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A new go-to weeknight dinner – Crockpot Chipotle Queso Chicken Chili. Spicy chipotle seasoned chicken slow-cooked with onions, salsa, and seasonal pumpkin beer. Finish this chili off with a creamy mix of cream cheese and cheddar, just like queso! It’s so delicious. Top each bowl of chili with a dollop of yogurt, fresh cilantro, green onion, and avocado too. Great on its own, but even better with a side of tortilla chips. Yum!
Yes, another Monday night crockpot dinner. I know, I’ve been sharing a lot of crockpot recipes lately. I’m hoping you all are really enjoying them! I love throwing everything in one bowl and letting the crockpot do its thing.
Chili is the perfect thing to cook in your crockpot. The more time it takes to cook, the better the flavor.
This has currently been my go-to chili recipe for fall. We’re loving the spicy mixed with a creamy queso. So delicious! My brothers say this is the perfect game-day chili!
One of my favorite fall appetizers for years now has been my pumpkin beer pretzels with spicy chipotle queso. I love the recipe so much. I make it every fall at least two or three times.
So when I got the idea to revise the recipe and create a dinner out of the flavors, I got really excited! Especially since I haven’t shared a chili recipe in a long time.
You will love this crockpot chili. You can also make it on the stove, but it’s perfect for throwing all ingredients in and slow cooking all day. You’ll come home to the most delicious chili, who doesn’t love that!
Ingredients
- Yellow onion
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- Chili powder
- Smoked paprika
- Chipotle chili powder
- Cumin
- Kosher salt
- Red bell peppers
- Picked jalapeños
- Diced green chiles
- Andouille sausage
- Red salsa
- Pumpkin beer
- Cream cheese
- Black beans
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Fresh cilantro
- Chopped green onion
- Avocado and Greek yogurt
Here are the details
Step 1: decide whether you’re using the crockpot or the stove
You can use the instant pot too. But for best flavor, I recommend using the crockpot or slow cooking on the stove for a few hours. Chili is meant to cook all day!
Step 2: mix everything together
In the bowl of your crockpot, layer the onions, then the chicken. Add all of the spices, pickled jalapeños, and a jar of your favorite red salsa. I get mine at Whole Foods, it has just 5 ingredients!
Next, pour over a bottle of your favorite beer. I love to use pumpkin beer. It’s so fun for this time of year. Of course, if you don’t like to cook with alcohol, you can use an equal amount of apple cider (super delicious) or even just water. Either way, you’ll have a great chili!
Step 3: cook low and slow
Set the crockpot and let the chili cook for as long as you have time. Or simmer away on the stovetop. It’s really the very same thing!
What I LOVE most about making chili, especially in the fall, is allowing it to cook all day and fill my home with delicious smells. It’s so cozy and warming on chilly fall nights.
Step 4: the toppings
The toppings are the real secret here. Most chili is delicious, but what makes a chili recipe over-the-top good are all the really yummy toppings.
I layer as follows: a thick layer of shredded sharp cheddar cheese, a dollop of yogurt, and sliced avocados. Then sprinkle on lots of fresh cilantro and green onions too. You can enjoy this with tortilla chips (I make homemade baked chips in the oven) or beer bread. Both are great! But in my opinion, beer bread (5 ingredients, so easy) with chili is a must. It’s delish.
Simple as can be, but every spoonful is so delicious. Think a little spicy, a touch creamy, filled with chicken, peppers, cheese, and all those toppings. I love a simple fall dinner when the days are busy and the nights are turning cold!
Looking for other fall dinners with a little kick? Here are a few ideas:
Healthy Slow Cooker Turkey and White Bean Chili
Healthy Slow Cooker Chipotle Bean Chili
One Skillet Saucy Chicken Tortilla Enchilada Rice Bake
Healthy Chipotle Chicken Sweet Potato Skins
Slow Cooker Chipotle Chicken Tortilla Soup with Salty Lime Chips
Lastly, if you make this Crockpot Chipotle Queso Chicken Chili be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Crockpot Chipotle Queso Chicken Chili
Servings: 8
Calories Per Serving: 403 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Watch the How-To Reel
Ingredients
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons chipotle chili powder
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- kosher salt
- 2 red bell peppers, chopped
- 1/4 cup pickled jalapeños, chopped
- 1 (4 ounces) can can diced green chilies
- 2 andouille sausage, links quartered (optional)
- 2 cups red salsa
- 1 can or bottle (12 ounce) pumpkin beer (or beer of choice)
- 6 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 can black beans, drained
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1/4 cup chopped green onion
- avocado, and Greek yogurt, for serving
Instructions
Crockpot
- 1. In the bowl of your crockpot, combine the onion, chicken, chili powder, paprika, chipotle chili powder, and cumin. Season well with salt. Add the bell peppers, jalapeños, green chiles, and andouille sausage, if using.. Pour over the salsa, then the beer. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours or on high for 2-4 hours.2. Shred the chicken. Stir in the cream cheese, cheddar cheese, and beans. Cook until the cheese melts, 5 minutes.3. Ladle the chili into bowls. Top, as desired. I like Greek yogurt/sour cream, cheese, avocado, cilantro, and green onions. Eat and enjoy!
