Crockpot Mexican Chili - a flavorful version of chili made in the slow cooker that's infused with your favorite flavors of Mexico including cumin and chili powder.
My poor crock pot gets used and abused to no end. I love being able to throw everything in before work, set the timer, and come home to a finished meal. We've had a lot of busy days in my house lately, so having dinner ready this way really helps us. I personally use the Ninja Multi/Slow Cooker.
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 a Mexican Chili?
Mexican Chili takes traditional chili and adds in additional flavors like corn, green chile, and cumin.
Does Mexican chili have beans?
Mexican Chili has both kidney beans and black beans.
Crockpot Mexican Chili 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 Mexican Chili
- 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).
Toppings for Mexican Chili
- chips
- cheese
- sour cream
- avoado
How do you make chili 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, Freeze, and Reheat Crockpot Mexican Chili
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.
Make this Mexican Chili Recipe a Freezer Meal
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!
Crockpot Mexican Chili
Ingredients
- ½ 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
- ¼ cup of taco seasoning
- 8 oz tomato sauce I buy no salt added
- 2 cans of rotel
- 1 ½ - 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)
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