Growing up, I don’t remember eating chili much. My only childhood memories of chili involved the kind you could get from Wendy’s. It’s not that we didn’t like chili, it’s just not something that was a common food where I grew up. We did eat a lot of frito pie, which I guess is really quite similar to chili.
A few years ago, I was researching easy family dinners and discovered a recipe for chicken chili that I found intriguing due to the cream cheese ingredient. Upon further research, I found several very similar chicken chili recipes across a few different websites. For that reason, I started with the common ingredients from those sites and began experimenting with chicken chili from there. My tweaks to the recipes gave me a delicious result that I have been making ever since. I absolutely love easy and scrumptious recipes that can cook all day in my slow cooker, so this recipe is definitely on my frequent recipes list.
Now to go back to the fact that one of the standout ingredients in this recipe is cream cheese… I know that seems a little different (at least it did to me at first!), but I think it really makes this chili spectacular. The cream cheese adds a creamy and cheesy tang that makes the dish. Another key part of my recipe is the order in which the ingredients are placed in the Crock-Pot. I do really find the finished product tastes better when I follow the order I am about to share with you all today. Not to mention, I find the cream cheese melts more evenly if it is not the last ingredient placed in the slow cooker.
The recipe couldn’t be easier! You start with a few chicken tenderloins. While a bit unique, I find this particular cut of chicken to be super tender in the chili. Then, you top the chicken with spices – this really is key to making sure the chicken has lots of flavor! Add drained and rinsed canned beans, full cans of diced tomatoes with green chilies, cream cheese, more spices, and lastly full cans of corn. Allow this to cook all day… which we all know is one of my favorite ways to cook! After you shred the cooked chicken and mix everything back together, it is time to enjoy. Add corn chips, cheese, and any other toppings, and you know it will be delicious!
As always, I hope your family loves this dish as much as mine does! Enjoy!
The BEST Chicken Chili
Ingredients
- 8 chicken tenderloins (frozen is fine)
- 2 tbsp chili powder
- 2 tsp granulated onion
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 can black beans
- 2 cans pinto beans
- 2 cans diced tomatoes and green chilies, such as Rotel
- 2 8 oz blocks cream cheese
- 6 tbsp Ranch seasoning (or 2 packets)
- 2 cans sweet corn
- chili toppings, such as corn chips and shredded cheese
Instructions
- Spray the slow cooker with nonstick spray. You may also consider using a liner for easier cleanup first.
- Add the chicken tenderloins to the slow cooker.
- Evenly sprinkle the chili powder, granulated onion, and ground cumin over the chicken.
- Drain and rinse the black beans and pinto beans. Then, pour the rinsed beans into the slow cooker over the seasoned chicken.
- Pour the tomatoes with green chilies, along with all the liquid in the cans, over the beans.
- Place the two blocks of cream cheese over the corn and sprinkle the Ranch seasoning over the contents of the slow cooker.
- Finally, pour the corn and all of the liquid in the cans into the slow cooker.
- Secure the lid onto the slow cooker and allow to cook on low for 8 hours.
- After 8 hours, take out the chicken tenderloins and shred them into bite-sized pieces.
- Stir the remaining contents of the slow cooker to help blend in the cream cheese. Add the shredded chicken back into the slow cooker.
- Stir everything together gently until no clumps of cream cheese remain.
- The chili is ready to eat. I like to allow the chili to cook for another 30 minutes to an hour on low to let all the flavors continue to meld.
- Top with corn chips, shredded cheese, or any other toppings you prefer. Enjoy!
