Healthy Slow Cooker Salsa Verde Chicken Chili
When the temperature drops, there’s nothing more comforting than a big pot of chili simmering away. I usually lean on my classic tomato-based version, but for this chili, I gave it a fresh twist with chicken and salsa verde. It’s hearty, wholesome, and brimming with lean chicken breast, beans, butternut squash, and a tangy tomatillo-based salsa verde that brightens every spoonful.
Salsa verde is what makes this chili shine—it’s made with tomatillos instead of traditional red tomatoes, giving it that signature green hue and zesty flavor. To build the base, I add diced onion, bell pepper, jalapeño for gentle heat, and creamy butternut squash for natural sweetness. Then in go the beans—dark red kidney and white cannellini—which add fiber, texture, and staying power (though any beans will work in a pinch). The slow cooker does all the heavy lifting, leaving you with a cozy, crowd-pleasing dinner that reheats beautifully and freezes like a dream.
If you’re loving this recipe, you’ll also want to check out a few of my other cold-weather favorites: my Pumpkin Turkey Chili, Smoky Winter-White Bean Chili, and Butternut Squash Chicken Chili …this chicken chili is made on the stovetop and uses classic tomatoes versus salsa verde. Each one of these chili recipes is hearty, nutritious, and super simple to prepare.
Why this chili stands out
- Hands-off cooking: The slow cooker takes care of the heavy lifting… literal magic!
- Nutritious & filling: Chicken, beans, and veggies combine for a balanced, fiber-rich meal.
- Custom toppings: Pile on avocado, shredded cheese, Greek yogurt, or scallions—everyone gets their perfect bowl.
- Perfect for meal prep: Freezes beautifully and tastes even better the next day.
This is the kind of recipe that warms your kitchen, fills your belly, and makes the whole house smell amazing. Trust me—you’ll want to keep this one on repeat all season long.
This chili is delicious on its own, but it also pairs wonderfully with some of my other simple dishes. Try serving it alongside my Grilled Corn Salsa, Pickle de Gallo, or Pineapple-Avocado Salsa for a fresh contrast, or dunk a piece of my Cheddar Protein Biscuits into the bowl to soak up the savory broth.
If you love your magic pot as much as I do, try this recipe next: Slow Cooker Italian-Style Meatballs!
Healthy Slow Cooker Salsa Verde Chicken Chili
Ingredients
- 2 to 3 cups of diced butternut squash, cut into ½-inch pieces or smaller*
- 1 small yellow onion, finely diced (~½ cup)
- 1 small green bell pepper, seeded and diced
- ½ to 1 small jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely diced, (~1½ tablespoons)
- 16 ounces salsa verde
- 2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast
- 15 ounces dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 15 ounces cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 bunch of scallions, sliced, green and white part
- 1 cup coarsely chopped cilantro or parsley
- Optional garnish: Greek yogurt, lite sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, finely sliced red onion, chopped avocado
Instructions
- Combine squash, onion, bell pepper, jalapeño, salsa and broth in the bowl of your slow cooker. Give it a stir.
- Add the cumin, oregano, garlic powder, black pepper, and stir again so everything is well combined. Place chicken breasts on top and submerge so they are fully coated. Cover the slow cooker and cook on high setting for 4 hours or low setting for 8 hours.
- 30 minutes before it’s finished, remove the chicken to a plate and set aside. Stir in the beans, replace the lid. Let the beans simmer in the sauce while you shred the chicken.
To shred the chicken:
- Using 2 forks, shred all of the chicken breasts and return it to the pot. To give yourself more room on the plate, you can add each shredded breast back into the slow cooker as you complete it.
- Give the contents a really thorough stir, allowing the chicken to sop up all of the yummy liquid and ensuring everything is well mixed. Place the lid back on the slow cooker and let it continue cooking until your time is complete. Right before serving, stir in scallion and cilantro.
- Serve with optional Greek yogurt, light sour cream, grated cheddar cheese, avocado and thinly sliced red onion.
Delicious and worth the prep/chopping!
