Because I’m usually less organized on a Monday, I like my evening meals to be something that is nourishing and easy to prepare. That’s why I’ve teamed up with Hunt’s canned tomato products today to bring you this simple and flavorful slow cooker chipotle chicken chili!
I think a good chili needs to be chunky. That’s why this one is packed with a ton of chicken, beans, and vegetables. For the tomato base in this chili, I used Hunt’s tomato sauce and Hunt’s diced tomatoes. What I like about Hunt’s canned tomato products is that their tomatoes come from California farms and they contain 100% natural tomatoes. They’re made with vine-ripened tomatoes (a non-GMO food), and they have no artificial ingredients and no preservatives added. I also loved the size of the diced tomatoes—perfect for making a chunky chili.
The beauty behind this chili is that the prep time takes only 10 minutes! That’s less time than what it takes for me to pick my clothes for work! Throw all the ingredients together, and let the slow cooker do its thing. By the time you get home, your entire house will be filled with the inviting savory aromas of this chili. Let’s dig in!
MASTER MY MISTAKES / COOKING NOTES
Using Pumpkin Puree: My initial vision for the recipe was to use pumpkin puree for the chili. I made a test batch with about 1/2 cup of pumpkin puree, and I couldn’t taste any of it in the finished dish. That’s why I used sweet potato chunks instead. Sweet potatoes are easy to prepare, and the chunks add a nice natural sweetness to the dish.
Chicken Breasts vs. Thighs: In general, I prefer cooking with chicken thighs because they’re more flavorful than chicken breasts. However, when I’m cooking chicken in the slow cooker, I will use the breasts because the meat stays moist and it soaks up the flavors of all the other ingredients in the slow cooker. Plus, I like to serve slow cooked meat shredded, and chicken breasts are better for that.
Easy Slow Cooker Chipotle Chicken Chili
Ingredients
- 2 cups (475ml) chicken broth
- 1 1/4 pounds (565g) chicken breasts
- 1 (15-ounce) can Hunt’s tomato sauce
- 1 (14-ounce) can Hunt’s diced tomatoes
- 1 (15-ounce) can black beans
- 1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans
- 1/2 large red onion, diced
- 1 medium sweet potato, about 1/2 lb; 225g
- 1 cup (150g) fresh or frozen corn kernels
- 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, chopped
- 1 tablespoon adobo sauce
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- chopped cilantro for topping
Instructions
- Open the cans of beans. Drain liquid from the can and give the beans a good rinse. Set aside.
- Peel sweet potato and chop into 1/2-inch pieces.
- Place all ingredients (except the lime juice and cilantro) into a slow cooker. Set slow cooker on low and the cooking time to 8 hours.
- When you are ready to eat the chili, scoop out the chicken breast. Using a fork, shred the meat. Add the meat back to the chili again and stir.
- Serve in bowls and top with cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice if you like. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container.
Disclosure: This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Hunt’s canned tomato products. Partnerships like this help keep me going in the kitchen and share delicious recipes with you!
Rachel @ Baked by Rachel says
I could totally go for a bowl of this for lunch today. Such a beautiful and hearty dish!
Lisa says
Thanks, Rachel!!
David @ CookingChat says
I love chipotle flavors! Need to expand my slow cooker repertoire, need to try this.
Lisa says
Thanks, David! Chipotle works so well in slow-cooked sauces!
jessica says
This looks so delicious and perfect to kick off November with!
xo Jessica
http://www.mystylevita.com
Lisa says
Thanks, Jessica!
Sydney | Modern Granola says
Yum! This looks incredibly delicious! Cool idea, adding pumpkin, I never would have thought of that, but I’ve no doubt that sweet potatoes make this hearty bowl irresistible. Pinned and Yummed!
xx Sydney
Lisa says
Thank you, Sydney!! I recently tried a version with potatoes instead of sweet potatoes, and the sweet potatoes definitely take the cake!
Joanie@ZagLeft says
I bet the bits of sweet potatoes are such a great addition to this chili. I love the spicy chipotle flavors here and I’m looking forward to giving this recipe a try.
