Easy White Chicken Chili Recipe (Slow Cooker Option)

Makes: 6 Servings
Per Serving: 48g Protein | 376 Cal

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Cold nights call for a hearty, cozy, comforting meal and there’s nothing that checks those boxes quite like my high-protein white chicken chili. Thick and creamy, loaded up with veggies and protein, and heavy cream and cream cheese-free, this healthier twist on an indulgent classic is ideal for meal prepping, busy weeknights, or anytime you’re looking for a meal that’ll be warming and comforting, while still supporting your health and wellness goals.

Bonus: you can make it 35 on the stovetop or prep it ahead of time and simmer it for a few hours in your slow cooker. It truly is one of the easiest and most delicious chilis around.

Why You’ll Love This High-Protein White Chicken Chili Recipe

• Packed with protein: Each serving of this hearty chili packs in 50g of protein.

• Thick and hearty: This chili has a true chili texture instead of a more watery, liquid broth more characteristic of a broth-based soup.

• Loaded with plenty of veggies: This chili recipe includes tons of veggies to make your meal more filling and more nutrient-dense.

• Creamy: One of the things people love about white chicken chili is how rich and creamy it can be. This version is naturally creamy without any heavy cream or cream cheese.

• Meal prep-friendly: Make this chili ahead of time for a healthy meal to have on hand all week or stock your freezer for weeks to come.

Let’s Talk About Protein

The main protein source in this chili recipe is the 1 ½-2 pounds of cooked, shredded chicken breast, which gives the chili tons of protein without tons of fat. Because chicken breast is lean, filling, and easy to season, it’s a great choice for a delicious, healthy, and flavorful soup, stew, or chili.

The protein content gets bumped up even more thanks to the addition of plain Greek yogurt or blended low-fat cottage cheese, which also gives the chili its hint of creaminess. Not only that, but using bone broth instead of regular stock or broth can also add a little extra protein, while adding a ton of extra richness that complements the yogurt or cottage cheese perfectly.

You can also add cannellini beans or other beans if you’d like (for extra protein and fiber), but they’re totally optional. If you don’t tolerate beans well, you can definitely leave them out! The chili will still be super filling and hearty.

The Veggies

There are tons of vegetables in this chili to add texture, volume, and nutrients to your meal without adding too many additional calories. This recipe features:

• Onions

• Bell peppers

• Carrots

• Garlic

• Green chiles

• Cauliflower rice

• Corn

The Spice Blend

This chili isn't necessarily spicy (unless you’d like to make it spicy), but it does have plenty of flavor thanks to the warm, balanced spice blend. Here’s what you’ll be working with:

• Cumin, chili powder, and smoked paprika for standard chili classics

• Coriander for a little citrusy, grassy depth

• Garlic and onion powder for added savoriness

• Cayenne pepper or chipotle powder for a little heat

The Toppings & Finishing Touches

One of the best parts of chili is all of the toppings you can finish your bowl with. Finish the chili with a little bit of lime juice or apple cider vinegar (plus adjusting your salt and pepper), then sprinkle on a little shredded cheese, shredded cabbage, sliced jalapeños or pickled jalapeños, minced fresh cilantro, sliced or diced avocado, a dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt, crushed tortilla chips, sliced radishes, lime wedges, or any of your other favorite toppings.

Nutrition Information (Per Serving - Makes About 6 Servings)

• Calories: 376

• Protein: 48g

• Carbs: 20g

• Fat: 12g

Swaps & Substitutions

This recipe is super flexible, which means you can switch things up to make it suit your preferences (or whatever you need to use up in your fridge). Here’s how to do it:

• Instead of cooking chicken breasts: You can use rotisserie chicken (just remove the skin), chicken thighs, ground chicken or turkey, beans, or plant-based crumbles.

• Make the creamy finish dairy-free: If you don’t want to use Greek yogurt, blended cottage cheese, or even light sour cream, consider making it dairy-free with a little cashew cream or coconut milk.

• Add more veggies: Stir in some shredded or finely chopped zucchini, add extra bell peppers or carrots, add a poblano pepper, stir in spinach, kale, or other greens, add a small diced potato or sweet potato (these will raise the carb count of the recipe).

• Swap out the bone broth: Bone broth adds a ton of flavor and a little extra protein, but if you don’t want to use it (or just don’t have any on hand), you can use chicken stock, chicken broth, or vegetable stock or broth instead. They’ll work just fine!

