Slow Cooker Chicken Chili is comforting, flavorful, and one of the easiest recipes you’ll ever make! Simply add all of your ingredients together and let the slow cooker do the rest.
Looking for more low-effort, high-flavor meals? I’ve got plenty of recipes for you! My list of the Top 30 Healthy Chili Recipes You Must Try This Fall is a great place to start.
This slow cooker chicken chili is the perfect family meal for fall; it is warm, cozy, spicy, and nutritious. The best part is that you can put everything together in the morning, and by dinnertime, you’ll have a delicious and healthy meal ready to go.
How To Make Slow Cooker Chicken Chili
ingredients
- Chicken breasts — I like to use boneless skinless chicken breasts. Chicken thighs would also work well.
- Onion — You’ll need about a cup and a half of white onion, chopped. You can also use a yellow onion if that’s what you have on hand.
- Bell pepper — A yellow or orange bell pepper adds a beautiful color to the chili.
- Corn — I typically use canned corn; a package of frozen corn is also a good option.
- Beans — This recipe uses a can of black beans, drained and rinsed. Pinto or kidney beans would also be great in this dish.
- Salsa — A jar of salsa adds so much flavor and allows you to easily adjust the heat level of your chili.
- Chicken broth — Feel free to use your preferred brand of chicken broth.
- Tomato paste — Tomato paste adds a rich, robust flavor to the chili.
- Diced tomato — Be sure to drain the diced tomato before adding it.
- Crushed tomato — More tomato flavor provides a nice savory element.
- Garlic — Use freshly chopped garlic or a jar of pre-minced garlic to save time.
- Seasonings — A combination of salt, freshly ground pepper, cumin, and coriander.
- Toppings — Top with fresh cilantro and shredded mozzarella cheese.
instructions
Add ingredients to slow cooker:
- Add all of the ingredients to your slow cooker, and then stir well to combine.
- Cover with a lid and then cook on low for 6 to 7 hours or on high for 3 hours.
Shred the chicken:
- At this point, remove the chicken and shred it into small pieces using a fork.
- Add the shredded chicken to the slow cooker and stir well.
- Taste the chili and adjust seasonings if necessary.
- Then, cover the slow cooker and cook for an additional 10 to 15 minutes.
Add toppings and serve:
- Top with fresh cilantro and shredded mozzarella cheese.
- Then serve and enjoy your chicken chili!
Recipe Tips
- I use a bottle of salsa that is already very spicy, which is why this recipe doesn’t call for many additional spices. If you like spicy foods, you can add ingredients like chili powder or red pepper flakes for some extra heat.
- Do not open the lid while the slow cooker is going unless it’s totally necessary. It takes a long time for the slow cooker to build up heat, so when you open the lid, all of that heat escapes and takes a while to rebuild.
- If you’re watching your salt intake, feel free to use a low-sodium broth or try my easy homemade vegetable broth.
- Chicken thighs also work very well in this recipe if that’s what you prefer or have on hand.
How To Store Leftovers
- To Store: Leftover crockpot chicken chili is perfect for quick and easy meals throughout the week! Allow the leftover chili to cool then transfer it to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- To Freeze: Chili also keeps very well in the freezer, which makes it ideal for meal prep. You can store leftovers in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 3 months.
- To Reheat: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and then reheat chili in the microwave or on the stovetop until heated through. If the chili seems a bit thick the next day, you can add a splash of water to help it along.
What To Serve With Slow Cooker Chicken Chili
- Buttery cornbread: Chili and cornbread is such a classic combination. Try this slow cooker chicken chili with my light and fluffy gluten-free cornbread.
- Crunchy tortilla chips: Enjoy your favorite tortilla chips as a side or break them up and sprinkle on top of your chili for extra flavor and texture. My spicy kale chips would also be a great side dish. Don’t forget to squeeze some lime juice on top before serving.
- A fresh side salad: A crisp, fresh salad is a great compliment to this warm, savory chili. My chopped red cabbage kale salad or Autumn beet orange salad would both be great sides to this cozy fall meal.
- Savory rice: Serve slow cooker chicken chili over savory rice for an easy and satisfying meal. To get the perfect texture, follow my guide How to Make Fluffy Rice. If you’re looking for a low-carb option, try my garlic parmesan cauliflower rice.
