Love chili but hate standing at the stove for hours stirring and stirring? This Crockpot Mexican Chicken Chili is going to change your life. Seriously. It’s a slow cooker take on a classic recipe that won’t leave you chained to the stove so you can get on with your life. This slow cooker version is an easy recipe that’s sure to be a hit! 10 ingredients and “secret” spices make for an amazing, hands off lunch or dinner option everyone enjoys.
We love chili in our house. But it’s always an hours-long and labor-intensive process keeping an eye on the pot, stirring and stirring and stirring. That’s why I love this crockpot Mexican chili. It’s an easy, hands-off recipe that’s a winner every single time. This slow cooker chili recipe gives you even better results without having to sacrifice your precious time.
Just load the ingredients in your slow-cooker, set the timer, and go live your life. It’s a great recipe for busy days or when you just want a comforting bowl of chili ready for when you get home from work. Stop spending hours staring at the stove. Follow this simple recipe below for amazing slow cooker chili and break free from the kitchen.
Spicy Mexican Chili Recipe
I should preface this with saying that I grew up in SE New Mexico and love things spicy. My husband on the other hand, grew up in North Carolina on the other end of the spectrum of spicy foods. Over the past several years, he’s come to my side of the spicy spectrum so a lot of my meals will have that spicy kick to them that we love. Feel free to adjust that spicy level to whatever fits your family’s taste buds. This little Crockpot Mexican Chili gem (minus the cheese, sour cream, and avocado), comes in at about 205 calories per serving with 9g of fiber and 13g of protein.
What is Mexican Chili?
Mexican Chili takes traditional chili and adds in additional flavors like corn, green chile, and cumin.
Chili Recipe Crock Pot Ingredients
- Onion – if you have picky eaters, be sure to either pulse your onion through a food processor or chop them finely
- Kidney & Black Beans – I buy the no salt added so that I don’t need to drain them. If you buy the standard kind, I recommend draining and rinsing them
- Green Chiles – You can use canned, jarred, or freshly roasted here
- Cumin, Chili Powder, and Taco Seasoning – These seasonings help add excellent flavor to your Mexican Chili
- Tomato Sauce – I use the no salt added version, but the regular version works just fine as well
- Rotel – If you can’t find rotel, you can use a can of diced tomatoes and add extra green chile
- Corn – you can use fresh or frozen. If you use canned, be sure to drain them first.
- Chicken Breast – You’ll want to use boneless, skinless chicken breasts, but you can also substitute chicken thighs.
As a side note, Jacob hates onions. Absolutely can’t stand them. I’ve tried making this without and it’s just not the same. I have a nifty little contraption that cuts them into tiny, little, bitty, pieces and that works for him. So if you try without onions, it’s probably not going to taste the same. Try mincing them as finely as possible if you have picky eaters in your family. I’ve also tried with onion powder. I would recommend using that in place of omitting them entirely. It will slightly alter the taste, but will still give you the depth of flavor you need.
How to make this Mexican Chili Crockpot Recipe
- Combine all the ingredients in the crock pot and bury the chicken in it.
- Cook on low for 7-9 hours. It needs to be closer to 9 if chicken is still frozen.
- Once complete, remove the chicken, shred and return to the crockpot.
- Top with your favorite toppings (cheddar, light sour cream, avocado).
Chili Recipe Crockpot Serving Suggestions: The Toppings
- chips
- cheese
- sour cream
- avoado
What to serve with this Spicy Crock Pot Chili Recipe
A great spicy crock pot chili goes really well with a variety of toppings and side dishes. There are so many options! Some will even help balance out the spice.
- cornbread
- rice
- tortilla chips
- shredded cheese
- sour cream
- avocado slices or guacamole
- cilantro
- sliced green onions
- lime wedges
- pickled jalapenos
- side salad
- over a baked potato
How to make this Crock Pot Chili Recipe more flavorful
Chili can be made more flavorful with the use of seasonings. I find that Mexican Chili does best with a flavorful taco seasoning and the extra addition of cumin and chili powder.
How to store and reheat this Chili Crockpot Recipe
To store leftover Crockpot Mexican Chili, allow it to cool completely and then store it in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator or 6 months in the freezer.
I recommend reheating it by placing it in a saucepan on the stove top over medium heat. Stir occasionally until the chili is heated through.
This Chili in Crockpot meal is great for the freezer
If you do freezer meals (which I do quite frequently), just combine all ingredients of the Crockpot Mexican Chili except for the chicken in a freezer zippy bag. Lay flat in freezer until you’re ready to use. When you’re ready to use, combine the bag and chicken into the crockpot and you’re good to go!
Chili Recipe Crockpot FAQs
Mexican Chili has both kidney beans and black beans.
While slow cooking chili is a great way to help the flavors combine and make a really yummy chili, there is a point where cooking it too long can affect the texture and taste. In general, it’s best not to cook this specific chili in a crock pot on low for more than 8 hours (9 hours if you start with frozen chicken).
It’s not always necessary to brown meat before you put it in the crockpot for chili, but you can gain a few benefits if you do. By searing the meat before placing it in the crockpot, you’re able to get something called a mallard reaction. This is a chemical reaction in meat that gives is a browned and savory flavor. Browning the meat will also give you a better overall texture and flavor to your chili.
You can leave chili in the crockpot on low overnight as long as it doesn’t stay on low more than 8 hours.
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Crock Pot Chili Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 onion finely chopped
- 1 can kidney beans – undrained I buy the no salt added
- 1 can black beans – undrained I buy the no salt added
- 2 green chiles chopped I have a freezer full from back home thanks to my wonderful mother. You can use canned if you need to
- 1 tablespoon of cumin
- 1-2 tablespoons of chili powder
- 1/4 cup of taco seasoning
- 8 oz tomato sauce I buy no salt added
- 2 cans of rotel
- 1 1/2 – 2 cups of corn kernels I use either frozen or fresh
- 3 small/medium chicken breasts
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients in the crock pot and bury the chicken in it.
- Cook on low for 7-9 hours. It needs to be closer to 9 if chicken is still frozen.
- Once complete, remove the chicken, shred and return to the crockpot.
- Top with your favorite toppings (cheddar, light sour cream, avocado)
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
