Crack chicken chili is a creamy slow cooker chicken chili: boneless chicken thighs, black beans, corn, fire-roasted tomatoes and green chiles cooked in broth with a packet of ranch seasoning and chili spices, then finished with cream cheese, sharp cheddar and crumbled bacon. It serves 6, and the slow cooker does most of the work.
How to make it: Put the chicken, vegetables, broth, ranch mix and spices in the slow cooker and cook on high for 3 to 5 hours or on low for 5 to 8 hours, until the chicken reaches 165°F. Shred the chicken in a bowl, whisk the softened cream cheese into the chili until smooth, then return the chicken, melt in the cheddar and top with bacon.
Why You’ll Love It
- Hands-off: about 15 minutes of prep, then the slow cooker takes over.
- Creamy and cheesy: cream cheese and sharp cheddar turn the broth thick and rich.
- The crack chicken trio: cheese, ranch and bacon in a bowl of chili.
- Pantry cans: black beans, fire-roasted tomatoes and green chiles straight from the shelf.
When to Add the Cream Cheese
At the end. The cream cheese doesn’t cook with the chili; it goes in after the chicken is done, in this order:
- Take the chicken out. Shred it in a bowl with two forks and leave it there for now.
- Warm the cream cheese. Start with softened cream cheese and microwave it for 30 to 45 seconds, until it’s easy to stir.
- Whisk it in. Add it to the slow cooker and whisk vigorously until it’s completely melted and smooth.
- Then the chicken and cheddar. Return the chicken and stir in the cheddar a handful at a time.
Whisking the cream cheese into the liquid before the chicken goes back keeps it from clinging to the shreds in lumps.
How to Make It Creamy and Smooth
Cream cheese added straight to a hot chili sometimes doesn’t mix in well enough. If yours is stubborn, try this: put the softened cream cheese in a bowl, whisk in about 2 large ladles of the hot liquid until smooth, then pour it back into the chili and stir.
- Use full-fat cream cheese. It gives the chili a rich texture and holds together well.
- Shred the cheddar yourself. Freshly shredded cheddar melts smoother than pre-shredded.
- Add the cheddar slowly, a handful at a time, stirring until each handful melts.
Ingredient Notes
Chicken thighs: 1 1/4 pounds boneless, skinless, thawed. Thighs have the best flavor and stay juicier; breasts work too.
Beans and corn: a 15-ounce can of black beans, drained and rinsed, and 1 1/2 cups of frozen corn. White beans or canned corn are fine swaps.
Tomatoes and chiles: a 14.5-ounce can of fire-roasted diced tomatoes and a 4-ounce can of green chiles, both undrained. Choose mild, medium or hot chiles to set the heat.
Broth and seasoning: 1 cup of chicken broth, a 1-ounce packet of ranch seasoning mix, and cumin, paprika, chili powder, garlic powder and onion powder.
Cheese: one 8-ounce package of full-fat cream cheese, softened, and 1 cup of freshly shredded sharp cheddar. Monterey Jack works in place of the cheddar.
Bacon: 6 to 8 slices, cooked and crumbled, for the top. Turkey bacon works too.
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 1/2 cups frozen corn
- 1 can black beans (15 ounces), drained and rinsed
- 1 can fire-roasted diced tomatoes (14.5 ounces), undrained
- 1 can green chiles (4 ounces), undrained, mild, medium or hot
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 packet ranch seasoning mix (1 ounce)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 8 ounces cream cheese (1 package, full-fat), softened
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, freshly shredded
- 1 teaspoon freeze-dried dill, optional
- 6 to 8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled, for garnish
How to Make Crack Chicken Chili
1. Fill the slow cooker. In a large slow cooker, combine the thawed chicken thighs, frozen corn, black beans, fire-roasted tomatoes, green chiles, chicken broth, ranch seasoning mix, cumin, paprika, chili powder, garlic powder and onion powder. Stir well and submerge the chicken below the liquid.
2. Slow cook. Cover and cook on HIGH for 3 to 5 hours or on LOW for 5 to 8 hours, until the chicken is tender, shreds easily and reaches 165°F on a food thermometer. Keep the lid on while it cooks.
3. Shred the chicken. Transfer the chicken to a bowl and shred it into bite-size pieces with two forks. Do not return it to the chili yet.
4. Whisk in the cream cheese. Microwave the softened cream cheese for 30 to 45 seconds, until it is easily stirrable. Add it to the slow cooker and whisk it vigorously into the chili until completely melted and smooth.
