This is the easiest and best crock pot white chicken chili recipe you will ever taste. Dump, dump, dump, then cook for a few hours. You are rewarded for your laziness with a great chili, and all your friends will demand the recipe.
No “inspired by” recipe here, I have done this one for 30 years plus. I even remembered the recipe without looking it up. And my memory is going.
This is the best chili to take to tailgating or parties since, with the cheese, it stays hot for a long time and most people will want seconds. I always make a double batch.
This wonderful chili has always been one of my most requested recipes. Anytime I take it to gatherings, I take copies, so I don’t have to write it down. Please enjoy some great chili.
My Rating
An absolute 5. No doubt about it.
Pro Tips: Recipe Notes for Ultra Simple Crock Pot Chicken Chili
The Chicken
Get your chicken any way you want. A rotisserie chicken, canned or frozen. You need about 3 cups for the standard recipe.
Raw Chicken Option
I’m adding a raw chicken option for simplicity. An average size chicken breast will make about 1 1/2 cups of shredded chicken.
The easiest way is to add broth, salsa, and cumin to the crockpot with two raw chicken breasts. Cook in high for 1 1/2 to 2 hours then remove and shred.
Or cook a couple of breasts in the oven until done (about 350 for about 40 minutes).
Adjustments to The Recipe
Thickness: I like my chili a little thinner now, so I added an optional can of chicken broth. But leave it out, and you have a spicier very thick chili.
Spiciness: The spiciness is a 4/10. You can adjust that up and down.
First is the pepper jack cheese. Pepperjack cheese is Monterey Jack cheese that is flavored with spicy chili peppers and herbs. So just using Monterey Jack instead will kick it down a few notches.
I recommend medium salsa so that can be moved up or down. And lastly, the cumin can be adjusted.
Final Words
This chili holds its physical heat for a long time due to the cheese. That makes it great for a party even if you can’t plug the crock pot.
A great recipe to double and it freezes well for 2-3 months. Good in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.in
Other Great Crock Pot Chilis to Try
Crock Pot Chili
Crock Pot Three Bean Turkey Chili
Crock Pot Texas Chili
Low Fat High Taste Crock Pot White Chicken Chili
Tailgate Chili and Nachos
A few simple ingredients. Get your chicken any way you want. You will need about 3 cups. I have included several raw chicken options in the notes of the recipe card and above in the discussion.
Cube 8 oz of pepper jack cheese.
In a small (3.5 qt crock pot here) dump one 48 oz jar great northern beans (undrained), 8 oz of salsa, about 3 cups of shredded chicken, 2 teaspoons cumin and 8 oz of pepper jack cheese (cubed).
Add a 14 oz can of chicken broth if you want a normal thick chili. Leave it out for extra thick. Stir very well.
Cook on low for 4 hours or 2 hours on high. Try to stir once or twice in the middle if you can to distribute the cheese, but it can wait until the end if needed.
Do you want more recipes from 101 Cooking for Two? Sign up for the newsletter and get all posts delivered straight to your inbox!
Ultra Simple Crock Pot White Chicken Chili
Ingredients
- 48 oz Great Northern beans
- 3 cups shredded chicken - See notes for suggestions
- 1 cup medium salsa
- 8 oz pepper jack cheese cubed
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 14 oz chicken broth - optional but suggested
Instructions
- Get your chicken any way you want. You will need about 3 cups of shredded chicken. Please see the notes below for options.
- Cube 8 oz of pepper jack cheese.
- In a small (3.5 qt crock pot here) dump one 48 oz jar great northern beans (undrained), 8 oz of salsa, 3 cups of shredded chicken, 2 teaspoon cumin and 8 oz of pepper jack cheese (cubed).
- Add a 14 oz can of chicken broth if you want a normal thick chili. Leave it out for extra thick. Stir very well.
- Cook on low for 4 hours. Try to stir once or twice in the middle if you can to distribute the cheese but it can wait until the end if needed.
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips:
- Get your chicken anywhere you want. See raw chicken option below.
- Adjust the heat by the type of salsa, and you can use Monterey Cheese instead of Monterrey Jake Cheese. You can also adjust the cumin to taste.
