I’m a big fan of chili during the fall months. A big, hearty batch of chili can be made for a crowd of hungry friends and family. Or chili can be made for a weeknight dinner and the leftovers frozen for future meals. More traditional chilis have a tomato base to them, however, every now and again I like to switch it up and try something new. This chicken chili was born from the desire to try something that wasn’t tomato based, but still gave the feel of a hearty chili.

The best part of this recipe is that it can be put together in minutes in the morning and cook throughout the day for a hearty evening meal with no fuss. Serve this alongside cheese quesadillas or cornbread. Toppings for this chicken chili can be anything that you traditionally enjoy on your chili or you can go with the toppings I chose to use: cilantro, pepper jack cheese, monterey jack cheese, and pickled jalapeños. You could even add a wedge of lime for a bit of brightness to this hearty dish.

This recipe is fairly mild. For more of a kick double or triple the amount of jalapeños or add in your favorite hot peppers.

Slow-Cooker Chicken Chili

(This recipe fits in a 7-Quart Slow Cooker and makes about 10-12 hearty servings)

Ingredients:

3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (thawed and whole)
2 skinless, boneless chicken thighs (thawed and whole)
1 28 oz can of Green Chili Enchiladas Sauce
2 4 oz cans of Green Chilis Diced
1/2 yellow onion diced
2 cloves garlic diced
1/2 yellow bell pepper diced
1 jalapeno seeded and diced (want more spice? Add more!)
2 15 oz cans of white beans (drained)
2 15 oz cans of sweet white corn (drained)
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp onion powder
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper to Taste

Directions:

Saute the diced onion, garlic, bell pepper, and jalapeno in a saute pan with 1 tablespoon of olive oil until just soft. Put in slow-cooker.
Add the chicken, green chili enchiladas sauce, diced green chili, garlic powder, and onion powder to the slow-cooker.
Cook on low for 7 hours.
Shred chicken with a fork and then add the corn and beans. Cook on low for 1 more hour or until heated through. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Due to being cooked in a slow-cooker there tends to be quite a bit of liquid to this and it may resemble a bit more of a soup than a chili at first. You can thicken it with a flour or cornstarch slurry. However, I prefer not to thicken it. When I serve I pull up the beans and chicken from the bottom of the slow-cooker and leave the remaining liquid in the batch. The starchiness from the beans will help thicken it a bit once it cools and the second day batch will be even better!