Description
Comfort meets convenience in this soul-warming Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken Chili, combining tender chicken and rich, velvety flavors. Rich Mexican-inspired spices and hearty ingredients create a comforting meal you’ll crave on chilly evenings.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Protein:
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Canned Ingredients:
- 1 (15 oz) can (425 g) black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15 oz) can (425 g) corn, drained
- 1 (10 oz) can (285 g) diced tomatoes with green chilies (Rotel)
Seasonings and Dairy:
- 1 packet ranch seasoning mix
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 0.5 teaspoon onion powder
- 0.5 teaspoon garlic powder
- 0.25 teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)
- 1 block (8 oz) (226 g) cream cheese
Optional Serving Ingredients:
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Chopped green onions
- Sour cream
- Tortilla chips or cornbread
Instructions
- Position chicken breasts as the foundational layer inside the slow cooker, ensuring they are evenly spread across the bottom.
- Cascade black beans, corn, and diced tomatoes over the chicken, creating an even distribution of ingredients.
- Generously dust the layers with ranch seasoning, chili powder, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, and smoked paprika, allowing the spices to blanket the mixture.
- Strategically place the cream cheese block atop the seasoned ingredients, allowing it to melt and integrate during cooking.
- Secure the slow cooker lid and initiate cooking process – select low temperature for 6-8 hours or high temperature for 3-4 hours until chicken reaches optimal tenderness.
- Carefully extract chicken breasts and utilize two forks to meticulously shred the meat into tender, bite-sized pieces.
- Return shredded chicken to the slow cooker, stirring vigorously to encourage complete cream cheese dissolution and create a harmonious, velvety texture.
- Gently fold all ingredients together, ensuring spices, proteins, and dairy blend seamlessly for a rich, cohesive chili experience.
Notes
- Swap chicken breasts with boneless, skinless thighs for richer flavor and more tender meat.
- Reduce sodium by using low-sodium ranch seasoning and selecting no-salt-added canned beans and tomatoes.
- Customize spice levels by adjusting chili powder and adding fresh jalapeños for extra heat.
- Make this dish gluten-free by verifying ranch seasoning ingredients and using certified gluten-free spices.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 7 hours (on Low) or 4 hours (on High)
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 408
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 721 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 7 g
- Protein: 29 g
- Cholesterol: 93 mg