Creamy Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili Recipe

I love cooking for my family, and when life isn’t too hectic I make an effort to cook dinner every night. On the weekends I usually sit down, plan meals, and shop on Sunday so we have food for the week. The challenge comes later in the week: by Thursday some fresh fruits and vegetables are past their peak—or, in a perfect week, we’ve already eaten them all. When fresh ingredients are running low, I don’t run to the store. Instead, I shop my pantry.

We call it “Cantry Thursdays.” It’s a regular night when I use canned ingredients to create satisfying, affordable dinners. My can opener gets a good workout. Whether I make bean burritos with canned beans or a quick chicken salad with canned chicken, pantry-based meals have become a helpful family routine. Here’s why Cantry Thursdays work so well for us:

• They prevent last-minute grocery runs during busy weeknights filled with school, work, and activities.
• Canned items are often less expensive than their fresh counterparts, so we save money.
• Many canned foods are already prepped—chicken comes diced, vegetables are peeled—so meal prep is faster.
• Cooking from the pantry helps clear out what we already have. Sometimes I challenge myself to create a meal from whatever is on the shelf.
• Canned produce is picked and sealed at peak ripeness and canned quickly, so it retains nutrients and is available year-round.
• We waste less. The average household discards a significant portion of fresh produce; planning pantry meals helps avoid overbuying and spoilage.

There are countless meals you can prepare with canned ingredients. Aside from ready-made canned soups and pasta meals, many simple, homemade dishes come together beautifully with canned beans, meats, and vegetables. One of our favorites for Cantry Thursday is a comforting Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili—easy to assemble and full of flavor.

Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili

Ingredients:

2 cans Northern beans
1 can chicken stock
1 small can green chiles (optional but tasty)
1 can fully cooked chicken (or about 3 small cooked chicken breasts)
1 medium sweet onion, chopped
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper (adjust to taste)
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon olive oil or vegetable oil
1 tablespoon salt

Directions:

1. Set the slow cooker to high.
2. Dice the cooked chicken into cubes and add to the slow cooker.
3. Rinse the Northern beans under cool water and add them to the cooker.
4. Pour in the can of chicken stock.
5. Add the chopped onion.
6. Stir in the spices, green chiles if using, and the oil until well combined.
7. Cook on high for about 4 hours, stirring occasionally.
8. Serve with sliced French bread or your preferred side, and enjoy.

Does your family do Cantry Thursdays?