5. Add the chicken and cheddar. Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker. Mix in the cheddar a handful at a time, stirring until melted. Stir in the dill if using. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
6. Serve. Ladle the chili into bowls and garnish with the crumbled bacon.
Instant Pot and Stovetop Versions
Instant Pot: put everything except the two cheeses in the pot without stirring, with the chicken at the bottom. Pressure cook on high for 15 minutes, then quick release so the chicken doesn’t overcook. Shred the chicken, then melt in both cheeses on Saute. Use thawed chicken.
Stovetop with cooked chicken: with rotisserie or leftover shredded chicken, put the chicken and all the other ingredients in a pot on the stove and simmer about 10 minutes, until it’s heated through to 165°F. Finish the cheese the same way.
Variations
- Chicken breasts: use them in place of the thighs.
- White beans: swap them for the black beans.
- More heat: use hot green chiles.
- Monterey Jack: use it in place of the cheddar.
- Turkey bacon: for the topping.
Storage & Reheating
Refrigerator: Cool leftovers quickly in shallow covered containers, refrigerate them within 2 hours, and eat them within 3 to 4 days.
Freezer: Dairy can separate when chili with dairy is frozen and thawed. For the freezer, make the chili up to step 3, leave out the dairy, and freeze it in airtight containers for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator overnight, then stir in the cheeses while you reheat it.
Reheating: Reheat covered on the stove or in the microwave until it reaches 165°F or a rolling boil, adding a splash of broth or water if it’s thick. Don’t reheat it in a slow cooker.
What to Serve With It
Serve it with tortilla chips or over Frito pie-style corn chips. For a party spread, add chicken bacon ranch pinwheels.
More crack chicken and chili recipes: crack chicken soup, slow cooker cream cheese crack chicken, 8-can chicken taco soup and Wendy’s chili.
Frequently Asked Questions
When do you add the cream cheese to crack chicken chili?
At the end, after the chicken is cooked and shredded. Whisk the softened cream cheese into the chili until smooth, then return the chicken and add the cheddar.
Why is it called crack chicken chili?
Crack chicken is the name for chicken made with cheese, ranch and bacon. This chili adds that combination to a chicken chili.
What is in crack chicken chili?
Chicken thighs, black beans, corn, fire-roasted tomatoes, green chiles, chicken broth, ranch seasoning, chili spices, cream cheese, cheddar and bacon.
Can you make crack chicken chili on the stove?
Yes, with cooked chicken: simmer the shredded chicken and the other ingredients about 10 minutes, then stir in both cheeses.
Can you freeze crack chicken chili?
Yes, but freeze it before the cheeses go in, since dairy can separate. Add them when you reheat it.
How long do leftovers keep?
3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. Reheat to 165°F.
Final Notes
Keep the lid on, check the chicken at 165°F and whisk the cream cheese in before the chicken goes back. If you try it with white beans or Monterey Jack, tell me in the comments how it turned out.
Crack Chicken Chili
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Ingredients
- 1 1/4 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs thawed
- 1 1/2 cups frozen corn
- 1 can black beans 15 ounces, drained and rinsed
- 1 can fire-roasted diced tomatoes 14.5 ounces, undrained
- 1 can green chiles 4 ounces, undrained, mild, medium or hot
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 packet ranch seasoning mix 1 ounce
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 8 ounces cream cheese 1 package, full-fat, softened
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese freshly shredded
- 1 teaspoon freeze-dried dill optional
- 6 to 8 slices bacon cooked and crumbled, for garnish
Instructions
- In a large slow cooker, combine the thawed chicken thighs, frozen corn, black beans, fire-roasted tomatoes, green chiles, chicken broth, ranch seasoning mix, cumin, paprika, chili powder, garlic powder and onion powder. Stir well and submerge the chicken below the liquid.
- Cover and cook on HIGH for 3 to 5 hours or on LOW for 5 to 8 hours, until the chicken is tender, shreds easily and reaches 165°F on a food thermometer. Keep the lid on while it cooks.
- Transfer the chicken to a bowl and shred it into bite-size pieces with two forks. Do not return it to the chili yet.
- Microwave the softened cream cheese for 30 to 45 seconds, until it is easily stirrable. Add it to the slow cooker and whisk it vigorously into the chili until completely melted and smooth.
- Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker. Mix in the cheddar a handful at a time, stirring until melted. Stir in the dill if using. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
- Ladle the chili into bowls and garnish with the crumbled bacon.
Notes
Nutrition
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