This Crockpot White Chicken Chili Recipe is such a simple, cozy meal. It took me a minute to land on a good name for it though; I had a hard time calling it just "white" chicken chili, because I used my favorite "verde" (green) enchilada sauce ingredients. The "white" in white chicken chili, to me, simply denotes the fact that there are no tomatoes or red chiles, and obviously chicken is whiter than beef. But I use thighs in this which are dark meat. Anyway, technicalities aside, this is so delicious and easy and I have been making it for years!
I've said it before and I'll say it again: I was not always a big fan of the slow cooker. I didn't really see its merits until I was a busy working mom/full time college student. Yes, I survived to tell my tale, and yes, I graduated. And many of our meals during those wild times were make ahead or slow cooker creations. This Crockpot White Chicken Chili was one of them and since creating it I have made it so many times. It is packed with flavors and they all work harmoniously together to create such a comforting, savory meal.
A few tricks to making a super flavorful & rich white chicken chili
First, you really want to let the veggies brown and blacken. Don't be afraid.
And similarly, let the seasoned chicken thighs get nice and golden.
Finally, do not waste those little brown bits left in the pans. Swish them out with some of your chicken stock or even a bit of water. They add so much flavor to this slow cooker white chicken chili recipe.
Make ahead
Thighs can slow cook forever, so this is great to get prepped the night before, stash in the fridge overnight, and pop in the slow cooker before a long, busy day. You can even streamline it if you want and skip the browning of the thighs, but I really think this adds so much flavor and color. And if you want to make it a true dump-and-go crockpot recipe, replace the roasted veggie mixture with a jar of store-bought verde salsa or green enchilada sauce.
Grab the Crockpot White Chicken Chili recipe below and check out these other crockpot recipes!
Barbacoa Shredded Beef (Instant Pot or Slow Cooker)
Slow Cooker White Bean and Sausage Soup
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Crockpot White Chicken Chili
This crockpot white chicken chili recipe is packed with flavor. It's super easy to prep on those busy weekdays.
- Total Time: 0 hours
- Yield: 4-6 servings
Ingredients
- 1.5-2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs (usually one regular-sized pack)
- 1 lb tomatillos (6-7), husk removed
- 1 large yellow or white onion, peeled and quartered
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 large poblano pepper
- 1 jalapeno pepper
- 3 16-ounce cans white cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 16-ounce can hominy, drained and rinsed
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- salt and pepper
- vegetable oil
- fresh cilantro-one cup for recipe, plus more for serving
- lime wedges, fresh avocado, cilantro, and tortilla chips or strips for serving
Instructions
To Prepare:
Preheat broiler to high.
Place tomatillos, onion, garlic, poblano, and jalapeno in a large, ovenproof skillet (I prefer cast iron), drizzle with vegetable oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and place under broiler until the vegetables are blistered and very dark in spots. Alternatively, you can do this on the stove top over very high heat.
Remove from oven and let cool slightly, carefully peel the skin from the poblano and jalapeno - don't get too fussy; it's ok if you don't get every speck of skin off - and remove and discard the seeds and stems along with the skin. If you want it spicier leave the jalapeno seeds in. Place the charred vegetables in a blender with a cup of fresh cilantro, one can of drained and rinsed cannellini beans, and one cup of your chicken stock. Blend until smooth and add to slow cooker.
Generously season chicken thighs with salt, pepper, cumin, and coriander, and in the same pan you charred your vegetables, brown chicken thighs very well on both sides. Transfer thighs to slow cooker. While the pan is still hot, carefully remove excess fat from pan, pour in some chicken stock, and scrape to remove any brown bits of goodness. Add this liquid to slow cooker.
Add remaining two cans of beans, one can of hominy, and remaining chicken stock to slow cooker. Give it a stir and turn to low for 6-8 hours.
When you're ready to serve, taste for salt and add more if desired. This will depend heavily on the saltiness of your chicken stock.
The chicken will be so tender and buttery, you can just shred it gently with tongs or a spoon. I like it a little chunky, but shred it however you prefer.
Serve with lime wedges, avocado, sour cream, fresh cilantro leaves, tortilla chips, and hot sauce. Enjoy!
Prep ahead/streamline instructions:
Get prepped the night before, stash in the fridge overnight, and pop in the slow cooker before a long, busy day. You can even streamline it and make it a true dump-and-go recipe by skipping the browning of the thighs and replacing the roasted veggie mixture with a jar of store-bought verde salsa or green enchilada sauce. If you choose this method, mash up some of the beans to get a thicker consistency if desired.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 6-8 hours
Erika says
One musing of Anita’s in a blog post was about crock pot recipes. I myself love the crockpot as a busy working mom. This recipe isn’t your typical dump-and-go but it’s worth the prep to have something so delicious to come home to. This also freezes beautifully!
anita | wild thistle kitchen says
My feelings have definitely changed over the years and I've grown to really love and appreciate a crock pot meal! I'm so glad you all like this one - it's been a hit in our house for years and years!
Sarah says
Made this for dinner last night with homegrown tomatillos and poblanos (omitted the jalapeno because I didn't want it to be too spicy for the kids) and 4 bone in skin on chicken thighs. I also used my Dutch oven which let it be finished in about 4½ hours. I ran to the store to get the correct beans and I'm glad I did, I want to eat this all week! The chicken was so tender and the chili has such amazing flavor! We ate it with cilantro, lime, sour cream, and tortilla chips ⭐
anita | wild thistle kitchen says
Sarah, I'm so happy you made this!! And I'm happy you know the real history behind this dish and how it was a go-to for me during a really crazy time in my life. Love you, sweet friend!!
DisplacedHousewife (@DisplacedTaiTai) says
Yes please!! This looks delicious and I LOVE LOVE LOVE tomatillos!!! I can't wait to try this. xx
Ani Hughes | Cook on a Whim says
Thank you! It is so good, AND friend tested and picky kid approved. Haha. My friend made it and texted that her son said it was AMAZING. Apparently he never says things like that. 🙂 I hope you make it and love it!
Selma's Table says
This looks and sounds fabulous, Ani. I've bookmarked it!
Laissez Faire says
Big fan of the bean here! The next time I have white beans on hand I'll make some. It's been a long time!
spiceinthecity says
That chili looks delicious!!
fabulousfannyjr says
Reblogged this on global_food.