- As written, a 3.5 qt crock pot should be good but not smaller. Doubles nicely in a large crock pot of 6.5 qt or more.
- Good in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Good in a freezer for 2-3 months.
- Due to all the cheese, this stays hot a long time so great for tailgating and parties.
- Take copies of the recipe with you if you're taking it to a gathering.
Raw Chicken Option
- I'm adding a raw chicken option for simplicity.
- An average size chicken breast will make about 1 1/2 cups of shredded chicken.
- The easiest way is to add the broth, salsa, and cumin to the crockpot with two raw chicken breasts. Cook in high for 1 1/2 to 2 hours then remove and shred.
- Or cook a couple of breasts in the oven until done (about 350 for about 40 minutes).
Check Out Other Great Recipes
Nutrition is generally for one serving. Number of servings is stated above and is my estimate of normal serving size for this recipe.
All nutritional information are estimates and may vary from your actual results. This is home cooking, and there are many variables. To taste ingredients such as salt will be my estimate of the average used.
Publisher note: Originally published March 2, 2010. It was first published the third month of this blog, and maybe 50 people saw the first post. It has been republished in 2013, so time to update again.
The Girls with their new bunny babies.
Carolyn
My husband loved this. I had to call it something besides chili so I told him it was Spicy Chicken Stew. He loves chili, he just doesn’t think it should be white or made with chicken.
I’m trying to make recipes that feed just two with no leftovers. Your blog is very helpful.
Kaitlyn Kelly
I have used this recipe numerous times now and I love it! I have entered multiple chili cook offs with this recipe and I have won 3rd place and 1st two different years! Hoping to get 1st again this year!
Jaime
This has become a fall staple at our house. So easy and so darn good!
Carol
OK, I hate when people change up recipes, but I don’t want to go to the store! Can I use black beans and salsa verde? I do have the correct cheese.
DrDan
Hi Carol,
I have made this recipe hundreds of time but I’m just not seeing the black beans as a good choice for the beans. The salsa verde would almost for sure be good although I haven’t tried it.
I have another chili, https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/salsa-verde-white-chicken-chili-la-crock-pot/ , that I think black beans might be good in although I would probably just combine them with another bean.
Maybe it is just me, I like black beans but probably not enough to have them by themselves in a chili.
Dan
Carol
Thanks, I’ll go to the store!
Carol
This was soooo good! You’re right, I don’t think black beans would’ve worked. Thanks!
Megan
About how much of the sodium would you say is due to the extra broth?
DrDan
Hi Megan,
Welcome to the blog.
I ran the recipe through the updated calculator so you will notice some changes. To answer your questions, the broth would be about 170mg of sodium per serving. It will vary some by brand and there is zero sodium broth available now.
Dan
Megan
I would like to know the serving size please. : )
DrDan
Hi Megan,
Welcome to the blog.
About 1 1/2 cup assuming you don’t add the extra broth. With that 1/8 of the recipe is more like 1 3/4 cups.
Dan
Jody
Could you use frozen boneless chicken breasts?
DrDan
Hi Jody,
Welcome to the bog.
The answer is no for several reasons.
Cooking frozen chicken has been reported to break ceramic inserts.
The FDA states it is a safety hazard with too long in the food danger zone of 40 to 140 degrees.
I have recipes where I cook raw chicken (not frozen) then remove in 3-4 hours to shred. Not good here due to the risk of burns from the cheese.
So toss it on a tray and bake them for 35-45 minutes until 165 then shred.
Dan
NATALIE
MADE THIS LAST NIGHT AND EVERYONE LOVED IT! THEY REALLY DID. I ADDED HALF A BLOCK CREAM CHEESE AND A CAN OF CORN AND SOME SALT N PEPPER.
DrDan
Hi Natalie,
Welcome to the blog.
This is one of the original recipes that were the reason I started the blog. People were always asking for those recipes. There were about 20 of them.
Thanks for the note.
Dan
Angela S Wilburn
If you double the recipe,do you need to cook it longer?
DrDan
Hi Angela,
Welcome to the blog.
