili with Cream Cheese

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A rich and velvety white chicken chili made in the slow cooker with cream cheese, green chilies, and cumin. It’s an easy, dump-and-go recipe that delivers bold, zesty flavor and ultimate comfort.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2–3 breasts)
  • 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 2 (15-oz) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 (15-oz) can sweet corn, drained
  • 1 (4-oz) can diced green chilies
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup)
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon chili powder
  • Salt and black pepper, to taste
  • 8 oz block cream cheese, softened and cut into cubes
  • ½ cup heavy cream (or half-and-half)
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • Fresh cilantro, chopped (for garnish)
  • Shredded Monterey Jack cheese (for garnish)
  • Diced avocado (for garnish)
  • Tortilla chips or strips (for garnish)
  • Sour cream (for garnish)

Instructions

  1. Layer the Ingredients: Place the diced onion and minced garlic in the bottom of your slow cooker. Place the chicken breasts on top of the onions. Add the drained and rinsed cannellini beans, the drained corn, and the can of diced green chilies (do not drain). Sprinkle the cumin, oregano, chili powder, and a generous pinch of salt and pepper over everything.
  2. Add the Broth: Pour the 4 cups of low-sodium chicken broth over the ingredients. Don’t stir it too much—just let it settle. The liquid should just barely cover the chicken and beans.
  3. Slow Cook: Cover the slow cooker with the lid. Cook on LOW for 6-7 hours or on HIGH for 3-4 hours. The chili is ready when the chicken is fork-tender and easily shreds.
  4. Shred the Chicken: Carefully remove the cooked chicken breasts from the slow cooker and place them on a cutting board. Use two forks to shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker.
  5. Make it Creamy: In a small bowl, whisk together the softened cream cheese cubes and the heavy cream until the mixture is fairly smooth (a few small lumps are okay). Scoop out about 1 cup of the hot broth from the slow cooker and slowly whisk it into the cream cheese mixture. Pour the tempered cream cheese mixture back into the slow cooker. Stir gently until everything is well combined and the broth turns a beautiful, creamy white.
  6. Final Simmer: Let the chili cook for another 15-20 minutes on LOW, stirring occasionally, until the cream cheese is fully melted and the chili is heated through. The broth will thicken slightly as it sits.
  7. Finish and Serve: Just before serving, stir in the fresh lime juice. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed. Ladle the chili into bowls and top with your favorite garnishes.

Notes

For best results, use full-fat cream cheese and temper it with hot broth to prevent curdling. Low-and-slow cooking yields the most tender chicken. Adjust salt at the end after adding cheese and cream. To thicken, mash some beans against the pot or let chili sit on warm with lid off.

Nutrition

Keywords: white chicken chili, slow cooker, cream cheese, creamy chili, chicken chili, comfort food, easy dinner

Find it online: https://lucastable.com/creamy-slow-cooker-white-chicken-chili-with-cream-cheese/