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 can’t even tell you how many times we’ve 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 doesn’t 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.
Here’s 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! ★★★★★“
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. ★★★★★“
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: Let’s 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 don’t have black beans, swap in kidney or pinto beans. Use what you enjoy and/or have in the pantry.
- Jalapeño: 1 jalapeño 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 don’t 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 “work” is shredding the chicken.
Remove the cooked chicken breasts, shred them with two forks (it’s easy because they’re 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 kidding—everyone I’ve made this chili for has asked me what my secret is—it’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 jalapeño 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 don’t 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 frozen corn
- 1 (15-ounce/425g) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 jalapeño, 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 cheese 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 10–15 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): 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 jalapeño 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, jalapeño, 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 15–20 seconds before stirring into the chili. This helps it combine much easier into the hot chili.
Reader Comments and Reviews
I do love this recipe, and it has become a staple at least twice a month at my house. However, I have a big discrepancy when it comes to time to PREP this dish. I have confirmed with 2 other people whom I’ve given this recipe to, that they also disagree with TEN minute prep. It usually takes me 40 min to get all of the ingredients into the crock pot. Opening cans, rinsing and draining, cutting up garlic, pepper and onion and then getting your spices and measuring everything into the crock pot takes 30-40 min depending on how quickly you decide to chop. Obviously, it’s not a deal breaker. I love the recipe, and always cook it. I just think it’s best for people to be aware ahead of time how much time to give yourself to get it all in the pot.
Hi! Love this recipe! How would the cook time differ if doubling the recipe?? Thanks!
Hi Jessica, cook time should remain about the same if you’re using a larger crockpot that can accommodate the added volume of ingredients. So glad this is a favorite for you!
When I ordered chicken breast meat for another dish, the grocery store surprised me with nearly twice as much chicken as I needed. I slow cooked all 5 breast halves & saved half of the meat for this chili. It was brilliant & it worked beautifully for my daughter’s gluten free (use bone broth for a richer flavor), dairy free (who knew there was cream cheese made from almond milk??) dietary requirements. A true winner! PS… If you’ve never heard of the Texas specialty called Frito Pie, well… serve this over a handful of corn chips for a bit of fun.
This recipe was great! I left out the jalapeño in case my toddler wanted some, but she refused to touch it anyways. Lol no fault of the chili though! The texture and flavor is awesome. I shredded my chicken. One thing I will say is that the two chicken breasts were at 180 degrees internally after 6 hours on low in my crockpot. I did flip my chicken breasts after a couple hours. I’m sure it varies by brand, but check chicken internal temp after a few hours to prevent it from drying out. Thank you Sally for an awesome recipe!
I made this for the first time and took it to our small group. It is delicious and it was enjoyed by all! I’ll definitely be making it again.
hi! just a quick question….tomato sauce …would this be like/equivalente to passata?
thank you in advance
Hi Vanessa, it is similar, but not quite the same. Passata should work here if that is what is available!
Any ideas on nutritional values for this chili?l Protein? Fiber? etc.
Hi Judy, We don’t usually include nutrition information as it can vary between different brands of the same ingredients. Plus, many recipes have ingredient substitutions or optional ingredients listed. However, there are many handy online calculators where you can plug in and customize your exact ingredients/brands. Readers have found this one especially helpful: https://www.verywellfit.com/recipe-nutrition-analyzer-4157076
This recipe is a staple in our house now! We all love it! Plus, it gives us plenty of leftovers which only get better and better even warmed in the microwave. So thank you for this. My MIL asked for the recipe and makes it often as well.
My one beef with the instructions is the listed “10 minute” prep time! I make this at least twice a month and I NEVER have had the prep under 30 min. I don’t mind, because it’s hands off until the very end after that, but trying to figure out how you do it in 10 min? It takes 10 min to just open the cans and chop the onion, garlic and pepper. Not to mention, you have to drain and rinse most of the canned ingredients, gather & measure the spices etc. My MIL said the same thing. Most of the time, it takes me 35-40 min to prepare. All easy stuff and I sure won’t stop making it… just not accurate prep time;)
Just my 2 cents, but I can’t believe there are people in the comments who think it’s BETTER without the cream cheeseThat’s the best part! It’s healthier without, but it’s still very healthy overall with the protein, veggies, legumes already in it. The creamy quality of this chili is what makes it “comfort food” for our family. Thank you so much for sharing it!❤️❤️❤️it!
Hi Loren, thank you so much for your note! We’re so glad this chili is a favorite for your family. (We love it, too!). Prep time can certainly vary by person, and we appreciate your feedback. Thank you again!
I made this recipe with out the cream cheese. Delicious but I was surprised how soupy it was. I cooked it 3 hours on high, do you think that’s why?
Hi Chris, If it’s too liquidy you can try cooking for longer – uncovered – so that some of the liquid evaporates out. You can also add more of any other ingredients you wish. If you try this again, adding cream cheese will help or you can try reducing the chicken broth.
Made this today, very nice too! Had to add some cornflour to thicken it. Still good.
The chicken chili was amazing! My family loved it!
The Recipe is better without the cream cheese. The cream cheese made the soup finish with a sweet flavor. I prefer spicy.
Can I substitute two cans of petite diced tomatoes with green chilies in place of the two cans of petite diced tomatoes and the jalapeño pepper? Will this alter the flavor and heat significantly? I have never cooked with jalapeño peppers, and I have two cans of petite diced tomatoes with green chilies in my pantry. Thank you.
Hi Patti, yes, you can definitely do that. This recipe is pretty forgiving!
