Crockpot Chicken Chili – Set and Forget
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Cooked low and slow, this EASY Crockpot Chicken Chili cooks all day. Come home to the smell of deliciousness. Simple ingredients you probably already have, this is a family winner!
If you’re running on empty a lot lately, Instant Pot Teriyaki Chicken is another easy dinner to add!
Step-by-step photos and instructions are below. Jump to the recipe card if you wish!
Why you’ll love this
- This recipe is low, slow and perfectly cooked all day.
- Super easy to make, it uses pantry ingredients, that you probably already have, or can easily grab at the grocery store
- A true “set and forget” dinner.
I love to use my slow cooker, but some crockpot recipes I want to make, the cooking time is too short! If I am gone the whole day and I can’t use them because I won’t be home in time before it all overcooks.
This is an easy dinner that the whole family loves. It’s also perfect for game day, since it’s a total crowd pleaser! Make a chili bar with toppings and set this out and watch it disappear.
This isn’t an especially hot chili, I think it has the exact right amount of heat. However, this is a great recipe that is easy to make it your own. Add some extra heat by bumping up the chili powder, or adding some cayenne.
See the notes card for more suggestions.
Make ahead
- This chicken chili takes 10 hours on low. PERFECT! Prep the night before, turn it on as you leave the house, and come home to a lovely smelling house.
- This is very much a dump-and-run kind of crock pot recipe. To make this even easier, spend 30 minutes the night before pulling together the ingredients.
- You just want to drain and rinse the beans, open the can of green chilis, chop the onion and measure out the seasonings.
Cook
When you get up the next day, just set it to cook before running out of the house. The best part is when you get home, grab some toppings, and dig in! Dinner tonight is done!
Hungry for more of my favorite chili recipes? Check out my beef chili – a traditional chili that you’ll love! You will also like my Slow Cooker Vegetarian Chili, too. How about my Lentil Chili, too?
FAQs
Yes, it can! Check out my Instant Pot Chicken Chili recipe. Similar ingredients, slightly different technique.
Yes, but with caution. You HAVE to make sure that the chicken reaches 165 degrees to be safe to eat. The long cook time on this recipe should take care of that, but as slow cookers vary – use a digital thermometer to check for safety.
Yes, you can. You will need at least 4-6 hours cooked on low (depending on the recipe). Remember that chicken needs to reach 165 degrees in the center of the thickest part to be safe to eat.
What to serve with Crockpot Chicken Chili
Some homemade corn tortillas, some skillet cornbread or keep it simple and serve with some tortilla chips.
Step-by-step photos and tips and tricks are below. Jump to the full recipe card instead
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Key Recipe Ingredients
Note: This highlights some ingredients. Full list is in the recipe card.
- Onion. This is a regular sized onion, diced.
- Beans. I use black beans and kidney beans in this recipe. You could use a 3 bean blend, or add an extra can of pinto beans or white beans (cannellini beans) in as well if you want. Drain and rinse the beans before using.
- Tomato Sauce. This is a small can of tomato sauce.
- Corn. Regular sized can of corn, drained. Frozen corn can also be used.
- Tomatoes. I used canned diced tomatoes. You could use crushed tomatoes or whole tomatoes (just chop them up a bit)
- Green Chiles. I used canned green chillies.
- Seasonings. You can make this your own by changing up the seasoning. I use homemade taco seasoning, cumin, chili powder and garlic powder.
- Chicken. I use chicken breasts, but boneless skinless chicken thighs to well here. Do make sure you use boneless chicken either way, so it’s easy to shred. If you have leftover rotisserie chicken, you can skip cooking the chicken in the slow cooker, and just use shredded chicken at the end.
- Toppings. My favorite toppings for chili are cheddar cheese, sour cream and fresh cilantro. My husband likes to add a little hot sauce and diced red onion to his. We both sometimes add some lime juice or fresh avocado slices too.
How to make this recipe
This is a step-by-step photo guide. Full ingredients and instructions are in the printable recipe card below.
JumpCombine the onion, cans of beans, chiles, corn, tomato sauce and seasonings and mix well.
Add the chicken breasts and submerge in the other ingredients.
Cook on high for 6 hours, or on low for up to 10 hours, then remove chicken breasts from the crockpot.
Shred the chicken, then add back into the slow cooker and mix well.