• Make it spicy: Add chipotle powder, hot sauce, cayenne pepper, or minced jalapeños.

• Switch the paprika: If you don’t have smoked paprika, regular sweet paprika will be fine!

• Make it kid-friendly: If your kiddos aren’t big fans of spicy food, you can definitely make this a bit more mild by skipping any cayenne pepper and using mild green chiles. You could also add a little extra sour cream or yogurt to tone things down a bit more for little tastebuds.

FAQs

• How spicy is this white chicken chili?

  The recipe isn’t super spicy as written. It’s more warm and flavorful, versus hot and spicy, but if you’re sensitive to spicy foods, don’t add any of the optional spicy add-ons and use mild green chiles. If you do like spice, feel free to add hot sauce, cayenne pepper, chipotle powder, or minced jalapeños.
  

• How do I make this in the slow cooker or crock pot?

  It’s super easy to make this crockpot white chicken chili! First, sauté the onions, peppers, carrots, garlic, and spices for a few minutes to add flavor, then add all of the ingredients except for the yogurt or blended cottage cheese to your slow cooker. Cook on low for about 6 hours, or until the chicken is cooked through (if using raw chicken) and the veggies are tender. Stir in the yogurt or cottage cheese and the lime juice or apple cider vinegar. Taste and adjust seasonings. Warm through, garnish, and serve.

• Is it really creamy even without cream or cream cheese?

  It sure is! The Greek yogurt or blended cottage cheese adds all of the creaminess that other creamy ingredients would, but without weighing you down. Stir it in over low heat so that it blends into the chili smoothly.

• How should I store leftovers of this creamy white chicken chili?

  If you have leftovers, store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4-5 days. The chili will likely thicken more as it sits, so if you need to thin it out a little bit when you’re ready to eat, just add a splash of bone broth or water. The flavor gets better too!

  If you want to freeze this chili, it’s best to do so before adding the dairy, but you can freeze it after if you prefer. Store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to eat it, thaw overnight in the fridge. Gently reheat it on the stove or in the microwave, garnish and serve.

If you’re looking for a healthy white chicken chili that actually keeps you full and doesn’t sacrifice flavor, this one deserves a spot in your regular rotation. Cozy food can absolutely be macro-friendly, and this recipe proves it.

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White Chicken Chili (Slow Cooker Option)

Yield: 6

Author: Ashley aka The Protein Snack Queen

Cold days call for cozy recipes and this white chicken chili in a crock pot is the perfect choice. Loaded with protein and veggies and creamy without being heavy, it’s a recipe you’ll turn to again and again.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive or avocado oil
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 4 bell peppers, diced
• 5 carrots, diced small
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1½ teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
• ½ teaspoon ground coriander
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon onion powder
• Optional: ¼ teaspoon cayenne or chipotle powder
• 1 (4 oz) can diced green chiles
• 1 full bag Trader Joe’s Mexican-Style Cauliflower Rice
• ½ cup corn
• Optional: 1 can cannellini beans (if desired)
• 1½–2 lbs cooked, shredded chicken breast
• 4 cups bone broth
• ¾–1 cup plain Greek yogurt or blended low-fat cottage cheese
• 1–2 teaspoons lime juice or apple cider vinegar
• ½–1 teaspoon kosher salt (to taste)

Instructions

1. To make this chili in a slow cooker: Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the onions, peppers, carrots, garlic, and spices and sauté for a few minutes to add flavor. Then, add all of the ingredients except for the yogurt or blended cottage cheese to your slow cooker. Cook on low for about 6 hours, or until the chicken is cooked through (if using raw chicken) and the veggies are tender. Stir in the yogurt or cottage cheese and lime juice or apple cider vinegar. Taste and adjust seasonings, if necessary. Warm through, garnish, and serve. Enjoy!
2. To make this chili on the stovetop: Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot. Add the onions and garlic and sauté for about 3-5 minutes, until fragrant and softened. Add the peppers and carrots and continue to cook for a few minutes, until softened. Add the spices and stir well. Toast the spices for a minute or two. Add the green chiles, cauliflower rice, corn, and beans, if using. Stir to combine, then add the bone broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to simmer. Simmer until the veggies are cooked and the flavors meld, about 20-30 minutes. Stir in the yogurt or blended cottage cheese and the lime juice or apple cider vinegar. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Garnish and serve. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Calories

376

Fat

12 g

Carbs

20 g

Protein

48 g