Published: | Updated: | Leave a comment | Jump to Recipe
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. I get commissions for purchases made through links in this post.
This slow cooker White Chicken Chili with Salsa Verde is healthy and hearty and makes the perfect easy recipe for meal prepping. Make up a big batch of chil and freeze any leftovers for a quick and convenient dinner for the whole family! {Gluten-free & dairy-free}
White Chicken ChiliLike it? Save for later!
Table of Contents
Salsa Verde White Chicken Chili
I’ve always been a huge chili girl, but creamy white chicken chili with salsa verde? That’s a whole different level of comfort food!
It’s one of those recipes that’s easy to prepare because your slow cooker basically does all the work and the end result is always a hit with the whole family. It’s hearty, healthy and bursting with flavour.
It takes just 10 minutes to prep this white bean chicken chili before placing it in the crockpot, and then it’s there waiting for you to enjoy at the end of a busy day. I think we can all agree those are the best types of meals.
If chili is your thing, be sure to also check out my High Protein Chiliand Vegan 3-Bean chili recipes!
Why We Love this White Chicken Chili Verde
- Satisfying: What I love most about this healthy white chicken chili is that it’s incredibly hearty and satisfying due to its fibre and protein content. Packed with hearty beans, tender chicken and sweet corn kernels, there is no shortage of filling and nutrient-rich ingredients in this dish.
- Unique: White bean chili has a totally different flavour profile than your traditional beef chili so it’s a great way to switch up your next chili night. Your classic chili recipe tends to be more smokey, while this one has a creamier consistency. Perfect for topping up with lots of tasty add-ons!
- Great way to use those pantry staples: Another thing that I love about this slow cooker recipe is that it puts those white beans and other pantry staples to good use. As an added bonus, those white beans are also what form the creamy base for this dish, so no milk or heavy cream is required.
- Easily adaptable: You can adapt the level of creaminess of this white chili. At one point in the recipe, you will puree some of the soup mixture using an immersion blender or regular blender. The amount you choose to puree is totally up to you! The more you puree, the thicker and creamier the chili will be. It’s a pretty flexible chili ;)
- Perfect freezer meal: Did I mention that this easy white chicken chili is also freezer-friendly? It’s the perfect recipe to make in large batches with the intention of freezing the leftovers for more warm and cozy meals in the future. Those are the best kinds of meals. The ones that are just sitting there waiting for you to devour.
Ingredient Notes
- Chicken: Use boneless skinless chicken breasts for this recipe. You can also sub in chicken thighs or skip the part about cooking the chicken breasts in the broth and instead add in pre-shredded chicken or rotisserie chicken if you have that kicking around.
- Cannellini beans: Use no salt added canned cannellini beans (also known as white kidney beans), and be sure to drain and rinse them well before using. You can also sub in Great Northern beans or Navy beans if desired.
- Green chilis: I like to use mild canned chilis to make the recipe more family-friendly. If you prefer a spicier chili, you can use a stronger variety.
- Salsa verde: This green salsa is made with tomatillos and adds a great fresh and zingy flavour to the chili. You can use homemade or a jar of salsa verde from the grocery store.
- Cumin: Cumin has a warm and earthy flavour and adds a delicious pop of flavour to this chili.
- Corn: Use fresh or frozen corn for this recipe. In a pinch, you can use canned, but I find it tends to have a softer and mushier consistency so not my preferred option.
- Broth: I use reduced sodium chicken broth for this recipe, but vegetable will work well if that’s what you have.
How to Make White Chicken Chili with Salsa Verde – Step-by-Step
- Place chicken breasts in the bottom of a 6-quart or larger slow cooker. Top with the white beans, green chiles, salsa verde, cumin, and 1 cup of corn. Add 3 cups of chicken stock and stir to combine.
- Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours, or until the chicken is cooked through.
- When the chicken is no longer pink inside, remove the chicken breasts to a plate. Once cool enough to handle, shred using two forks and set aside.
- Using an immersion blender, puree a portion of the chili to thicken it, leaving some of the beans whole. You can also transfer a few ladles of the chili to a food processor and roughly blend, then stir the blended portion back into the chili. You may need to add more chicken broth at this point depending on how thick you like your chili.
- Stir in the shredded chicken and add the remaining 1 cup of corn. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste. Cook in slow cooker for an additional half an hour to allow chili to thicken. Portion the white chicken chili into bowls and top with a squeeze of fresh lime juice. Garnish with desired toppings and enjoy.
Keep scrolling to the recipe card below for the full slow cooker verde chicken chili recipe!
Recipe Tips:
- If you like a thicker chicken chili, you may wish to remove the chicken breasts at the end of the cooking time and pulse some of the soup with an immersion blender a couple of times or transfer a portion of the soup to a blender to puree and add back into the pot to make it a little more thick and creamy. Alternatively, you can add a bit of cornstarch to the soup mixture to thicken. You may also wish to add some additional corn after pureeing the soup to incorporate some extra texture and colour since some of the corn will get pureed when blending the soup.
- If you like a thinner base to your chili, you may need to add more broth. I like my chili thicker, so I only added the 3 cups of broth.
- If you’d prefer to use a rotisserie chicken, you can skip the step where you cook the raw chicken breasts and simply add in the shredded chicken during the last few minutes of cooking.
- I like to serve this salsa verde chicken chili with some crispy tortilla strips or pita chips. Simply cut up a whole-grain tortilla or pita into wedges or strips, brush a little olive oil over top, and sprinkle with a bit of salt, pepper and garlic powder and bake for about 10-15 minutes or until lightly browned and crispy. Serve on top of chili.
Recipe FAQs
Can I make this on stove top?
Yes! Add all ingredients to a large soup pot or Dutch oven and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce heat and simmer for about 20-25 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink.
