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Crockpot White Chicken Chili with Cream Cheese

Crockpot white chicken chili with cream cheese is a slow-cooker meal with tender shredded chicken, white beans, green chilies, and a velvety cheese broth. Cook low-and-slow until the chicken reaches 165°F, then melt in cream cheese and Monterey Jack for a smooth, creamy, slightly thickened chili.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours 10 minutes
Total Time 4 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 480
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken breasts
  • 2 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Aromatics and beans
  • 1 yellow onion, diced
  • 3 garlic, minced
  • 2 can (15 oz) great northern beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 can (4 oz) diced green chilies
  • 1 cup frozen corn
  • 4 cup chicken broth
Spices
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
  • 0.5 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper
Creamy finish
  • 8 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 0.5 cup heavy cream
  • 0.5 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Garnish
  • 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1 Lime wedges, for serving

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Build the chili in the slow cooker
  1. Add the chicken breasts to the crockpot, then pour in the chicken broth.
  2. Add the diced yellow onion, minced garlic, great northern beans, diced green chilies, and frozen corn to the crockpot.
  3. Sprinkle in the ground cumin, chili powder, dried oregano, smoked paprika, onion powder, salt, and black pepper, then stir gently to combine.
Cook until the chicken is shred-ready
  1. Cover and cook on Low for 6–7 hours, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F and shreds easily.
  2. Alternatively, cover and cook on High for 3–4 hours, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F and shreds easily.
Shred and melt to a creamy texture
  1. Remove the chicken, shred it with two forks, and return the shredded chicken to the crockpot.
  2. Stir in the softened cream cheese until completely melted into the broth.
  3. Add the heavy cream and shredded Monterey Jack cheese, then stir until the chili becomes smooth, creamy, and slightly thickened.
  4. Cook on Low for 15–20 minutes more, stirring once or twice, until the cheese is fully melted.
Serve
  1. Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro and serve with lime wedges for squeezing over each bowl.

Notes

For extra creamy chili, soften the cream cheese before adding it so it melts quickly and smoothly. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; freeze in sealed containers for up to 2 months, thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat gently until warmed through. For a lighter option, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream (cream cheese stays the same) and simmer 5 minutes longer to thicken slightly.