Description
A hearty and flavorful Queso Chicken Chili featuring tender shredded chicken, roasted corn, bell peppers, jalapeño, black beans, and creamy queso cheese blend. Perfectly spiced with cumin and chili powder, this comforting chili is great for dipping with blue corn tortilla chips and garnished with fresh cilantro.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Broth
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 1/2 cups salsa
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups salsa (remaining)
Roasted Vegetables
- 3 bell peppers, minced
- 1 14-ounce can corn, rinsed and drained
- 1 jalapeño pepper, minced (without ribs and seeds)
Beans and Cheese
- 1 14-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 4 ounces light cream cheese
- 6 ounces Pepper Jack cheese
Toppings and Serving
- Cilantro for topping
- Blue corn tortilla chips for dippin’
- Avocado (optional, for topping)
Instructions
- Cook the Chicken: Place chicken breasts, 1 1/2 cups salsa, water, cumin, chili powder, and salt in the slow cooker or Instant Pot. Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours, low for 6-7 hours, or in the Instant Pot at high pressure for 20 minutes until chicken is cooked through and tender.
- Roast Vegetables: Preheat the oven to 450°F. Pat minced bell peppers and corn dry with paper towels. Toss lightly with oil and spread on a baking sheet. Roast for 10-15 minutes until browned and roasted, bringing out their sweetness and flavor.
- Shred Chicken and Combine Ingredients: Once chicken is cooked, shred it directly in the pot using two forks. Stir in roasted peppers, roasted corn, minced jalapeño, black beans, remaining 1 1/2 cups salsa, and cream cheese. Replace cover and let cream cheese melt, stirring occasionally. Add additional 1/2 cup water to adjust soup consistency if needed. Simmer for 15-30 minutes until smooth and flavors meld.
- Add Cheese and Serve: Just before serving, stir in Pepper Jack cheese until melted and creamy. Spoon chili into bowls, top with fresh cilantro and avocado slices if desired. Serve with blue corn tortilla chips for scooping and enjoy!
Notes
- Remove ribs and seeds from jalapeño to reduce heat if preferred.
- Use the slow cooker or Instant Pot method depending on convenience.
- Adjust spiciness by adding more or less jalapeño and chili powder.
- Light cream cheese helps keep the chili creamy with less fat.
- Leftover chili can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 1 month.
- For a vegetarian version, substitute chicken with extra beans and vegetables and use vegetable broth.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
- Category: Main Dish, Chili, Soup
- Method: Slow Cooker, Instant Pot, Roasting
- Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 650mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 26g
- Fiber: 6g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 65mg
Keywords: queso chicken chili, roasted corn chili, spicy chicken soup, slow cooker chili, Instant Pot chili, Tex-Mex recipes, cheese chili, pepper jack chili
