Mexican Chicken Chili Crockpot Recipe
This Mexican chicken chili crockpot recipe is a thick, smoky pot of shredded chicken, black beans, corn and green chiles. It is milder than a beef chili, so the whole family can eat it, and the toppings let everyone adjust the heat.
8
servings15
minutes6
hoursChicken breasts or thighs simmer with beans, corn, tomatoes and green chiles in a cumin and chili broth. The chicken is shredded into the pot at the end.
Ingredients
2 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts
1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (15 oz) pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (14.5 oz) fire-roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (4 oz) diced green chiles
1 1/2 cups frozen corn
1 medium yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 Tbsp chili powder
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp kosher salt
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 lime, juiced
Directions
- Place the onion and garlic in the bottom of the slow cooker.
- Add the chicken in a single layer on top.
- Add the black beans, pinto beans, tomatoes with juice, green chiles and corn.
- Sprinkle the chili powder, cumin, paprika, oregano and salt over everything. Pour in the chicken broth.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 7 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours.
- Check that the chicken reads 165°F and falls apart easily.
- Lift the chicken onto a cutting board and shred it with two forks.
- Return the chicken to the pot and stir well. Mash a few beans against the side to thicken the chili.
- Stir in the lime juice and half of the cilantro. Taste and adjust the salt.
- Ladle into bowls and top with cilantro, avocado, shredded cheese, sour cream or crushed tortilla chips.
Notes
- For more heat, add a chopped chipotle in adobo or a diced jalapeno. For thicker chili, stir in a small spoon of masa harina. Leftovers keep 5 days in the fridge and freeze for 3 months. The flavors are even better the second day.
Why a slow cooker is great for Mexican chicken chili
Spices need time to blend into the liquid. Over several hours, the cumin, chili powder and smoked paprika turn from dusty into deep and warm. The beans soak up the broth and the chicken turns tender enough to shred with no knife. It also keeps well for days, which makes it a good meal-prep recipe for lunches and a good choice for game day.
Chicken chili has less fat than beef chili, so it can taste thin if it is rushed. A long, slow simmer thickens the broth with starch from the beans and corn, so you get a hearty bowl without any cream. The result is a chili that tastes like it took all day, even though you spent about fifteen minutes cooking.
Ingredient notes
Chicken thighs: they stay juicy and give a fuller flavor. Breasts work too, but pull them out as soon as they shred easily. Cut thighs in half if they are very large so they cook evenly with the beans.
Fire-roasted tomatoes: these add a light smoky note. Plain diced tomatoes work if that is what you have.
Green chiles: use mild for a family dinner. Hot ones add real heat, so taste one first. Look for a can labeled mild if serving young children, and add heat at the table instead.
Black and pinto beans: canned beans are fine and save time. Rinse them to remove the salty canning liquid.
Frozen corn: it needs no thawing and adds sweetness that balances the spices.
Tips for a thick, flavorful chili
Mash some beans: pressing about a quarter of the beans against the side of the pot makes the broth creamy with no flour. Stir the spices into the broth before pouring it in, so they spread evenly through the pot.
Add the lime at the end: heat dulls the fresh taste of citrus, so save it for the last minute. If your chili is too thick at the end, add warm broth a quarter cup at a time.
Do not overload with liquid, the most common mistake: canned tomatoes and beans bring their own juices. Two cups of broth is plenty. Extra liquid makes soup, not chili.
Swaps and variations
Use ground turkey browned first in place of chicken, or add sweet potato cubes for a heartier pot. A can of white beans can replace the pinto. To make it creamy, stir in four ounces of cream cheese at the end. A can of hominy turns it toward a pozole-style bowl with a nice chewy bite.
Do not add raw dried beans to this recipe, because the tomatoes and chiles are acidic and keep dried beans firm, and undercooked beans are unsafe. Use canned beans.
What to serve with it
Set out bowls of toppings so everyone can build their own. Avocado, sour cream, cheese, cilantro, lime wedges and tortilla chips all work well. Cornbread or warm flour tortillas make it a full meal. A squeeze of lime over each bowl makes a surprising difference.
Storing and reheating
Cool and refrigerate for up to 5 days. The chili thickens as it sits, so thin it with a splash of broth or water when reheating. Leave off the toppings until you reheat, since avocado and cheese do not keep well.
Freeze in single-serve containers for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and warm on the stove over medium heat, stirring often, until it is steaming hot.
Mexican Chicken Chili Crockpot Recipe at a glance
- Prep time: 15 minutes
- Cooking time: 6 hours
- Servings: 8 servings
- Ingredients: 16, led by boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts, (15 oz) black beans, (15 oz) pinto beans, (14.5 oz) fire-roasted diced tomatoes
Tips for Mexican Chicken Chili Crockpot Recipe
For more heat, add a chopped chipotle in adobo or a diced jalapeno. For thicker chili, stir in a small spoon of masa harina. Leftovers keep 5 days in the fridge and freeze for 3 months. The flavors are even better the second day.
Mexican Chicken Chili Crockpot Recipe FAQ
How long does Mexican Chicken Chili Crockpot Recipe take?
Mexican Chicken Chili Crockpot Recipe takes 6 hours of cooking after 15 minutes of prep.
How many people does Mexican Chicken Chili Crockpot Recipe serve?
This recipe makes 8 servings.
What do I need to make Mexican Chicken Chili Crockpot Recipe?
16 ingredients, led by boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts, (15 oz) black beans, (15 oz) pinto beans, (14.5 oz) fire-roasted diced tomatoes. Amounts are in the recipe card above.
