Slow cooker recipes are so fitting for winter days. All day long, you’re surrounded by the comforting anticipation of a warm, cozy dinner. That’s exactly what you get with this slow cooker enchilada chili.

Yes, I know enchiladas and slow cookers don’t usually go together. But take away the corn tortillas, and your enchiladas are perfect as a bowl of chili, so this recipe is just the thing to get all those wonderful enchilada flavors.

I’ll tell you a secret about slow cookers, too. I used to stay away from them, thinking I couldn’t possibly get the deliciousness of a good recipe from something so simple as putting the ingredients together and then leaving them alone for hours. How could I get the tastiness and mouth-watering flavors of a dish if I didn’t give it my personal attention?

The thing I learned about slow cookers, though, is that they use the magic of time to give you amazingly complex flavor combinations. And because most slow cooker recipes, including this slow cooker enchilada chili, are simple and straightforward, anyone can enjoy the delights of a home-cooked meal. It doesn’t matter how skilled you are in the kitchen or how much (or how little) time you have.

Take 10 minutes around lunch time to put this together and you’ll have dinner ready and waiting that evening.

Variations on this recipe are easy, too. If you want a slightly different flavor profile, sautée the red and green bell peppers and the onion before you add them to the chili. You could also trade out the chicken for beef or even go with a vegetarian version by adding in some of your favorite garden vegetables like a butternut squash.

Serve in bowls topped with freshly chopped cilantro, lime, and sour cream, with plenty of hot sauce on the side so people can spice this up as much as they want.

Slow Cooker Enchilada Chili

This chili is filled with spices, beans, corn, peppers, onion, and chicken, for a hearty, flavorful dish that’ll warm you from head to toe.

• Author: Addie Gundry
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 4 hours
• Total Time: 4 hours 10 minutes
• Yield: Serves 6
• Category: Soups

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 (10-ounce) can red enchilada sauce
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can Ro-Tel diced tomatoes with green chiles
• 1 (15-ounce) can chili beans in mild chili sauce
• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels
• 1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 1/2 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 3/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, at room temperature
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Fresh cilantro and lime wedges, for garnish

Instructions

1. In a 6-quart slow cooker, combine the enchilada sauce, tomatoes with chiles, chili beans, black beans, frozen corn, bell peppers, onion, and chicken. Sprinkle the cumin, paprika, and chili powder over everything. Stir to combine and add the broth.
2. Cover and cook on High for 4 hours or on Low for 6 hours.
3. Add the cream cheese, stir well, and cover. Let sit for a few minutes, then, using a large spoon, briskly stir the cream cheese to melt and combine. Season with salt and black pepper.
4. Cover and cook on High until the cream cheese has completely melted, about 10 minutes.
5. Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh cilantro and lime wedges.