Don’t double the time. Only a few crock pot recipes will need increased time with increasing ingredients. My crock pot pulled pork is one example where the increased solid mass requires increased cooking time.
You, of course, will need a large enough crock pot. It should be a max of 75% full but really 66% is a better target. For this recipe. Double will need at least 6.5 qt but a 7-8 qt crock pot would be better.
Dan
Rilla Kline
I could not find where you gave an estimated time for stove-top cooking? And… would there be any adjustments needed for stove-top?
DrDan
Hi Rilla,
Welcome to the blog.
The cheese needs to be melted very slowly to incorporate into the chili correctly. If you melt it faster, it can scorch and the proteins will change. So a crock pot is ideal for this, just dump and go. I just would not do this on the stove top due to the cheese.
You could simmer the other ingredients for an hour then added the cheese at the end of cooking off the burner but I doubt it would be the same. If you do this, shred the cheese so it will incorporate easier than cubes.
Dan
Melinda L Baugh
My family loves this recipe! I do a quicker version using store bought rotisserie chicken. I chop up the breast, which is our favorite part. Throw it in my soup pot with all ingredients and simmer for 30 minutes. As soon as my family knows I’m making it they start asking how much longer. I can’t prepare it fast enough. Thanks so much for this amazing recipe!
Dan Defries
Could you substitute Mozzarella for the Pepper Jack? Or should I leave the cheese out?
-Dan
DrDan
Hi Dan (great name by the way),
I have used Monterey Jack when I was making a batch for company that didn’t want much spice. That worked fine. Mozzarella has very little taste to me, you can do it but I think it will be too blah. Leave it out? Not with this recipe. Try https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/low-fat-high-taste-crock-pot-white-chicken-chili/ instead.
Dan
Judy McDaniel
What do you serve, with this? Crackers, corn muffins, corn bread or maybe tostitos?
DrDan
Hi Judy,
Yes, all those things are fine. I have done this recipe for almost 40 years so probably 200 plus cookings. I have used all those things. Corn chips usually for party type situations, tailgating etc. Corn bread or biscuits at home usually.
Thanks for the note and enjoy your chili.
Dan
Yvette
Looks great and based on the comments I’d love to try the recipe. But, I’m not a melted cheese fan because of the texture. Does it incorporate smoothly or is it stringy? Thanks for your help.
DrDan
It is a smooth thick creamy type texture.
Mirna Eads
This was so easy and a huge hit at work today. Our professional chef, chose it as the winner!
DrDan
Hi Mirna,
Thanks so much, many of our friends win at their office cook-off but none with a real judge that I know about.
I have been rewriting this post this evening for Super Bowl Week. If you look, the recipe is unchanged except I gave additional instructions for baking a couple of chicken breast if needed.
There is some additional discussion and the mandatory dog picture.
Thanks for the note.
Dan
jodi
I have a 3 qt and a 6 qt slow cooker. Which should I use?
DrDan
Hi Jodi,
Do the 6 qt. I can squeeze it into my 3.5 qt but it is too full really, so the 3 qt would be to the top. As general rule, 75% is the fullest you want to go.
Dan
Karen Buttars
How much is a servings??
DrDan
There is no standard so I estimate the number of serving I would get out of the recipe and here it is about 1 1/2 cup.
Dan
Just won a Chili Cookoff at work with this!
I have a large crockpot and doubled it with no problems.
DrDan
It is a recipe to love. I never make a single batch. I can somehow always get rid of a full double batch.
I can now call it award win I guess. You don’t tell them how easy it was, did you? Make them think you slaved.
Thanks for the note and congratulations on the win.
Dan
Shelia
Made this last week and it was a hit!! Because we had roasted chicken I was concerned that it would be mushy if I cooked it for hours so we added it about 30 minutes before the cooktime was up.
My sister enjoys meatless options so before we added it, she had a big bowl and really enjoyed it.
Mike King
Just made this using leftover roasted chicken that I shredded. Also started with dry beans. Soaked them overnight & cooked them in the slow cooker while at work. Then I simply added the other ingredients & continued cooking. Even tho it’s more time consuming & not as easy, it turned out fantastic!
