Slow Cooker Chicken Chili

It is no secret that I love slow cookers… They are such a hassle-free and time-efficient way to prepare a hearty and delicious dinner that makes itself ready for your enjoyment while you spend the day at work, slaving away - or, writing blog posts… J

I honestly don't remember where I saw the dish that ultimately inspired this recipe; otherwise, I would totally share it with you. Along those same lines, however, since I never printed it or did anything more than glance at it, wherever it was, I feel confident to say that this is pretty much my own concoction at this point. And it turned out mighty tasty, too, if I do say so myself! Oh, and it's got lots of good ingredients for you, too!

Anyways, short and sweet today, but here is your basic rundown for Slow Cooker Chicken Chili…

Slow Cooker Chicken Chili

-          1 - 1 1/2 lbs chicken breast, cut into small, bite-sized chunks (or skip this step, throw them in whole, and shred them later after they're cooked, whatever floats your boat!)

-          1 8-oz can tomato sauce

-          2 10-oz cans Rotel tomatoes, drained

-          1 15.5-oz can pinto beans, drained and rinsed well

-          1 15.5-oz can black beans, drained and rinsed well

-          1 15.5 oz can sweet, no salt added corn, drained

-          1 7-oz can green chilies

-          1/2 large sweet onion, diced into small pieces

-          2 tsp. chili powder

-          1 tsp. EACH garlic powder, paprika, and cumin

-          1/2 tsp. EACH black pepper and seasoned salt

-          2 tbsp. brown sugar

-          1/2 - 1 cup water, depending on how thick you like your chili

1.       Set your slow cooker on low.

2.       In a small bowl, mix together the chili powder, garlic powder, paprika, cumin, black pepper, seasoned salt, and brown sugar.

3.       Place the chicken chunks, tomato sauce, Rotel tomatoes, pinto beans, black beans, corn, green chilies, and onion into the slow cooker and mix well. Stir in the seasoning mix and mix again. Add between 1/2 and 1 cup of water to help everything mix together well, depending on how thick you like your chili.

4.       Cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 4-6 hours, until chicken is cooked completely through. Top with shredded cheese and/or sour cream and enjoy!

We also made some honey corn bread muffins to accompany this, but it would be fantastic with some multi-grain tortilla chips, too! Everyone loved this stuff, and it had just the right amount of spice that even Brooklyn devoured it.

Hope you enjoy!