Crack Chicken Chilirn

overhead shot of Crack Chicken Chili in a bowl

This creamy crack chicken chili is loaded with all the best ingredients, including bacon, chicken, cream cheese, and gooey melted cheese.

Jump to Recipe

Table of Contents

Crack Chicken Chili Ingredients
Substitutions And Additions
How To Make This Crack Chicken Chili Recipe
How To Serve
Storage
More Recipes You’ll Love
JUMP TO RECIPE

Chili season is officially in full swing, and this crack chicken chili is our new favorite hearty and filling recipe; plus, it’s a breeze to throw together in the slow cooker. This insanely delicious dish is made with shredded chicken, bacon, and lots of cheese – perfect for satisfying any craving.

close up shot of Crack Chicken Chili in a bowl

Crack Chicken Chili Ingredients

Crack Chicken Chili raw ingredients that are labeled

Crack chicken chili is an undeniable delight for the taste buds. Its mixture of creamy ranch and cream cheese, protein-packed cooked chicken, southwest corn and tomatoes, and just enough spice to give it a kick will have your mouth watering instantly.

The robust blend of spices combines perfectly with the black beans to create an optimal chili experience that you’ll never forget.

To make this tasty comfort food, you’ll need:

2½ cups of chicken broth
1 (15.25-ounce) can of southwest corn with poblano and red peppers, do not drain
1 (10-ounce) can of mild Rotel diced tomatoes and green chilies, do not drain
1 (1-ounce) packet of ranch seasoning mix
1 tablespoon of onion powder
1 tablespoon of chili powder
1 teaspoon of kosher salt
1 teaspoon of cracked black pepper
3 medium-sized boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 (15.25-ounce) can of black beans, drained and rinsed
1¼ cups of cooked and crumbled smoked bacon
1 (8-ounce) package of cream cheese, cubed
2 cups of fresh shredded Colby and Monterey jack cheese
1½ tablespoons of chopped fresh cilantro (optional garnish)

PRO TIP:

If you are pressed for time, you can substitute rotisserie chicken from the grocery store for the raw chicken breasts. Instead of cooking on high for 4 hours, you can reduce the cooking time for the base of the chili to 2 hours. Add the shredded rotisserie chicken 30 minutes before serving.

Substitutions And Additions

CHICKEN: You can substitute frozen chicken breasts for fresh chicken breasts in this cream cheese chicken chili. You will need to increase the cooking time to 6 hours on high or 8 hours on low.

CHILI POWDER: You can substitute the chili powder with cayenne pepper or chipotle chili powder.

CHICKEN BROTH: If you don’t have chicken broth on hand, you can use vegetable broth or beef broth. The flavor might slightly change, but it will still be delicious.

SOUTHWEST CORN: If you can’t find southwest corn with poblano and red peppers, you can use regular canned corn and add some diced poblano and red bell peppers for a similar flavor.

ROTEL DICED TOMATOES AND GREEN CHILIES: If Rotel is unavailable, you can use regular diced tomatoes and add a can of diced green chilies separately.

COLBY AND MONTEREY JACK CHEESE: Feel free to use cheddar, mozzarella, or any other melty cheese you prefer.

BLACK BEANS: If you’re not a fan of black beans or don’t have them on hand, you can use kidney beans or pinto beans as a substitute.

How To Make This Crack Chicken Chili Recipe

The beauty of this recipe is that you can add the ingredients to your slow cooker and leave it to do the work while you go about your day.

All you need to do before dinner is shred the chicken and add the cheese to the crockpot to melt.

Our step-by-step instructions below will walk you through preparing the recipe.

STEP ONE: Lightly spray the inside of a 5 to 7-quart crock pot with nonstick cooking spray, or use a disposable crock pot liner.

STEP TWO: Add the chicken broth, southwest corn, Rotel tomatoes, ranch mix, onion powder, chili powder, salt, and pepper to a medium-sized bowl. Whisk to combine.

chicken broth, corn, rotel, ranch mix, onion powder, chili powder, salt, and pepper whisked in a cup

STEP THREE: Place chicken breasts in the bottom of the prepared crock pot.

STEP FOUR: Sprinkle the black beans on top of the chicken.

black beans sprinkled on top of the chicken in a crock pot

STEP FIVE: Pour the chicken broth mixture over the black bean layer.

chicken broth mixture poured over the black bean layer in a crock pot

STEP SIX: Sprinkle the crumbled cooked bacon over the broth mixture.

add bacon to the broth mixture in a crock pot

STEP SEVEN: Top the bacon layer with the cubed cream cheese. Cook at high temperature for 4 hours or 6 hours at low temperature.

cream cheese added to the bacon mixture in a crock pot

STEP EIGHT: When the chili has finished cooking, remove the chicken breasts. Use 2 forks to shred the chicken.

OUR RECIPE DEVELOPER SAYS

Chicken is cooked when the internal temperature reaches 165°F.

STEP NINE: Before returning the chicken to the crock pot, stir the broth and cream cheese until the cream cheese is evenly distributed and melted.

STEP TEN: Stir in the shredded cheese.

shredded cheese stirred in the crock pot

STEP ELEVEN: Add the shredded chicken back into the crock pot and stir to combine. Garnish with chopped cilantro. Serve while hot.

PRO TIP:

If you are serving a crowd, you can keep your chili on a warm setting in the slow cooker while serving.

add chicken back into the crock pot and stir to combine

How To Serve

You can serve this slow cooker cream cheese crack chicken chili with crackers, over rice, with cornbread (my favorite), or with tortilla chips or corn chips.

And for those wanting even more flavor, try a side of coleslaw or oven-roasted potatoes. The combination of crack chicken chili and these sides is mouthwateringly unforgettable!

This is an easy meal to make on a busy weeknight, and we guarantee the whole family will gobble it up.

For more slow cooker recipes to add to your repertoire, check out our slow cooker butter chicken and slow cooker beef and potatoes.

MORE CHILI RECIPES

Beef Dinner Ideas

Chili Crockpot Recipe

Soups & Stews

Instant Pot Chili

Storage

Chili is always such a great, cozy meal to have on hand for leftovers, and generally freezes incredibly well.

IN THE FRIDGE: Store any leftover slow cooker crack chicken chili in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

IN THE FREEZER: This creamy chili freezes very well for up to 3 months. Allow the chili to thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. You can also freeze it in individual containers for a school lunch or work lunch option.

close up shot of Crack Chicken Chili in a crop pot

This easy crack chicken chili recipe is the perfect comfort food when the weather cools down. With minimal prep time, it makes a great choice when life gets busy, and you need to get a hearty meal on the table fast.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Can you make this with frozen chicken breasts?

You can use frozen chicken in this easy recipe, but you will need to increase the cooking time to 6 hours on high or 8 hours on low.

Can I freeze the leftover crack chicken chili?

This slow cooker recipe is a great meal to freeze. Just store it in an airtight container or a freezer bag for up to three months.

Can I use chicken thighs in this chicken crack chili recipe?

This creamy dish would taste delicious with either chicken breasts or chicken thighs if your family prefers dark meat.

More Recipes You’ll Love