The only acceptable response to a cold, rainy October day.
This chicken chili comes together in a slow cooker with minimal effort and fills the entire house with the kind of smell that makes staying home feel like a reward. It’s hearty, high protein, and the kind of meal that tastes better the longer it sits — which makes it one of the best meal prep options we’ve featured all year.
6 Servings
420 Calories
48g Protein
36g Carbs
6g Fat
Ingredients
- 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2 cans (15oz each) white cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can (15oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can (14oz) diced tomatoes
- 2 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 can (4oz) diced green chiles
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp chili powder
- ½ tsp oregano
- Salt and pepper to taste
Toppings:
- Plain Greek yogurt (in place of sour cream)
- Shredded Mexican cheese
- Sliced green onions
- Lime wedges
Directions
- Add chicken breasts to the bottom of the slow cooker. Layer onion, garlic, green chiles, beans, diced tomatoes, and broth on top.
- Add all spices and stir everything together as best you can around the chicken.
- Cook on low for 6–8 hours or high for 3–4 hours.
- Remove chicken breasts and shred with two forks. Return to the slow cooker and stir to combine.
- Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve hot with toppings of your choice.
Meal Prep & Storage
Prepping ahead: This is genuinely one of the easiest meal preps you’ll ever do. Throw everything in the slow cooker before you leave in the morning and it’s done when you get home. Zero active cooking time.
Storing leftovers: Keeps in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Freezes beautifully for up to 3 months — portion into individual containers before freezing for easy grab-and-go meals.
Reheating: Reheat on the stovetop over medium heat for 5 minutes or microwave covered for 2 minutes. Add a small splash of broth if it’s thickened up too much.
Batch tip: This recipe doubles easily and the leftovers just keep getting better. Make a full double batch on Sunday and you’re covered for lunch and dinner well into the week with zero extra effort.