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Creamy Crockpot White Chicken Chili with Hatch Chiles

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A creamy, hearty white chicken chili made with fire-roasted Hatch chiles, tender shredded chicken, and a velvety broth. This dump-and-go slow cooker recipe is perfect for busy weeknights and delivers big, bold flavor with minimal effort.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (4–5 small breasts)
  • 2 (15-ounce) cans Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 (7-ounce) can fire-roasted Hatch chiles (or 1 cup frozen, chopped)
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 4–5 garlic cloves, minced
  • 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano (preferably Mexican oregano)
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper (or to taste)
  • 4 ounces cream cheese, softened and cubed
  • ½ cup heavy cream or half-and-half
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from about 1 lime)
  • Tortilla chips or strips (for serving)
  • Shredded Monterey Jack cheese (for serving)
  • Fresh cilantro, chopped (for serving)
  • Sour cream or Greek yogurt (for serving)
  • Diced avocado (for serving)
  • Lime wedges (for serving)

Instructions

  1. Prep your ingredients: Dice the onion and mince the garlic. Drain and rinse the beans. If using frozen Hatch chiles, let them thaw slightly so you can chop them. If using canned, they’re already chopped—just open and drain slightly.
  2. Layer everything in the crockpot: Place the chicken breasts in the bottom of the slow cooker. Add the diced onion, minced garlic, drained beans, and chopped Hatch chiles on top. Sprinkle the cumin, oregano, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper over everything. Pour the chicken broth around the edges—don’t dump it directly on top of the spices or they’ll wash away.
  3. Cook low and slow: Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours, until the chicken is tender enough to shred easily. I prefer cooking on low for about 7 hours.
  4. Shred the chicken: Carefully remove the chicken breasts to a cutting board or large bowl. Use two forks to shred the meat. Return the shredded chicken to the crockpot.
  5. Create the creamy base: Scoop out about 1 cup of the cooked beans and a little bit of the broth from the crockpot. Transfer it to a blender or use an immersion blender directly in the pot. Blend until smooth. Stir the blended mixture back into the pot.
  6. Add the cream cheese and cream: Add the cubed cream cheese and heavy cream to the crockpot. Stir until the cream cheese is fully melted and incorporated, about 2-3 minutes.
  7. Finish with lime juice: Stir in the fresh lime juice. Taste and adjust salt and pepper if needed.
  8. Serve and enjoy: Ladle into bowls and top with your favorite fixings.

Notes

Don’t skip the bean-blending step—it creates a silky texture. Watch your salt levels; use low-sodium broth and rinse beans. Let cream cheese sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before cubing to avoid lumps. If chili is too thick, add a splash of broth or milk; if too thin, cook uncovered for 15-20 minutes. This chili freezes well for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: white chicken chili, crockpot chili, slow cooker chili, Hatch chiles, creamy chili, chicken chili, easy chili, gluten-free chili

Find it online: https://cookyep.com/creamy-crockpot-white-chicken-chili-with-hatch-chiles/