Crockpot Chicken Chili

Made with chicken, beans, corn, and a flavorful, thick red broth, this Crockpot Chicken Chili is the ultimate set-it-and-forget-it meal!

Rather than using a homemade chili seasoning spice blend, this recipe for Taco Chicken Chili uses homemade taco seasoning which adds a nice Tex-Mex flavor that pairs really well with the corn, pinto beans, and chicken in this recipe.

Slow Cooker Chicken Chili is high on my family's list of favorite comfort foods and #1 on my list for easy dinner recipes.

My family loves it because it is full of flavor. And I love this recipe because it is easy and affordable.

And YOU are going to love this recipe for Crockpot Chicken Chili, just like you love my recipes for Crockpot Salsa Chicken and Crockpot Steak Fajitas because it is a crockpot meal that comes together with minimal effort using economical ingredients to create a knock-out flavorful meal.

Notes on Ingredients

This crockpot chicken chili recipe features a richly flavored red sauce and basic pantry staples. If you are in the mood for creamy white chicken chili, be sure to check out my recipe for Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili.

• 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.
• 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 personally 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: I use my homemade blend of taco seasoning instead of my homemade chili seasoning, as I find the flavors pair really well with the corn, pinto beans, and chicken.
• Beans: Use pinto beans, black beans, kidney beans, or a combination, for this chili recipe.
• 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 really pop. If you have fresh lime, don't overlook adding this ingredient.

How to Make Crockpot Red Chicken Chili

• To start this recipe, heat a small saute pan over medium heat on the stove. Add in a bit of oil and the minced onion and pepper and saute until softened. You can certainly skip sauteeing the pepper and onion and add them raw to the slow cooker, but taking this extra step really enhances the flavor of this simple dish.

• To the slow cooker, add the onion and pepper mixture, along with the beer (if using), broth, corn, tomatoes, garlic, taco seasoning, and beans and mix together to combine.
• Submerge the chicken into the mixture.

• 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 crockpot and place it on a cutting board. Shred the chicken with 2 forks and then stir back into the chili to warm through.

• If you have fresh lime juice, stir it into the chili now. If you don't happen to have fresh limes, don't worry, this Chicken Chili will still be delicious!

Have an Instant Pot? Check out how to make this recipe for Instant Pot Chicken Taco Chili.

Serving Suggestions

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. 

Store the leftover cooled chicken chili in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Alternatively, you can freeze the leftover chili 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.

Recipe Modifications

• 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.

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.