Description
Hearty cream cheese chicken chili from slow cookers delights dinner tables with rich southwestern flavors. Home cooks can easily prepare this comforting meal that promises warm satisfaction and simple ingredients.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 (15 oz / 425 g) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15 oz / 425 g) can corn, drained
- 1 (10 oz / 283 g) can diced tomatoes with green chilies (Rotel)
- 1 (8 oz / 226 g) package cream cheese, cubed
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 packet (1 oz / 28 g) 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
- Shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
- Sour cream or Greek yogurt (optional)
- Sliced jalapenos (optional)
- Chopped cilantro (optional)
- Tortilla chips or crackers (optional)
Instructions
- Preparation: Arrange whole chicken breasts in a uniform layer at the bottom of the crock pot, creating a solid foundation for the dish.
- Layering: Evenly distribute black beans, corn, and diced tomatoes with green chilies over the chicken, ensuring comprehensive coverage.
- Seasoning: Drench the ingredients with chicken broth, then generously sprinkle ranch seasoning, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper across the surface for maximum flavor infusion.
- Cooking: Secure the lid and slow-cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or HIGH for 3-4 hours until chicken becomes effortlessly shreddable, maintaining moisture and tenderness.
- Shredding: Remove chicken breasts and meticulously break them down using two forks, then reintegrate the shredded meat into the simmering mixture.
- Creaming: Fold cubed cream cheese into the chili, stirring continuously until completely melted, transforming the texture into a luxuriously smooth and velvety consistency.
- Finishing: Allow the chili to simmer for an additional 15 minutes, enabling the cream cheese to fully amalgamate and intensify the overall flavor profile.
- Serving: Ladle the piping hot chili into individual bowls and embellish with optional garnishes like shredded cheese, dollops of sour cream, spicy jalapeño slices, or crispy tortilla chips for added texture and visual appeal.
Notes
- Chicken Placement Strategy: Arrange whole chicken breasts flat and evenly at the bottom to ensure uniform cooking and easy shredding later.
- Seasoning Distribution Technique: Sprinkle dry seasonings evenly across ingredients, gently mixing without disrupting chicken layer for balanced flavor profile.
- Cream Cheese Melting Hack: Cut cream cheese into small cubes and stir continuously while melting to prevent clumping and achieve smooth, creamy consistency.
- Dietary Adaptation Tip: Swap chicken breasts with plant-based protein like tofu or jackfruit for vegetarian version; use low-fat cream cheese for lighter option.
- 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: 7
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 36 g
- Fiber: 8 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg