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    Home » Food » Easy Crockpot Chicken Chili Recipe

    Easy Crockpot Chicken Chili Recipe

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    crockpot chicken chili in a bowl topped with cornbread and jalapenos

    This easy crockpot chicken chili recipe is a twist on traditional chili. It's full of flavor and loaded with chicken, sweet potatoes, and beans.

    It's an easy-to-make recipe that's pure cold-weather comfort food. 

    crockpot chicken chili in a bowl topped with cornbread and jalapenos

    This post may contain affiliate links. This means if you decide to purchase through my link, I may earn a very small commission at no additional cost to you.

    best chicken chili recipe

    This is the best chicken chili recipe that everyone will love. It doesn't require any hard work. It's perfect for busy weeknights because it's easy to make.

    You throw everything in the crockpot, set it, and it's ready at dinner time. It is full of tender chicken, beans, sweet potatoes, and spices. It's one of those great easy recipes the whole family will love that you'll put in regular rotation.

    ingredients for chicken chili

    • chicken thighs
    • kosher salt and black pepper
    • paprika
    • garlic powder
    • onion powder
    • yellow onion or sweet onion
    • kidney beans
    • cannellini beans (white kidney beans)
    • sweet corn
    • fire-roasted tomatoes
    • sweet potato
    • green chile
    • spicy brown mustard
    • soy sauce
    • honey
    • chili powder
    • chipotle powder
    • white pepper
    • oregano
    • ground cumin
    • cinnamon
    • ground cloves
    ingredients to make crockpot chicken chili

    how to make chicken chili

    Detailed instructions and measurements to make Easy Chicken Chili are listed in the recipe card at the bottom of this page.

    1. Add the chicken thighs to the crockpot. Season them with salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder. Toss to coat. 
    2. Add in the rest of the ingredients and stir to combine. 
    3. Cook on LOW for 8-10 hours. 
    4. Remove the lid, stir, and serve with your favorite toppings. 

    what are the best toppings for this easy chicken chili?

    • tortilla chips - you can use full tortilla chips or even buy the little tortilla strips, they both add a little crunch
    • green onions - chopped green onions add flavor, and crunch
    • jalapeño peppers - these will add spice to your chili. You can use pickled or fresh
    • shredded cheese - Monterey jack and sharp cheddar are excellent cheese to top chili with
    • avocado - cool avocado makes a great contrast to the spicy chili
    • fresh cilantro - fresh chopped cilantro goes great over chili
    • sour cream or Greek yogurt - a dollop of sour cream and plain greek yogurt can be used interchangeably. They'll add a cool touch to the spicy chili 
    chicken and seasoning in a crockpot for chicken chili
    ingredients for chicken chili uncooked in the crock pot
    cooked chicken chili in a crockpot before serving

    what is the best chicken to use for chicken chili?

    Chicken thighs will give you the best results for chicken chili. They are more flavorful and tender than chicken breasts.

    While chicken breasts can be substituted in this recipe, they may be a little dryer than chicken thighs. You can also use rotisserie chicken, boneless skinless chicken breasts, and shredded chicken. 

    recipe notes and tips

    This recipe is for a thicker chili. If you'd like a little bit of a looser, broth-style chili, you can add low sodium chicken broth until your desired consistency. 

    Can I use my instant pot or pressure cooker on the slow cook function for this recipe?

    Yes, you can, but you may need to adjust the cooking time. Sometimes Instant Pots slow cooker function runs at different temperatures than a standard slow cooker. 

    how to sear chicken

    If you want to sear your chicken before adding it to the chili, you can do that in a skillet over medium-high heat. 

    Season the chicken with salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder. Add it to a skillet with 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat.

    Don't cook it through, just sear the exterior. Take the seared chicken and add it to the crockpot and proceed with the rest of the recipe as written. 

    crockpot chicken chili topped with cornbread and jalapeno slices

    what to serve with chili

    Crockpot Chicken Chili makes an excellent meal on its own, but we also like to serve it with cornbread or chili lime rice. 

    Variations for easy chicken chili

    • chicken thighs - if you don't want to use chicken thighs, you can substitute them with store-bought rotisserie chicken, boneless chicken breasts, or shredded chicken.
    • garlic powder - you can use actual garlic cloves in place of garlic powder. Omit the garlic powder and add the garlic in with the remaining ingredients. 
    • onion - some people don't like the taste of onion and that's okay! There are a few things you can do. You can omit the onion entirely, pulse it in a food processor, or replace it with dried onion. 
    • kidney beans - kidney beans can be replaced with black beans or even pinto beans. Any hearty beans will work.  
    • cannellini beans (white kidney beans) - instead of cannellini beans, you can use great northern beans. They work in this recipe really well. Any hearty white beans will work here. 
    • corn - feel free to use frozen corn kernels, canned corn, or fresh corn in this recipe
    • fire-roasted tomatoes - if you don't like chunks of tomato, you can use crushed fire-roasted tomatoes or add your tomatoes to a food processor and pulse until smooth. You could also use fresh diced tomatoes. 
    • sweet potato - If you don't enjoy or want to use sweet potatoes, I'd recommend replacing them with red bell pepper. You'll still have the added sweet vegetable.
    • lime juice - you can add lime juice when serving to add a fresh, vibrant flavor
    • chipotle powder - if you're unable to find chipotle powder, you can replace this with canned chipotle chiles

    spicy chicken chili

    This chicken chili has a few spicy elements including green chiles, spicy brown mustard, chili powder, and chipotle pepper. If you find it to be too spicy, you can omit any of them or lower their amounts.

