Get ready for a flavor-packed bowl of comfort with this Crack Chicken Chili! Loaded with tender chicken, smoky bacon, black beans, and the perfect blend of spices, this creamy chili is a crowd-pleaser that will have everyone asking for seconds. With the addition of cream cheese and Colby Jack cheese, it’s irresistibly rich and indulgent. Whether you’re cooking for game day, a family dinner, or just craving something hearty and satisfying, this slow-cooked chili will hit the spot. Top it off with fresh cilantro or avocado for an extra burst of flavor and enjoy!
Ingredients
- 2½ cups chicken broth
- 15.25 ounces southwest corn with poblano and red peppers, do not drain
- 10 ounces mild Rotel diced tomatoes and green chilies, do not drain
- 1 ounces ranch seasoning mix
- 1 tablespoon freeze dried onion powder
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
- 3 medium boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 15.25 ounces black beans, drained and rinsed (can use pinto too)
- 1¼ cups smoked bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 8 ounces cream cheese, cubed
- 2 cups fresh shredded Colby and Monterey jack cheese
- 1½ tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, optional garnish
Instructions
- Lightly spray the inside of a 5 to 7-quart crock pot with nonstick cooking spray, or use a disposable crock pot liner.
- Add the chicken broth, southwest corn, Rotel, ranch mix, onion powder, chili powder, salt, and pepper to a medium-sized bowl. Whisk to combine.
- Lay the chicken breasts in the bottom of the prepared crock pot.
- Sprinkle the black beans on top of the chicken.
- Pour the chicken broth mixture over the black bean layer.
- Sprinkle the crumbled cooked bacon over the broth mixture.
- Top the bacon layer with the cubed cream cheese. Cook on high temperature for 4 hours or 6 hours on low temperature.
- When the chili has finished cooking, remove the chicken breasts. Use 2 forks to shred the chicken.
- Before returning the chicken to the crock pot, stir the broth and cream cheese until the cream cheese is evenly distributed and melted.
- Stir in the shredded cheese.
- Add the shredded chicken back into the crock pot and stir to combine. Garnish with chopped cilantro. Serve while hot
Notes
- If you are pressed for time, you can substitute rotisserie chicken from the grocery store for the raw chicken breasts. Instead of cooking on high for 4 hours, you can reduce the cooking time for the base of the chili to 2 hours. Add the shredded rotisserie chicken 30 minutes before serving.
- Chicken is cooked when the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- If you are serving a crowd, you can keep your chili on a warm setting in the slow cooker while serving.
FREEZE-DRYING INSTRUCTIONS
- Pour soup evenly on trays lined with silicone mats. Make note of the weight of the trays with food.
- Process according to freeze-dryer instructions.
- When finished freeze-drying, note the weight of the trays. The difference in weight of the trays before and after freeze-drying is the recommended amount of water needed to reconstitute.
TO RECONSTITUTE
Add recommended amount of hot water. Stir and let sit a few minutes until fully reconstituted. More, or less, than the recommended amount of water can be added to get the desired consistency.
