Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili

This hearty white bean chicken chili is a snap to make in your slow cooker! Keep it simple, or serve it up with a rainbow of fresh toppings to make it extra-festive.

Course Lunch, Main Course, Soup

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free, Low Lactose

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 6

Bean Soak 1 10

Total Time 7 30

Servings servings

Calories 290kcal

Author Renée | The Good Hearted Woman

Equipment

1 heavy skillet
1 Slow Cooker

Ingredients

1 pound dry navy beans or 3 - 15 ounce cans Great Northern Beans, drained and rinsed
1 large onion chopped: ~ 12 ounces
2-3 cloves garlic minced
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
4 ounces can diced green chilis
1-2 whole jalapeños finely chopped; for mild chili, removed seeds
1½ teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1½ teaspoons dried oregano
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
5-6 cups chicken broth
1 pound shredded chicken
1 cup sweet corn cooked; fresh or frozen

Toppings (optional; as desired)

avocado slices
lime wedges
sour cream
tortilla chips
chopped cilantro
sliced jalapeños
grated cotija cheese
pico de gallo

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Soak Beans

If you are using canned beans, simply drain and rinse the beans in the colander and proceed to prepare the sofrito.
Dry beans should be soaked before cooking; it shortens the cooking time and improves the texture. You can either do this overnight, or by doing a quick soak.
If you don't soak the beans, add about 2 hours to the total cooking time.
We recommend doing a quick soak:
In a medium saucepan, cover the beans with enough water so the water-line is at least 2 inches above the top of the beans.
Bring the beans to a boil quickly over high heat. Once they are boil, continue to cook for one minute, and then remove from heat.
Remove the beans from the heat, cover, and let sit for one hour.
Drain in a colander and discard the soaking water.
Set rinsed and drained beans aside while you prepare the sofrito.
Alternative Prep: Cover beans with hot water and soak them overnight.

Prepare Sofrito

In a large heavy skillet over medium heat, sauté onions in the olive oil over medium high heat.
Cook until the onions are translucent and just beginning to turn brown; about 8-10 minutes.
Add garlic and jalapeños, and cook for 2 more minutes.
Add spices and stir over heat to thoroughly combine.
Add mild green chilis and lime juice, and cook until most of the moisture has evaporated.

Slow Cook Chili

Place soaked beans, prepared sofrito, and chicken broth in a slow cooker.
• Soaked beans: Start with 5 cups of chicken broth.
• Canned beans: Start with 4 cups of chicken broth.
Cover and cook on low until the beans are very tender.
• Soaked beans: 6-8 hours on low.
Begin checking the beans after 5 hours, and then every 30 minutes until they are cooked to your liking.
• Canned beans: Cook 3-4 hours on low.
Add additional broth or water as necessary.

Finish and Serve

When beans are very tender, use an immersion blender or potato mashed to mash some of the beans up.
This will slightly thicken chili. (Don’t overdo it though or you will have bean puree!)
Add the shredded chicken and corn, and heat through. Season to taste.
Serve with toppings on the side: avocado, sour cream, lime wedges, crushed tortilla chips, sour cream, cotija, and/or chopped cilantro.

Notes

As written, this White Chicken Chili is very mild. Spice it up by leaving the seeds in the jalapeños and/or adding more of them to the mix, or using hotter peppers, etc.

Nutrition