Made it many times in Dutch oven
Leftovers freeze well
Hi Renee! Thanks for all your great comments and reviews! We really appreciate the feedback 🙂 And again, so happy you enjoyed the recipe (and the leftovers)!
—Team Joy
This is delicious and ZERO points on Weight Watchers! I did double the garlic powder and oregano, added a pinch of salt and Tabasco because I like heat! Will make this again and again! Don’t let the butternut squash turn you off! I thought it would make it too sweet, but it does not, almost gets lost, but in a good way.
Hi Maureen, we’re so happy you enjoyed the chili, and we love the way you made it your own with a few easy tweaks…especially the extra heat! It’s great to give butternut squash the spotlight once in a while and this dish does so in a very subtle way, as you point out. We’re thrilled it has earned a spot in your recipe rotation!
—Donna
This is one of the best chili’s I have ever made. So delicious and healthy too!
Hi Claire – so wonderful to hear that this chili is one of your favorites! This recipe is definitely a keeper!
-Alison
I have made this chili several times. It is really delicious and a big hit with my family.
Hi Sheila, thank you for your kind words! We’re thrilled to hear that this recipe has become a family favorite!
-Alison
This chili is so delicious, hearty and perfect for a chilly day. Served with some homemade bread it can’t be beat. It’s become a favorite for us and so easy to put together. I add corn and some orzo in addition to the beans! Fantastic.
Hi Corinne, thanks so much for your sweet review! We love all your delicious additions—the corn, orzo and homemade bread all sound amazing! We’re happy to hear that the recipe is a new favorite!
—Donna
This was a hit with the whole family! My kids typically complain about squash, but they had seconds! Nutritious and delicious, will make again!
Hi Erin! We love hearing that this was a hit with the whole family! So glad to hear that everyone was requesting seconds and that it will be on repeat in your house 🙂 Thanks for sharing your experience! — Eliza (Team Joy)
Winner winner, Chicken dinner! This was a delicious recipe & very easy to make. Will definitely keep this one.
Hi Wendy! So glad it was a hit (and easy too!). Sounds like this one earned a permanent spot in your dinner rotation…the ultimate win-win!— Eliza (Team Joy)
This was delicious!! I forgot the scallions but it was still just as good, even my son ate it!!
Hi Leslie! So glad that you…and your son…loved this one! And no worries about the scallions, you can add them next time. Thanks again for trying this one out, and letting us know how much you loved it! — Eliza (Team Joy)
Just made this chili after I saw you on tv today making it!
So tasty, I used red and yellow peppers instead of green. Will be freezing portions for lunch next week.
Hi Mary!! I’m so glad you caught the segment and made the chili! Using red and yellow peppers sounds delicious (sweeter and more colorful!). Great idea to freeze portions for lunch….you’ll be all set for tasty, cozy meals next week. I do the same! Thanks for sharing 😉
Can i add chili powder? If so how much would you suggest?
Hi Jeni, Without a doubt, yes! Start with ~1 tsp of chili powder. Then, at the end, if you want to add more, taste the broth after you take the chicken out and if you want to bolden it a bit more, add another 1/4 to 1/2 tsp. It’s such a personal preference…taste is so subjective. If you give it a shot, let us know how it turns out! — Eliza (Team Joy)
Super easy and absolutely delicious!! Loved the flavor!
Hi Laura, So so so glad you loved this one. Thank you for the glowing review! — Eliza (Team Joy)
Can I make this recipe in the instapot?
How long would you set the pressure cook timer?
Thank you. Anxious to try it
Hi Steph! I wish I had an answer for you… I am not familiar enough with an insta-pot to weigh in on this. Maybe they have a similar recipe on their website that you can use as your guide and then swap in my ingredients? I’m sure it will require some adjustments and I’m sorry I’m unable to help you here.
This was SOOO good! I moved from New Mexico to Minnesota and miss the green chile enchiladas. This version is perfect. I substituted the salsa verde with two 4oz cans of Hatch diced green chiles and it’s amazing. I also left out the yellow onion and scallions, since I have an onion allergy, and it’s still plenty flavorful. Didn’t use the jalapeno because of the green chile, and skipped the bell pepper. Garnished with white cheddar and avocado. May use a dab of Greek yogurt next time if the leftovers have too much heat (green chile gains more heat over time).