Serve in bowls with shredded cheese, a little sour cream, and fresh cilantro.
Kylee’s Notes
What to do with leftovers
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat until it is piping hot!
Substitutions/Additions
You can use more or less of any of the spices, based on what you have on hand, and your personal tastes.
I sometimes add some onion powder along with the garlic powder.
If you have one, add a chopped red bell pepper to the mix.
If you want this to be a creamy white chili, add a little heavy cream, or a block of cream cheese during the last 30 minutes of cooking.
Freezing instructions
This recipe can be frozen before OR after cooking. For a dump and cook freezer meal, put all ingredients in a freezer bag, then label, seal and freeze. On cook day, thaw overnight in the refrigerator and place in the slow cooker in the morning and cook.
To freeze after cooking, place chicken chili in freezer containers, label, seal and freeze up to 6 months. Thaw and reheat until piping hot.
More delicious slow cooker recipes:
- Crockpot Cowboy Casserole. Quick to prep, this is a real family pleaser!
- Vegetarian Chili. Perfect for cool weather, packed with peppers, onions, beans, tomatoes, and sweet potatoes.
- 15 Bean Soup. Packed with flavor and goodness – this meal is a great one to set and forget!
- Cheesy Chicken Tater Tot Casserole. A family-friendly easy prep and clean up meal that you can set and forget. This yummy tater tot casserole recipe has allll the good stuff – you can’t go wrong!
- Crockpot BBQ Chicken. A rich, deeply flavored, sweet, chicken dinner – that you fix, and forget! Make ahead and come home to a fabulous dinner to share with the family.
- Chicken Tikka Masala. Delicious Indian inspired chicken tikka masala in the crockpot is a winner! Set and forget, except for the delicious smells coming from your kitchen!
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Chicken Chili (Crockpot)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 large onion diced
- 14 ounces black beans 1 regular sized can, drained and rinsed
- 14 ounces kidney beans 1 regular sized can, drained and rinsed
- 8 ounces green chillies 2 small cans
- 14 ounces corn kernels 1 regular sized can
- 8 ounces tomato sauce canned
- 28 ounces diced tomatoes 2 regular sized cans
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon prepared chili powder
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 2 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
Toppings
- cheese, sour cream, cilantro
Instructions
- Combine onion, beans, chillies, corn, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes and seasonings in a slow cooker1 large onion, 14 ounces black beans, 14 ounces kidney beans, 8 ounces green chillies, 14 ounces corn kernels, 8 ounces tomato sauce, 28 ounces diced tomatoes, 2 tablespoons taco seasoning, 1 tablespoon ground cumin, 1 tablespoon prepared chili powder, 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- Place 2 lb boneless skinless chicken breastshicken breasts on top, nestle them in, and cover.2 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
- Cook on low for 10 hours or on high for 6 hours.
- Half an hour before serving, remove chicken and shred. Return chicken to slow cooker and stir in.
- Serve with toppings of your choice.cheese, sour cream, cilantro
Notes
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Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Did you make this recipe?
Make sure to follow @kyleecooks on Instagram for more and tag me #kyleecooks so I can see!Update: This recipe was originally published in September of 2013. It was republished with updated photos in February of 2022.
About Kylee Ayotte
I am a born and raised New Zealander (a Kiwi), now living in Phoenix, Arizona. I’m happily married to the love of my life – a hot American boy I met while traveling the world. I’m a mama to 2 awesome little boys and love red things, rugby, cheesecake, and bacon. Mmmmm. Bacon. Meet Kylee
Can I use ground beef instead of chicken?
You could – but you’ll find this recipe better for ground beef. Crockpot Beef Chili
Really bummed by this recipe. I think there’s a mistake with the recipe, it called for only 8 oz. of tomato sauce which is no where near enough (even though it photographed cans of diced tomatoes as well). Just to be safe, I added half a jar of pasta sauce I had on hand and chicken broth. It’s SO dense. Clearly the author left out how many cans of diced tomato sauce you need but even adding a lot of sauce I had on hand, there was not nearly enough sauce. Bummed!
It shows the tomatoes amount right below the corn in the recipe card
Yes! I love this recipe! Simple, easy, tasty. Completely fits my bill. 🙂
Does it need any water?
Nope
Looks great! We definitely need to use our crockpot more, and it's almost time for chili season here!