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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I made this today and it was amazing. I accidentally put a 7 oz can of green chili’s in and was worried it would mess it up but I thought it was super yummy! I thought it tasted great without toppings. I will try with toppings tomorrow. Thanks!
Luckily green chiles aren’t that spicy! Glad you loved it!
I made this tonight for my parents, they loved it! Will definitely make again 😀
So glad you loved this! We’d love it if you could give us a star rating when you get a chance!
Are you supposed to drain the beans before adding to the crockpot?
Yes!
Tried this recipe and it was okay. Not sure what I would do to it to make it pop. Possibly more heat with spices or put over corn chips?
Do you cook the chicken first or put in crockpot thawed but raw?
Thawed and raw!
This was amazing! We are finishing up a kitchen renovation and I needed one last crock-pot meal to get us through. This recipe was so quick and I honestly couldn’t believe how good it was. Sometimes, I think crock-pot meals are difficult to get the seasonings right. I think this was like baby bear’s porridge: just right! Can’t wait for the leftovers tonight!
YAY!!! So glad you guys loved it!
Servings 1/6 is inept for ppl who care about having correct portion sizes
Weigh it all in on a food scale in grams & then divide by 6 – then you will have the weight for 1 serving in grams. There are also many nutritional/calorie counters online that are not only free, but will also calculate the calories for you by typing in any changes that you make in the recipe. My favorite is myfitnesspal.com
Would you happen to know if this recipe will double well?
I don’t see why not! You just need to make sure your crock pot is large enough!
Good recipe but you could be more in depth on nutritional value such as is it in percent, grams, miligrams and add sodium to the list.
Loved this recipe! All the flavors were on point, so good and easy!