This flavorful, mildly spiced, and creamy slow cooker chicken chili is a favorite dinner recipe to make again and again. It freezes well, is super customizable, and leftovers keep for days! There’s no pre-cooking or complicated prep required, so it’s a true “set it and forget it” crockpot meal.
I originally published this recipe in 2016 and have since added new photos and more helpful success tips.
I know I’m not alone when I sing the praises of the slow cooker. I especially love and appreciate a tasty slow cooker dinner recipe, where you can toss everything in the pot early in the day, push a button, and dinner is ready when you are! That’s how I make creamy chicken & corn soup, slow cooker turkey meatballs, honey teriyaki chicken, and slow cooker BBQ meatballs, too.
Slow Cooker Chicken Chili: Recipe on Repeat
I canโt even tell you how many times weโve made this easy slow cooker chicken chili in the past 9 years. Every time a family member, neighbor, or friend has a baby, I take them a batch. (Who doesnโt find comfort in home-cooked chili? Especially new parents!) Every time we have friends over to watch a football game, I make this chili. And every time I want to prep freezer meals, I make another batch. It’s on the top of my list of 30+ back to school recipes and 30 fall dinner recipes.
This easy slow cooker chicken chili makes a big batch that reheats well, making it a convenient and practical option for busy schedules.
Hereโs Why You’ll Love It Too:
- Easy: No pre-cooking required, this is a “set it & forget it” one-pot slow cooker meal
- Flavorful: filled with traditional chili flavors and a little spice
- Satisfying: warm, cozy, and comforting
- Adaptable: swap out the chicken, beans, and veggies to suit your taste
- Make-ahead & freezer friendly: so convenient!
One reader, Brigette, commented: “I’ve been on the hunt for the best chicken chili recipe for years. I made this today and I’m pretty sure I’ve found it! Thank you so much for sharing! โ โ โ โ โ “
Another reader, Steve, commented: “This recipe has been in my regular rotation every couple of weeks for a long time now. Everyone in my family loves it. I tweak it a bit like most cooks do to suit personal preference, but really this recipe works great even as is… and it’s simple, too. Having it tonight, actually. โ โ โ โ โ “
Ingredients in Slow Cooker Chicken Chili
Everything goes into the slow cooker at once. No pre-cooking!
- Canned Diced Tomatoes: Use 2 standard-size cans (or 1 large 28-ounce can) of diced or petite-diced tomatoes. Drain out the liquid first.
- Tomato Sauce: Use plain tomato sauce as the base of this chili. I usually pick up two 8-ounce cans of Hunts tomato sauce, or one 15-ounce can. You can use homemade tomato sauce, too.
- Chicken: You need about 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts. To make it vegetarian, skip the chicken and add another can of beans and/or chopped sweet potato.
- Chicken Broth: Use 1 cup chicken broth. I usually use the reduced-sodium kind. If you have homemade chicken stock or broth, that works too!
- Onion & Bell Pepper: Letโs add a little freshness to the one-pot dinner with flavorful onion and diced bell pepper. I like the color contrast green pepper provides, but you can use red, yellow, or orange bell pepper here instead.
- Black Beans & Corn: I love adding these because the duo brings a southwestern vibe to the whole dish. You can use canned or frozen corn. If you donโt have black beans, swap in kidney or pinto beans. Use what you enjoy and/or have in the pantry.
- Jalapeรฑo: 1 jalapeรฑo adds the perfect amount of spice. Feel free to skip it if desired.
- Garlic, Salt, Dried Oregano, Chili Powder, & Cumin: Each ingredient adds key flavor. I donโt recommend cutting any of them from the recipe. In fact, I usually add a little more of each after I taste the finished chili.
- Cream Cheese: Trust me. See below!
This recipe cooks on low heat in the slow cooker for 7 hours. If you’re looking for a slow cooker and need a recommendation, I have this one and this one, and both are fantastic.
If you don’t have a slow cooker, you can cook this chili on the stove. See detailed recipe Note below.
Besides chopping some ingredients and using a can opener, the only hands-on โworkโ is shredding the chicken.
Remove the cooked chicken breasts, shred them with two forks (itโs easy because theyโre so tender!), then stir the shredded chicken back into the crockpot and cook for 15 more minutes before serving.
Best Ingredient of All
You can make regular chicken chili or you can make the BEST CHICKEN CHILI. Which do you prefer?
Stir in a little cream cheese when you add the shredded chicken. The cream cheese melts and creates a thick and creamy base for all these flavors and textures. It slightly cuts the heat, too. I’m not kiddingโeveryone I’ve made this chili for has asked me what my secret isโit’s the cream cheese!!
I usually add 4 ounces of cream cheese, but you can use the whole 8-ounce brick if you like it extra creamy. You can use full-fat or reduced-fat cream cheese. Whichever you use, just make sure that you don’t use cream cheese spread. Pick up an 8-ounce brick of cream cheese, like the kind you use to make cheesecake.