Recipe Variations
- Spices: You can customize the flavor and spice level of this slow cooker chicken chili in so many different ways. If you like a lot of heat, add chili powder or diced jalapenos. If you prefer a mild chili, opt for something like sweet paprika, oregano, or bay leaves.
- Chicken: You can replace chicken breast for boneless skinless chicken thighs.
- Veggies: Slow cooker chicken chili is a great recipe to sneak in extra vegetables! It already features tomatoes, corn, and bell pepper, and you could also add other veggies or legumes like carrots, greens, or chickpeas. Check out my extra lean turkey chili with kale or Whole30 pumpkin chili for inspiration!
- Toppings: Go crazy with the chili toppings! I like to use fresh cilantro and shredded mozzarella cheese. Sliced avocado, crunchy tortilla strips, lime wedges or chopped green onion would also taste great.
- Salsa: Part of what makes this recipe so easy is the jar of salsa, which already has a ton of flavor. Switch up your slow cooker chicken chili by using a different kind of salsa, like salsa verde or something with a smoky chipotle flavor.
Recommended Tools
- Slow cooker: The slow cooker does all of the heavy lifting in this recipe.
- Ladle: A large, sturdy ladle is useful for serving.
- Can opener: This slow cooker chicken chili recipe uses several canned ingredients, so you’ll want a good quality can opener close by.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! In fact, the Instant Pot also has a slow cooker setting. If you’d like to speed things up, you can also use the pressure cooker setting for about 8 to 10 minutes. Then, let the Instant Pot naturally release for 5 minutes before turning the pressure valve to the venting position. Remove the chicken breast, shred into small pieces, then return it to the Instant Pot and stir to combine. You can also check out my Instant Pot Southwest chicken soup recipe for more detailed instructions (just keep in mind that you can skip the sauté step).
When it comes to shredding chicken, the easiest method really depends on your preference. I personally shred my chicken using a couple of forks and it works great! Some other methods include using a potato masher, a deep bowl and hand mixer, or a food processor (just be careful not to shred the chicken too much). Try out different methods and choose whatever works best for you.
If your slow cooker chicken chili turns out to be too spicy for your liking, you can add a little acid or sweetness to help balance things out. For sweetness, try a drizzle of honey or even some sweet ketchup since this is a tomato-based dish. To add acidity, try a squeeze of lemon or a splash of apple cider vinegar. Dairy also combats heat, so adding a dollop of sour cream or plain yogurt on top will help too.
If you are looking for more chili slow cooker recipes, you can try some of my favorite slow cooker chili recipes such as: Slow Cooker Beet Chili, Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Chili, and Slow Cooker Chili.
Also check out my Instant Pot Keto Chili or my White Chicken Chili for equally delicious low-carb options.
Slow Cooker Chicken Chili
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Ingredients
- 2 large skinless boneless chicken breasts (about 1 and 1/2 pounds)
- 1 ½ cup white onions chopped
- 1 cup yellow bell pepper diced
- 1 (11 ounce) can corn (rinsed and drained) or 1 package of frozen corn
- 1 (19 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (21 ounce) bottle salsa sauce, medium
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 cups diced tomato drained
- 1 cup crushed tomato
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon coriander
Topping:
- ½ cup mozzarella cheese
- 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients to a slow cooker.
- Stir well to combine.
- Cover with lid and cook on low for 6-7 hours or high for 3 hours.
- Remove the chicken. Shred into pieces using a fork and return it to the slow cooker and stir well.
- Taste and add more salt or add ground black pepper if necessary.
- Cover the slow cooker and cook for about 10-15 more minutes.
- Serve warm topped with fresh cilantro and shredded cheese.
- Keep leftovers in a plastic/glass container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
- You can reheat in the microwave or on the stove.
Tips
- Do not open the lid while the slow cooker is cooking your chicken chili. Since it takes a long time for the slow cooker to build up heat, when you open the lid to peak inside, the heat escapes, and your slow cooker will have to rebuild the heat.
- You can use low sodium broth if you’re watching your salt intake.
- Chicken thighs also work really well in this recipe if that’s what you prefer or have on hand.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.
If you like this Slow Cooker Chicken Chili recipe, please share with your friends and family. Do you want to taste more? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow Primavera Kitchen on Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook for all delicious recipes updates. As always, I really appreciate you stopping by.
M
Judy says
This is so fantastic! Easy and flavorful like your others. Thanks for all you do for us!
Olivia Ribas says
You’re so welcome 😉