This Southwest Chicken Chili has beans, tender chunks of vegetables, and chicken in a spicy southwest broth. This dump-and-go recipe has excellent hardy warmth, plus it is low-fat and calories!
🥣Ingredients
Chicken—breasts or thighs
Beans—cannellini, pinto, black, kidney, navy or Great Northern.
Salsa or Rotel
Bell peppers
Optional Thickening—masa harina or cornstarch
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Featured comment from Charles
"This turned out beautifully! Thank you."
This simple recipe has a hardy, warm, you-to-the-bone taste with a mild heat. It is easy to make in your crock pot using raw chicken, so there is no need to buy a rotisserie chicken or precook.
This great-tasting healthy chili is less than 300 calories, is gluten-free, and is low-fat. Everybody will want seconds—we did.
👨🍳How to make Southwest Chicken Chili
Trim and cube (about ¾ inch) about 2 pounds of skinless boneless chicken breasts.
Chop 1 large onion and 2 bell peppers—dice 1 jalapeno pepper.
Drain and rinse three cans of beans of your choice: cannellini, beans, black beans, kidney beans, or white beans like Navy or Great Northern.
Add all the ingredients except the optional thickener to a 4 quart or larger crock pot. Cook on low until the chicken is 165°, which should be 3-4 hours.
To thicken (optional), start with two tablespoons of masa harina or cornstarch whisked with an equal amount of cool water, then stir into the chili. Add more in 10-15 minutes if needed.
Serve hot. For leftovers, refrigerate for 4 days or freeze for 3 months.
For more details, keep reading. See the Recipe Card below for complete instructions and to print.
🥣Ingredient options
- Chicken—Use skinless boneless chicken breasts or thighs. There is no need to precook the chicken. Just cut it into bite-size pieces. If you prefer shredded chicken, add the chicken breasts whole and remove them with one hour left in cooking and shred, then place back in the crock pot.
- Beans—Use cannellini beans, pinto beans, black beans, kidney beans, or white beans like navy or Great Northern. All are rinsed and drained to help decrease the sodium and to help the appearance. Use any combination you want.
- Salsa/Rotel—Use 2 cups of salsa or a 10 oz can of Rotel. This will provide most of the spices. You can use a can of diced tomatoes and bump some spices.
- Optional Thickening—Start with two tablespoons of masa harina or cornstarch mixed with an equal amount of cool water, then mix into the chili. Add more in 10-15 minutes if needed.
- Vegetables—Two bell peppers—the color of your choice, a large onion, and jalapeno pepper. Optionally, you can add a can of drained corn.
Can I use rotisserie chicken?
Yes, add it to the crock pot at the halfway point of cooking.
Related Recipes
We love white chicken chili, and our absolute favorite is a dump-and-go Crock Pot White Chili we have used for years. And for a change of pace, try Salsa Verde White Chicken Chili or Soup Nazi,s Mexican Chicken Chili.
If you want to stay healthy with chili try Low Fat High Taste Crock Pot White Chicken Chili or Crock Pot Pork Tenderloin Chili.
How to serve
Top sour cream and shredded cheddar cheese, Monterey Jack, or Pepper Jack. Other toppings include cilantro, chopped tomatoes, green onion slices, or jalapenos.
Serve with Old Fashioned Cornbread or Cornmeal Biscuits.
Storing leftovers
Store leftovers in airtight containers. Refrigerate for 4 days or frozen for 3 months.
Reheat after thawing overnight in the refrigerator if frozen, on the stovetop, or in a microwave.
❓FAQs
This is about a 4/10 heat level with the Rotel and jalapeno. If you use salsa, it will depend on your choice of salsa.
This recipe is listed in these categories. See them for more similar recipes.
Have you tried this recipe, or have a question? Join the community discussion in the comments.
