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{This post is sponsored by Bob’s Red Mill.}

The day-after-Christmas bowl we all want…smoky chipotle chicken chili with that sweet-corn “tamale” flavor. It’s hearty, hands-off in the slow cooker, and made for piling on toppings.

Think tender chicken, tomatoes, warm spices, and cornmeal to thicken and turn the broth silky. Serve big bowls with lime, avocado, chips, and a crumble of cheese.

Slow Cooker Chipotle Chicken Tamale Chili | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest

Why You’ll love this recipe

  • Tamale-inspired flavor without the tamale workload.
  • Crowd-friendly and topping-forward; game day or snowy weekend perfection.
  • Flexible method: slow cooker, stovetop, or Instant Pot.

Ingredient Notes

  • Chicken: Breasts are lean and shred cleanly; thighs are juicier and more forgiving. Salt lightly upfront if your enchilada sauce is salty.
  • Chipotle in adobo: Start small and build heat to taste; mince the peppers finely and add spoonfuls of adobo for smoky depth.
  • Enchilada sauce: If using your cookbook version, note the flavor profile (mild/medium). If using canned, choose one you like and adjust salt/heat at the end.
  • Cornmeal vs. masa harina: Cornmeal brings gentle sweetness and body; masa harina gives a more classic tamale aroma and ultra-silky thickening. Either works—texture differs slightly.
  • Beans/veg (if included): Rinse canned beans to control salt; cut veggies into similar sizes for even tenderness.
  • Toppings: Mango adds brightness; goat cheese = tangy and creamy. Offer queso fresco or cheddar as alternatives for a more “chili” feel.

And just like that it’s the day after Christmas. Hoping each and every one you had an amazing Christmas with your family. And for those of you who did not celebrate, I hope you had a relaxing day off!

My family and I had one of the best Christmases yet. It finally snowed, really snowed! Which made for one of the best white Christmases ever. The day was filled with good food and even better company. I have so much to share, but I’m going to save all the details for another day, as I’m attempting to keep today’s post short and sweet in an effort to spend less time online, and more time with my family.

Slow Cooker Chipotle Chicken Tamale Chili | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest

Every year for New Years, my family and I have always made a Mexican feast. This is something my late Aunt Katie started and we’ve carried on the tradition. Back when my cousins and I were kids, we’d spend the week after Christmas at our cabin in Ripley, New York. My Aunt Katie always used to bring tons of fresh tamales for New Years Eve and it was something everyone looked forward to each year.

Since tamales take a ton of work, these days I stick to tamale inspired recipes (hello to this tamale pie), plenty of tacos (new recipe coming on Thursday!), and bowls of guacamole.

Slow Cooker Chipotle Chicken Tamale Chili | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest

This year’s recipe is all about easy slow cooker tamale chili (with stove top and instant pot directions too). If you guys like tamales, and you like chicken tortilla soup, then this is your kind of a chili. It’s basically a cross between those two recipes and it is DELICIOUS.

I used my favorite Mexican spices, some chipotle in adobo, and my homemade enchilada sauce (recipe in my cookbook) to flavor the chili. To make the chili thicker, creamier, and to give it that true tamale taste, I used Bob’s Red Mill Cornmeal. Guys, the cornmeal is what makes this chili. It adds that sweet corn flavor of Masa, which is used in traditional tamales.

Slow Cooker Chipotle Chicken Tamale Chili | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest

And then the toppings. You all know how I love my toppings, and I did them up for this chili with some cilantro, lime, mango, avocado, homemade tortilla chips, and crumbled goat cheese.

So. Flippin’. GOOD.

Trust me, this is your New Year’s recipe, or at least sometime in the next few weeks. Everyone you are serving to is going to love this recipe, and it’s the perfect warming chili to cozy up to after a day of playing in the snow.

Slow Cooker Chipotle Chicken Tamale Chili | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest

How to serve

  • Big bowls topped with cilantro, lime, avocado, tortilla chips, crumbled goat cheese (or queso fresco), and sliced jalapeños.
  • Spoon over baked potatoes or rice for a tamale-bowl vibe.
  • Add a crunchy side—simple slaw with lime to cut the richness.

Lastly, if you make Slow Cooker Chipotle Chicken Tamale Chili, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love hearing from you 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!