Once the chicken is fully cooked, turn off the heat and remove chicken breasts. Shred the chicken using two forks. Puree some of the soup using an immersion blender or regular blender. Add the shredded chicken back to the pot and stir. Serve and top with desired toppings.
Is this chili spicy?
It does have a bit of a spicy kick to it from the green chiles, but I find that it offers the perfect amount of heat. If you want it to be less spicy, you can use less of the chiles and make sure that you always choose the mild ones.
How do you thicken white chicken chili?
If you prefer a thicker chili, you may wish to remove the chicken breasts at the end of the cooking time and pulse some of the soup with animmersion blendera couple of times or transfer a portion of the soup to a blender to puree and add back into the pot to make it a little more thick and creamy.
Alternatively, you can whisk together a bit of cornstarch with water and add it to the soup mixture to help it thicken.
How to store
This easy chicken chili is a great option for meal prep for the week. Let it cool completely before storing in an airtight container. It will keep well in the fridge up to four days.
To freeze: You can freeze it either raw or from a cooked state.
To freeze raw: Add all ingredients other than the broth to a large Ziploc bag. Remove as much air as possible. Freeze for up to three months.
To freeze after cooking: Allow chili to fully cool. Place in freezer-safe air-tight containers or bags and freeze for up to three months.
Thaw the chili in the fridge overnight before reheating.
How to reheat
You can reheat the chili on the stovetop on a medium heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through. You can also reheat in in the microwave on high for 3 minutes, stirring half way through.
Optional Toppings
This white chicken chili with salsa verde is amazing on its own, but it’s even more delicious when topped with all the things.
I highly recommend that you serve it topped with:
- Crispy tortilla strips or crushed corn chips
- Diced avocado
- Fresh cilantro
- Squeeze of lime juice
- Shredded cheese (like pepper jack cheese)
- Sliced jalapeno peppers
- Sliced green onions
- Greek yogurt or sour cream
- Drizzle of hot sauce
It’s also really tasty served along with some of this Almond Flour Cornbread or Tossed Green Salad!
Recipe Variations
- Add extra veggies: Try sauteeing some white onion, red onion and/or diced bell pepper and adding them to the crock pot with the other ingredients.
- Add additional spices: Try some chili powder or paprika for even more flavour.
- To make it more spicy: Add a dash of red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper.
More Delicious Recipes
- One Pot Turkey Chili
- Creamy Chicken Enchilada Soup
- Slow Cooker Loaded Baked Potato Soup
- Tuscan Soup with White Beans
- Healthy Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Healthy Chicken Noodle Soup
- Chicken Philly Cheesesteak
- Healthy Crockpot Freezer Meals
Did you make this recipe? Scroll down to leave a star rating and review!
Course Main Course
White Chicken Chili with Salsa Verde {Slow Cooker}
By: Elysia
Servings 6 -8 servings
This slow cooker White Chicken Chili is healthy and hearty and makes the perfect recipe for meal prepping. Make up the whole batch and freeze any leftovers for a quick and convenient dinner for the whole family! {Gluten-free & dairy-free}
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 6 hours hrs
Total Time 6 hours hrs 10 minutes mins
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds skinless boneless chicken breasts
- 2 (19 ounces) cans no salt-added white cannellini beans rinsed and drained
- 1 (4 ounces) can chopped green chilis (mild)
- 1 cup salsa verde
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 2 cups corn kernels
- 3-4 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
- Salt and pepper to taste
Optional Toppings (highly recommended)
- Chopped cilantro
- Avocado
- Sliced jalapeno peppers
- Shredded cheese
- Crispy baked tortilla strips or crushed tortilla chips
Instructions
Place chicken breasts in the bottom of a 6-quart or larger slow cooker. Top with the white beans, green chiles, salsa verde, cumin, and 1 cup of corn. Add 3 cups of chicken broth and stir to combine. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours, or until the chicken is cooked through.
When the chicken is no longer pink inside, remove the chicken breasts to a plate. Once cool enough to handle, shred using two forks and set aside.
Using an immersion blender, puree a portion of the chili to thicken it, leaving some of the beans whole. You can also transfer a few ladles of the chili to a regular blender or food processor and roughly blend, then stir the blended portion back into the chili. You may need to add more chicken broth at this point depending on how thick you like your chili.
Stir in the shredded chicken and add the remaining 1 cup of corn. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook in slow cooker for an additional half an hour to allow chili to thicken. Portion into bowls and top with a squeeze of fresh lime juice. Garnish with desired toppings and enjoy.
Notes
- If you like a thicker chicken chili, you may wish to remove the chicken breasts at the end of the cooking time and pulse some of the soup with an immersion blender a couple of times or transfer a portion of the soup to a blender to puree and add back into the pot to make it a little more thick and creamy. Alternatively, you can add a bit of cornstarch to the soup mixture to thicken. You may also wish to add some additional corn after pureeing the soup to incorporate some extra texture and colour since some of the corn will get pureed when blending the soup.
- If you like a thinner base to your chilli, you may need to add more broth. I like my chilli thicker, so I only added the 3 cups of broth.
- I like to serve this soup with some crispy tortilla strips or pita chips. Simply cut up a whole-grain tortilla or pita into wedges or strips, brush a little olive oil over top, and sprinkle with a bit of salt, pepper and garlic powder and bake for about 10-15 minutes or until lightly browned and crispy. Serve along with chili.
Nutrition
Calories: 224kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 21gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 36mgSodium: 594mgPotassium: 737mgFiber: 9gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 155IUVitamin C: 23mgCalcium: 89mgIron: 4mg
Tried this recipe?Tag me Today! Mention @hauteandhealthyliving or tag #HauteandHealthyLiving!
This recipe was originally posted October 2018 and was updated March 2023 to include more helpful tips and photos.
