This crockpot cream cheese chicken chili is the protein packed, easy dinner you'll want on repeat all winter long. Just toss all the ingredients, including lean chicken breasts, white beans, and corn, into the slow cooker in the morning, and let it work its magic. By dinnertime, you'll have a creamy, cozy bowl of Tex-Mex comfort waiting for you!
Jump to:
- 🍲Crockpot Cream Cheese Chicken Chili: Silky Smooth & Delicious
- 🍗Slow Cooker Cream Cheese Chicken Chili Is Protein Packed
- 🏈Perfect For Game Day & Feeding A Crowd
- 🥘Just Basic Ingredients Needed
- 🔪How To Make Crockpot Cream Cheese Chicken Chili
- 🌿Healthy Ingredient Substitutions
- 📖Easy Slow Cooker Cream Cheese Chicken Chili Recipe Variations
- 🍽Essential Equipment Needed
- 🍶Storing Your Crockpot Cream Cheese Chicken Chili
- ✅Betty's Top Tip For The Smoothest Texture
- ❓Crockpot Cream Cheese Chicken Chili FAQ
- 🥄More Easy Slow Cooker Recipes
- 🍴Favorite Slow Cooker Cream Cheese Chicken Chili Pairings
- 📋Recipe With Step-By-Step Instructions
- 💬 Comments
🍲Crockpot Cream Cheese Chicken Chili: Silky Smooth & Delicious
Stirring cream cheese into your chili creates an irresistibly velvety texture with a mild tanginess that perfectly balances the savory spices. (As found in our Jalapeño Popper Chicken and Cajun Chicken Pasta slow cooker recipes.) It delivers that rich, comforting mouthfeel you crave while being a much lighter alternative to traditional thickeners like heavy cream and butter. Plus, since this recipe recommends using a reduced-fat block, you get to enjoy all of that delicious creaminess with a fraction of the calories!
🍗Slow Cooker Cream Cheese Chicken Chili Is Protein Packed
This crockpot cream cheese chicken chili is incredibly protein-packed to keep everyone full and satisfied. Combining shredded chicken breast with low sodium chicken broth and hearty white beans gives every single bite a massive boost of satisfying, lean protein. Even the reduced-fat cream cheese sneaks in a little extra, making this an easy dinner you'll feel great about serving to your family!
🏈Perfect For Game Day & Feeding A Crowd
All that satisfying protein doesn't just keep your family full. It also makes this slow cooker cream cheese chicken chili a great choice for feeding a hungry crowd on game day. You can easily bring the warm slow cooker straight to your tailgating spot and let everyone serve themselves a cozy bowl while watching the game. (For those who enjoy traditional red chili, bring a batch of our bold and savory Crockpot Chili too!)
🥘Just Basic Ingredients Needed
- Chicken breasts: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are perfect for this recipe. They become incredibly tender and shred beautifully after slow cooking.
- White onion: Diced white onion provides a fragrant, savory base that builds the foundational flavor of the chili.
- Fresh garlic: A little minced fresh garlic is absolutely essential for adding that classic, savory depth to the dish.
- Cumin, oregano, chili powder, cayenne, salt & pepper: This simple pantry staple blend gives the chili its signature warmth and just the right amount of kick.
- Green chili enchilada sauce & canned green chilis: These add a mild, tangy heat that completely elevates the flavor profile without making it too spicy for the family.
- White beans: Hearty white beans bulk up the chili while adding a satisfying, creamy texture and a great boost of fiber.
- Corn: Tossing in some frozen corn brings a lovely pop of color and a hint of sweetness to every single bite.
- Low sodium chicken broth: Using a low-sodium broth lets you control the overall saltiness while still creating a rich, flavorful base.
- Reduced fat cream cheese: A block of reduced-fat cream cheese melts in flawlessly to give the chili that irresistible, velvety finish without feeling overly heavy.
- Optional toppings: Sour cream/plain Greek yogurt, avocado slices, guacamole, jalapeño slices, green onions, and shredded cheese are some of our favorites.
See recipe card for quantities.
🔪How To Make Crockpot Cream Cheese Chicken Chili
Step 1: Add chicken breasts to the bottom of a greased or lined slow cooker; then toss in the onion, garlic, and seasonings.
Step 2: Next, add chili sauce, chilis, white beans, and corn. Pour in chicken broth. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours (recommended) or on HIGH for 4 hours.
Step 3: Shred the chicken. Remove 1 cup of warm broth from the slow cooker.
Step 4: Mix the softened cream cheese with the warm broth; add this mixture to the crockpot. Cover and cook on HIGH for 15 minutes. Keep warm until ready to serve.
For step-by-step instructions, see the printable recipe card below.
Hint: To ensure a thick, luscious chili sauce that clings to the chicken, always pat your chicken breasts dry with a paper towel before adding them to the crock. Chicken often releases a lot of moisture during slow cooking. By removing that extra surface water, you prevent the crockpot cream cheese chicken chili from becoming too watery or diluted!
🌿Healthy Ingredient Substitutions
- Greek Yogurt for Cream Cheese: You can swap the reduced-fat cream cheese with plain Greek yogurt to cut down on fat. This option adds an extra boost of protein. (Mix it in following the instructions for the cream cheese.)
- Bone Broth for Chicken Broth: Swap the low-sodium chicken broth for chicken bone broth. It gives the chili a richer flavor and is packed with extra protein and collagen.