📖 Recipe
Crock Pot Southwest Chicken Chili
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Ingredients
- 2 pounds skinless boneless chicken breasts - about
- 2 bell peppers - diced, various colors
- 1 onion - large
- 1 jalapeno pepper
- 42 oz cannellini beans, black beans, kidney beans, or white beans - drained
- 2 cups salsa - or 10 oz RoTel
- 14 oz chicken broth - decrease for thicker
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- masa harina or cornstarch optional for thickening
Instructions
- Trim and cube (about ¾ inch) about 2 pounds of skinless boneless chicken breasts.
- Chop 1 large onion and 2 bell peppers—dice 1 jalapeno pepper.
- Drain and rinse three cans of beans of your choice: cannellini beans, black beans, kidney beans, or white beans like navy or great northern.
- Add all the ingredients except the optional thickener to a 4 quart or larger crock pot. Cook on low until the chicken is 165° which should be 3-4 hours.
- To thicken (optional), start with two tablespoons of masa harina or cornstarch whisked with an equal amount of cool water, then stir into the chili. Add more in 10-15 minutes if needed.
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips
- This needs a 4 quart or larger crock pot but please remember not to fill more than 75%.
- You can use chicken thighs.
- The beans can be varied to your taste.
- A serving size for nutrition is about 1 ½ cups.
- Most crockpot recipes way overcook chicken, and most recipes like this will be for 8 hours on low., way overcooked. I have 3-4 hours on low suggested but also an endpoint of 165° as the real endpoint.
- This is about a 4/10 heat level with the Rotel and jalapeno. Heat will vary with the salsa you choose if you use that.
- Good refrigerated for 3-4 days and frozen for 3-4 months.
Your Own Private Notes
To adjust the recipe size:
You may adjust the number of servings in this recipe card under servings. This does the math for the ingredients for you. BUT it does NOT adjust the text of the instructions. So you need to do that yourself.
Nutrition Estimate
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Editor's Note: Originally Published September 12, 2011. Updated with expanded instructions and discussion, along with updated photos.
Emma @ Savor the Flavour says
This chili looks delicious, Dr. Dan! I love good soups that "warm you to the bone!" 😊
Charles says
This turned out beautifully! thank you.
I went the low sodium route (low-s version of the ingredients, rinsed the beans, etc.) and the first bite or two were "Hmm, bland.. hmmm.. good..." After debating for a bit what spices I should add/change for the next try, and failing since the tastes were so balanced, I just added a tiny shake of salt to my bowl, and - the rest of the bowl was perfect! Next time, I might skip the bean rinse, or just use some reg-salt ingredients, but regardless, there *will* be a next time on this recipe.
Well done, Sir!
DrDan says
Thanks for the note. A little salt does wonders to flavor sometimes.
DrDan
Charles says
I redid this one today, using normal ingredients (i.e., no low sodium, no rinsing of the beans.)
It turned out perfectly. A bit of salt does wonders.
I wonder if a bit more heat - ie 1/8-1/4t cayenne would allow the low sodium version to shine. Maybe next time. Maybe not - why mess with a good thing.
Thanks again, Sir.
P.S. I agree with your assessment - it's a 4. really good, but not quite as good as say, a steak, or a really good stew, or anything less "healthy." Compared to other healthy-ish recipes, this is a 5. Compared to actual carnivore food, 4 seems fair.
Chris says
The weather turned cold here last week so I'll be keeping this one in mind for someday soon. Nice trick with the masa harina.
Mary says
I really like this recipe. I'm new to your blog and decided to spend some extra time browsing through your earlier posts. I'm so glad I did that. I really love the food and recipes you share with your readers and I'll definitely be back. I hope you have a great day. Blessings...Mary
Jeffrey and Juli says
We're still waiting for colder weather here in Iowa, but I'm definitely going to try this out soon. Gotta love those crock pot meals! Or, as the snobby cooking magazines now call them, "slow cookers". :)
Juli
Inspired by eRecipeCards says
Beautiful photo... just wanted to stop and say thanks for being such an active part of erecipecards... Love your recipes...