DrDan
Thanks for the note. The taste combination of this chili is just so right no matter how you get there.
Dan
Heather
My children will not touch anything with beans in it. I can’t say I am a huge fan of them either. Would I need to add any extra chicken broth if I leave the beans out?
DrDan
Try it with the beans and you will be surprised how good it is. It may well convert all of you. Without the beans, I don’t see this working well.
DrDan
Dana
Process any veggies or ingredients kids won’t eat. I use my Magic Bullet. When you stir them into the recipe, they act like a thickener. The kids get the flavor and nutrition and they don’t even know it!
Tonya
I really want to try this. Can it be made started with dried beans? I have a ton.
DrDan
Hi Tonya, I just did a double batch of this for my office party today. It went over great.
Now your question. Yes BUT. Properly prepared dry beans would be fine. The but is the beans in the recipe are already cooked. Even with presoaking I don’t believe they would be tender with the cooking here. My limited experience with dry beans is that even with an over night soaking, they may take 10 hours or so to cook correctly not the 4 hours here. So you may say just let it cook… but cheese may not like that and the chicken was already cooked just not a good idea.
So in summery, with this recipe, I thing it is just to much work.
Bethany
Would this recipe work over the stove top? I’m in the whole work-day predicament but would love to have it for dinner after I get off.
DrDan
I’m sure it would work well on the stove top. Everything is already cooked. The longer you could simmer the better. I’m thing a Dutch oven type pan. I would not do cast iron due to the tomato product.
DrDan
Andrea
Couldn’t you cook whole breasts in the chili as it slow cooks? Then shred and mix back in?
DrDan
I believe that would work fine. High for a couple of hours or low for 4 should cook the chicken well. My Low Fat High Taste Crock Pot White Chicken Chili ( https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/low-fat-high-taste-crock-pot-white-chicken-chili/) does just that. That is the only recipe I know of that does it that way. Shredding might be a bit of an issue with all that very hot cheese.
If you do it, please come back and report.
Thanks for the question
DrDan
Emily
I only have a large crock pot (5 or 6 qt). Does this double well?
DrDan
I actually cut the recipe in half from the original that I cooked for years. I do the “double recipe” for parties and the single for the two of us. It does freeze great.
DrDan
virginia
I am making this now in a 6 qt and it’s fine. I didn’t need to double the recipe for it to work.
It’s a great recipe. Thanks so much for sharing it.
DrDan
This recipe works in almost anything. I have used it in at least 5 different crock pots over the years and it always works. I have never had much trouble with the pot being too big. But to small and fill more then 2/3 can be an issue in some recipes.
Thanks for the note
DrDan
Marcia
I’ve made this three times with no modifications for different quest and they all loved it! You’re right, be ready to copy the recipe. They won’t leave without it. Thanks for all the great recipes!
DrDan
This is in my top 5 of all time. I just love it. I could get low fat pepper jack for a while and it was reasonably healthy. With normal pepper jack not quit so much but still not bad…
Thanks for the comment
DrDan
NascarRen24
Will this be ok cooking all day while I’m at work, not just for 4 hours?
Dan Mikesell
I wouldn’t. I don’t think dairy products do that well with long cooking. It might tolerate 5-6 hours if you have a “cooler” running crock pot but so many of them run hot especially with long cooking’s..
Grace
This was pretty good! I doctor’d the recipe and used a salsa verde instead of a red salsa to keep it white. It was a lot thinner than I wanted, but, that’s okay, I wanted chicken tortilla soup so this was right in the middle and it was awesome. I will make this again and can’t wait for the leftovers!
Elizabeth Shelburne
Do you think this would freeze well?
Dan Mikesell
Absolutely…
Luv Boatin
Made this Super Bowl Weekend and it was a big hit!! This will be a regular on our table. Thanks for your great recipes!!!
Dr Dan
The cheese in this keeps it HOT (physically) for a long time. So you can just set there an eat slowly and enjoy the heat.
Chris
We are rocking a 30f high with an ice storm here, so it’s down right tropical compared to a 9f high, lol. Great looking chili!