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–+ servings
Slow Cooker Chicken Chili Recipe

Slow Cooker Chicken Chili

Slow cooker season is in full swing, and what better way to warm up than with a big ol' bowl of chicken chili! This crowd-friendly favorite is perfect for chili winter nights (see what I did there?) and is the ultimate football-watching food. And because it's made in a slow cooker, you can whip it up in minutes then let it cook low and slow for hours until you're ready to dig in.
4.80 from 15 votes
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 30 minutes
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients  

  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 pounds ground chicken
  • 1 1/2 cups diced onion
  • 1 bell pepper, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 (15-oz.) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 (15-oz.) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 (15-oz.) can tomato sauce
  • 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
  • 2 teaspoons ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
  • 2 cups low sodium chicken broth
  • Assorted toppings, such as sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese and sliced scallions

Instructions 

  • Add the olive oil to a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the ground chicken, onions, peppers, garlic and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Cook, breaking apart the meat with a spatula, until it is fully cooked and the vegetables have softened, about 5 minutes. Transfer the chicken mixture into the slow cooker.
  • To the slow cooker, add the kidney beans, pinto beans, tomato sauce, tomato paste, unsweetened cocoa powder, cumin, smoked paprika, coriander, oregano, chili powder and chicken broth.
  • Cover the slow cooker and cook the chili on LOW for 8 hours, or on HIGH for 4 hours.
  • Serve the chili with assorted toppings.

Notes

  • You can follow the directions but add all of the ingredients to a large heavy-bottomed pot and cook it until the ingredients are warmed. One note: The longer it cooks, the more tender the veggies and the more flavorful the chili will be.
  • Rinsing and draining beans (a fine-mesh strainer or colander is ideal for this!) removes sodium and excess water that could make your chili too liquidy. When you rinse beans, they'll look bubbly or sudsy at first. You can stop rinsing when the bubbles go away!
  • Removing the seeds from a bell pepper can be a little annoying. To do so easily, slice off the top about a 1/2-inch down the pepper and pull out the core of seeds. Then, slice the bell pepper in half. You can then easily brush off the small amount of seeds that might've stuck around.
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