Crock Pot Chicken Chili

A delicious and healthy chili… Chicken Chili is loaded with flavor.. vitamins and fiber… the crock pot recipe makes it easy to make too!

Chicken Chili is just a version of a beef chili…. just a bit healthier… the only fat in this is the little bit in boneless skinless chicken breasts.. not much at all!   Remember the toppings … shredded cheese, sour cream and if you prefer chips with this… all have lower fat varieties .. if you prefer. 

I love to make Chili.  I have been trying different things to change it up a bit.. and I encourage you to do that…. Different beans… different meats… change the spices up a bit too…. It’s all good.  I seriously must have thirty or more recipes.. all slightly different.. all really good.

TIPS

I love to use all kinds of diced tomatoes. In this particular recipe I used the ones with Zesty Mild Green Chilies and Zesty Jalapenos. They give the Chili some spark but the Chili isn’t too spicy.

If you like really mild Chili I would recommend substituting one of the diced tomato cans with Diced Tomatoes with Garlic and Onion or Diced Tomatoes with Green Pepper and Onion. The Zesty Mild Green Chilies are really not that spicy and the flavor it adds is especially good.

If you like really spicy Chili, I would up the amount of spices, particularly the red pepper flakes and the cayenne pepper. I have added a little Tabasco sauce for an extra kick as well.  Rotel canned tomatoes also have a great little kick to them… substitute a can or two with Rotel.   Rotel brand has a slightly smaller can of tomatoes than other brands.. it’s not a problem…

I use both dark and light kidney beans, you can use either, I just like the variety. Can sizes vary, I’ve seen some brands 15.25 oz and some 15.5 oz… either one is fine, the difference is so small it doesn’t matter.

I use green, red and yellow peppers, again I like the variety and the look it gives the Chili. Yellow peppers tend to be expensive so if you want to substitute green or red for the yellow, you can. I would definitely recommend using red and green peppers, I think the flavors are distinctive.

The ingredient quantities in Chili are flexible… you can seriously… just “eyeball it” and adjust it to your tastes or what you have on hand. 

Add more spices if you use plain diced tomatoes…. I adjust the seasoning to taste about an hour before it’s finished.

I think it’s important to put the chicken back into the pot after shredding and allow it to cook for another hour or so… it really helps flavor the meat better.

Cook time can be a little flexible also… you can cook it about 5 hours on high … shred the chicken and put it back and cook for an additional 30-45 minutes on high.   You can also cook the chili on low for up to 8 hours on low and shred the meat the extra time shouldn't hurt this chili… put the shredded meat back and cook on low for an hour or on high for 30-45 minutes.

I hope you try this great recipe!






Recipe:  Crock Pot Chicken Chili

All you need:

2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts

2-3 cans (about 14 oz…brands vary) Diced Tomatoes (any brand you prefer)

1 can (14.5 oz.) Del Monte Petite Cut Diced Tomatoes with Zesty Jalapenos

1 can (about 15 oz.) light red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 can (about 15 oz) dark kidney beans, drained and rinsed

3 medium onions, diced

1 green pepper, diced

1 red pepper, diced

1 yellow pepper, diced

4 cloves of garlic, minced

½ teaspoon corn starch

1/3 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste

1½  tablespoon chili powder

2 ½ teaspoon cumin

½ teaspoon cayenne, or to taste

2½  tablespoons sweet paprika

1 teaspoon salt

Toppings

Grated Cheddar Cheese, optional

Sour Cream, optional

Finely chopped green onion, optional

Tortilla chips, optional

All you have to do:

In a crock pot combine all ingredients, including chicken (whole), except for toppings. Cook on low for about 7 hours or until chicken is tender, stirring occasionally. 

Remove the chicken and shred it with a fork.  Return the chicken to the pot and stir.  Cook for an additional hour on low or 30-45 minutes on high.

Serve with Cheddar Cheese, sour cream, chopped green onion and tortilla chips.