    I'd recommend omitting the chili powder as the first option and then adjusting from there to your desired heat level.

    How to store leftover chicken chili

    To store crock pot chicken chili, allow it to cool completely and then store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. 

    can chicken chili be frozen?

    Yes, you can freeze chicken chili. It freezes really well.

    Allow the chili to cool completely and add it to an airtight container or zip-top bag laid flat in the freezer. It will remain fresh in the freezer for up to 6 months. 

    how to reheat slow cooker chicken chili

    To reheat slow cooker chicken chili, add it to a large pot on the stove over medium heat. Stir occasionally until it begins to simmer. 

    You can also reheat chicken chili in the microwave, but it may overcook the chicken. 

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    crockpot chicken chili in a bowl topped with cornbread and jalapenos

    Easy Crockpot Chicken Chili Recipe

    This easy crockpot chicken chili recipe is a twist on traditional chili. It's full of flavor and loaded with chicken, sweet potatoes, and beans. It's an easy-to-make recipe that's pure cold-weather comfort food. 
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 5 mins
    Cook Time 8 hrs
    Total Time 8 hrs 5 mins
    Course Dinner, Main Course, Main Dish, Main Dishes
    Cuisine American
    Servings 8 people
    Calories 351 kcal
    Protein 32 g

    Equipment

    • 1 crockpot

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
    • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
    • ½ teaspoon black pepper
    • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 1 teaspoon onion powder
    • 15 ounces canned kidney beans drained and rinsed
    • 15 ounces canned cannellini beans drained and rinsed
    • 15 ounces corn
    • 14.5 ounces fire roasted tomatoes
    • 1 whole sweet potato peeled and cut into 1" pieces
    • 4 ounces roasted green chiles chopped
    • ½ cup spicy brown mustard
    • 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
    • 2 tablespoons honey
    • 1 tablespoon chili powder
    • 1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
    • 1 tablespoon onion powder
    • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
    • 1 tablespoon white pepper
    • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
    • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
    • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves

    Instructions
     

    • Add the chicken thighs to the crockpot. Season them with salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder. Toss to coat. 
    • Add in the rest of the ingredients and stir to combine. 
    • Cook on LOW for 8-10 hours. 
    • Remove the lid, stir, and serve with your favorite toppings. 

    Video

    Notes

    You'll want to adjust the spices to your taste and preference. If you don't like a lot of spice, omit the chili powder and go easy on the green chile. 

    Nutrition

    Nutrition Facts
    Easy Crockpot Chicken Chili Recipe
    Serving Size
     
    1.5 cups
    Amount per Serving
    Calories
    351
    % Daily Value*
    Fat
     
    7
    g
    11
    %
    Saturated Fat
     
    1
    g
    6
    %
    Trans Fat
     
    1
    g
    Polyunsaturated Fat
     
    2
    g
    Monounsaturated Fat
     
    2
    g
    Cholesterol
     
    108
    mg
    36
    %
    Sodium
     
    990
    mg
    43
    %
    Potassium
     
    874
    mg
    25
    %
    Carbohydrates
     
    43
    g
    14
    %
    Fiber
     
    9
    g
    38
    %
    Sugar
     
    10
    g
    11
    %
    Protein
     
    32
    g
    64
    %
    Vitamin A
     
    903
    IU
    18
    %
    Vitamin C
     
    7
    mg
    8
    %
    Calcium
     
    112
    mg
    11
    %
    Iron
     
    5
    mg
    28
    %
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Keyword chili, crockpot, slow cooker, sweet potato
    Have you tried this recipe? Please let us know how it was in the comments or tag us on Instagram @sweetlysplendid!

    Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy. It should only be used for estimation purposes and is not a guarantee of any kind. Nutritional information varies widely between brands and types of ingredients used. It is recommended that you calculate the nutritional information based on your own ingredients and brands used. Sweetly Splendid, LLC makes no guarantees as to the exact nutrition information.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Emily

      February 24, 2022 at 5:48 pm

      5 stars
      Yea I’m gonna need to make this ASAP!!!!

      Reply
    2. Adrienne

      February 24, 2022 at 6:09 pm

      Can't wait to try this

      Reply
    3. Jacob

      February 24, 2022 at 11:27 pm

      5 stars
      This paired up fantastic with some cornbread. So good

      Reply

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    Meet Kara

    Kara is a wife & mother living deep in the heart of Texas. She loves all things food and spending time with her family and dogs. She has a passion for cooking and loves making yummy, family-friendly recipes. Learn more about Kara...

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