This cozy and healthy white chicken chili is rich with protein and fiber and easy to prep. It’s overflowing with tender chicken, corn, green chiles, and a creamy broth. Set the crock pot and come home to a healthy dinner or follow my tips for the stovetop or Instant Pot.
Need another soup recipe? Try cowboy soup, white chicken lasagna soup, or whole30 zuppa toscana next.
Chili is a classic fall dish and this healthy crockpot white chicken chili, along with my turkey pumpkin chili, is one I look forward to every year. We love chili so much we even make my sweet and spicy chili every Christmas eve!
This recipe might be one of my favorite soups thanks to the savory broth, tender chicken, chiles, and peppers. It’s naturally gluten-free and low carb and easy to make dairy-free with my tips.
Just like healthy chicken tortilla soup, it’s perfect for meal prep and freezer friendly, making it a fall and winter staple.
If you love chicken soup, you’ll love this Instant Pot chicken noodle soup and slow cooker buffalo chicken chili too.
Ingredients You Need
Here are the simple ingredients to make this healthy white chicken chili recipe. Jump to the recipe card for exact measurements.
- Onion: I used a sweet yellow onion, but white onion works.
- Poblano pepper: For the southwest flavor. It’s not spicy!
- Chicken broth: You can try chicken stock or chicken bone broth for added nutrients.
- White beans: These add fiber and delicious texture.
- Corn: For a little sweetness and crunch. Canned corn works great!
- Diced green chiles: They add flavor but aren’t too spicy.
- Seasoning: Oregano, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper.
- Chicken breasts: Chicken thighs are a great option.
- Cream: Coconut cream and dairy free cream cheese add richness. You could easily swap these with heavy cream, Greek yogurt and regular cream cheese.
How to Make Healthy White Chicken Chili
Here are the simple steps, with photos, to make this healthy white chicken chili in the slow cooker. Skip to the recipe card for the printable version.
Step 1. Cook the Veggies. Saute the onion and pepper in a skillet until soft then transfer to the slow cooker.
Step 2. Mix Remaining Ingredients. Add the remaining ingredients, except the chicken, to the crock pot and stir to combine.
Step 3. Add the Chicken. Nestle the chicken into the soup, making sure it’s fully submerged in liquid.
Step 4. Slow Cook. Close the lid and slow cooker on high for 4-6 hours or low for 6-8 hours.
Step 5. Shred the Chicken. Remove the chicken to a cutting board and shred with two knives.
Step 6. Finish the Soup. Add the chicken back to the crock pot with the cream cheese (optional) and cream and stir to melt.
Can I Make it On the Stovetop or Instant Pot?
I love Instant Pot recipes because it makes healthy dinners quick and easy, and soups are perfect for that. Here’s how to make this chicken chili in the Instant Pot or on the stove!
- Stove top: Saute the pepper and onion in a large stock pot then add the remaining ingredients and submerge the chicken. Bring to a boil then turn the heat down and simmer covered, for 20 minutes, until the chicken is tender. Shred the chicken, add the remaining cream, and stir to combine.
- Instant Pot: Add everything to the Instant Pot (no need to saute) in the order listed in the recipe. Pressure cook on high pressure for 20 minutes. Quick release the pressure, shred the chicken, and finish the soup as directed.
Expert Tips
- Adjust the chicken broth. Start by adding less then adjust later to reach your desired consistency.
- Thicker chili: whisk together a cornstarch slurry at the end, like in this ground turkey teriyaki.
- Make it spicy: opt for hot green chiles, a pinch of cayenne, or red pepper flakes to spice things up.
How to Store and Freeze
Store: Refrigerate leftover white chicken chili in a airtight container for up to 5 days.
Freeze after cooking: Allow the soup to cool then transfer to a resealable freezer safe bag or container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight before reheating.
Freeze before cooking: Dump all of the ingredients, except the coconut cream, into a freezer bag and mix. Lay flat to freeze solid for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge then dump it into the crock pot and cook as directed.
Reheat: Reheat the entire soup on the stove top until heated through or microwave individual servings in 1 minute increments until heated through.
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Healthy White Chicken Chili
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Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 2 poblano peppers seeded and diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2-3 cups chicken broth or chicken stock
- 2 (15-ounce) cans cans white cannellini beans drained and rinsed
- 1 (15-ounce) can corn drained
- 2 (4-ounce) cans diced green chiles with juices
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 3 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Freshly cracked pepper and kosher salt to taste
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts or chicken thighs
- 4 ounces cream cheese dairy-free if needed, optional
- 1 cup full fat coconut milk or heavy cream
- Toppings as desired see notes
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and poblano peppers and saute for 3-4 minutes, until soft. Add the garlic and cook for another minute, until fragrant. Transfer the mixture to the slow cooker.1 Tablespoon olive oil, 1 medium yellow onion, 2 poblano peppers, 3 cloves garlic
- Add 2 cups of chicken broth, beans, corn, green chilis, and spices and mix to combine.2-3 cups chicken broth, 2 (15-ounce) cans cans white cannellini beans, 1 (15-ounce) can corn, 2 (4-ounce) cans diced green chiles, 1 teaspoon oregano, 2 teaspoons chili powder, 3 teaspoons cumin, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, Freshly cracked pepper and kosher salt
- Nestle the chicken breasts in the chili and press down to submerge it in the liquid. Cover and cook on high for 4-6 hours on low for 6-8 hours.1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
- Remove the chicken to a cutting board and shred with two forks. Place it back in the crock pot with the cream cheese (optional) and heavy cream or coconut cream. Stir to melt and combine. Add up to 1 cup more of broth to reach your desired consistency. Taste and add more salt and pepper as needed. Serve with your favorite chili toppings.4 ounces cream cheese, 1 cup full fat coconut milk
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe by: Molly Thompson of What Molly Made | Photography by: Sierra Inn
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If your chicken is frozen, how much longer should you cook it for?
Hey Kassie! I don’t typically recommend putting frozen chicken in the slow cooker so I can’t say for sure!
What can you replace the coconut milk or heavy cream with?
Hi there! You could use greek yogurt.
Very good! I’m adding as a recipe to MFP and need to know the serving size?
How much is one serving?
Thanks!
Hey Elizabeth! You’ll have to figure out the servings by dividing it by 5. I like to weight the entire dish, subtract the pot, then divide that number by 5 to get the grams. I’m working on doing this with all of my future recipes, don’t have that info for this one. Thanks!
No worries! I’ll try that, thanks Molly!