I call this creamy chicken ranch crock pot chili my award winning chili recipe because it won first place at an office potluck. While this certainly isn’t a fancy culinary award, the recipe is easy, healthy, and all three of my kiddos love it. That earns the “award winning” nickname in this mom’s opinion. This unique, creamy white chicken chili recipe combines traditional chili spices with kid-friendly ranch flavors to create the ultimate kid-friendly comfort food.
This creamy chicken ranch crock pot chili is a kid-friendly twist on traditional chili.
This cream cheese chicken chili combines classic chili spices with kid-friendly ranch flavors that are sure to satisfy both adult and kiddo taste buds alike. You can easily modify the heat in this recipe by adjusting the amount of jalapeño (particularly the seeds and membrane) that go into the slow cooker. We are a family divided on spice preference so I keep the seeds and membrane out of the slow cooker. I slice up a few raw pieces of jalapeño and offer it as a topping for those of us who prefer a spicier chili.
Chili Topping Bar
I’m going on 14 years of this parenting gig so I’ve learned a trick to two. To get these guys excited about a new recipe, I love a good topping bar. Everyone gets a bowl of chili that they can customize by selecting from a lineup of delicious toppings to add more fresh flavor, heat or crunch. Here are a few of my favorites:
- Shredded cheese – Cheddar cheese, Mexican cheese blend, Monterey jack, pepper jack are our favorites.
- Crumbled tortilla chips, tortilla strips or corn chips – For next level tortilla chip flavor, try these homemade tortilla chips that come together in 15 minutes.
- Sliced green onions
- Chopped red onion
- Diced tomatos
- Mashed or chopped Avocado
- Sour cream
- Chopped fresh cilantro
- Chopped Jalapeños – I like to include chopped jalapeños with the seeds and membranes so those who prefer spicy chili can add a few to turn up the heat.
- Crispy french fried onions– While most brands are not gluten free, I have found a gluten free version at Whole Foods around the holidays.
Looking for more slow cooker recipes?
Creamy Chicken Ranch Crock Pot Chili
Ingredients
- 2-3 chicken breasts or 5-6 chicken thighs
- 1 15 oz can of black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 15 oz can of corn, rinsed and drained
- 1 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes
- 8 oz cream cheese
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons of ranch seasoning (add more to taste) McCormick's Homestyle Ranch Dip, Dressing and Seasoning Mix is gluten free. Please sure to check that label if you eat gluten free.
- 1-2 chopped jalapeño Remove the seeds/membrane to reduce the heat.
- 1 onion chopped
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in the slow cooker
- Cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 8 hours
- Use two forks to shred the chicken in the chili. Serve with optional toppings
Notes
-
- Shredded cheese – cheddar, Mexican cheese blend, Monterey jack, pepper jack are our favorites
-
- Crumbled tortilla chips or corn chips
-
- Sliced green onions
-
- Chopped red onion
-
- Diced tomatos
-
- Avocado – mashed or chopped
-
- Sour cream
-
- Chopped fresh cilantro
-
- Chopped Jalapeños – I like to include chopped jalapeños with the seeds and membranes so those who prefer spicy chili can add a few to turn up the heat
-
- Crispy french fried onions– While brands are not gluten free, Whole Foods sells a gluten free version around the holidays.
Yummy! The kids asked for seconds!
Oh we’re so excited to hear that! Thanks for the feedback 🙂
Absolutely delicious; excited to make this again soon. I made this for a friend’s “chili-cook-off” and won 1st place!
Congrats on your 1st place win! So happy enjoyed it!
Im gonna make this for cook off …I hope its a winner with our crowd
Great – let us know how it turns out. Good luck! (Don’t forget about the toppings! The French’s crispy fried onions are always a huge hit)