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Crockpot White Chicken Chili

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5 from 2 reviews

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.