Want to make however – hv low salt requests and so much sodium in broth and canned product – any idea on substitue for broth
Thx
Hi Rick, you can certainly make this recipe with low-sodium versions of the broth and canned products. You’ll lose a bit of flavor, but it will work for your needs. You can have individuals salt their bowls of chili to their liking.
Would you know the directions for changing this recipe to use an instantpot? Thanks in advance
Hi Alex! We don’t have any experience with instant pots but let us know if you give it a try.
Such a great recipe that you can tweak to your own personal preferences. My husband loved it!
I only had one can each of diced tomatoes(I didn’t drain) and tomato sauce so that’s all I used. I added kidney beans as well as black beans. I just about tripled the spices and used garlic powder instead of minced garlic(didn’t have it). I used a rotisserie chicken I already had. I used 2 Serranos instead of jalapeño because we like it spicy and I could’ve added another 2.. I omitted the cream cheese based on some other reviews.
This was the perfect cozy fall dinner. Can’t wait for the leftovers. Thank you!
Need help please. Top of recipe says 8 hours cook time. Instructions say cook on low 6-7 hours on low.
Which one shall I do?
Hi Lisa, cook for 6-7 hours on low and follow the written instructions – you do cook for a bit longer after shredding the chicken and the total cook time accounts for that. Hope it was a hit!
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!!
My 19 year old son had two bowls and said “That was beautiful mum”. What more can I say.
Is there a non dairy sub for the cream cheese that you think would work?
Hi Dani, you could try a dairy-free cream cheese instead, or leave it out. The chili will not be as creamy, but still delicious nonetheless!
Adding fat free refried beans is a great substitute. It’s a little more healthy, and personally think it gives it a creamier, beanier depth of flavor!
This is a great chili and crockpot recipe. I made it exactly like her recipe except I didn’t add the chicken to the crockpot until the end when I added the cream cheese. I had cubed the chicken and pan fried it in olive oil with seasoning salt. This made the chicken more juicy and not dried out. I served it with shredded cheese, cilantro and crushed tortilla chips on top. It has a southwestern flavor which I love. I served this to guests who loved it also.
I love this chicken chili, I made it for a potluck tonight. I’ve had a hard time getting the cream cheese to blend completely. Today I cut the soften cream cheese into small blocks , put it in a mixing bowl, poured a little of the hot broth over it and whisked it. When I put it in the crock pot and it blended beautifully. Thanks for another great recipe!
This chili was so good. The only things I do different was I used rotisserie chicken instead of the chicken breast. I also did not drain the tomatoes, but I think I would do it that way again otherwise it would be a bit too dry for my liking. I was a little worried about the jalapeño pepper but I s till used it and it was good and not too hot.
I want to use a rotisserie chicken too. I’m wondering if you added the chicken later in the process since it’s already cooked? Or did you add it from the start, and if so, do it dry out?
Can you omit jalapeño? Or does it add to the flavor. We just don’t like spicy in our family l.
Hi Maria, You can simply leave it out if you wish. Enjoy!
Well…my first time making…FYI tip…saw some were stating this was too watery/soupy, so I was prepared! FYI…crockpot at work, so did in a very deep 12″ sauce pan. I used (1) can, each, dark red kidney beans & black beans, drained & rinsed. (1) can diced tomatoes, drained well ( all in my colander ). Then added (1) can tomato sauce, first, with only about 1/3 can of chicken broth…decided to add the 2nd can of tomato sauce. ( I had already cut up my 3 huge chicken breasts and cooked with the onion, pepper, jalapeno and dried spices ) Not watery/soupy at all! Now on a very, very low simmer for about 3-4 hrs to allow for all the flavors to come out…my house smells amazing!! This was the 1st recipe I checked out, looked at a few others…came right back to this one and was DONE! I admit…had to do a “taste test” immediately….OMG…AMAZING!!! Cannot wait until dinner time! Wanted to try something a bit healthier & different than the traditional ground beef chili. So happy I found this recipe! We will have a ” boat load ” of this, but so great to know it freezes well! Will really help with less meal prep for my very long work days! Thanks so much for sharing!
Made this exactly per the recipe and it was delicious. Tomorrow I’ll try it with a pork sirloin tip roast that I’ll cut up first. Sally do you think I should brown it?
Hi Michelle, You can brown it first. When we make this slow cooker chili with ground turkey, we always brown it first. Almost fully cooking it on medium heat.
Delicious!!!!! Omg!!!!! How long will this stay in the fridge? We have leftovers and want to eat it again. Thank you in advance!
Hi Zoey, So glad you loved this chili! Leftovers will stay well in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Reheat on the stove or in the microwave.
I used Garlic powder instead of minced garlic, frozen diced chicken instead of shredding chicken, chilli beans and Northern beans instead of black beans. Absolutely love this recipe and will be making it again! Super easy and delicious!
Wow!! This was yuummeee… I had leftover chicken and this cold weather brought a craving for chili. Ergo let’s try to make my first chicken chili. Needless to say, I didn’t use a crockpot. I put all the ingredients in a large pot and cooked til thickened. I also chopped up a nice size head of broccoli and tossed it in the pot the last 10 minutes of cook time (love the veggies). Garnished it with a dollop of sourcream and fresh garlic/cheddar bread on the side. Deliciouso and it made a large size batch. Will have leftovers for a few day. Thank you!
Best, best chicken chili ever! I used basically what I had in my pantry..( kidney beans instead of black beans, garlic powder instead of minced garlic, canned chicken instead of fresh, etc.) ..But I put in the cream cheese at the end and That is the secret ingredient, brings the whole recipe together! This is definitely a keeper to be passed on to my daughters!