Made with taco seasoning, corn, beans, chicken, and a richly spiced broth, this Tex Mex Crockpot Chicken Chili is the ultimate easy family dinner.

Just like you love my recipes for Crockpot Salsa Chicken and Crockpot Steak Fajitas, you are going to love this recipe for Crockpot Chicken Chili! It comes together with minimal effort and economical ingredients to create a knock-out flavorful meal.

Bowl of crockpot chili topped with cheese and chips.

While we love classic beef and bean crockpot chili and crockpot white chicken chili, Taco Crockpot Chicken Chili is high on my family's list of favorite chili recipes! And it is high on my list of go-to dinner recipes, because not only is it delicious, but it is so easy to make!

Why You Will Love Crockpot Chicken Chili

Super Easy Recipe. It takes less than 10 minutes of hands-on prep to make this easy chicken chili. And that includes the time to chop the onion and pepper, and shred the chicken!
Unbeatable Flavor. Such simple ingredients combine together to give you a punch of Tex-Mex flavor.
Cheap Dinner Recipe. This crockpot chicken chili recipe is made using things you likely always have in your pantry. And because this chili is bulked up with corn and beans, you don't even have to use much chicken.
Feeds a Crowd. I often make this chicken chili when I am entertaining, as it can be held warm in the crockpot for hours and everyone loves it! You can even serve it over tortilla chips as nachos or over rice to stretch it even more.
Adaptable. I have made this recipe in a million different ways, using what I have on hand. The beans, chicken, and tomatoes can all be swapped out to use what you can on hand.
Freezer-Friendly. Chicken Chili freezes well and tastes even better when served as leftovers.

Notes on Ingredients

Ingredients for Chicken Chili labled on counter.

Chicken: Use boneless, skinless chicken breasts or chicken thighs.
Chicken Broth/Stock: Use low-sodium store-bought or homemade chicken stock or broth to control the level of sodium in the chili.
Onion and Bell Pepper: The addition of fresh onion and green bell pepper adds a nice freshness to the chili.
Beer: Adding a pale beer to the chili adds a nice tang and flavor to the overall dish. Use any beer you like, but I recommend a pale beer, such as Corona or Coors, so that it does not overwhelm the chili. If you don't drink beer, use additional chicken stock in place of the beer.
Taco Seasoning: Rather than using a homemade chili seasoning spice blend, this chili recipe uses homemade taco seasoning which adds a nice Tex-Mex flavor that pairs well with the corn, pinto beans, and chicken in this recipe.
Beans: Use pinto beans, black beans, kidney beans, or a combination. Any beans you like will work.
Corn: Use frozen corn or canned corn that has been rinsed and drained.
Diced Tomatoes: You can use jarred salsa if you don't have diced tomatoes or you can use crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce if your family does not care for the texture of diced tomatoes. If you want to add a little spice to this chili, substitute diced tomatoes with green chiles in place of regular diced tomatoes. Again, this recipe is versatile.
Lime Juice: Fresh lime juice adds acidity and allows the flavors of this chili to pop. If you have fresh lime, don't overlook adding this ingredient.

Substitutions/Modifications

Gluten-Free Chicken Chili: Omit the beer and be sure that your chicken broth is gluten-free.
Instant Pot Chicken Chili: Have an Instant Pot? Check out how to make this recipe for Instant Pot Chicken Taco Chili.
Vegetarian Taco Chili: Use vegetable broth in place of the chicken broth omit the chicken, and double the beans (use 60 ounces or 4 cans of beans instead of 30 ounces.)
Bean-Free Chicken Chili: Omit the beans and add in an additional ½ to 1 pound of chicken.
Speed-It-Up: Use jarred mild salsa in place of the diced tomatoes and omit the addition of onion and bell pepper, as the salsa will already include these ingredients.

Tips for the Best Taco Chicken Chili

The following tips are provided to help you achieve perfect results. You will find the detailed instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Tip #1: Saute the Onions and Peppers. You can certainly skip sauteeing the pepper and onion and add them raw to the slow cooker, but taking this extra step enhances the flavor of this simple dish.

Sauteed onions and peppers in saute pan.

Tip #2: Shred the Chicken. Add the chicken whole to the crockpot before cooking the chili. Once the chili has cooked, remove the chicken and shred it into small pieces. It will shred easily with a fork, and add a nice texture to the chili.

Shredded Chicken on wooden cutting board.

Tip #3: Add Lime Juice: To make the flavors really pop and come to life, add fresh lime juice to the cooked chili. It will transform a great chicken chili into an exceptional dish.

Serving Suggestions

Taco Chicken Chili makes a delicious family meal suitable for any night of the week, but it is also a great option when entertaining a large crowd.

Serve this chicken chili with tortilla chips, shredded cheese, sour cream, fresh cilantro, and avocado, and let everyone top their chili as desired. To make this chili stretch to feed a larger crowd, serve with Instant Pot Rice and let people dish the chili out over rice and top as desired.

Bowl of Chicken Chili topped with cheese and chips.

Storage Instructions

Chicken chili will keep for days in the refrigerator and the flavor, just like most chili recipes, gets better as it sits.

Refrigerate: Store the leftover cooled chicken chili in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Freeze: Allow the chili to cool, transfer to a freezer-safe container leaving 1 inch of space for expansion, and freeze for up to 3 months.
Reheat: If needed, defrost the chili in the refrigerator overnight. Reheat several servings on low heat in the crockpot or over low heat in a heavy-duty saucepan until warmed through. Alternatively, heat individual servings in a heat-safe bowl in 30-second intervals until warmed through.

More Favorite Chili Recipes

If you enjoyed this recipe for Slow Cooker Chicken Chili, I would love for you to leave a comment and review below.