Best Chicken Chili
Posted Aug 07, 2021, Updated Nov 29, 2024
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This slow cooker chicken chili recipe is easy to make and is a delicious, healthy meal to feed a crowd. Loaded with veggies, fiber and protein this chicken chili is even freezer-friendly. I make this chicken chili recipe every time I need to bring a meal to a friend. Gluten-free, dairy-free, & paleo-friendly.
This crockpot chicken chili is one of my favorite recipes of all time. It’s easy to make, healthy and feeds a lot of people (also try this beef crock pot chili).
I make this chicken chili recipe every time I need to bring a meal to a friend. I usually cook it the day before so I can drop it off in the early afternoon. It freezes really well, so if they don’t want to eat it right away they can freeze it for another day.
This recipe is loaded with veggies, fiber and protein and can be tailored to comply with any dietary needs, it’s gluten-free, dairy-free, & paleo-friendly.
The Crockpot Chicken Chili: Ingredients & Substitutions
Let’s chat about the ingredienets in this slow cooker chicken chili.
Note on Spice level. I use the mildest varieties of everything (chili seasoning, salsa, and green chiles) for two reasons: 1) I personally have a very low tolerance for spicy foods, and 2) I feed 6 children. If you like your chili to have a kick you can choose the heat level of your ingredients to suit your needs. Or add some hot sauce, chili powder, etc
- Salsa. Use your favorite salsa with your preferred heat (mild, medium, or spicy).
- Onion. Any variety works well, I most often use red or yellow onions.
- Vegetables. This recipe is very versatile. You can change up any of the veggies you like and substitute your favorites.
- Beans. Use your favorite beans. We usually choose black beans, kidney beans, great northern, or garbanzo. Whatever we have on hand.
- Brown sugar. Feel free to substitute coconut sugar for a refined sugar free version. Or you can simply omit it.
- Chili seasoning. I use a mild seasoning, but choose your favorite or make your own with this homemade chili seasoning recipe.
How to make Chicken Chili
We’ll walk through making this recipe step-by-step, and don’t forget to watch the video.
Begin by cooking the chicken in the salsa until it’s easily shredded with a fork, then shred the chicken.
While the chicken is cooking, sauté the vegetables, onion and garlic until soft.
After the chicken is shredded, add the rest of the ingredients to the crockpot and cook for an additional hour (at least) so all the flavors can blend together.
Serve
Serve the crockpot chicken chili with a dollop of sour cream, shredded cheese and a slice of cornbread (or cornbread croutons).
Store/freeze
Store this slow cooker chicken chili in an airtight container for up to 1 week in a fridge or 2 months in the freezer. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Recipe FAQs
To thicken this chili you can add flour, cornstarch or a touch of cornmeal.
You can omit the beans and substitute coconut sugar to make it paleo.
Yes! I double this recipe every time I make it because I usually cook one batch to bring to a friend and one for our family. I cook each batch in a separate slow cooker because I love mine but it’s not big enough to fit large batches so I just bought two. But if you have a large crockpot you can cook a double back in it with no problem.
Yes, you can cook this recipe too long so follow the instructions for cooking times.
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Healthy Crock Pot Chicken Chili Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds boneless/skinless chicken breasts
- 16 ounces salsa
- 1 onion diced
- 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
- 28 ounces diced tomatoes
- 4 ounces mild green chilies
- 6 Tablespoons chili seasoning (1.25 ounces, 1 Packet)
- 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 green bell pepper diced
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 3.8 ounces sliced black olives (canned, drained)
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 14 ounces beans (black beans, kidney beans, great northern, etc.)
- Salt & Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Combine chicken breasts, salsa, onion and minced garlic in a large slow cooker.
- Cook on high for 2 hours, or low for 3 hours, or until chicken is tender and can easily be shredded with a fork.
- Once the chicken is tender, shred it with two forks in the crockpot.
- Then, add the rest of the ingredients – diced tomatoes, green chilies, chili seasoning, brown sugar, bell peppers, black olives, corn, and beans and stir to combine.
- Continue cooking in the slow cooker on high for 1 hour, or on low for 2-3 hours, or until the vegetables are tender.
- Taste and adjust salt and pepper as desired.
- Serve warm garnished with sour cream, green onions, cheese, chips, etc.!
Video
Notes
- Salsa. Use your favorite salsa with your preferred heat (mild, medium, or spicy).
- Onion. Any variety works well, I most often use red or yellow onions.
- Vegetables. This recipe is very versatile. You can change up any of the veggies you like and substitute your favorites.
- Beans. Use your favorite beans. We usually choose black beans, kidney beans, great northern, or garbanzo. Whatever we have on hand.
- Brown sugar. Feel free to substitute coconut sugar for a refined sugar free version. Or you can simply omit it.
- Chili seasoning. I use a mild seasoning, but choose your favorite or make your own.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
More Delicious Recipes
- This is the best quick and easy beef chili ever.
- For a different variety, try this creamy cheesy slow cooker white bean chicken chili.
- This Slow Cooker Thai Coconut Ground Turkey is gluten-free and SO delicious.
- We adore this Cheesy Sausage Gnocchi.
- Easy Homemade Pizza dough and Homemade Pizza Sauce is the best easy dinner ever.
- Try this easy Healthy Turkey Chili Recipe.
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SO tickled you linked up this awesome dish with us at Weekend Potluck. (Did I miss seeing a link back to the party within your post? It makes you eligible to be featured…this recipe is an attention grabber=) . Please come back again soon.
Thank you so much! I hope you enjoy this chili as much as we do! 🙂
I really love crockpot chili; I can’t quite do all bean chili, but I can definitely do the chicken/bean chili. 🙂 And putting it all into a crockpot makes it so easy to do! 🙂
Sometimes I omit the beans or only use 1 can because my hubby is a total bean-hater! 🙂
Here we are at the start of football season and even though it’s still warm out, I’m already thinking soups and chili… Love how easy and healthy this one is – such a great one to prep ahead so I can enjoy the game, too! Pinned!
I LOVE football season! YAY!
We will just love your awesome Crockpot Chicken Chili, it looks delicious! Thanks so much for sharing with us at Full Plate Thursday and have a great weekend!
Miz Helen
It is a top five favorite dish in my house!
Ooooooh, this looks so good! I’ve never actually had chicken chili but that NEEDS to change!
Chili is always the FIRST thing I crave once the weather starts cooling down. This is healthy comfort food at its finest!!
I’m totally with you Jamie!!!! Give me all the chili!
This look like my kind of dinner! Thanks for linking up with What’s Cookin’ Wednesday!
Hey Karly! Thanks for visiting and for providing a place for new bloggers to connect! <3 🙂
Thanks Laura and Sandy! Great tip Marci. My favorite salsa to use in this chili used to be Dominick’s house brand, Garlic Lover’s Salsa. Alas, Dominick’s is no longer around. Searching for another brand now.
“This chili really can be all things to all people.” your passion is the best. and it’s totally true. there is no better chili than mom’s chili.
Is there a way to “save” your recipes on my computer? Also, I recently read you can shred your cooked chicken in your mixer. I have a Kitchen Aid and have tried it once. It might shred it more than you like, but it was sure easy!
Hey Marci!! You can click on print and then choose to save it as a pdf! 🙂 That’s a great tip for shredding chicken! Thank you!