Go Back
–+ servings

Healthy Slow Cooker Salsa Verde Chicken Chili

This slow cooker chicken chili is packed with beans, butternut squash, and salsa verde for a zesty twist on a cozy classic. It’s hearty, hands-off, and perfect for family dinners or meal prep.
Yield: 12 cups
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 4 hours
Total Time: 4 hours 20 minutes

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
Ingredient Details to Know
*If starting with a whole butternut squash, it should weigh ~1½ to 2 pounds uncut, with skin and seeds.
Frozen butternut squash cubes: You can use 3 cups frozen butternut squash cubes, 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.

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.
Author: Joy Bauer, MS, RDN, CDN

Nutrition Information per serving

Serving Size: 1 cupCalories: 180Carbohydrates: 17gProtein: 21gTotal Fat: 2.5g— Unsaturated Fat: 2.5g— Saturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 55mgSodium: 320mgPotassium: 860mgFiber: 4gTotal Sugar: 3g— Natural Sugar: 3g— Added Sugar: 0gVitamin A: 4042IUVitamin C: 18mgIron: 3mg
Nutrition information is calculated using a leading industry software. That being said, brands can vary, and there may be slight fluctuations in the numbers.