Dinner BY:Mireille PUBLISHED: 08/31/2021 UPDATED: 03/16/2024

Crockpot Chicken Chili

This chicken chili is a 5-minute recipe that you can set and forget!

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Honestly, this recipe is super easy. Prepare it before you go to work and by the time you get home you can put it on the table. The best chili recipe I promise. So, are you ready to learn how to make crockpot chicken chili? Let’s get started!

What You Need For This Recipe

To make this recipe, you need several ingredients on your grocery shopping list. Get the following ingredients:

Chicken breasts or chicken thighs – you can use chicken breast which is leaner compared to chicken thighs which are fatter but have more flavor. Both shred easily
Red kidney beans – use canned beans to garnish and add fiber to this dish
Tomatoes – any tomato will for this recipe. I used canned tomatoes but you can use fresh tomatoes and dice them into small chunks
Bell pepper – I prefer red bell peppers as they have great flavor
Onion – dice into small chunks
Low-sodium chicken broth – to cook the chili use chicken broth as this adds more flavor to the dish
Chili powder – season the chili with homemade chili powder or use store-bought
Black pepper – season to taste with black pepper
Cheese – choose your favorite grated cheese like mozzarella, Gouda or Gruyere

Note that the full ingredients list, including measurements, can be found in the recipe card below.

How To Make Crockpot Chicken Chili?

To make this recipe drain the kidney beans and rinse them before you add them to the slow cooker (CrockPot or Instant Pot). Finely chop the sweet peppers and onion and add to the Crockpot as well.
Then it is time to add the can with diced tomatoes and their juices. You also need to add chicken broth, chili powder, fresh ground black pepper.
Stir to combine all the ingredients in the slow cooker with a wooden spoon. Then finally add the whole chicken breast to the bean mixture in the inner pan.
Close the slow cooker. You can choose between the LOW or HIGH setting. So, turn to either:
- LOW – set the timer to 8 hours
- High – set the timer to 4 hours
Then open the slow cooker and shred the chicken using two forks. The chicken is so soft it will fall apart easily.
Taste the chili and if needed season to taste with extra salt and pepper. Serve the chili in a bowl and garnish with some grated cheese and sliced scallions.
Serve with rice or flour tortillas as side dishes.

Delicious Chicken Chili Recipe

I think all slow cooker or Crockpot users experience the same when they first try their machine. Can you leave the slow cooker on and go about your way?

The answer is yes. Put all the ingredients in the slow cooker and let it do its job. It is as simple as that. The taste is amazing and a real difference compared to regularly cooked dishes.

This recipe says slow cooker chili but you can easily make this recipe in a Dutch oven. Just be around so you can check regularly if it has enough water.

The trick to slow cooking with e.g. Dutch oven is to close the lid. This prevents the water inside the pan from evaporating

Today we are making chicken chili and this is a must-try recipe with great flavor and taste. It is also an excellent substitute for beef chili when you want to serve something different.

Can You Make Chicken Chili Ahead?

Yes, this recipe is great to make ahead. You can make a big batch and store it for meal prep so you can use it when you have limited time and still want a great meal.

You can double or even triple the recipe and leave the cooking times the same.

How To Store Chicken Chili?

This is a great make-ahead recipe or to make a big batch because this is a great freezer meal. You can store this in several ways:

Fridge – You can store this chili in the fridge. Let the chili cool completely before storing it. Put it in an airtight container or a resealable bag and store it for up to 5 days
Freezer – want to store it longer than you can store it in the freezer. Put the chicken chili in a freezer-friendly container and store it in the freezer for up to 2 months

How To Reheat Chicken Chili?

If you have made a big batch or you have leftover chili you have several ways to reheat your chicken chili:

Instant Pot – you can reheat your chicken chili in the Instant Pot. Put the leftover chili in the inner pot. Add ¼ cup water. Close the lid and secure it. Set your pressure cooker to Manual or Pressure Cook for 3 minutes and quick-release
Dutch oven – you can also reheat chicken chili in a Dutch oven. Heat your Dutch oven and add the chili. Add ¼ cup water and stir. Let it come to a boil and then reduce the heat to a low simmer. Let it simmer for 5 minutes or until warmed through
Air Fryer – you can also reheat chicken chili in an Air Fryer. Preheat the Air Fryer at 375℉/190℃ Put the chicken chili in a cake barrel and add 3 to 4 tablespoons of water. Preheat the Air Stir the chili and cover the barrel with aluminum foil

Serve Chicken Chili With

This is a great main dish and you can serve it with several delicious recipes:

More Slow-Cooker Recipes

If you love slow-cooker, Dutch oven, Crockpot or Instant Pot recipes take a look at a couple of delicious meals below:

I hope you love this Crockpot chicken chili recipe as much as I do!

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