Crockpot Chicken Chili
Published 11/13/2023
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This crockpot chicken chili recipe might be the easiest chili you’ve ever made! Cook the chicken breast whole in the slow cooker and in 6-8 hours, shred it and mix it all together.
I’ve been making chili since college because it’s something my midwestern mom made for my family often growing up and if you know how to open a can and measure spices, it’s the easiest thing to make for the masses. Some of my favorites from FFF are: beef chili recipe, white bean chicken chili, and vegetarian chili.
One of the most famous chili recipes on Fit Foodie Finds is this crockpot chicken chili. It’s a mild-tasting red chili made with chicken breast, a few types of beans, diced tomatoes, and a variety of chili spices. Best part? It’s all done in the slow cooker so it’s super hands-off!
What You Need for Crockpot Chicken Chili
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts
- Salsa (any kind will work! we recommend using your favorite kind!)
- Black beans
- Great northern beans
- Diced tomatoes
- Green chiles
- Minced garlic
- Spices
- Apple cider vinegar (if you like the heat, swap for hot sauce!)
- Chicken broth (any kind of broth or water will do!)
Ingredient Swaps
Chicken: Feel free to swap boneless, skinless chicken thighs. You can even add rotisserie chicken at the end, too.
Beans: there are 2 cans of beans in this recipe, use whatever kind you want! Cannellini beans or garbanzo beans would be delicious substitutions!
Green Chiles: hoping for something a little spicier? Swap in canned jalapeños instead.
homemade chili seasoning
We love keeping our homemade chili seasoning on hand at all times because it’s the perfect blend for chilis just like this. So, feel free to swap all of the spices in this recipe for 3-4 tablespoons of homemade chili seasoning.
How do you make chicken chili thicker?
To make chicken chili thicker, remove about 1/4 cup of the liquid from your slow cooker. Then, dissolve about 1 tablespoon of cornstarch into the liquid by whisking.
Pour the cornstarch slurry back into the slow cooker and mix to combine. Then, let it cook on high for 10-15 more minutes to activate the cornstarch.
Check it out!
6 Crockpot Chicken Recipes
Looking for more crockpot chicken recipes? Look no further! Check out 6 similar recipes below. And for an added bonus, check out our Crockpot Freezer Meals post where we teach you how to turn all of these slow cooker recipes into freezer meals.
Storage
Transfer chili into a glass container and seal tightly. Refrigerate for up to 5 days.
Can you freeze chicken chili?
Let your crockpot chicken chili cool completely before transferring into a freezer-safe gallon-size bag or Tupperware. Remove as much air as possible and seal. Freeze for up to 3 months.
To reheat, let thaw on the counter and then transfer into a large pot, back into your slow cooker or microwave to heat up.
Serving Ideas
Never skip the toppings! We love jazzing up our chili with any of the following:
- Tortilla chips
- Sliced avocado
- Fresh cilantro
- Sour cream or Greek yogurt
- Diced bell peppers
- Lime wedges
Easy Chicken Chili (Crock Pot)
Ingredients
- 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts , we used 2 large breasts
- 12 oz. salsa, any kind
- 15 oz. canned black beans, drained and rinsed
- 15 oz. canned white northern beans, drained and rinsed
- 15 oz. canned diced tomatoes
- 4 oz. canned diced green chiles
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 3 tablespoons chili powder
- 1/2 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup chicken broth
Instructions
- Place all ingredients minus the chicken breasts into your slow cooker. Mix until combined. Then, place chicken breasts on top and cover.
- Turn crockpot to high and cook for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8 hours, stirring periodically.
- Then, remove the chicken from the crockpot and shred using two forks. Place shredded chicken back in the crockpot and mix until combined.
- Serve with all of your favorite toppings such as shredded cheese, Greek yogurt, and avocado.
Tips & Notes
- Spices- option to use 3-4 tablespoons homemade chili seasoning.
- Store in an airtight container in your refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- This is an excellent freezer meal! Let cool completely and then transfer into a freezer-safe gallon-size bag and place into the freezer. Will stay for up to 3 months.
- If you like a little bit more heat, feel free to swap hot sauce for the apple cider vinegar.
Watch It
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Any suggestions on ways to thicken up the chili? We prefer beanless and im afraid the chili will turn out soupy..
You can replace with veggies if you want! Honestly, the chili will thicken in the fridge, so on day 2 it will be perfect!
This looks delicious. I cant wait to try it this week.
Is this made with boneless breast chicken or bone in chicken breast?
This is seriously the best chili I’ve ever had! Homemade or in a restaurant, I highly recommend it!
YAY!! So glad you loved it!
did you update the recipe? where can I find the old one with the milk??? I loved it and made it lots of times!!
The old recipie was a family favorite. I went ahead and tried this new version and it was not bad, but not a hit. Is there somewhere I can find the old way? Please 🙏???
Hi guys! We, unfortunately, do not have the old recipe. We made updates and forgot to save the old one. So sorry!
UPDATE: We no longer have access to the old recipe.
Here’s the old recipe:
CrockPot Chicken Chili
Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 4 hours
Total time: 4 hours 15 mins
Ingredients
2 large chicken breasts, thawed
1 cup salsa, mild
1 cup water
1 15 oz. can black beans
1 15 oz. can white northern beans
1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons canned/fresh jalapeños, diced (or more if you like it spicy!)
2 tablespoons chili powder
1⁄2 tablespoon cumin powder
1⁄2 tablespoon garlic powder
1⁄2 tablespoon onion powder
1⁄2 tablespoon smoked paprika
1⁄2 tablespoon lemon or ground black pepper
1 cup milk
1⁄4 cup flour, any kind
Instructions
1. Place all ingredients up to the black pepper into a crock pot. Make sure that the chicken breasts are the first to go in, laying flat on the surface. Place everything else on top.
2. Turn crockpot on high and cook for 3 hours, stirring periodically. Then, remove the chicken from the crock pot and shred using two forks (the chicken should be fully cooked by now). Place chicken back in crockpot.
3. Next, in a small bowl, mix 1 cup milk with 1⁄4 cup of flour. This will act as a thickening agent. Once most of the flour is dissolved, pour mixture into chili and stir.
4. Let simmer on high for an additional 30 minutes to an hour.
5. Serve warm with corn tortilla chips, Greek yogurt, sour cream, salsa, or avocado!
Recipe by Fit Foodie Finds at http://fitfoodiefinds.com/2013/09/crockpotchickenchili/
Thank you soooo much! I love the old recipe and was disappointed that it changed.
I want to make this but I don’t have salsa! Do you think adding an extra can of diced tomatoes and some onion will be a good substitute?
I think that’ll work just fine! You can adjust the spices a little bit to add more flavor, too! Maybe 2 more teaspoons of chili powder.
Oh no, I didn’t drain any of the canned items! You think it will still turn out ok?
Yes, you’ll be fine!
I love the chili chicken. Its my favorite plate 🙂
What happened to the old recipe? My family and I LOVED that one! I would make it once a week and come to this website for the recipe. I’m regretting not saving it somewhere. Please repost it.
Hi Sam! Please email lee@fitfoodiefinds.com and I’ll send you the old recipe!
UPDATE: We no longer have access to the old recipe.
Do you drain the beans or pour in the whole can of beans?
Rinse and drain!
What is the sodium content in this recipe?
Hi Jodi! Sodium content is 576mg. If you would like a lower sodium content you can use low sodium broth and beans. We used regular items. Thank you for the question!