Lisa says
The sweet potatoes were wonderful, Joanie! I tried another version with potatoes instead, and I definitely preferred the sweet potatoes!
Maris (In Good Taste) says
Chipotle is one of my favorite things to cook with, love the sound of this chili!
Lisa says
Thank you so much, Maris!!
traci | vanilla and bean says
Your last photo, LISA, it’s gorgeous. So cozy and warming. I just want to dive right into that bowl! And that bowl… nothing like a big bowl of chili during the colder months of the year. Love the spices, beans and potatoes. I don’t think chili is chili until it has a big ole’ chipotle pepper and adobo sauce! I’m with ya on Mondays… it’s because the weekend. I don’t want to think about anything I HAVE to do and just do what I WANT to do, ya know! Monday’s are rough! I’m with ya! Hang in there… Friday is just around the corner!
Lisa says
Traci, it’s Monday again, and all I want to do is stay curled up in bed! It’s another gloomy day out here in Sacramento, and all I want to do is curl up and sleep in all day!
Amy | Club Narwhal says
Good grief, Lisa, this looks SO good! Hearty and chunky–just like chili should be. Also, I adore my slow cooker so this is going on my to make list, stat 😉
Lisa says
Thank you so much, Amy!!
Beth says
Pass me a BIG bowl friend!!
Lisa says
Of course!!! Whipping up a bowl for you!
Antonet Roajer says
Looks Yummy!! Will try it for dinner
Lisa says
Thanks, Antonet!
Kelly // The Pretty Bee: Allergy Friendly Eats says
This looks so good, Lisa! My kind of easy meal.
Lisa says
Thanks, Kelly!
Karen @ The Food Charlatan says
Lisa this chili is gorgeous!! I looooove chunky chili, I’m with you. I love reading your cooking notes by the way ,it’s so fun to get a peek into other cook’s recipe development process.
Lisa says
Thank you so much, Karen! Yea, I love it when other people share their notes, so I thought I’d do it, too!
LoveCompassionateLee says
When I think of the quintessential autumn recipe, I think of chili. The version you featured in this post would be perfect for dinner and lunch on the following day. Of course, I’ll enjoy it with a bowl of white rice. Thanks for sharing!
Happy Friday
http://www.lovecompassionatelee.com/thinkoutloud/2015/9/29/92915
Lisa says
I tried this chili with some wild rice over the weekend, and it was wonderful! I’m sure it will taste just as good with some white rice!
Anne says
When do you add the lime juice?
Lisa Lin says
Hi Anne. Thanks for bringing that to my attention. I usually squeeze a bit of lime juice when I’m ready to serve the chili. I will edit the recipe to reflect that. Thanks for your question!
Heidi Herman says
Hi Lisa, can I substitute the 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped with a jalapeno and chili powder ? Please let me know your thoughts. I did make this once and did enjoy it very much. However, I would prefer to substitute. Most chipotle peppers in adobo have soybean product which I can not have. Thank you for your time.
Lisa Lin says
Hi Heidi, I don’t see why not! I think 1 jalapeno and about 1 1/2 teaspoons of chili powder would be a good combo. Let me know how it goes!
Heidi Herman says
Thanks
Amy says
Made this yesterday for me and my fussy-eater boyfriend. I forgot to buy corn, though! No matter–he ate two bowls of it, and gave a thumbs-up for it! It really was a delicious dish, and I’m always looking for new and different slow-cooker meals.
Thanks so much. I’ll be featuring this recipe on my blog soon, and I’ve already subscribed to yours.
Amy
Lisa Lin says
Amy, thank you SO much for trying out my recipe and for letting me know how it turned out! I’m so glad that you and your boyfriend enjoyed it! Thanks again!
Amy says
Wrote my blog post tonight on your delicious recipe:
http://heatcagekitchen.com/2017/03/06/easy-slow-cooker-chipotle-chicken-chili/
I hope more people make this stuff, it’s delish!~
Yamnia Diaz says
Hey love, what is adobo sauce? Is it like sofrito?
Lisa Lin says
It’s usually the sauce that’s used to soak canned chipotle peppers!