Settle in for a cozy bowl of delicious chicken chili. Healthy and easy, this slow-cooker chicken chili recipe is full of delightful and warming spices for an easy, comforting weeknight dinner.

Any information in the post is for general information purposes only and is NOT medical advice. Please consult a healthcare professional for individual medical and nutrition advice.

There’s nothing quite as comforting as cozying up to a steaming bowl of soup or stew in the winter, and this slow cooker chicken chili recipe is perfect for doing just that. It is filled with classic chili spices while using chicken and white beans to give it a slightly different taste and texture. What makes it even better? It’s easy, healthy, and takes minimal time and energy to prepare. What could be better?

What’s my favorite part about this chicken chili recipe besides the incredible taste? It’s SOOOO easy! Prior to starting this blog, I admit I would dice or shred my chicken prior to adding it to the slow-cooker. However, after reading through other recipes, I learned that there is a much faster, easier way. Simply adding the raw chicken breast to the bottom of the pot prior to cooking, and shredding afterwards, saves SO. MUCH. TIME! No more cutting boards filled with raw poultry and 15 or 20 minutes in the morning just slicing and dicing. Nope! Just trim a little fat before adding it to the bottom of the pot and done!

Of course, that’s not the only easy part of this chicken chili recipe. While I often prefer to use dried beans due to the cost savings and low sodium content, canned beans are still inexpensive and so much less work. Rather than washing, soaking (or cooking), and rinsing dried beans again, it’s much more time-efficient to simply open a can of beans, drain, and dump them into the pot. Unfortunately, however, I have not been able to find no salt added canned white beans where I live, and so using caned beans does add to the sodium content of this recipe. For this reason, I will sometimes use 3/4 cup of dried cannellini beans and 3/4 cup of dried great northern beans in place of the canned beans. This does, unfortunately though, add more steps to this recipe.

Why am I concerned about the sodium content of my recipes? As a dietitian, I prefer to reduce the sodium intake of myself and my family as much as is reasonably possible. I rarely use salt in my cooking, and usually purchase reduced sodium or no salt added varieties of foods whenever possible. There is so much flavor in the foods, as well as from the seasonings, that I simply do not see the need for additional salt to be added. While you can certainly add salt to your own pot at home, I would very much encourage you to try this chili without first. You may be surprised how good it tastes!

Although this slow cooker chicken chili recipe is fantastic when eaten by itself, my family very much enjoys this with chips and shredded cheese. For me, a good sharp cheddar cheese really adds some flavor when added to my own individual bowl of chili. However, Colby jack or a mild cheddar would work well, too.

Slow Cooker Chicken Chili Recipe

Prep Time: 10-20 minutes Cook Time: 4-6 hours Additional Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients

• 24 oz Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast
• 1 can Cannellini Beans (15.5 oz)
• 1 can Great Northern Beans (15.5 oz)
• 32 oz Chicken Broth, reduced sodium
• 1 medium Yellow Onion, washed
• 3 Serrano Peppers, washed
• 2 Tablespoons Minced Garlic
• 2 Tablespoons Chili Powder
• 4 teaspoons ground Cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon dried Oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon ground Paprika
• Black Pepper to taste

Directions

1. Trim excess fat from the chicken and place in the bottom of the slow cooker
2. Remove the pith and seeds from the serrano peppers. Then, dice and add on top of the chicken
3. Chop the onion and add to the slow cooker
4. Drain any excess liquid from the canned beans, and dump the beans over top of the chicken and vegetables
5. Sprinkle the seasonings (garlic, chili powder, cumin, oregano, paprika and black pepper) on top of the other ingredients
6. Pour the chicken broth over top everything
7. Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours.
8. After cooking, remove the chicken breast from the pot and place on a plate or cutting board. Shred the chicken using a fork, then return the shredded meat to the pot
9. Give the chili a gentle stir prior to serving. Enjoy!

Time-Saving Tip: Replace the dried seasonings (chili powder, cumin, oregano, paprika and black pepper) with 1 packet of chili seasoning.

*Nutrition Information (per serving, about 8 servings per recipe)

• 275 Calories
• 3 g Total Fat
• 0.8 g Saturated Fat
• 35 g Protein
• 572 mg Sodium
• 26.5 g Total Carbohydrate
• 5.7 g Fiber

*Nutrition information is approximate and based on the products that I buy in my home. Information will vary based on the products purchased in your home.