Crockpot Chicken Chili (2024)

Slow Cooker Recipes Easy Chicken Recipes Kid Friendly Soup, Stew, and Chili Recipes September 21, 2023 | By Kristen Chidsey | 8 Comments | *This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.

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Made with taco seasoning, corn, beans, chicken, and a richly spiced broth, this Tex Mex Crockpot Chicken Chili is the ultimate easy family dinner.

Just like you love my recipes for Crockpot Salsa Chicken and Crockpot Steak Fajitas, you are going to love this recipe for Crockpot Chicken Chili! It comes together with minimal effort and economical ingredients to create a knock-out flavorful meal.

While we love classic beef and bean crockpot chili and crockpot white chicken chili, Taco Crockpot Chicken Chili is high on my family's list of favorite chili recipes! And it is high on my list of go-to dinner recipes, because not only is it delicious, but it is so easy to make!

Why You Will Love Crockpot Chicken Chili

Super Easy Recipe. It takes less than 10 minutes of hands-on prep to make this easy chicken chili. And that includes the time to chop the onion and pepper, and shred the chicken!
Unbeatable Flavor. Such simple ingredients combine together to give you a punch of Tex-Mex flavor.
Cheap Dinner Recipe. This crockpot chicken chili recipe is made using things you likely always have in your pantry. And because this chili is bulked up with corn and beans, you don't even have to use much chicken.
Feeds a Crowd. I often make this chicken chili when I am entertaining, as it can be held warm in the crockpot for hours and everyone loves it! You can even serve it over tortilla chips as nachos or over rice to stretch it even more.
Adaptable. I have made this recipe in a million different ways, using what I have on hand. The beans, chicken, and tomatoes can all be swapped out to use what you can on hand.
Freezer-Friendly. Chicken Chili freezes well and tastes even better when served as leftovers.

Notes on Ingredients

Chicken: Use boneless, skinless chicken breasts or chicken thighs.
Chicken Broth/Stock: Use low-sodium store-bought or homemade chicken stock or broth to control the level of sodium in the chili.
Onion and Bell Pepper: The addition of fresh onion and green bell pepper adds a nice freshness to the chili.
Beer: Adding a pale beer to the chili adds a nice tang and flavor to the overall dish. Use any beer you like, but I recommend a pale beer, such as Corona or Coors, so that it does not overwhelm the chili. If you don't drink beer, use additional chicken stock in place of the beer.
Taco Seasoning: Rather than using a homemade chili seasoning spice blend, this chili recipe uses homemade taco seasoning which adds a nice Tex-Mex flavor that pairs well with the corn, pinto beans, and chicken in this recipe.
Beans: Use pinto beans, black beans, kidney beans, or a combination. Any beans you like will work.
Corn: Use frozen corn or canned corn that has been rinsed and drained.
Diced Tomatoes: You can use jarred salsa if you don't have diced tomatoes or you can use crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce if your family does not care for the texture of diced tomatoes. If you want to add a little spice to this chili, substitute diced tomatoes with green chiles in place of regular diced tomatoes. Again, this recipe is versatile.
Lime Juice: Fresh lime juice adds acidity and allows the flavors of this chili to pop. If you have fresh lime, don't overlook adding this ingredient.

Substitutions/Modifications

Gluten-Free Chicken Chili: Omit the beer and be sure that your chicken broth is gluten-free.
Instant Pot Chicken Chili: Have an Instant Pot? Check out how to make this recipe for Instant Pot Chicken Taco Chili.
Vegetarian Taco Chili: Use vegetable broth in place of the chicken broth omit the chicken, and double the beans (use 60 ounces or 4 cans of beans instead of 30 ounces.)
Bean-Free Chicken Chili: Omit the beans and add in an additional ½ to 1 pound of chicken.
Speed-It-Up: Use jarred mild salsa in place of the diced tomatoes and omit the addition of onion and bell pepper, as the salsa will already include these ingredients.

Tips for the Best Taco Chicken Chili

The following tips are provided to help you achieve perfect results. You will find the detailed instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Tip #1: Saute the Onions and Peppers. You can certainly skip sauteeing the pepper and onion and add them raw to the slow cooker, but taking this extra step enhances the flavor of this simple dish.

Tip #2: Shred the Chicken. Add the chicken whole to the crockpot before cooking the chili. Once the chili has cooked, remove the chicken and shred it into small pieces. It will shred easily with a fork, and add a nice texture to the chili.

Tip #3: Add Lime Juice: To make the flavors really pop and come to life, add fresh lime juice to the cooked chili. It will transform a great chicken chili into an exceptional dish.

Serving Suggestions

Taco Chicken Chili makes a delicious family meal suitable for any night of the week, but it is also a great option when entertaining a large crowd.

Serve this chicken chili with tortilla chips, shredded cheese, sour cream, fresh cilantro, and avocado, and let everyone top their chili as desired. To make this chili stretch to feed a larger crowd, serve with Instant Pot Rice and let people dish the chili out over rice and top as desired.

