How this one gets creamy without any cream
Making dinner in the slow cooker is a weeknight lifesaver. Especially when it tastes as good as this slow cooker white chicken chili.
One of our favorite go-to recipes (and readers’ favorite, too!) is this Easy Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup. Wanting to make a similar, but slightly different, version I created this white chicken chili.
My favorite aspect of this recipe is that it’s free of heavy cream and milk, and it can easily be made dairy-free. That matters a lot in our house, since dairy is a problem for more than one of us.
Instead of cream cheese, a cup of almond milk goes in during the last 30 minutes and plain Greek yogurt gets stirred in right at the end. Fresh jalapeños and lime juice keep it from tasting flat, which is where a lot of dump-and-go chilis lose me.
Fair warning on the yield: I make this for six and it’s gone in a meal or two at our house. If your crowd eats like mine, go ahead and double it.
Why you’ll love this white chicken chili
- Creamy with no cream cheese, heavy cream, or half-and-half. Almond milk and a spoonful of Greek yogurt do it instead.
- Naturally gluten-free, and easy to make fully dairy-free.
- 15 minutes of prep, then the slow cooker takes over for the afternoon.
- The heat is yours to set, from barely-there to a real kick.
Great recipe!! My friend Laura who writes Decor to Adore made this recipe for us just before Christmas. So glad she shared it with all of us!
– Barbara C.
Ingredients and Substitutions
For the exact measurements and detailed instructions, please see the recipe card below.
- Chicken breasts: They go in raw and shred right in the slow cooker, so there’s no browning step first. Boneless thighs work too if you want something a little richer.
- Great Northern beans: Rinse and drain them well before they go in. Cannellini or navy beans are an easy swap.
- Whole kernel corn: Canned and drained is what I use, though frozen corn works just as well.
- Onion: Dice it finely so it melts into the broth instead of turning up in chunks.
- Jalapeños: Seeded and finely diced, and this is where most of the heat lives. Not a fan of spicy? Use less jalapeño and leave out the cayenne.
- Garlic: Crushed rather than minced, so it softens into the broth over the long cook.
- Chicken broth: Low-sodium gives you more control, since the recipe already calls for a fair amount of salt.
- Fresh lime juice: Fresh really is better here than bottled. Don’t have a lime? Lemon juice will work great, too.
- Almond milk: Plain and unsweetened, and it’s what makes this creamy without any heavy cream. Allergic to nuts? Soy milk works great in place of almond milk.
- Plain Greek yogurt: Unsweetened, stirred in at the very end. Leave it out or use a plain dairy-free yogurt to keep the whole pot dairy-free.
- The spice blend: Paprika, white pepper, oregano, and cayenne. Whisk them together in a small bowl first so they spread evenly instead of clumping in one spot.
How to Make Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili
Please see the recipe card below for the full instructions, ingredient amounts, and a printable recipe.
Load up the slow cooker
Add the chicken breasts, onion, beans, corn, garlic, jalapeño, and lime juice to a 6 to 8 quart slow cooker. No browning, no sautéing, nothing to wash first.
The Slow Cooker I L❤️VE!
Not all slow cookers are created the same. I’ve used and loved my Crockpot 6-quart one for YEARS. It holds heat great, is easy to use, and the lock and carry lid is so handy!
Pour in the broth
Pour the chicken broth over everything, lifting the chicken breasts once or twice so the liquid coats the bottom of the crock. You don’t want a dry spot sitting under the chicken.
Season it
Whisk the salt, paprika, white pepper, oregano, and cayenne together in a small bowl, then sprinkle it over the top. Give everything a good stir to combine.
Let the slow cooker do the work
Cover and cook on High for 3 to 4 hours, or on Low for 5 to 7 hours. That’s it until the last half hour.
The chicken is ready when it shreds with two forks and no fighting. If it’s still tough at the 3 hour mark on High, give it another 30 minutes before you pull it out.
Shred the chicken and stir in the almond milk
During the last 30 minutes, shred the chicken breasts right in the pot and stir in the almond milk. Cover and let it finish cooking.
Finish with the Greek yogurt
Just before serving, stir in the plain Greek yogurt. Top with extra lime, cilantro, green onions, and avocado.
The yogurt goes in at the very end, never at the beginning. Stirred in early it will split over a long cook, and you’ll end up with a grainy pot instead of a creamy one.
Oops! What did I do wrong?
My chili came out grainy. The Greek yogurt most likely went in too early. Stir it in right at the end, once the cooking is done, and it stays smooth.
