Crockpot White Chicken Chili with Lime and Cilantro
By Mason Brooks
Prep
15 min
Cook
240 min
Total
255 min
Servings
8
Level
Easy
I make this crockpot white chicken chili for large meals. Chicken breasts get extremely tender in a 6-quart crockpot. Green chiles and other spices, including lime juice, give white bean soup flavor. I like to eat it with cornbread and use the bread to soak up the soup.
Cook the pot on the LOW setting for 6-8 hours or the HIGH setting for 3-4 hours. Take out the chicken breasts once they are tender and flake easily between two forks. Put beans in the pot when you begin cooking the chicken. I like to use low-sodium chicken broth so I can add other canned chile and seasoning products to give the dish more flavor without making it too salty. Onions and garlic added at the beginning will break down in the broth while cooking.
Cream cheese is added after the chicken returns to the pot, not in the beginning. I mix 1 cup of hot broth with a block of cream cheese and pour it into the pot with lime juice and cilantro and let it simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. I suggest using full-fat cream cheese. Beans thicken as they simmer and absorb liquid.
Offer additional avocado and jalapeño slices and sour cream and tortilla strips for people to include in bowls. Options include both pickled and fresh jalapeño slices. I serve it over rice to feed additional people after cooking a large batch in a slow cooker.
Why you'll love this recipe
- Fifteen minutes of setup time for dinner in a slow cooker allows you to use your time more productively throughout the day.
- It feeds eight people. You won't need more pots on your stove to feed a group.
- Shredded chicken is a good spoon topping for kids' meals who won't eat crunchy toppings.
- A 6-quart slow cooker will work for this recipe. The cutting board and one bowl are the main cleanup.
- The flavor of the soup improves with age. I use this soup in meal prep lunches.
- Great Northern beans give body to the chili so that it can be eaten without other thickeners.
Ingredients
- •2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 3-4 breasts)
- •1 large yellow onion (diced)
- •3 cloves garlic (minced)
- •2 15-ounce cans Great Northern beans (rinsed and drained)
- •2 4-ounce cans diced green chiles (undrained)
- •32 oz low-sodium chicken broth
- •2 tsp ground cumin
- •1 tsp dried oregano
- •½ tsp chili powder
- •1 tsp salt (or to taste)
- •½ tsp black pepper
- •8 oz cream cheese (softened to room temperature)
- •1 lime (juiced)
- •½ cup fresh cilantro (chopped)
Instructions
- 1
Place the chicken breasts in the bottom of a 6-quart or larger slow cooker.
- 2
Add the diced onion, minced garlic, rinsed Great Northern beans, diced green chiles, cumin, oregano, chili powder, salt, and black pepper.
- 3
Pour the chicken broth over the ingredients.
- 4
Stir briefly to combine.
- 5
Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or on HIGH for 3-4 hours, until the chicken is tender and cooked through.
- 6
Remove the chicken breasts from the slow cooker and place them on a plate or cutting board.
- 7
Shred the chicken with two forks.
- 8
Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker.
- 9
Put the softened cream cheese in a medium bowl.
- 10
Ladle about 1 cup of hot broth from the slow cooker into the bowl.
- 11
Whisk until the cream cheese melts and the mixture is smooth.
- 12
Pour the cream cheese mixture back into the slow cooker.
- 13
Add the lime juice and chopped cilantro.
- 14
Stir until combined.
- 15
Let the chili warm through for another 10-15 minutes.
- 16
Serve hot with your favorite toppings.
FAQ
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
355
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