After you mix in the cream cheese, the chili will be creamy and lighter in color. Taste it. At this point you can add more salt, chili powder, or additional spices if desired.
Is This Chicken Chili Spicy?
No. The recipe written below makes a mildly spicy chili that has just enough heat to bring flavor without burning your tastebuds. (The cream cheese helps cut the spice, too!)
But the heat level here is really up to you! Add more jalapeรฑo if you like your chili with a kick, or omit it entirely for a very mild chili. The type of chili powder you use makes a difference, too. Have you heard of the Scoville scale? It’s a measurement of how hot/spicy different chili peppers are, rated in SHU (Scoville heat units). It’s a big range! Check the label of your chili powder for a heat rating. Some of the most common ones you’ll find in the spice aisle of the grocery store are ancho chili powder (mild), chipotle chili powder (medium), and cayenne pepper (hot). I typically make this slow cooker chicken chili with a mild chili powder.
You can adjust the spices in my pumpkin chili, sweet potato turkey chili, and cornbread chili casserole, too.
Adapt & Make It Your Own
This slow cooker dinner recipe is infinitely adaptable. This is a convenient base recipe where you can add/reduce pretty much anything in order to fit your family’s preferences. Leave out the corn, or add extra if you wish. If you donโt have black beans, swap in kidney or pinto beans. I’ve even turned it into slow cooker vegetarian chili by swapping the chicken for more beans and cubed sweet potato.
For serving, toppings such as shredded cheese, fresh cilantro, avocado, and/or sour cream pair beautifully with this chicken chili. I also love scooping it up with tortilla chips.
However you make it, my #1 suggestion is to serve this one-pot meal with cornbread or cornbread muffins. You won’t regret it!
Print
My Favorite Slow Cooker Chicken Chili Recipe
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 hours
- Total Time: 8 hours, 10 minutes
- Yield: serves 10
- Category: Chili
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: American
Description
This flavorful, mildly spiced, and creamy slow cooker chicken chili is a favorite dinner recipe to make again and again. It freezes well, is super customizable, and leftovers keep for days! There’s no pre-cooking or complicated prep required, so it’s a true “set it and forget it” crockpot meal. See recipe Notes if you’d like to make it on the stove.
Ingredients
- 2 (14.5-ounce/411g) cans petite diced tomatoes, drained (or 1 28-ounce/794g can)
- 1 (15-ounce/425g) can tomato sauce
- 2 large skinless boneless chicken breasts (about 1.5 lbs/680g)
- 1 cup (240g/ml) chicken broth (I use reduced-sodium)
- 1 cup (130g) diced yellow onion*
- 1 large green bell pepper, chopped
- 1 (15-ounce/425g) can corn (rinsed and drained) or 1 package of frozenย corn
- 1 (15-ounce/425g) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 jalapeรฑo, minced (remove seeds and ribs)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano or Italian seasoning blend
- 2 teaspoons chili powder (reduce to 1 teaspoon for less spicy chili)
- 1 Tablespoon ground cumin
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 ounces (113g) full-fat or light brick-style cream cheese*, at room temperature
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients except the cream cheeseย to a 6-quart or larger slow cooker. Stir everything together until combined. Cover and cook on low for 7 hours or on high for 3 hours.
- Remove the chicken from the slow cooker and transfer it to a large plate or cutting board. Using 2 forks, shred the tender chicken. You could also just cut it into bite-size pieces. Return the chicken to the slow cooker and add the cream cheese. Stir everything together until the cream cheese has melted. Taste, then add more salt or seasonings if desired.
- Cover the slow cooker and cook for 10โ15 more minutes.
- Serve warm topped with fresh cilantro, shredded cheese, and/or sour cream. And serve alongside cornbread or cornbread muffins. Cover and store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Reheat in the microwave or on the stove.
Notes
- Freezing Instructions: Freeze in a freezer-safe container or a few smaller containers for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or place the container/bag in the sink filled with warm water. Once thawed, cook in a large pot on medium heat for 30 minutes, or reheat in the microwave until warmed throughout.
- Special Tools (affiliate link):ย 6-quart or Larger Slow Cooker (like this one or this one)
- Substitutions: The spices like cumin, chili powder, and oregano/Italian seasoning blend are crucial to the taste. However, the following adaptions work well if needed. Homemade tomato sauce works wonderfully instead of canned. You can use ground turkey or ground beef instead of chicken. Brown on the stove first (medium-high heat for 8 minutes), then add to the slow cooker with the rest of the ingredients. You can also use vegetable or beef broth instead of chicken broth. You can add more peppers, onions, or beans if you want (sometimes I do!). You can use kidney beans or white beans instead of black beans. Add more garlic or jalapeรฑo if desired. And, finally, for vegetarian chili, you can add 1 more can of beans and swap the chicken for 3 cups uncooked diced and peeled sweet potato.
