Serve this creamy chicken chili with homemade dinner rolls and a quick Italian salad.
Chicken Chili
A few months ago, I hosted a bridal shower for my sister, and we served soups, salads, had a caramel apple bar, and a few desserts (the mini fruit tarts were a huge hit!).
One of the soups was Chicken Chili, inspired by my family’s favorite chicken enchilada chili from Zupas®. It was a big success—there wasn’t a drop left!
I made it again for my family, and everyone agrees it’s even better than the original. It’s warm, creamy, and bursting with flavor, plus it’s incredibly easy to make!
Ingredients
- Red enchilada sauce: Adds flavor, thickness, and spice; pick your preferred heat level. I love using Old El Paso’s mild sauce.
- Diced tomatoes: Fire-roasted tomatoes add extra flavor with no extra effort.
- Chili beans: These come with seasoning, making the chili more flavorful.
- Black beans: Rinse to remove extra starch and salt.
- Frozen corn: Use straight from the freezer, no prep needed.
- Chicken thighs or breasts: Thighs are extra tender and make the broth richer.
- Chicken stock or broth: Adds depth; choose a good-quality brand.
- Cream cheese: Softened for easy mixing, making the chili smooth and creamy.
- Seasonings: Adjust to taste; add more heat if you like!
Chicken Chili Toppings
While Chicken Chili is great on its own, toppings take it to the next level. Here are some ideas:
- Cheddar cheese: Freshly grate sharp cheese on top and let it melt into the chili.
- Sour cream: Light or fat-free works great, or substitute with plain Greek yogurt.
- Fresh lime juice: A few squeezes add brightness and enhance flavor.
- Chips: Crushed corn or tortilla chips add a nice crunch.
- Fresh cilantro: Adds freshness and a citrusy flavor. Don’t like cilantro? Use parsley!
- Avocado: Diced ripe avocado adds a nice creaminess.
How To Make Chicken Chili
- Prep: Add everything except cream cheese and toppings to the CrockPot.
- Cook: Cover and cook on high for 3-5 hours or low for 5-8 hours.
- Shred: Remove and shred the chicken, then set aside.
- Add cream cheese: Soften and whisk it into the CrockPot until smooth.
- Finish: Add the shredded chicken back, stir, and serve with toppings.
Quick Tip
Have leftover Chicken Chili? Try these ideas:
- Shepherd’s Pie: Use chili as the base and top with mashed potatoes.
- Baked Potatoes: Add chili, cheese, chives, and sour cream to a baked potato.
- Navajo Tacos: Top fry bread with chili, cheese, and sour cream.
What To Serve With Chicken Chili
- Cornbread: The classic pairing and easy to make or buy.
- Grilled cheese: Perfect for dipping into chili.
- Salad: A light garden salad adds freshness.
- Fruit: This winter fruit salad is a great option.
Storage
Leftover Chicken Chili
- Fridge: Store cooled chili in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Reheat: Warm on the stove or in the microwave over low heat, stirring occasionally. Add a splash of broth if needed to thin it out. - Freeze: Freeze in a flat airtight bag for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
More Popular Soup Recipes
- Crockpot Chili winner of dozens of chili cook-offs!
- Crockpot White Chicken Chili with fire-roasted green chiles
- Broccoli Cheddar Soup with carrots and broccoli
- Taco Chili with ground beef
- Creamy Vegetable Soup with potatoes and corn
Chicken Chili
This simple Chicken Chili is loaded with chicken, corn, and beans—the perfect hearty meal for any day of the week!
Equipment
- Crock-Pot 6-quart, or Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 1 (10-ounce) can red enchilada sauce see note 1
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 1 (16-ounce) can chili beans see note 2
- 1 (15-ounce) can black beans drained and rinsed
- 1-1/2 cups frozen corn
- 1-1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, see note 3
- 1 cup chicken stock or broth
- 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese softened
Seasonings
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 3/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1-1/2 tablespoons chili powder
- Toppings as desired see note 4
Instructions
- Add everything except the cream cheese and optional toppings to the Crock-Pot. Stir well, press chicken below liquid.
- Cover and cook on high for 3–5 hours or low for 5–8 hours, until the chicken easily shreds.
- Remove chicken, shred it with two forks, and set aside.
- Soften cream cheese in microwave for 1 minute then add to CrockPot. Briskly whisk in the softened cream cheese until fully melted and smooth.
- Add shredded chicken back into the CrockPot. Stir and taste for seasoning. Optionally, add 1–2 tablespoons lime juice.
- Ladle into bowls and add your favorite toppings.
Video
Recipe Notes
Note 1: Old El Paso® mild red enchilada sauce is my favorite.
Note 2: These beans come in seasoned chili sauce. If unavailable, use pinto or ranch beans and add more seasoning. Do not drain or rinse the chili beans before adding.
