Description
Creamy comfort arrives with this Crock Pot Cream Cheese Chicken Chili, blending rich southwestern flavors into a hearty one-pot marvel. Spicy, smooth, and satisfying, this dish promises a delightful meal you can savor without complex kitchen maneuvers.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Protein:
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Canned Ingredients:
- 1 (15 ounces / 425 grams) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15 ounces / 425 grams) can corn, drained
- 1 (10 ounces / 283 grams) can diced tomatoes with green chilies (Rotel)
Seasoning and Flavor Enhancers:
- 1 (8 ounces / 226 grams) package cream cheese, cubed
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 packet (1 ounce / 28 grams) ranch seasoning mix
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Optional Toppings:
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Sour cream or Greek yogurt
- Sliced jalapenos
- Chopped cilantro
- Tortilla chips or crackers
Instructions
- Nestle whole chicken breasts at the base of the slow cooker, creating an even layer.
- Scatter black beans, corn, diced tomatoes with green chilies across the chicken, ensuring even distribution.
- Pour chicken broth over the ingredients, then sprinkle ranch seasoning, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper evenly.
- Gently mix ingredients to allow seasonings to coat everything without disturbing the chicken placement.
- Secure the lid and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or HIGH for 3-4 hours until chicken becomes fork-tender.
- Extract chicken breasts and shred them using two forks, then return the shredded meat back to the slow cooker.
- Introduce cubed cream cheese into the mixture, stirring continuously until it melts completely and creates a smooth, creamy texture.
- Allow the chili to simmer for an additional 15 minutes to fully incorporate the cream cheese.
- Serve hot in individual bowls, garnishing with optional toppings like shredded cheese, sour cream, sliced jalapenos, or crunchy tortilla chips.
Notes
- Ensure chicken is fully submerged in liquid for even, tender cooking that prevents drying out.
- Swap out ingredients to create dietary variations like using low-fat cream cheese for lighter version or black bean alternatives for protein flexibility.
- Enhance flavor depth by sautéing onions and garlic before adding to slow cooker, which intensifies the overall taste profile.
- Reduce sodium content by selecting low-sodium chicken broth and controlling salt portions in ranch seasoning mix.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 6-8 hours (low) or 3-4 hours (high)
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 360
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 7 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg