Southwestern Crock Pot Chicken Chili

A little Southwestern twist on a traditional favorite.

Last week I did a Facebook poll and asked everyone if they’d rather have me share a chicken chili or a chicken fajita Crock Pot recipe. The chili edged out the fajitas (not by much!) so I’m putting it up first. Don’t fret; I’ll post the fajita recipe soon too. I’m a Crock Potting maniac these days so I have lots and lots of recipes to share. All in good time my little pretties, all in good time. (Yes, that was a Wizard of Oz reference.)

Anyhoo, I based my recipe off of Skinny Taste’s Chicken Taco Chili, but made a few modifications. I swapped the black beans for kidney beans, used tomato paste instead of tomato sauce, added bell pepper and chicken stock, and used my own blend of spices instead of the store-bought seasoning packet. I also decided on fire roasted tomatoes and chilis to give it that Southwestern flair. Here’s what I came up with.

Southwestern Crock Pot Chicken Chili
Serves 6-8

Ingredients:
1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 (14.5-15-ounce) can of fire roasted tomatoes with green chiles, with juice
1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
1 cup corn (I used frozen but you can use canned or fresh as well)
1 medium onion, chopped (I used red)
1 medium bell pepper, chopped (I used orange)
1 cup chicken broth or stock (I used the organic stock from Costco)
2 boneless and skinless breast fillets (if you are using frozen, you’ll need to cook for a little longer)
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon dried cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½-1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (these can be hot so use less if you don’t like spice)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder

Optional Garnishes:
Reduced-fat cheddar cheese, shredded
Raw onion, chopped
Tortilla chips or strips
Light sour cream
Fresh cilantro, chopped

Directions:
Place all ingredients in Crock Pot. Cover and cook on low for approximately 8 hours or on high for 4-6 hours. (Cooking times can vary depending on brand of slow cooker and thickness of chicken breasts.) Thirty minutes prior to serving, remove cover and use two forks to shred the chicken. Chicken should shred easily when cooked through. Serve with any or all of the optional garnishes above.

Results:
How can you go wrong with all of these yummy ingredients and your trusty Crock Pot? This chili is a little spicy, completely hearty, absolutely tasty, and best of all totally healthy. I used a dollop of reduced-fat sour cream and a sprinkling of raw onions as a garnish and was very happy with the end result.

I don’t know what it is about chili but it’s always better the next day. Something magical happens in those overnight hours in the fridge. Seriously. I had another serving for lunch the next day with the exact same garnishes and I loved it even more.

If you’re looking for an easy and tasty alternative to traditional chili, this south-of-the-border twist should be right up your alley. Enjoy!

Until next time,
Ryann