Note 3: Use 2–3 large breasts or 6–7 thighs. Thighs make the chicken extra tender and the chili base richer. Trim excess fat or gristle as needed. If using breasts, cut each into 3–4 pieces.
Note 4: Add extra flavor with toppings like extra-sharp Cheddar cheese, sour cream, lime, avocado, and tortilla chips.
Storage: Store cooled chili in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. To reheat, warm it on the stove or in the microwave, stirring occasionally. Add a splash of broth if needed to thin it out. If freezing, transfer the cooled chili to a flat airtight bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Nutrition
Calories: 215kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 109mg | Sodium: 584mg | Potassium: 532mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 640IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 19mg | Iron: 2mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This is amazing! I first started making this about a year ago, and it immediately went into regular rotation for meal prep lunches. So so easy to make!
So thrilled to hear this was a hit! Thanks Kelley 🙂
Was looking for something a little different for my son’s scout chili cook-off. Tried this out before making it for the event. Was a huge hit at home. I have a sensitive stomach and had no problems eating it. Used McCormick dried enchilada sauce mix. Hubby said even reheated well. We added crushed tortilla chips on top, sour cream and shredded cheddar cheese. Took it to a whole new level. Yummy
So happy this was a hit 🙂 Thanks for the comment Sandi!
This was amazingly delicious and soooo easy! My husband and I both loved it! Even my 4 year old ate some bites. Thank you for this!
Thrilled to hear it! Thanks so much for the comment and review Lauren 🙂
This Enchilada Chicken Chili was so delicious!!! I used Mild Enchilada Sauce but cut in half and made up the difference with Chicken Broth and no Chili Powder because we all have sensitive tummies. It was not lacking in flavor and spiciness. Family loved it and will definitely make again.
So, so happy to hear that! Thank you Kathy 🙂
Wow!!!
First: 1) I absolutely hate cooking. 2) I really dislike tomato sauce/cooked tomatoes in any form.
I’m not sure how I even found this recipe, because under normal circumstances I would never consider chili, but I’m so, so glad I did! This was SO easy that even a beginner who loves to eat but hates preparing food (like me!) could get it all prepped and ready in a few easy minutes, and the cream cheese made it creamy enough that I could hardly notice the tomatoes.
I had trouble finding enchilada sauce at my grocery store, but what I ended up using worked fine. I also couldn’t find chili beans in chili sauce, so I just used a can of pinto beans, mostly drained, instead. I used 2 large chicken breasts, 1 cup of chicken stock, and cooked it on high in my slow cooker for 4.5 hours. I’d been a little nervous about how soupy it was when the time was up, but after adding the cream cheese it was the perfect consistency for me.
This is absolutely a new favourite! I’m already looking forward to making it again. Thank you so much!
YAYYYYY!!! I am seriously sooo happy to hear this!! It’s the best when you find a recipe that just clicks!! 🙂 Thanks for your kind comment!
Seriously one of the best soup/chilis I’ve ever had! I left out the chili beans because my family doesn’t care for them and used half the cream cheese because I forgot to grab more. Otherwise followed it exactly and everyone loved it! First recipe I’ve tried from your site and I can’t wait to try others! Thx!!
So, so happy to hear that! 🙂 I hope you love whatever you try next 🙂
Oh. My. Gosh. This was SO good. My husband is a picky eater and usually doesn’t like chili, but he LOVED this! I’m a vegetarian, so it was easy to hold off just making the chicken on the side for him too. I’m drooling thinking of having it for leftovers tonight! 🙂 Thanks so much for sharing this amazing recipe!
Yay!! So, so thrilled to hear this was a hit! Thanks Kelly!
Amazing!! My family LOVES this and is always asking me to make it. No alterations needed, perfect as is!
So so happy to hear that! Thanks for the comment and review 🙂
I just made this yesterday for my community group at church and everyone LOVED IT!! The only substitution I made was chicken thighs instead of breasts (I always seem to overcook breasts in the crockpot). I doubled the recipe and I turned out great! Thank you for the recipe! It’s a keeper!
So happy to hear that Jan! Thanks so much for the comment and review 🙂
I’ve made this in the crock pot once before and my husband liked it a lot, which is saying something because of all the food in the world he likes five total things. So…yay you for a great recipe.
This time I made it in the Instant Pot I just bought. Instead of slow cooking, I cooked it on manual setting for pressure cook for 7 minutes and let it lower pressure naturally for 5 before releasing the pressure valve. Other than that, I did everything exactly the same and it was just as awesome!!
Thanks so much for the recipe!
Yay! So happy this recipe has been a hit, thanks Lisa! And thanks so much for sharing directions for the pressure cooker 🙂