My chicken wouldn’t shred. It just needs more time. Give it the full 3 to 4 hours on High or 5 to 7 on Low, then check again after another 30 minutes.
It tastes a little flat. Squeeze more lime over the top right before you eat. Lime is doing a lot of the work in this one and it fades over a long cook.
FAQs
Most recipes get there with cream cheese or half-and-half. This one uses plain almond milk stirred in during the last 30 minutes, then a little plain Greek yogurt right before serving, so it turns out creamy without any heavy cream.
Regular chili is built on tomatoes, chili powder, and usually ground beef. White chicken chili skips the tomatoes completely and leans on chicken, white beans, and green chiles or fresh jalapeños instead.
It is naturally gluten-free as written, though it is worth checking the label on your chicken broth. It is dairy-free too if you leave out the Greek yogurt at the end or swap in a plain dairy-free yogurt.
Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat, or in the microwave in short bursts. High heat can cause the yogurt to break.
Freeze it before the Greek yogurt goes in, for up to 3 months. The yogurt-finished version can separate when it thaws, so stir fresh yogurt in after you reheat it.
Tap stars to rate!
Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili
email this recipe!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken breasts
- 2 cups onion finely diced
- 2 15-ounce cans Northern beans rinsed and drained
- 1 15-ounce can whole kernel corn drained
- 2 cloves garlic crushed
- 2 jalapenos seeded, finely diced
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- ¾ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 cup almond milk
- ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt unsweetened
- Cilantro optional
- Green onions optional
- Avocado optional
Instructions
- In a 6-8 quart slow cooker place chicken breasts, onion, beans, corn, garlic, jalapeno and lime juice.
- Pour chicken broth over ingredients, making sure to pick up the chicken breasts once or twice to let liquid coat the bottom of the slow cooker.
- In a small bowl, whisk together salt, paprika, white pepper, oregano, and cayenne pepper. Sprinkle seasonings over the slow cooker ingredients. Stir to combine.
- Cover and cook on High for 3-4 hours or Low for 5-7 hours.
- During the last 30 minutes of cooking, shred the chicken breasts and stir in almond milk. Continue cooking for the last 30 minutes.
- Just before serving, stir in Greek yogurt. Serve with additional lime, cilantro, green onions, and avocado slices. Enjoy!
Tap stars to rate!
Notes
- Storage: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
- Reheating: Warm gently on the stovetop over low heat, or in the microwave in short bursts. High heat can cause the yogurt to break.
- Freezing: Freeze it before the Greek yogurt goes in, for up to 3 months. The yogurt-finished version can separate when it thaws, so stir fresh yogurt in after you reheat it.
- Dairy-free: Leave out the Greek yogurt or swap in a plain dairy-free yogurt. The rest of the recipe is already free of cream and milk.
- Nut allergy: Soy milk works great in place of the almond milk.
- Spice level: Use less jalapeño and leave out the cayenne for a milder pot.
- No limes? Lemon juice will work great, too.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
What to serve with slow cooker white chicken chili
This is a full bowl on its own, but a square of Honey Jalapeño Cornbread on the side is the move. The sweet-and-spicy thing it has going on is great with a chili that is already leaning on jalapeño.
If you want something green on the table, my Chopped Kale Salad with Cranberries is crunchy and bright enough to cut through a creamy bowl. Sautéed Green Beans are the easier call on a night when you don’t feel like building a salad.
For toppings, I go heavy on sliced avocado, chopped cilantro, green onions, and one more squeeze of lime. Tortilla chips or strips crushed over the top are never a bad idea either.
More cozy chicken soups and chilis
When the weather turns and nobody wants to think about dinner, these are the ones that come back around at our house.
Easy Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup
6 hrs 10 mins
Chicken Taco Soup
40 mins
Chicken Enchilada Soup
45 mins
Hi London! Great recipe!! My friend Laura who writes Decor to Adore made this recipe for us just before Christmas. So glad she shared it with all of us! Happy to pin to my Yummy! board, also. Cooking in our slow cooker for tonight’s Sunday dinner.
Thanks again,
Barb 😊💕
Yay, Barb!! So happy you enjoyed the recipe so much. And a huge thanks to Laura for sharing it with you. Thanks for your comment and rating!!
Can a lactose free milk be used rather than soy or nut milk?
Hi Heather!! Yes, it absolutely can with very similar results.
Perfect for a chilly weather day!
It totally is, Sammy!