The Best Crockpot Chicken Taco Chili Recipe for Easy Weeknight Dinners

Tired of the same old weeknight meals? This Crockpot Chicken Taco Chili is the perfect solution for a flavorful, hearty, and incredibly easy dinner that practically cooks itself. Using simple ingredients, this slow cooker recipe transforms shredded chicken into a zesty, comforting chili that tastes like your favorite tacos in a bowl.

Why You Will Love This Recipe

This Crockpot Chicken Taco Chili is a weeknight lifesaver. It requires minimal hands-on time, allowing you to put dinner on before you leave for work and come home to a ready-to-eat meal. The slow cooking process ensures the chicken becomes incredibly tender and absorbs all the vibrant taco seasoning flavors beautifully. Plus, it’s a crowd-pleaser that can easily feed a large family or provide fantastic leftovers for lunch.

Ingredients

• Boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs (about 1.5 lbs)
• Canned black beans, rinsed and drained
• Canned kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• Canned diced tomatoes, undrained
• Canned green chilies, mild or hot, undrained
• Chicken broth
• Taco seasoning mix (or a blend of cumin, chili powder, onion powder, and garlic powder)
• Cream cheese, softened (optional, for creaminess)
• White onion, chopped
• Corn (frozen or canned, drained)

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Place the raw chicken breasts or thighs directly into the bottom of your slow cooker insert.
2. Add the rinsed black beans, kidney beans, diced tomatoes (with juice), green chilies (with juice), chopped onion, and corn over the chicken.
3. Pour in the required amount of chicken broth and sprinkle generously with the taco seasoning. If using cream cheese, cut it into small cubes and scatter it on top.
4. Cover the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours, until the chicken is cooked through and easily shreddable.
5. Once cooked, remove the chicken breasts and place them on a cutting board. Use two forks to shred the chicken thoroughly.
6. Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker. Stir everything together until the cream cheese (if using) has fully melted and created a creamy texture throughout the chili.
7. Allow the chili to cook on warm for another 15 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together before serving.

Expert Tips / Pro Tips

To achieve the best texture and flavor for this Crockpot Chicken Taco Chili, always rinse your canned beans thoroughly; this reduces the excess sodium and starch, preventing a gummy texture in the slow cooker.

For maximum flavor infusion, consider mixing your taco seasoning with the broth before pouring it over the other ingredients. If you like heat, add a dash of your favorite hot sauce during the last hour of cooking.

If you are short on time, you can start the slow cooker on high, but ensure you still cook long enough (3-4 hours) for the chicken to become fall-apart tender enough for easy shredding.

Variations & Substitutions

Instead of chicken, you can easily substitute ground turkey or ground beef; however, you must brown the ground meat in a skillet before adding it to the slow cooker to drain off excess grease.

For a vegetarian chili, omit the chicken and add a can of pinto beans and an extra can of corn or use cubed sweet potato for bulk.

If you prefer a thicker chili, mix one tablespoon of cornstarch with two tablespoons of cold water (a slurry) and stir this mixture into the pot during the last 30 minutes of cooking.

Serving Suggestions

This flavorful chili is fantastic served hot with crisp toppings. Traditional toppings include shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese, a dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt, chopped fresh cilantro, and sliced green onions.

For a heartier meal, serve the Crockpot Chicken Taco Chili over a bed of fluffy white rice, crushed tortilla chips, or spoon it into warm flour tortillas for an easy burrito bowl experience.

Storage, Freezing & Reheating

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The flavor often improves the next day!

To freeze this chili, allow it to cool completely first. Transfer it to freezer-safe bags or containers, leaving about an inch of headspace if using containers. It freezes excellently for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, or microwave individual portions until heated through. You may need to add a splash of extra chicken broth if the chili seems too thick after refrigeration or thawing.

Nutrition Information

While exact nutritional values depend on portion size and specific ingredient brands used, here is a general guideline per serving (estimated, consult a nutrition calculator for precise data):

FAQ

Can I use pre-cooked rotisserie chicken instead of raw chicken?

Yes, you definitely can! If using rotisserie chicken, skip placing it in the slow cooker raw. Instead, shred about 3 cups of the meat and add it to the slow cooker during the last 30 minutes of cooking along with the broth and seasonings to warm it through and absorb the flavors. This significantly cuts down on total cooking time.

What kind of taco seasoning should I use?

You can use one standard packet of store-bought taco seasoning, but for the best flavor, we recommend mixing your own blend using 2 teaspoons chili powder, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano, and salt and pepper to taste.

Why is my slow cooker chili watery?

Wateriness usually occurs from too much liquid or not enough time for evaporation. Ensure you are draining the liquid from the canned corn and green chilies (though include the liquid from the diced tomatoes). If it is still too thin, use the cornstarch slurry method mentioned in the variations section near the end of the cooking time.

Crockpot Chicken Taco Chili

A hearty, flavorful, and easy-to-make chicken chili perfectly seasoned with taco spices and cooked low and slow in a crockpot.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 4 hours hrs

Total Time 4 hours hrs 15 minutes mins

Servings: 6 servings

Course: Dinner, Main Course, Soup & Stew

Cuisine: American, Tex-Mex

Calories: 380

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

Chili Components

• 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
• 1 onion diced
• 1 (15 oz) can black beans rinsed and drained
• 1 (15 oz) can kidney beans rinsed and drained
• 1 (10 oz) can diced tomatoes with green chilies (Rotel) undrained
• 1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
• 1 (4 oz) can green chilies mild, or hot
• 1 cup chicken broth

Taco Seasoning

• 2 Tbsp taco seasoning mix or use 1 Tbsp chili powder, 1 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp oregano, 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp salt or to taste
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Method

 

Instructions

1. Place the raw chicken breasts directly into the bottom of a 6-quart (or larger) slow cooker.
2. To the slow cooker, add the diced onion, rinsed black beans, kidney beans, diced tomatoes with green chilies, tomato sauce, green chilies, and chicken broth.
3. Sprinkle the taco seasoning mix, salt, and pepper evenly over the contents of the slow cooker.
4. Cover the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours, or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours, until the chicken is fully cooked and tender.
5. Once cooked, remove the chicken breasts from the slow cooker and shred them using two forks. Return the shredded chicken to the chili and stir to combine thoroughly.
6. Taste the chili and adjust seasonings (add more salt or heat if desired). Let it simmer for another 15 minutes on LOW to allow the flavors to meld.
7. Serve hot with desired toppings such as shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, fresh cilantro, or tortilla chips.

Notes

This chili freezes exceptionally well. For best flavor, use good quality canned green chilies. If you prefer a thicker chili, remove the lid for the last 30 minutes of cooking time.