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Easiest White Bean Chicken Chili Recipe

October 16, 2022

White chicken chili is one of my absolute favorite dishes to kick off the fall season with. Let’s be honest though, I could eat this in the middle of summer and still be delighted. White bean chicken chili is a hearty staple dish that is SO easy to prepare. It’s thick, creamy, and herby and packed with protein. All you have to do is throw everything in the crockpot and let it do all the work for you. As Ina Garten would say, this dish is fabulous. It is also so customizable – omit what you don’t want and add what you do!

Here are the steps to making the BEST and EASIEST White Chicken Chili:

Start by prepping your potatoes. You can honestly use any potato you prefer, but because of the cook time I found that yellow potatoes did not work the best in this recipe. I think red potatoes are perfect and russets would be amazing as well. Make sure you rinse the potatoes well and cut them into one inch cubes. Layer them on the bottom of the crock pot.

After the potatoes are prepped, move on to the chicken breasts. I like to completely trim off everything from the chicken breast, including all fat. No need to cut the chicken breast into chunks though, as it will become ultra tender in the cooking liquid and be shredded later on. Place the chicken on top of the potatoes. 

Time for the flavor! I like to add all of my seasonings directly onto the chicken breasts. While everything is cooking together and will all be seasoned together, I find that the seasonings mix in better when they are on the chicken layer, rather than placed on the top. I think it also sinks into the chicken better, but at the end of the day it will taste great no matter where you put it! 

I love adding in minced garlic, oregano, onion powder, and rubbed sage – all the flavors of fall! Sometimes I put in a little red pepper chili flake for some spice, but feel free to get creative and add in more seasonings to suit your taste. As for the salt content, none of the ingredients are salty on their own so I add in 2 tsp of this salt. This is a very good brand that I highly recommend (no, I’m not sponsored! lol). 

Once I’m done adding all my seasonings, it’s time to prep my beans. I recommend rinsing them in  a strainer, since the starchy liquid that they sit in can make the chili too thick if added into the crock pot. I like to use three different cans of white beans, because they have subtly different tastes, textures, and sizes. I always add in a can of pinto beans, cannellini beans, and great northern beans. I always have these beans sitting in my pantry waiting for their time to become my delicious white chicken chili! 

The last step before it’s time to let the crockpot work it’s magic, is to add in chicken stock. I like to use around 2-3 cups. I experimented with adding more and less, and both didn’t turn out right. I love buying chicken stock in 1 cup portions (this is what I buy), because I find recipes rarely use an entire large container of stock – which will sit in my fridge, forgotten about, until it has to be tossed. 

I cook this magic chili in the crockpot for about 5 hours on low, until the chicken and potatoes are fork tender. I experimented with 3 hour and 5 hour cook times, and they both turned out fine as well. This recipe is really forgiving in case you are in a time crunch or forget that you were even cooking it at all (guilty). After four hours, I pull out the chicken breasts with tongs. Using two forks (or sometimes I just use the tongs I was already using, no one likes more dishes) I shred the chicken into half inch wide pieces. After cooking for that long, the chicken shreds so easily but still remains juicy and tender. Add the chicken back into the crock pot and it’s on to the last step!

The last and final step before it’s time to dig in, is to add the garlic feta dip. I know this ingredient may sound odd or different, but it honestly is AMAZING. I buy it at Sprouts, Whole Foods, Trader Joes, and even have gotten it from Target before. If you cannot commit to the dip, or just can’t source it, 4 oz of whipped cream cheese (or 8 oz of literally any other creamy dip) works well as a replacement. The base of garlic feta dip is cream cheese, so you are really only missing out on the creamy garlic and tangy flavor that the dip provides. Mix it all together and it’s time to dig in!

I hope you enjoy this recipe just as much as I do! Let me know down in the comments below how it works out for you, or any changes you would make! 

Creamy Crockpot White Chicken Chili

MelBreLife
This is a very easy crockpot white chicken chili. It's thick, creamy, herby, and perfect for fall!
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Course Main Course
Cuisine American, Mediterranean
Servings 6

Equipment

  • Crockpot
  • Strainer

Ingredients
  

  • 5 Red potatoes large
  • 2 pounds Chicken breast boneless, skinless
  • 5 cloves Garlic
  • 2 tbsp Onion powder
  • 2 tsp Dried oregano
  • 1.5 tsp Rubbed sage
  • 3 15 oz cans White beans
  • 2 Cups Chicken broth
  • 8 oz Roasted Garlic Feta Dip
  • Salt to taste

Optional Toppings

  • Green onions
  • Red pepper chili flake
  • Sour cream

Instructions
 

  • Wash and cut potatoes into one inch cubes. Add to crockpot in an even layer.
  • Trim chicken breasts and add on top of potatoes in a single layer with minimal overlapping.
  • Add minced garlic, salt, oregano, onion powder, and sage on top of chicken.
  • Strain and rinse beans and add to crockpot in an even layer.
  • Pour stock over the beans and slow cook on low for 4 hours until chicken and potatoes are fork tender.
  • Take out chicken breasts and shred with 2 forks on a separate plate. Then, add the shredded chicken back into the crockpot along with garlic fetadip and mix.
  • For a thicker consistency, cook uncovered for 20 additional minutes, stirring occasionally.

Notes

  1. Chicken stock can be added at any point to thin out the chili more. 
  2. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days.  
  3. Store covered in single-serving portions in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to eat, thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in the microwave for 3 minutes, stir, and cook for additional 30-second increments until the desired temperature is reached. 
Keyword chicken breast, chili, crockpot, crockpot meal, easy, healthy, high protein, quick, white bean chicken chili
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One Response

  1. Wow that recipe looks delicious and the pictures and step by step instructions are great! Thanks for sharing ❤️

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Hi besties! I’m Melissa, creator of Mel Bre Life Blog and Youtube channel. I love sharing honest and relatable plus-size fashion, luxury, and beauty content to help you live a happier, more fulfilled, and extra life! Occasionally I create a cozy recipe or share a DIY project, so stay tuned to see what I create next!

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