The ultimate dump-and-go crock pot white chicken chili recipe only needs five ingredients. Only 10 minutes of prep and shredded chicken, white beans, pepper jack cheese, and some salsa will make your new favorite chili. This small crock pot recipe is perfect for a smaller household or adjusts the amount to your needs.
Introduction
Many readers have won chili contests with this simple recipe for white chicken chili with salsa—it is that good. It is also a pot-luck winner—all your friends will demand the recipe. I have added a stovetop version and a raw chicken option.
There is no "inspired by" recipe here; I have done this one for 40 years. I even remembered the recipe without looking it up. And my memory is going. I believe the original was one of those passed-around recipes at my wife's grade school.
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 chili has always been one of my most requested recipes. Anytime you take it to gatherings, make copies so you don't have to write it down. Please enjoy this great chili.
My Rating
An absolute 5. No doubt about it.
♨️Ingredients
Chicken
This recipe needs about 3 cups of pre-cooked shredded chicken. Use rotisserie or any other pre-cooked chicken. You can always use a bit more or less depending on what you have.
I will often toss a couple of skinless chicken breasts in a 350° oven for about 35-40 minutes. Then shred with forks while still warm. One good size breast will make about 1 ½ cups of shredded chicken. Chicken thighs will work well also.
I have included an option to cook the raw chicken in the crock pot in the recipe card.
Beans
I recommend Great Northern or Navy beans. I prefer the Great Northern since in like a bit bigger white bean.
This is not a recipe for uncooked beans.
To decrease the sodium, you can drain and rinse the beans. You will need to replace that fluid with low-sodium chicken broth.
Cheese
Use Pepper Jack cheese unless you need to adjust the heat of the chili some by using Monterey Jack cheese instead. But you need to use one or the other to make this chili correctly.
Salsa
Use a good quality salsa you like and would use for dipping. I like chunky salsa.
You can adjust the heat of your chili by choosing the heat of your salsa.
Seasoning
Most of the seasoning in this chili depends on the salsa and pepper jack cheese. Cumin adds more flavor.
The spiciness is a 4/10. You can adjust that up and down with your choice of the spiciness of the salsa. You can also use Monterey Jack cheese to adjust the heat down.
If you want even more spiciness, add a bit of cayenne pepper.
Other taste adjustments can be made by adding onion, garlic, green chilis, or other spices. But if you feel you need to do much of this, you have the wrong salsa.
Adjusting the cumin can increase or decrease the spiciness, but I suggest depending on the salsa as the primary adjustment.
👨🍳How to Make Crock Pot White Chicken Chili
- Prepare chicken and cube cheese.
- To a smaller crock pot, add all ingredients.
- Cook on low for 4 hours or 2 hours on high.
- Use chicken broth to thin if you want thinner chili.
♨️Stovetop Version of White Chicken Chili
Cooking on the stovetop will take about only 30 minutes since everything used in this dish is safe to consume before cooking. You only need to heat everything to come together. But some simmering to help the tastes combine is a good idea.
Use a large pan like a full-size Dutch oven. Add everything, mix well, and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook for about 15-20 minutes more.
It is done when it all mixes, but simmering longer to bring the tastes together is recommended. I suggest an hour.
❓FAQs
This recipe is one of my more popular small crockpot recipes. It will fit in a 3 ½ quart crock pot. A double recipe (what I always make) works in a 6 ½ quart or larger slow cooker.
A half recipe will fit in a 2-quart crock pot.
This is a very thick chili as written. It is much easier to cook thick and then thicken later.
The thickness of the chili is entirely based on the chicken broth. Most people will want a moderate thickness, and that is keeping the packing fluid in the beans and 2 cups of broth.
If you want extra thick, skip the broth if you want a little more soup-like than 4 cups of broth.
If you drain the beans, add back 1 ½ to 2 cups of broth.
🍽️Serving and Storage of White Chicken Chili with Salsa
Serving
A big bowl of white chili served with tortilla chips is all I need.
But any typical chili or southwest toppings and sides all work well—like added cheese, sour cream, fresh cilantro, avocado, or guacamole.
This chili stays hot for a long time due to the cheese, so that it will work well at parties.
Storage
Good in the refrigerator for 3-4 days and reheat on the stovetop or microwave.
You can also freeze sealed in an airtight container or freezer bag for 3-4 months—thaw in the fridge before reheating.
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This recipe is listed in these categories. See them for more similar recipes.
🖼️Step-by-Step Photo Instructions
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.
Cube 8 oz of pepper jack cheese.
In a small (3.5 qt minimum) crock pot, pour one 48 oz jar of great northern beans (undrained), 8 oz of salsa, about 3 cups of shredded chicken, 2 teaspoons of cumin, and 8 oz of pepper jack cheese (cubed).
Add a 14 oz can of chicken broth if you want a standard 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 of cooking to distribute the cheese, but it can wait until the end if needed.
📖Recipe
Easiest Crock Pot White Chicken Chili
Ingredients
- 48 oz white beans - Great Northern or Navy
- 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 minimum) crock pot, pour one 48 oz jar of 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 or high for 2 hours.
My Private Notes
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips:
- Get your chicken anywhere you want. See the 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. You can use the larger crock pot for the smaller recipe.
- Good in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Good in a freezer for 2-3 months.
- Due to all the cheese, this stays hot for 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 ½ 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 ½ to 2 hours then remove and shred. Then add back the chicken and other ingredients and finish the cooking time or until the cheese can blend in—about one hour on high or 2 hours on low.
- Or cook a couple of breasts in the oven until done (about 350° for about 40 minutes).
To adjust the recipe size:
You may adjust the number of servings in this recipe card under servings. This does the math for the ingredients for you. BUT it does NOT adjust the text of the instructions. So you need to do that yourself.
Nutrition Estimate
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Publisher note: Originally published March 2, 2010. It was first published in the third month of this blog, and maybe 50 people saw the first post. It was republished in 2013, so time to update again. It was updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.
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!