Slow Cooker Chipotle Chicken Tamale Chili

Author: Tieghan Gerard
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Calories Per Serving: 341 kcal

Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

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Ingredients

Instructions

  • 1. In the bottom your crockpot, layer the onion and garlic. Add the chicken, ancho chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper. Pour over the enchilada sauce and 4 cups broth. Add the apple cider vinegar, chipotle chilies, and cornmeal. Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours or on high for 4-6 hours. Shred the chicken using two forks. Taste and add salt if needed.
    2. In a small bowl, combine the mango, lime juice, and lime zest, and cilantro.
    3. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with mango, tortilla chips, avocado, and cheese. Garnish with cilantro and limes. Enjoy!

To Make in the Instant Pot

  • 1. In the bowl of your instant pot, layer the onion and garlic. Add the chicken, ancho chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper. Pour over the enchilada sauce and 4 cups broth. Add the apple cider vinegar, chipotle chilies, and cornmeal. Cover and cook on high pressure/manual for 20-30 minutes.
    2. Once done cooking, use the natural or quick release function and release the steam. Shred the chicken using two forks. Taste and add salt if needed. Finish as directed above.
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Slow Cooker Chipotle Chicken Tamale Chili | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest

Winter chili perfection.

{This post is sponsored by Bob’s Red Mill. Thank you for supporting the brands that keep Half Baked Harvest cooking!}

This post was originally published on December 26, 2017
4.30 from 224 votes (195 ratings without comment)

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Comments

  1. 2 stars
    Did tge stove top instructions get posted? I didn’t see them.
    I am looking foward to trying this recipe, but don’t use a crokpot or instapot.

    Reply

    1. Hi Rachel, directions below. Please let me know if you have other questions. Hope you love this recipe! Happy Holiday’s 🙂

      1Saute the onion the onion and garlic with 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat until fragrant.. Add the chicken, ancho chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper. Pour over the enchilada sauce and 4 cups broth. Add the apple cider vinegar, chipotle chilies, and cornmeal. Bring to a boil and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.

      2. Shred the chicken using two forks. Taste and add salt if needed. Finish as directed.

      Reply

  4. Definitely my kind of chili! And I’m so envious, a white Christmas is something I’ve always wanted, and hope to have one like that someday!

    Reply

  7. 4 stars
    I made the chipotle chicken tamale chili for dinner tonight, super flavor. The goat cheese was a great topping, the cilantro/lime mixture not so much – made it too sour. I didn’t have a ripe mango or avocado, didn’t use either of them. For the next bowl I plan to use goat cheese and cilantro with no lime and will try to save a bowl until a mango & avocado ripen.

    Reply

    1. Hi Keith! I am glad you liked this dish! Sorry the cilantro lime topping did not work for you, but I hope you enjoy this more the next time you make it! Thank you!

      Reply

  8. Hey Tieghan,
    I love this slow cooker tamale chili and think I’ll have to make it for my family sometime this week! But I’m not the biggest fan of mango. Do you have any recommendations as to what I can use instead? Or should I just not worry about the mango on top? Haha would pomegranate seeds be good? I’m looking forward to more winter recipes! (And Thursday’s tacos ?).
    I’m glad you had such a nice Christmas and are able to spend time with your family. Also, I’m happy you had a white Christmas and I hope you’re having a wonderful few days off. 🙂
    Sleep well and stay warm!

    Reply

    1. HI Kristin! I think pomegranates would be amazing! You can also, just omit the mango completely, no bog deal! Please let me know if you have other questions. Hope you love this recipe! Happy Holiday’s 🙂

      Reply

  10. I wish you would bring back the print button on the mobil Website. I really like your creative cooking but lately (i think since your website update and gone print button) i am skipping your recipes for the simple fact that i don’t like to have my mobil laying around while i am cooking and it is too time-consuming to write your recipe out by hand.
    I wish you all the best for the new year…(love your book)

    Reply

    1. Hi Sandy, I will make sure to bring the print button back to the mobile site. I didn’t realize it was missing. Should have that updated within the next few days. Again, sorry for the trouble. Please let me know if you have other questions. Hope you love this recipe! Happy Holiday’s 🙂

      Reply

  11. 5 stars
    I love this recipe. Can’t wait to make it when I get home. Also, a great way to use up several spices in the cabinet. Glad you had a wonderful Christmas.

    Reply

  12. I’m going to try this – but vegetarianize it! Looks delicious, I’ll just replace chicken with beans and maybe some mushrooms!

    Reply

    1. HI! Sorry about that, directions are there now. Please let me know if you have other questions. Hope you love this recipe! Happy Holiday’s 🙂

      Reply