Hi Sonya, Thank you so much for sharing your substitutions and changes. We love when a dish connects you to a place or memory…and this one is yours for NM! Great tip about the green chile gaining heat over time, the Greek yogurt is the perfect antidote. — Eliza (Team Joy)
Made it today can’t wait for dinner
Hi Lili! So happy to hear that! Dinner time will be the BEST time! Let us know what you think 🙂 — Eliza (Team Joy)
This recipe is easy and delicious. I totally recommend 5 out of 5! I added a can of black beans also and would definitely do the 3 cups of squash if not the whole thing. Thank you.
Hi Linda! I’m so happy this one’s a hit in your kitchen…and great call on adding black beans, really any type of beans can be swapped right in! I agree on the squash, the more the better! Thanks for sharing your wonderful review!
Thank You for the recipe, this was a wonderful soup, better 2 days later.
Hi Lili! You’re so welcome! So glad you loved this recipe! — Eliza (Team Joy)
Love this recipe! We’ve experimented a bit due to personal tastes. Typically we don’t add the squash until the last 90 minutes because we prefer it a little firmer, and we use poblano and serrano peppers in lieu of bell and jalapeño because we just prefer them. I once accidentally bought cubed sweet potatoes instead of butternut squash and they were great in this as well. Great recipe that gets better with experimentation!
Gary, I love how you’ve made this recipe your own! And yes, swapping in cut up sweet potatoes work perfectly! Experimentation is the BEST. Thanks for sharing your delicious twists and for cooking along with me!
So regardless of whether you are cooking it for 4 hours or 8 hours you take the chicken out 30 minutes before? It would seem that if you were using the lower cooking method the chicken should come out sooner and the beans would be added sooner as well. Can you please clarify. Thank you.
Great question, Cynthia! No matter which setting you choose (LOW for 8 hours or HIGH for 4 hours) you’ll want to remove the chicken during the last 30 minutes. Shred it, stir it back in with the beans, and let everything finish cooking together. That final half hour is the flavor magic window… it lets the chicken soak up all those zesty salsa verde juices while the beans warm through.
This Healthy Slow Cooker Salsa Verde Chicken Chili is a total winner! The flavors are bright and comforting, with just the right amount of kick from the salsa verde. The chicken turns out tender and juicy, and the slow cooker makes it so simple—just set it and forget it. Perfect for busy days and even better as leftovers. Highly recommend!
Hi Heather! Thank you for the glowing review. “Total winner” is the highest compliment! — Eliza (Team Joy)
This is fantastic!
Thank you so much, Laura! “Fantastic” is the ULTIMATE compliment!! — Eliza (Team Joy)
Hi, Can you make this with rotisserie chicken on the stove top? I have all the ingredients!
Hi Kim! Yes, you can definitely make this one on the stovetop using shredded Rotisserie chicken. Here’s another chili on my website that you can use as a reference–it has different seasonings, but it’ll serve as a great guide while making the salsa verde version. Hoping you love it!!
Can you use frozen butternut squash cubes?
Hi Sue! Yes, you can use frozen butternut squash cubes…and no need to thaw! One small note: if the frozen pieces are larger than ½-inch, you may want to roughly chop them while still partially frozen so they cook evenly. Enjoy! — Eliza (Team Joy)
This chili recipe is a winner. I usually don’t like shredded chicken, but the slow cooking keeps the chicken moist and delicious. To add flavor, I roasted the butternut squash in the oven and only added it with the beans at the end. Next time I’d like to add roasted, peeled, and chopped poblano peppers. The recipe was so easy! I served it with minced cilantro, sour cream (or plain yogurt), cubes of avocado, minced scallions, and grated cheddar. It’s delicious as written but also customizable. I was looking for an easy, time-saving, delicious meal and I found it in this one. It’s a keeper!
Thank you SO much, Georgia! We appreciate you sharing your experience and suggested tweaks…this helps the whole community! So glad to hear that it’s a keeper in your kitchen!! — Eliza (Team Joy)