Stove
- 1. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, chicken, chili powder, paprika, chipotle chili powder, and cumin. Season well with salt. Cook 5 minutes, until very fragrant. Add the bell peppers, jalapeños, green chiles, and andouille sausage, if using. Pour over the salsa, then the beer. Partially cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 20 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.2. Pull the chicken out and shred using 2 forks.3. Stir in the cream cheese until smooth, slowly letting it melt into the broth. Add the shredded chicken, cheddar cheese, and white beans. Cook 5-10 minutes, until the cheese is melted. If needed, thin with water or broth.4. Ladle the chili into bowls. Top, as desired. I like Greek yogurt/sour cream, cheese, avocado, cilantro, and green onions. Eat and enjoy!
Instant pot
- 1. In the bowl of your instant pot combine the onion, chicken, chili powder, paprika, chipotle chili powder, and cumin. Season well with salt. Add the bell peppers, jalapeños, green chiles, and andouille sausage, if using. Pour over the salsa, then the beer. Cover and cook on high pressure for 8-12 minutes.2. Set the instant pot to sauté. Shred the chicken. Stir in the cream cheese, cheddar cheese, and beans. Cook until the cheese melts, 5 minutes.3. Ladle the chili into bowls. Top, as desired, I like Greek yogurt/sour cream, cheese, avocado, cilantro, and green onions. Eat and enjoy!
This post was originally published on October 2, 2023
Love this recipe!!
I tasted it before adding the cream cheese. I think the cream cheese toned down the heat a bit.
Thank you!
Thank you so much for trying out the recipe! Have a great week! xT
Where is the tortilla chip recipe? Thanks!
Cut corn tortillas into triangles. Drizzle in olive oil & bake at 425 for 8-12 minutes
Made this for dinner tonight!! The flavors are AMAZING!! Perfect amount of heat! The cream cheese adds a tangy flavor that is out of this world!! The hubs is gona LOVE me!!
Thank you so much for trying out the recipe! Have a great week! xT
I just made this chicken chili recipe last night and it was DELICIOUS!! The crockpot made the meal so simple…I used a mixture of chicken breasts and thighs and I did use a pumpkin ale as you suggested too. I used a local salsa that was labeled mild with a little kick so the spice level was just right. I used all the toppings you suggested but did sub sour cream instead of greek yogurt. I also made your beer bread recipe and I used pumpkin ale and honey in that super simple recipe and it came out amazing with little effort. Everyone loved it!!
Thank you so much for trying out the recipe! Have a great week! xT
Tieghan, do you have a recipe or how you make those amazing looking chips?
Cut corn tortillas into triangles. Drizzle in olive oil & bake at 425 for 8-12 minutes 🙂 xT
Can we substitute beer?
I can’t wait to try this! Lately I’ve been buying chicken that comes diced into chunks to save a step (whatever makes it more likely for me to cook), and I’m wondering if you think that would still work rather than whole breasts/thighs that you shred after cooking?
Yes, that should work just fine! xT
Me finding this recipe was meant to be. I’ve been in such a dinner rut lately and have had zero motivation to cook for my family. I was looking to make chicken tortilla soup in the crock pot today and came across your website. This recipe looked like a better option so I grabbed the ingredients this morning from the grocery. I let it cook on high since I didn’t start it until the afternoon. I added the cheeses (no beans is my preference) and let it sit on warm until my family trickled home, everyone eating when they could. The consensus was that the dinner was a WINNER!!!! I actually made your beer bread too and it was also a hit!!! I’ll be frequenting your page more often from here on out!!! Thank you for getting me out of my dinner rut!! Your pretzels are going on my short list for this Fall!
Hi Jenny! Thank you so much for trying out the recipe! Have a great week! xT
So yummy! made to pack for lunch all week! Thank you for another amazing recipe!
Hope you loved the recipe! Thank you so so much! xT
Wondering what you’d use in place of the beer (if anything)? Thanks!!
Hi there! You could use chicken broth! xT
I don’t want to be rude but literally basically alll your recipes are the same these days. The
You could just leave the site and let the rest of us enjoy Teighan’s recipes.
To be fair that’s true…could try a different cuisine or something? Maybe draw inspiration from some different bakers/ Cooks as there are plenty out there.
This looks awesome but I have a pork butt in my fridge that needs to be used soon and I was thinking about trying to use it for chili…could I substitute it for the chicken? Or do you have a chili recipe that you think would work better? Thanks for any advice!
Hi there! I haven’t ever tried this with pork before so I can’t say for sure! xT
YES LOVING ALL YOUR CROCKPOT RECIPES……WILL DEFINITELY BE TRYING THEM SOON..AND JUST ORDERED THREE COOKBOOKS ON AMAZON TO GIVE TO MY FAMILY..THANKS MUCH!!! P.S. I DO NOT KNOW IF YOU ANSWER…IS THIS PARTICULAR CHILI RECIPE SPICY??? I HAVE SOME FAMILY THAT DOES NOT LIKE VERY SPICY THANKS
Hi Joy! Thank you so much! This recipe is a little bit spicy due to the Chipotles, so maybe just use less of that if you want to tone down the spice! xT
I use the crockpot to make dinner for my busy family 1-2 nights per week – thank you for adding new ideas to my list!
Sounds amazing but I’m wondering if it would be too hot/spicy for my grandkids (2 & 4 yo)? Any recommended modifications for that? Thanks!!
Leave out the spices….or pick another recipe…
My kids ages 10 and 13 do not love spicy food so I am constantly modifying recipes. In this one I would use mild red salsa, a mild chili powder, and leave out to the jalapenos.
I would skip the chipotle powder and jalapenos and go with a mild salsa. If it’s still too spicy to their taste, add extra yogurt/sour cream to tone down the heat. 🙂
Hi there! It might be a bit spicy with the chipotles! I would maybe just add less chipotles 🙂 xT