Slow Cooker Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Chili

An old Crock-Pot family favorite, this super easy Slow Cooker Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Chili only gets more delicious with age!

Let’s update an old family favorite today: Slow Cooker Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Chili. High School Guy asks me to make this one all the time, so it’s high time to re-share this recipe from many moons back — now, with updated photos and slightly tweaked ingredients. Put a different twist on chicken chili with this easy Crock-Pot version, which combines everything you love about both enchiladas and chili in one simple recipe.

Since ALDI no longer carries enchilada sauce these days and I had none in my pantry, I’ve modified an old recipe slightly to scratch up my own enchilada-ish chili from ingredients I had on hand. Just as deliciously cheesy and satisfying, let me tell you. Stirring in a little sour cream and cheddar at the end gives this recipe the irresistible flavor of chicken enchiladas — combined with the heart warming satisfaction of a hearty bowl of chili!

Slow Cooker Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Chili

Ingredients

2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast
1 tsp cumin
1 Tbsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cayenne
16 oz jar salsa verde
14.5 oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes
2 cans black beans drained, rinsed, and slightly mashed
8 oz tomato sauce
4.5 oz can chopped green chiles
1 Tbsp minced garlic (about 6 small cloves)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup sour cream

Instructions

Trim the chicken and place it in the bottom of your slow cooker. Season chicken with chili powder, cumin, and cayenne.

Drain, rinse, and slightly mash the beans.

Add the beans, salsa, tomatoes, tomato sauce, chopped green chiles, and garlic to the slow cooker, then stir the salsa mixture (leaving chicken undisturbed on the bottom of the crock).

Cook 5 1/2 – 6 hours on low.

Turn off the Crock-Pot. Shred the chicken and stir it back into the chili.

Stir in the shredded cheese and sour cream until melted and well blended.

Serve your chicken chili topped with avocado, tortilla chips, sour cream, diced onion, chopped green onion, and/or other toppings of choice.

Note: You only want to mash the black beans a bit, leaving some whole and some mashed, in order to add texture and thickness to the final chili. I just use a potato masher.

Cheesy chicken chili is a keeper!

Back several years ago when I first made this chili, both kids pronounced it better than regular. Since I love all chili, I’m torn — but will admit that it’s pretty darn good (and pretty darn easy!). As with any good chili, this recipe has only gotten better with age; it makes a regular reappearance on our weekly menus.

Scoop your cheesy chicken chili up with tortilla chips, serve it with cornbread, or pick your favorite way to enjoy chili. If you’d like to add an extra pop of sweetness to yours, throw in a drained can of corn.

If you prefer to use enchilada sauce, substitute a 20 oz can of enchilada sauce for the salsa verde and tomato sauce used here — OR, for a different taste twist, try this sister slow cooker chicken enchilada chili recipe using chipotles in adobo and cream cheese. Again, as with any good chili, this one has infinite variations.

Slow Cooker Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Chili, printable recipe

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