Storage Instructions

Chicken chili will keep for days in the refrigerator and the flavor, just like most chili recipes, gets better as it sits.

Refrigerate: Store the leftover cooled chicken chili in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Freeze: Allow the chili to cool, transfer to a freezer-safe container leaving 1 inch of space for expansion, and freeze for up to 3 months.
Reheat: If needed, defrost the chili in the refrigerator overnight. Reheat several servings on low heat in the crockpot or over low heat in a heavy-duty saucepan until warmed through. Alternatively, heat individual servings in a heat-safe bowl in 30-second intervals until warmed through.

More Favorite Chili Recipes

Slow Cooker Chili
Instant Pot Chili
Butternut Squash Chili
Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili
Lentil Chili

If you enjoyed this recipe for Slow Cooker Chicken Chili, I would love for you to leave a comment and review below.

Crockpot Chicken Chili

Made with taco seasoning and a richly spiced red broth, this Slow Cooker Chicken Chili is an easy, family-favorite dinner recipe.

Ingredients

▢ 2 teaspoons canola or olive oil
▢ 1 small yellow onion minced
▢ 1 medium green bell pepper chopped
▢ 1 cup Pale light lager (like Corona or Coors) or additional chicken stock
▢ 1 cup low-sodium chicken stock
▢ 2 cups frozen corn
▢ 2 (15 oz) cans diced tomatoes
▢ 2 (16 oz ) cans pinto or black beans rinsed and drained
▢ 1 tablespoon minced garlic
▢ 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
▢ 1 pound boneless and skinless chicken breasts or thighs
▢ 1 lime juiced

Instructions

Heat the oil in a small saute pan, over medium heat. Once the oil has heated, add the onion and green pepper and saute until the onion begins to soften about 3-4 minutes, and then transfer that mixture to a slow cooker.
Add the beer, stock, corn, canned tomatoes, garlic, seasonings, and beans to the slow cooker and mix together. Nestle the chicken into the chili mixture.
Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 4-6 hours.
After the cooking time has elapsed, remove the chicken from the slow cooker and place it on a cutting board. Shred the chicken with 2 forks,
Add the shredded chicken and lime juice into the crockpot and stir to combine.
Serve with shredded cheese, cilantro, and chips.

Equipment Needed

6-8 quart Slow Cooker

Notes

Storage: Store the leftover cooled chicken chili in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Alternatively, freeze in a freezer-safe container, leaving 1-inch of space for expansion, for up to 3 months in the freezer. Defrost the chili in the refrigerator and heat as desired.

In place of the Taco Seasoning: Use 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon paprika, ½ teaspoon pepper, ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, and ⅛ teaspoon oregano.

Tomatoes: Use diced tomatoes with green chiles or jarred salsa for a kick of flavor OR use tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes for a smoother chili if desired.

Beer: Use a pale beer, such as Coors or Corona, or additional chicken stock/broth in place of the beer.

Gluten-Free Chicken Chili: Omit the beer and be sure that your chicken broth is gluten-free.

Vegetarian Slow Cooker Chili: Use vegetable broth in place of the chicken broth and omit the chicken, and double the beans (use 60 ounces or 4 cans of beans instead of 30 ounces.)

Bean-Free Chicken Chili: Omit the beans and add in an additional ½ to 1 pound of chicken.

Nutrition

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Instant Pot Vegetarian Chili »

About Kristen Chidsey

Hi, I am Kristen, creator of A Mind "Full" Mom. I believe that making a wholesome family meal does not need to be hard or expensive! I love nothing more than to share with you delicious solutions for your hungry family.

Reader Interactions

Comments

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Rebecca
October 19, 2022 at 11:49 am

This chicken chili is so good! The whole family loved it - even the littles!
Reply
- Kristen Chidsey
  October 19, 2022 at 2:00 pm
  I love hearing that Rebecca!
  Reply
Journa
October 17, 2022 at 3:58 am

My family can't get enough of this chicken chili recipe. It was flavorful and easy to make. I'll definitely make this again.
Reply
- Kristen Chidsey
  October 17, 2022 at 7:12 am
  Thanks for sharing! I love hearing your family enjoys the chili so much!
  Reply
Jessica
October 13, 2022 at 8:45 pm

This was absolutely delicious! I made it for a quick dinner during the week and everyone was ready to dive in from the moment we smelled it when we walked in the door. Haha!
Reply
- Kristen Chidsey
  October 14, 2022 at 6:53 am
  I love hearing this! So happy your family enjoyed this easy chicken chili!
  Reply
Katherine
January 05, 2022 at 6:19 am
I love an easy, hearty crockpot meal and this chicken chilli is perfection!
Reply
Shadi Hasanzadenemati
January 04, 2022 at 2:34 pm

This was such a hit! Thank you for this awesome recipe.
Reply