My Slow Cooker Chicken Green Chili is the ultimate weeknight dinner! It's cozy, flavorful, and made with simple, wholesome ingredients! It's one of those easy recipes that practically cooks itself, making it perfect for busy weeknights or meal prep days. Toss everything in your crock pot, set it, and let your kitchen fill with the aroma of green chiles, smoky spices, and tender chicken. Yum!
Why You'll love this recipe
- A great way to use simple pantry ingredients and create a cozy, comforting meal the whole family will love.
- Perfect for busy weeknights, minimal prep, maximum flavor!
- Packed with lean protein and fiber to keep you full and satisfied.
- Easy to customize, make it creamy, spicy, or even dairy-free!
This is one of my favorite slow cooker recipes! If you love this recipe, you will love my 5 ingredient crockpot chicken, my slow cooker southwest chicken quinoa bowl and my easy and healthy Mississippi pot roast.
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Ingredients
Here's what you'll need to make this crockpot green chili chicken:
- boneless, skinless chicken breasts - You can also use chicken thighs for extra tenderness!
- medium onion, chopped - Adds natural sweetness and depth of flavor.
- diced green chiles - The secret to that zesty green chili flavor!
- great northern beans or cannellini beans, rinsed and drained - Adds protein, creaminess, and a little heartiness.
- corn, drained - A touch of sweetness to balance the heat.
- salt, pepper, cumin, smoked paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder - A perfect spice mix that ties everything together!
- chicken bone broth - For a protein boost and a rich, flavorful broth.
- lime, juiced - Brings brightness and balance at the end!
- low-fat Philadelphia cream cheese (optional) - Stir in at the end for a creamy, slightly tangy finish!
Optional toppings: Fresh cilantro, diced jalapeños, sliced avocado, and a dollop of low-fat plain Greek yogurt.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
- Step 1: Load up the slow cooker. Add your chicken breasts to the bottom of the slow cooker. Then layer in your chopped onions, diced green chiles, rinsed beans, and drained corn. Sprinkle over your seasonings and pour in the chicken bone broth.
- Step 2: Let it slow cook. Cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8 hours, depending on your crockpot and schedule. Your chicken should reach an internal temperature of 165°F and be tender enough to shred.
- Step 3: Shred and stir. Remove the chicken, shred it with two forks, then add it back into the crockpot. Stir in lime juice and cream cheese (if using) until creamy and well combined.
- Step 4: Garnish and serve. Serve hot in bowls and top with fresh cilantro, diced jalapeños, sliced avocado, and a spoonful of Greek yogurt or sour cream. Grab a spoon, dinner's ready!
Hint: If your crockpot tends to cook hot, sauté your onions in a bit of avocado oil over medium-high heat for 1-2 minutes before adding them in. This helps them soften perfectly without overcooking your chicken!
Substitutions
- Dairy-Free - feel free to skip the low-fat Philadelphia cheese and the low-fat greek yogurt to make this dish dairy-free.
- Vegetarian - Skip the chicken and make it in a pot over the stove instead to make this dish vegetarian.
- Gluten-Free- This dish is gluten-free on it's own. Just make sure to check individual ingredient labels on the bone broth to ensure that there is no gluten cross contamination and that it is certified gluten-free.
Variations
- Spicy - add chili pepper flakes to add additional spice to this dish!
This recipe is already toddler and kid-friendly as is!
Equipment
All you need to make this crockpot chicken green chili is a:
6 Quart Crock-Pot: This is the crock-pot I wish we got! The one I have is aesthetically pleasing but it does cook faster than the typical crockpot!
Large Pan: This is the Caraway Non-stick ceramic pan that I use and love! (for sautéing the onions, optionally).
Disclaimer: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, which means I make a small commission if you choose to purchase through qualifying links.
Storage
Store leftover chicken green chili in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. It reheats beautifully on the stovetop or in the microwave! You can also freeze it in freezer bags for up to 3 months, just thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Absolutely! Chicken thighs work beautifully and stay extra tender during slow cooking.
It's mild to medium, depending on your green chiles. Want more heat? Add diced jalapeños or use hot green chiles!
Totally - try adding fresh corn instead of canned, zucchini, or even a handful of spinach at the end for a veggie boost.
Christina's Dietitian Tip
Boost your protein even more by using bone broth instead of regular chicken broth to add a richer flavor and a little extra nourishment. If you're watching your sodium intake, look for a low-sodium broth and season to taste at the end.
Crockpot
Looking for other crock pot recipes like this? Try these:
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Crockpot Chicken Green Chili (High Protein)
Equipment
- 1 6-7 Quart Slow Cooker
Ingredients
- 1.25-1.5 Skinless and Boneless Chicken Breast
- 1 Medium Onion Chopped
- 2 Canned Diced Green Chiles
- 2 Canned Great northern beans or Cannellini Beans Rinsed and Drained
- 1 Canned Corn Drained
- 1 Teaspoon Salt
- 1 Teaspoon Pepper
- 1 Teaspoon Cumin
- 1 Teaspoon Smoked Paprika
- 1 Teaspoon Chili Powder
- 1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1 Teaspoon Onion Powder
- 4 Cups 32 Ounces Chicken Bone Broth
- 1 Lime Juiced
- ½ Block Low-fat Philadelphia Cream Cheese optional
Optional To Garnish:
- Fresh Cilantro
- Diced Jalapeños
- Avocado Sliced
- Low-Fat Plain Greek Yogurt
Instructions
- Start by adding your chicken breast to the bottom of the crockpot followed by your chopped onions, canned diced green chiles, rinsed and drained canned great northern beans or cannellini beans, can of drained corn, seasonings and then your chicken bone broth.
- Cook on high for 3-4 hours or for low 6-8 hours.
- Once your chicken is cooked to an internal temperature of 165 F and your onions are cooked through, remove the chicken, shred it and then add it back into the crockpot. Stir and then add in your lime juice, cream cheese (if using).
- Serve your soup with the suggested toppings (fresh cilantro, diced jalapenos, sliced avocado and low-fat plain greek yogurt.
- Hint: If your crockpot tends to cook hot and you're cooking this dish on high, I would recommend sautéing the onions in some avocado oil on a medium pan heat on medium high heat for 1-2 minutes or until they become translucent so that they are able to soften enough in the crockpot without overcooking the chicken!
Notes
Nutrition
FOOD SAFETY
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
Kim says
I haven’t tried this yet but I’m so excited to an eager too, my only issue is I do not have a crockpot and only have an Insta pot. Do you know how I would convert the cooking time and the recipe to do in an instant pot? I found the recipes online but they add other ingredients like rice so it’s throwing me off.
christina.klapper says
Hey Kim! I am so sorry for the delayed response my app was not notifying me of these comments! Unfortunately, I have not tried this recipe in a instant pot but I can definitely try to work on that!!