Dairy Free White Chicken Chili

This Dairy Free White Chicken Chili is creamy, hearty, and packed with flavor. It’s made with tender shredded chicken, white beans, and a blend of warm spices. Because it cooks in the slow cooker, dinner is hands off. The result is a cozy, nourishing meal the whole family will love!

This creamy dairy free white chicken chili has been one my favorite slow cooker recipes to make for over a decade. It’s savory, filling, and has the perfect balance of flavor. The best part is how effortless it is. Simply toss everything into the crockpot and let it cook!

While we’re a big fan of making my traditional easy stovetop chili recipe, the combo of chicken and white beans is a whole different vibe. To make this white chicken chili completely dairy free, you’ll just mix in coconut milk at the end for a creamy base.

What makes this chili extra fun is the toppings, of course! Whether it’s tortilla chips, jalapeño slices, avocado, or even a sprinkle of cheese if you tolerate dairy, everyone gets to customize their bowl. A squeeze of lime at the end ties it all together, and you can easily adjust the spice level by adding more jalapeño or chili powder.

Ingredients

• Chicken: Use boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs. Thighs will give you a richer, juicier chili, while breasts are leaner but still tender after slow cooking.
• Yellow potatoes: Small diced yellow potatoes make this chicken chili super hearty. You can also use diced Yukon gold.
• Onion: Use a yellow or sweet onion like Vidalia if possible. Dice it finely so it melts into the chili as it cooks.
• Bell pepper: Use any color, but red or orange work best for balancing flavor and color.
• Jalapeño: Half of a jalapeño adds a mild kick to the chili. Make sure to remove the seeds before chopping.
• Chicken bone broth: Use chicken broth or bone broth to increase the collagen, protein, and mineral content. Bone broth may help improve gut health, so this recipe is a great way to enjoy it!
• Full-fat coconut milk: The secret to creamy, dairy free white chicken chili is canned coconut milk. It gives body and creaminess without changing the flavor.
• White beans: Cannellini or Great Northern beans both work well.
• Lime juice: A squeeze of fresh lime at the end brightens the chili and balances the creaminess. Optional, but highly recommended!

Substitutions

Potatoes: For a more traditional chili, swap this for 1 cup frozen corn.

Jalapeño: Want more of a kick? Use the whole jalapeño or keep the seeds for extra heat.

Beans: Cannellini, Great Northern, or navy beans all work. To make it bean-free, just leave them out or use 1 cup frozen corn instead.

Coconut milk: Light coconut milk is just coconut milk with more water. You can use it in this recipe, but the chili won’t be as rich or creamy.

How to Make Dairy Free White Chicken Chili

1. Combine: Add the chicken, potatoes, onion, bell pepper, jalapeño, and optional diced green chilis to the bottom of the slow cooker. 
2. Season: Add the garlic, cumin, chili, oregano, sea salt, and black pepper. Pour the chicken broth over everything in the slow cooker and stir to combine evenly. 
3. Cook: Place the lid on top and cook on LOW for 6-7 hours.
4. Shred: Remove the lid and shred the chicken with two forks in the slow cooker. You can also remove the chicken with tongs and shred it on a cutting board, then add it back to the slow cooker.
5. Simmer: Add the coconut milk and white beans to the slow cooker. Cook on HIGH for 25 minutes, or until the chili is heated through.
6. Serve: Stir in the lime juice and serve warm with desired toppings!

Cooking Tips

• Use chicken thighs. It provides more juicier, tender meat.
• Add more chicken if you got it. This dish is great with anything between 1.5 – 2 pounds chicken.
• For an extra kick, add the entire jalapeño. Or, leave if out if you have kids who don’t like the spice.
• No fresh garlic on hand? Swap it out for 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder.
• For a thicker chili, add arrowroot powder at the end. Just whisk 3 tablespoons arrowroot powder into the coconut milk, then pour it in and simmer. You can also gently mash a few potatoes or beans and let it simmer uncovered for an additional 2-3 minutes before serving.
• Go wild with toppings. The possibilities are endless! If you have people who don’t need their white chicken chili to be dairy free, offer sour cream or shredded cheese.

Serving

The best part about making dairy free white chicken chili is OF COURSE the toppings! Load them up, because they add lots of flavor and fun. My favorite toppings are:

• Tortilla chips
• Sliced avocado
• Thinly sliced jalapeño—great for adding a little more heat!
• Fresh cilantro
• Chopped green onion—adds crunchy texture
• Not dairy free? Add a dollop of sour cream or shredded cheese

FAQs

Storage

TO STORE: I love white chicken chili made in the slow cooker because you get a lot and leftovers are amazing! Place any leftovers in an airtight glass container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
TO FREEZE: Place the chili in an airtight storage container. I like using Le Parfait jars. Don’t fill the glass jars all the way to the top. Liquid expands when it freezes, so leave an extra 1-2 inches at the top.

You can also place the chili in a large 1/2 gallon silicone storage bag. Flatten it out before freezing so it’s stackable. Let the chili cool completely before storing in the freezer. It will keep in the freezer up to 3 months.

To thaw, transfer the chili to the fridge and let it thaw for at least 24 hours. You can reheat it over the stovetop in a medium saucepan or in the microwave.

More Soups and Stews

• Slow Cooker Greek Chicken
• Instant Pot Chicken Stew
• Easy Stovetop Chili
• Healthy Zuppa Toscana

*this recipe was originally published in January 2021. It’s since been updated to improve instructions and include white beans.