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Packed with hearty beans, succulent chicken and a rich base, this delicious chicken chili recipe is sure to become one of your favorite recipes.
Table of Contents
Mexican Chicken Chili
This chicken chili is made in a slow cookerand can be served up on busy weeknights or for that last-minute potluck. It has a nice depth of flavors and textures with a hint of Mexican heat and tender chicken and pinto beans.
You can even use leftover turkey from Thanksgiving to make turkey chili.
I don’t usually do semi-homemade dishes. I like to use fresh veggies and meat when possible, but I’ve been busy lately and wanted something that tasted good but was quick to prepare. This hit the spot.
The first time I made it, I used fresh peppers and onions, and I ground up chicken breasts and cooked them down. While I thought the ground chicken would give the dish a chili-like texture, it didn’t quite hit the mark.
My first reviews came back requesting shredded chicken instead. And while you can use fresh veggies, a jar of chunky salsa works just as well.
So, take two on this dish. I grabbed a couple of rotisserie chickens and picked them clean. Then, I just added a few cans of this and that to the crock pot, and the great recipe was born. So easy!
And you can have fun with the toppings. I set out bowls of shredded cheese, chopped lettuce, chopped tomatoes, Greek yogurt (instead of sour cream) and homemade tortilla strips.
To make the strips, just slice up some corn tortillas and fry them in a skillet with vegetable oil. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with salt. Don’t have time for that? Just crush up some crunchy tortilla chips.
This slow cooker recipe will definitely become a dish I make over and over when I’m craving a Mexican-inspired meal.
Chicken Enchilada Chili
Ingredients
- 2 rotisserie chickens, or leftover cooked turkey or chicken
- 16 oz chunky salsa
- 32 oz canned pinto beans, drained
- 15 oz canned red enchilada sauce
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp chili powder
- 1/4 tsp ground cumin
- black pepper, to taste
OPTIONAL TOPPINGS
- Tortilla strips
- shredded cheese
- sour cream or Greek yogurt
- chopped tomatoes
- shredded lettuce
- green onions
- fresh cilantro
- lime wedges
Instructions
- Prep: Pick all of the meat from the chickens, discarding the skin and bones.
- Cook: Place the chicken, salsa, beans, enchilada sauce and spices in a Crock-Pot. Cook on high for 2-3 hours or low for 4-6 hours. It gets better the longer it cooks.
- Serve: Spoon into a bowl and add toppings.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Ingredients for this chicken chili recipe
- Rotisserie chicken or leftover cooked turkey or chicken
- Jar chunky salsa
- Canned pinto beans
- Canned red enchilada sauce: You can control the heat by choosing hot, medium or mild salsa and enchilada sauce.
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- Chili powder
- Ground cumin
Optional Toppings
- Tortilla strips
- Shredded cheese
- Sour cream or Greek yogurt
- Chopped tomatoes
- Shredded lettuce
- Green onions
- Fresh cilantro
- Lime wedges
Substitutions: Swap the pinto beans for black beans, white beans, navy beans or kidney beans.
See the full recipe card for servings and a full list of ingredients.
How to make this chicken chili recipe
- Prep: Pick all of the meat from the chickens, discarding the skin and bones.
- Cook: Place the chicken, salsa, beans, enchilada sauce and spices in a crock pot. Cook on high for 2-3 hours or low for 4-6 hours. It gets better the longer it cooks.
- Serve: Spoon into a bowl and add your favorite toppings.
How to serve this chicken chili recipe
Use a ladle to spoon the chicken chili into a big bowl. Add a dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt along with your other favorite toppings. Serve the bowl of chili with a side of cornbread for the perfect meal.
Storage
Leftover chicken chili can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. It can also be frozen for up to 6 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Just grab a large pot or soup pot and dump in all your ingredients. Heat over medium-high heat. Then, reduce to a simmer over medium-low heat for at least 15-20 minutes.
Yes. Just make sure to cook the ground beef before adding it to the chili.
Yes. Feel free to sauté diced onion, bell peppers and garlic in some olive oil and add them to the chili. I used a jar of chunky salsa in this recipe to keep things simple.
The great thing about this chili is that you can reheat it directly from frozen. Just pop it into a small pot on the stovetop and heat on medium heat until warm. You can also microwave it for at least 1 minute, adding 30-second increments as needed.
If the chili is too thick, you can thin it out with a small amount of chicken broth or warm water.
Thanks for sharing this one with me! Came over to grab it for the round up, and pinned it. Adding to my meal plan next week!! Looks sensational! I just shredded a bunch of chicken yesterday, I know EXACTLY where it’s going!
Had to check this out after you said it was the best… coming from you, that says a LOT! Loved your “sub” for sour cream, too (Greek yogurt) — this dish is as purdy as it is tasty!
This looks super delicious! Do you think it would work just as well to throw a few raw chicken breasts in, and shred them before you serve it?
I’m new to Crock-Pot cooking, so I have never cooked raw chicken in a Crcok-Pot before, but after reviewing some other recipes, I think it will work great. You may just have to cook it a bit longer. Let me know how it turns out.