📖Easy Slow Cooker Cream Cheese Chicken Chili Recipe Variations
- Spicy Jalapeño Kick: If your family loves some extra heat, toss in a diced fresh jalapeño with the onions. Swap the mild canned green chiles for the "hot" variety. You can also offer hot sauce on the side so everyone can customize their own spice level!
- Bacon Ranch (Crack Chicken Style): Give this chili that highly addictive "crack chicken" flavor! Mix in a packet of dry ranch seasoning in with your other spices. When it's time to serve, top the warm bowls with crispy crumbled bacon and shredded cheddar cheese.
- Southwestern Black Bean: Swap the white beans for black beans and use fire-roasted corn instead of regular sweet corn. Serve it topped with fresh cilantro, diced avocado, and a squeeze of fresh lime juice!
See my Easy Stovetop White Chicken Chili for a simple version that uses chicken leftovers. It's ready in less than one hour!
🍽Essential Equipment Needed
- 6 quart slow cooker/crockpot (greased or lined)
- cutting board & chef's knife
- measuring cups & measuring spoons
- small bowl & whisk
- stirring spoon
- large forks or prongs
🍶Storing Your Crockpot Cream Cheese Chicken Chili
Refrigerator: Allow any leftover chili to cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container. It will stay fresh and delicious in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days.
Freezer: This crockpot cream cheese chicken chili freezes wonderfully! For the ultimate meal prep hack, I love dividing the cooled leftovers into individual servings and storing them in quart-sized Ziploc freezer bags. Just squeeze out the extra air and lay them flat in your freezer. They stack perfectly and save so much space. It will keep well in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Reheating: When you're ready for a quick meal, simply thaw an individual bag overnight in the fridge. You can warm it up right on the stovetop or in the microwave. Just be sure to give it a really good stir as it heats to bring that creamy texture right back together!
✅Betty's Top Tip For The Smoothest Texture
To prevent your chili sauce from curdling or separating, always add the softened cream cheese toward the end of the cooking process rather than at the beginning. Stirring it with some warm sauce before adding ensures a smooth, velvety finish. If you forgot to soften the cream cheese ahead of time, place it in the microwave for 30 seconds before mixing it with the chili sauce.
❓Crockpot Cream Cheese Chicken Chili FAQ
Yes! There is absolutely no need to pre-cook or brown your chicken breasts first. Placing the raw chicken at the bottom of the slow cooker allows it to soak up all the delicious seasonings and broth as it cooks. This creates chicken that's incredibly tender and perfectly easy to shred.
Slow cookers trap moisture, and chicken naturally releases liquid as it cooks (which is why patting your chicken breasts dry beforehand is so important!). If your chili still turns out a bit too thin or soupy, simply leave the lid off the crockpot for the last 30 to 45 minutes of cooking. This allows some of the excess liquid to evaporate. You can also stir in a little extra room temp cream cheese to help thicken the base.
The secret to a perfectly smooth, velvety chili is to wait until the very end of the cooking process to add your dairy! Soften the cream cheese first. Then whisk it together with a cup of the warm broth straight from the slow cooker before stirring the mixture back into the pot. This gently tempers the dairy and prevents any unpleasant lumps from forming.
Absolutely! You can use black beans or pinto beans depending on your family's preferences or whatever you currently have in your pantry.
I don't recommend adding frozen chicken breasts directly to the crock for this chili recipe. Chicken naturally adds moisture to the sauce; frozen chicken adds even more, creating the potential for a very runny chili!
🥄More Easy Slow Cooker Recipes
Looking for other tasty crockpot recipes like this? Try these, or head over to our Slow Cooker Page:
🍴Favorite Slow Cooker Cream Cheese Chicken Chili Pairings
These are some of our favorite toppings and sides to serve with Crockpot Cream Cheese Chicken Chili:
📋Recipe With Step-By-Step Instructions
Crockpot Cream Cheese Chicken Chili
Equipment
- 6 quart slow cooker/crockpot (well greased or lined)
- cutting board
- garlic press
- colander
- small bowl
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Ingredients
- 1.5-2 lbs chicken breasts rinse and pat dry with paper towels before adding
- 1 cup white onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- dash salt & ground pepper
- 15 oz mild green chili enchilada sauce
- 4 oz can chopped mild green chilis drained
- 2 (15 oz) cans cannellini or great Northern beans rinsed and drained
- 1 cup frozen corn no need to defrost before using
- 4 cups (1 qt) low sodium chicken broth
- 4 oz reduced fat cream cheese from bar (do not use spread); soften to room temperature before using
- sour cream/plain Greek yogurt, avocado, green onions, and shredded cheese optional toppings to add to individual bowls just before serving
Instructions
- Add chicken breasts to prepared slow cooker; top with onion, garlic, cumin, oregano, chili powder, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper.
- Next add the chili sauce, chopped green chilis, beans, and corn.
- Pour the chicken broth over the ingredients. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours (recommended for best flavor and texture) or on HIGH for 4 hours.
- Uncover and shred chicken with two forks or prongs. You may do this directly in the slow cooker as I do, or, remove the chicken, place on a cutting board, shred and return to the crock.
- Next, remove 1 cup warm chili sauce from slow cooker; mix with softened cream cheese. Then return this mixture to the crockpot; stir. Cover and cook on HIGH for 15 additional minutes.
- Keep warm until ready to serve. Optional to top individual servings with sour cream/plain Greek yogurt, avocado, jalapeño, green onions, and shredded cheese.
Notes
Nutrition
Please note that nutritional information is provided by a third party service and is intended for guidance purposes only. KitchenReadyBetty.com makes no claims to its accuracy.
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