Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken and Vegetable Chili
Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken and Vegetable Chili recipe. A delicious and healthy shredded chicken chili recipe made with tomato sauce, spices, red peppers, carrots, squash, and zucchini. Naturally, Paleo, Whole30, Dairy-free, and Gluten-free.
This Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken and Vegetable Chili has been a favorite of mine.
It’s made by cooking chicken breasts in tomato sauce and spices until it falls apart. Yummy vegetables are added to the chili to season it and provide a much needed crunch.
Slow cooker recipes have been clutch for me lately. You throw everything into a crockpot and let it do its thing.
I don’t know if it is because I’m pregnant or have a toddler or both but I have not been wanting to cook dinner when 5 pm rolls around.
Having a warm meal ready and waiting for me is such a life saver.
Which is why I will be making many more slow cooker recipes.
I did recently get an instant pot though… which seems like the opposite of a slow cooker. So be on the lookout for instant pot recipes as well!
Ingredients needed to make this Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken and Vegetable Chili:
- chicken breasts
- chili powder
- paprika
- dried oregano
- cumin
- salt and pepper
- garlic powder
- onion powder
- crushed tomatoes
- chicken broth
- red peppers
- carrots
- yellow squash
- zucchini
- optional- 2 cans of beans ( note: beans are not Paleo or Whole30 )
This recipe is easily customizable. You can add more or less of a certain spice. You can use different vegetables.
You can also add lots of yummy toppings when it is done, like avocado and lime juice. YUM.
Tips on how to make this Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken and Vegetable Chili
To start off, it helps to cut each chicken breast in half prior to putting it in the slow cooker. This ensures the chicken cooks until it is able to be easily shredded.
Then, only you add it to the slow cooker and put tomato sauce on top… the key to the seasoning is SPICES.
I love the use of chili powder, paprika, oregano, and cumin in chili. It gives it it’s “chili” flavor.
The next step is cooking the chicken on low heat for 4 hours. You don’t want to put the veggies in at the beginning or they’ll get very soggy.
So at the 4 hour mark, add your veggies.
Then cook everything for another few hours.
If you leave the recipe as is, it is naturally Paleo, Whole30, Dairy-free, and Gluten-free.
You can add beans at the end of the recipe though, and it tastes delicious. And it adds healthy protein, fiber and starch to your dish. It will just no longer be Paleo or Whole30.
It will still be dairy-free and gluten-free.
It’s up to you! As I said, this dish is very customizable and “healthy” means something different to everyone.
Other healthy chili recipes:
Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken and Vegetable Chili
Ingredients
- 2.5 lbs chicken breast
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 1/2 tsp cumin
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 3 cups crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 2 red peppers chopped
- 16 ounces sliced carrots sliced at least 1/2 inch thick
- 1 large yellow squash sliced 1/2 inch thick
- 2 medium zucchini sliced 1/2 inch thick
- optional- 2 cans of beans
Instructions
- Cut each chicken breast in half and put into the slow cooker.
- Cover the chicken in 1 tsp chili powder, 1 1/2 tsp paprika, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 1/2 tsp of cumin, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder, and 1 1/2 tsp onion powder.
- Pour the crushed tomatoes and chicken broth into the slow cooker. With a spatula, mix everything inside the slow cooker together. Set slow cooker to Low Heat and cook for 4 hours. Then, add the chopped red pepper, sliced yellow squash, sliced zucchini, and sliced carrots. Cook on low for another 3-4 hours.
- Remove the chicken from the slow cooker and put on a separate plate to shred. Use two forks to shred the chicken.
- Put the shredded chicken back into the slow cooker and mix. You can serve at this point or add beans and then serve.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste. I added another 1 tsp salt and 1/2 pepper at the end.
Nutrition
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