Chicken Chili is a simple, slow-cooked meal filled with tender chicken, sweet corn, and beans—just toss everything in and enjoy it later!

Serve this creamy chicken chili with homemade dinner rolls and a quick Italian salad.

Serve up this delicious chicken chili from the slow cooker!

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!

Prep all the ingredients for this recipe, including tomatoes, broth, beans, seasonings, corn, meat, enchilada sauce, and cream cheese, for easy assembly.

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.
Add all the ingredients to the crockpot and cook them together. Once the cooking is done, remove the chicken to shred it, then add it back in with cream cheese and fresh cilantro for this chicken chili.

How To Make Chicken Chili

  1. Prep: Add everything except cream cheese and toppings to the CrockPot.
  2. Cook: Cover and cook on high for 3-5 hours or low for 5-8 hours.
  3. Shred: Remove and shred the chicken, then set aside.
  4. Add cream cheese: Soften and whisk it into the CrockPot until smooth.
  5. 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.

Shred the slow-cooked meat and add it back into the crockpot.

What To Serve With Chicken Chili

A big bowl of chicken chili topped with fresh lime, cilantro, and a dollop of sour cream.

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.

4.96 from 102 votes

Chicken Chili

This simple Chicken Chili is loaded with chicken, corn, and beans—the perfect hearty meal for any day of the week!
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 6 hours
Total Time: 6 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 6 servings

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.

Meet Chelsea


Hello, and welcome to Chelseaโ€™s Messy Apron! Iโ€™m Chelsea, the recipe developer, food photographer, and writer behind the site. Iโ€™m passionate about creating simple, reliable, and delicious recipes that anyone can make.

Thanks for stopping byโ€”I hope you find something delicious to make!

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4.96 from 102 votes (9 ratings without comment)

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300 Comments

  1. Andrea says:

    5 stars
    Yum!! Made this tonight. Thanks for the recipe.

    1. chelseamessyapron says:

      So happy to hear it!! Thank you for the comment Andrea ๐Ÿ™‚

  2. Elise says:

    5 stars
    The absolute BEST and the easiest to make in a college dorm. My favorite to share with a bunch of friends, thanks so much!

    1. chelseamessyapron says:

      I’m so glad to hear this! It’s such a fun and quick meal! ๐Ÿ™‚

  3. MELISSA L SANGSTER says:

    Does anyone know how it will taste using ground beef??? I plan on browning the beef ahead, so does that affect the cooking time?

    Also does the stovetop version taste different?

    Thank you

  4. Jenny says:

    5 stars
    Just tried this recipe on Sunday and love it. I have a 3 qt crock pot (2 person household), which worked–filled right up to the brim, but did not overflow. I used half the prescribed amount of cream cheese, but otherwise followed the recipe to the last detail. Thank you!

    1. chelseamessyapron says:

      Awesome! I’m so glad to hear this! ๐Ÿ™‚

  5. Wendy Phillips says:

    Has anyone tried this with ground turkey, precooked?

  6. Natalie says:

    5 stars
    I made this for a teachers luncheon. It’s always a little scary making something new for other people but holy cow, this is AMAZING! I may have taken a bowl out for myself?. Thanks for the recipe!!

    1. chelseamessyapron says:

      So happy this was a hit! ๐Ÿ™‚ Thanks for the comment Natalie ๐Ÿ™‚

  7. Pam says:

    hello again! Need to correct myself. I have 1/3 reduced fat philledelphia cream cheese. Will it stor and melt well?
    Thanks!

  8. Pam says:

    5 stars
    Hello.
    I have everything mixed in the crockpot. It sat in the fridge overnight minus the cream cheese. I plan on cooking today while at work and adding the cream cheese right before guests arrive later this evening. Will that be ok? I also got 30% reduced fat cream cheese should I get regular based off reviews? And I was hoping this could be like chili and leave out while we drink and talk. But based on reviews sounds like I can’t leave out. What is the max time? And if I put in fridge can I reheat entire crock pot or just scoop and warm in microwave?
    Sorry for dumb questions. Ha. I don’t cook a lot. It looks great but worried I should have stuck with chili now based on what I wanted from a crockpot dish! Ha thank you!!!

  9. Allison says:

    This is sooo good! I added garlic powder and put the cream cheese in at the same time as everything else. It was amazing.

    1. chelseamessyapron says:

      So happy to hear that! Thanks for the comment Allison!

  10. Avery Brown says:

    5 stars
    This was so tasty! I was worried about the sodium content being so high so I pretty much grabbed any no salt added version of the canned foods possible.

    I don’t think the chicken stock is really necessary because of the liquid from some of the cans. The chili came out pretty runny, even with the rice it was much. I would suggest halving the amount of stock at the least if you’re hesitant to remove it all together.

    My dad doesn’t like creamy food and tried it without the cream cheese and thought it was delicious! So if you don’t want that, it’ll still taste great.

    I added some lime and cilantro at the end and topped with guac instead of avocado slices. Very yummy. I’m loving the leftovers.