- No Slow Cooker? No Problem! Chop the raw chicken into bite-sized pieces. Heat 1 Tablespoon olive oil in a very large pot or Dutch oven on the stove over medium heat. Add the diced onion, chopped bell pepper, jalapeรฑo, salt, dried oregano, chili powder, cumin, and garlic. Stir and cook until the peppers have softened and the chicken is cooked. Add the rest of the ingredients, except for the cream cheese, to the pot. Cover and cook for 30 minutes on medium heat, stirring occasionally. After about 30 minutes, stir in the cream cheese until melted and cook, uncovered, for an additional 5 minutes. Serve.
- Cream Cheese: I find that it’s helpful to slightly warm the cream cheese before adding to the hot chili in step 2. Unwrap it, place on a plate, and simply microwave it for 15โ20 seconds before stirring into the chili. This helps it combine much easier into the hot chili.
Reader Comments and Reviews
Some friends and I are going to make your slow cooker chicken chili recipe to give away for the Community Kitchen project. They gave away a bunch of chicken thighs today for volunteer chefs to use. Iโm so grateful to have this recipe and I hope it works to double the amount!
Could Greek yoghurt be subbed for cream cheese?
Hi KT, for best results, we recommend sticking with the cream cheese. You can certainly try using Greek yogurt, but it wonโt thicken in the broth quite as much.
I only have a 4.5 quart crock pot- would halving the ingredients be fine and do you think it would take the same time to cook?
Hi KW, yes, you could definitely do that, and it should take just about as long to cook in a slow cooker. Enjoy!
So easy, tastes great, good for you
This chili was so easy and delicious! Frankly, I didnโt use the cream cheese at the end because I forgot! It was delicious without it. Next time Iโll be sure to remember. I served this with a broccoli slaw and cornbread. Thank you for all of your wonderful recipes! You are my go toโฆ.
This is my go to chicken chili recipe! Absolutely love this. Itโs so simple with minimal chopping and I keep the ingredients in my kitchen all the time. I ate it with Fritos and cornbread
How many servings for above slow cooker chicken? I am serving 6.
Thanks
Sheryl
Hi Sheryl! This recipe serves up to 10, depending on serving seizes.
If using chicken thatโs already cooked and shredded, should it go in at the beginning or at the end with the cream cheese?
Hi Stephanie, You can use store-bought rotisserie chicken and add it in the beginning when youโd add the raw chicken. Cook time can be a couple hours less. Enjoy!
Love, love, love this recipe. Simple ingredients but combined…so good! In my crockpot right now.
This recipe is 100% phenomenal! We absolutely love this chicken chili. I add a little more cream cheese but that is purely my choice and it makes it so smooth! The chili the next day is even better, if possible!
Thank you, Sally, for such a terrific recipe!
Could I swap out the chicken for Beef cubes/cut up steak?
We haven’t tested that but let us know if you try!
Hey! I absolutely love this recipe but no longer have a slow cooker. Can I make this in the instant pot? If so, how?
Thank you so much!
Hi Gabby, We donโt have any experience with instant pots but let us know if you give it a try.
My daughter can’t have dairy. Do you recommend a substitution for the cream cheese?
Hi Vicky, you can omit the cream cheese if needed, or try a plant-based version. The soup will not be quite as creamy if you omit completely.
Delicious. Rich. Froze the leftovers and looking forward to eating it again.
I donโt want to use beans, is there anything youโd suggest adding in its place?
Hi Lydia, you can swap the beans with more vegetables or simply omit.
Iโve been making this recipe for several years Like so many of Sallyโs recipes it is foolproof and completely yummy
Can you use chicken thighs instead? Would the cooking time be the same?
Hi Denny, you can use chicken thighs if you prefer!
If I am using ground beef when should I put that in .
Hi Sarah! You can pre-cook ground beef like we do in our turkey chili recipe.
I made this for dinner last night, the only change I made was that I added a can of green chilies. Everyone loved it! There was just enough left for me to take a bowl to work for lunch! I did use low sodium tomatoes, sauce and chicken broth.
First time making this today and it turned out delicious! Just need to remember to season the chicken with salt and pepper next time – was easy to add to the soup when it was done though. I cut up chicken breast into small pieces and cooked it on the stovetop.
Sub chipotle peppers and sauce for jalapeรฑo to get a Smokey spicy flavor to die for.
Would a double recipe fit in a 6 quart instant pot? It looks so good I want to make it for a church potluck.
Hi Lacey, we haven’t tested this recipe in an instant pot, but let us know if you do.
Good receipe & super easy. I used bone broth & added cottage cheese as the topping when I served it to add more protein.
I did find it alittle watery (I guess like with every slow cooker recipe) but once I shredded the chicken & added the cream cheese – I left the lid off & let it cook for another 10 minutes – it wasnโt too bad.
I also adjusted the spice. I didnโt add the 2 tsp of chili because I donโt like things too spicy but it needed it. I added a good sprinkle of cayenne pepper at the end & that gave it just enough heat for me.