Crockpot Quinoa Chili: Simple (dump it all in and forget about it) slow cooker dinner! No veggie chopping or pre-cooking required—just open cans and throw it all in.
Pair this Crockpot Quinoa Chili with homemade dinner rolls, easy cucumber salad, or Italian salad.
The Best Crockpot Quinoa Chili
I’m all about quick-prep dinners, especially when the slow cooker does the work! This recipe couldn’t be easier—just open cans and toss them in.
The best part? It’s filled with wholesome ingredients, unlike the usual cream of mushroom soup and BBQ sauce. I’m excited to share this recipe because it’s easy to make, and my kids love it! My 6-year-old even asked for it (with extra cheese) for breakfast the next day. I hope your family enjoys it as much as mine does!
Ingredients in Crockpot Quinoa Chili
- Seasoning blend: This chili has a great mix of spices. Adjust to personal preferences.
- Quinoa: This forms the base, making the chili thicker and absorbing flavors from the ingredients.
- Chicken: I prefer chicken breasts in this but thighs work as well.
- Chicken stock: Salted chicken stock adds more flavor, but chicken broth works.
- Black beans: Use instead of chili beans or kidney beans if preferred.
- Chili beans: I use mild chili beans, but pick how spicy you want it.
- Frozen corn: Fresh corn off the cob is a great option.
- Petite diced tomatoes: Choose fire-roasted tomatoes for more flavor.
Crockpot Quinoa Chili toppings
Whatever you enjoy on a typical bowl of chili will be great on Crockpot Quinoa Chili. Truly, the toppings make this meal, so don’t forget about them! Below are some of our favorites. (And if we had to pick just 3, lime juice, Cheddar cheese, and sour cream would always make the list).
- Fresh lime juice
- Freshly grated sharp Cheddar cheese
- Sour cream (fat-free, reduced-fat, or full-fat)
- Crushed corn chips (like Fritos®), crushed tortilla chips, saltine crackers, or tortilla strips
- Fresh chives or chopped cilantro
- Freshly sliced avocado/guacamole
- A spoonful of salsa or pico de gallo
Quick Tips
Quick Tips- Chop the chicken into small chunks (2-3 inches) so it cooks evenly. A quick chop is fine; just make sure the chicken is covered in the liquid.
- Use a large, 6-quart slow cooker for this Crockpot Quinoa Chili.
- Season to taste. If you’re sensitive to heat, add the spices slowly.
- Rinse the quinoa in a fine mesh strainer to remove its bitter layer before adding it to the pot.
- Quinoa absorbs liquid as it cooks, so the chili will thicken over time. If cooked too long, the quinoa may burn on the edges.
Variations
Variations- To make Crockpot Quinoa Chili vegetarian or vegan, I recommend following this recipe instead (we “replace” the chicken with sweet potatoes).
- To boost the flavor, add in a finely diced yellow onion and a few cloves of garlic. I don’t add those in this recipe because I wanted the prep to be as quick as possible! (The onion powder and garlic powder do give you a nice flavor without the actual ingredients.)
- To increase the spice, use spicy chili beans and add in a few tablespoons of diced jalapeño or 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes.
- To make Crockpot Quinoa Chili milder, reduce or omit the cayenne pepper.
Leftovers?
Cool it down: Let the chili cool to room temp. Store in the fridge for up to 4-5 days.
Freeze: For longer storage, freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge before reheating.
More Easy Slow Cooker Recipes
- Spaghetti Bolognese
- Crockpot Cowboy Casserole
- Crockpot Chili reader favorite!
- Instant Pot or Crockpot Mexican Tortilla Soup
- Crockpot Quinoa Tacos
Crockpot Quinoa Chili
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup white quinoa
- 1 can (15 ounces) black beans drained and rinsed
- 1/2 pound (8 ounces) chicken breast boneless, skinless
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon EACH: onion powder, garlic powder, paprika
- 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked pepper
- 2 and 1/4 cups salted/seasoned chicken stock (can use chicken broth)
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 1 can (15 ounces) chili beans in mild sauce (Note 1)
- 1 can (14.5 ounces) fire-roasted diced tomatoes (Muir Glen recommended)
- Optional toppings: fresh lime juice, chopped cilantro, sour cream, Cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Line the slow cooker with a plastic liner or coat with cooking spray. Thoroughly rinse the quinoa in a fine mesh sieve to remove the bitter saponin coating. Drain and rinse the black beans. Cut the chicken breast into 2-3-inch-long, 1-inch-thick pieces.
- Add the quinoa, black beans, chicken, chili powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, salt, pepper, chicken stock, frozen corn, (undrained/unrinsed) chili beans, (undrained) and diced tomatoes to a large 6-quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 2.5 to 4 hours. (Ours is always done right at 3 hours.) Check occasionally and stir every once and a while if around.
- Once the liquid is mostly absorbed, remove the slow cooker insert from the heat. Season to taste with any additional salt/pepper as needed, or any additional seasoning. I like to add a few tablespoons of lime juice here. Shred the chicken in a separate bowl with two forks (or chop it coarsely with a knife) and add back to the pot.
- Top individual bowls with favorite toppings. We top ours with a good handful of freshly grated sharp Cheddar cheese, another squeeze of lime, a good spoonful of sour cream, and some chopped cilantro. Don't forget the toppings; they make this chili!
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did you recently change this recipe? I used to make it frequently and there are some things in there I don’t remember, like chili beans. And i thought i remembered adding diced jalapeños and cilantro at the end? I just want to make sure I remember right because it’s one of our favorites and we want to enjoy it as we always have!
The original recipe is linked below the current recipe 🙂
Any recos on how to adjust for cooking in an Instant Pot on slow cooker setting? Thanks!
I see this post is old, but I made this recipe a few nights ago and have eaten it for lunch the last 3 days and still want more! Soooooo good! I added ground red pepper and lots of lime juice and extra cilantro and my gosh it is AMAZING!
Ahh i’m so happy to hear this!!! Thanks Caroline! 🙂
For this chicken quinoa chili I dont have boneless breasts, do you think I can use chicken with bone?
This looks yummy!Have you tried this all day on low in the crockpot? Does the quinoa hold up? Thanks!
Unfortunately I’ve never had great success with quinoa on low in a crockpot. It tends to get pretty mushy and continues to absorb the liquids.
Hi, Can I double this recipe in the slow cooker?
Thanks!
I’m not sure if it will all fit (the single recipe makes quite a big batch), but if you have a very large crockpot I believe it should be okay.
I just made this and added a little more seasonings and salsa Verde for more heat. I love it. How are you portioning the calories? It says 8 servings and 276 calories per serving? My crockpot was completely full, so I don’t think it only makes 8 servings. How much are you counting as 1 serving to equal the 276 calories? Thank you!
I’m glad you like it! If you separate the full yield of this recipe into 8 equal parts, each of those individual parts is 276 calories.
I have a smaller crockpot – if I am cutting the recipe in half, is cooking time the same?
Yep 🙂
Do you have the nutritional information on this recipe? I am trying it tonight and wanted to log it on My fitness Pal.
I just added it right below the recipe 🙂 276 calories per serving!
I absolutely love this recipe. I’ve prepared it multiple times. It’s healthy, delicious and filling. As a student, I love how quick and easy it is to make.
I cook a full batch and freeze part of it. I take it out of the freezer when I need it for my week’s lunches.
So happy to hear that!! Thanks so much for the comment Emilie 🙂