One of my favorite things about summer produce? Zucchini and summer squash is aplenty and HUGE. When I come across the giant squash at the store, it’s pretty hard, and damn near impossible for me to pass them up. That’s why you’ll see ALL the zucchini and squash recipes that you could ever want in the summer season.
As summer comes to a close, and the squash are dwindling, I decided to give another good zucchini inspired recipe. With some cooked chicken on hand, I knew exactly what I wanted to do. Buffalo Chicken Zucchini Boats!
This will warm you to the bone and please your taste buds with a great southwest flavor all with under 300 calories per serving. Just follow these easy step by step photo instructions.
Editor’s Note: Originally Published September 12, 2011. Updated with expanded instructions and discussion along with updated photos.
This is a crock pot version of a chili I have done for years in a Dutch oven with precooked chicken in the oven. I do both a chicken version, Healthy Southwest Chicken Chili, or pork tenderloin version.
I wanted to simplify the recipe, and a crock pot is just the right thing. No precooking today and I also modified a few ingredients and gave you some options.
My Rating
A very strong 4. If I didn’t have so many other really good chili/soup recipes, it would be a 5. We both had seconds two evening in a row and then my wife finished it for lunch. I guess it was alright.
Pro Tips: Recipe Notes for Crock Pot Southwest Chicken Chili
All chili is just a great place to use “must go” things you have hanging around. So vary whatever you want.
The Chicken
All my other versions of this chili I make are also low fat. So I used chicken breasts, but thighs would be fine.
The Beans
You need beans. To me, chili always has beans. I used two cans of cannellini and a can of black beans; all rinsed and drained. Use any combination you want.
The Rotel
I used a 10 oz can of Rotel to replace 2 cups of salsa in the other recipe. My wife has never been a salsa lover. It is chili; you are not wedded to a recipe.
This is about a 4/10 heat level with the Rotel and jalapeno. If you don’t that, cut the jalapeno and if you want used drained diced tomatoes instead.
Optional Thickening
I used Masa to thicken the chili some. It works well and adds a bit of corn flavor. Or you could add corn starch, flour or just leave the lid off the crock pot the last hour.
Crock Pot Size/Storage
As written, this recipe needs a crock pot 4 quart or bigger. You can easily fudge it down a bit in size by cutting out a can of beans and some of the chicken. It would then fit in a 3 1/2 quart and might squeeze into a 3 quart. Do not fill a crock pot more than 75% full.
This will be good refrigerated for 3-4 days and frozen for 3-4 days.
Other Related Chicken Chili Recipes
Crock Pot Pork Tenderloin Chili
Healthy Southwest Chicken Chili
Low Fat High Taste Crock Pot White Chicken Chili
Salsa Verde White Chicken Chili a la Crock Pot
Soup Nazi,s Mexican Chicken Chili
Trim and cube (about 3/4 inch) 3 skinless boneless chicken breast. (about 2 to 2 1/2 lbs).
Cut your veggies. I used a large yellow onion, a green, and red pepper and a jalapeno.
Add all the ingredients except the optional masa and water. You can rinse the beans if you wish and it may decrease the sodium some. Cook on low for 8 hours.
Thickening Option: with 20-30 minutes left in the cooking, you can combine 1/4 cup masa flour and 1/2 cup of water. I used a Tupperware gravy mixer, but a bowl and whisk would do. Mix your masa mixture in well and let finish cooking.
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Crock Pot Southwest Chicken Chili
This will warm you to the bone and please your taste buds with a great southwest flavor all with under 300 calories per serving. Just follow these easy step by step photo instructions.
Prep Time15mins
Cook Time8hrs
Total Time8hrs15mins
Author: Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
Course : Main dish
Cuisine : American
Keyword : Chicken Chili, Crock Pot Chicken Chili
Servings/Adjust Amount: 8
8
Ingredients
3skinless boneless chicken breasts
2green or red peppers – diced
1onion – large yellow or white
1jalapeno pepper
42ozbeans – 28 cannelloni 14 black
10ozRoTel
14ozchicken broth
4clovesgarlic
1teaspooncumin
1teaspoonoregano
1tablespoonchili powder
Optional thickening
1/4cupmasa flour – Or corn starch
1/2cupwater
Instructions
Trim and cube (about 3/4 inch) 3 skinless boneless chicken breast. (about 2 to 2 1/2 lbs).
Cut your veggies and prep garlic (crushed or minced)
Add all the ingredients except the optional mesa and water. Please rinse and drain beans before adding.
Cook on low for 8 hours.
aThickening Option: with 20-30 minutes left in the cooking you can combine 1/4 cup masa flour (or corn starch) and 1/2 cup of water. I used a Tupperware gravy mixer, but a bowl and whisk would do.
Make it Perfect First Time and Every TimeDon’t miss out, check the full post above. Almost every recipe includes easy step by step photo instructions so you can visualize yourself cooking this recipe along with helpful tips and options.
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips
This uses a full-size crock pot. It is just a touch too big for a 3 1/2 qt. You can change around some of the ingredients to get it to fit in a smaller crock pot but remember not to fill more than 75%.
You can use chicken thighs.
The beans can be varied to your taste.
A serving size is about 1 1/2 cup.
Masa flour and corn starch are about the same, just a different texture and thickening is optional.
Serving size is about 1 1/2 cup.
This is about a 4/10 heat level with the Rotel and jalapeno. If you don’t that, cut the jalapeno and if you want used drained diced tomatoes instead.
Good refrigerated for 3-4 days and frozen for 3-4 months.
Nutrition Facts
Crock Pot Southwest Chicken Chili
Amount Per Serving
Calories 208Calories from Fat 18
% Daily Value*
Fat 2g3%
Saturated Fat 1g5%
Cholesterol 27mg9%
Sodium 467mg19%
Potassium 712mg20%
Carbohydrates 29g10%
Fiber 9g36%
Sugar 4g4%
Protein 19g38%
Vitamin A 377IU8%
Vitamin C 9mg11%
Calcium 79mg8%
Iron 3mg17%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Have a question or something not clear? Ask in the comments.
If you like this recipe or find it useful, the pleasure of a nice 4 or 5 rating would be greatly appreciated.
Nutrition is for one serving. Number of servings is stated above and is my estimate of normal serving size for this recipe.
All nutritional information are estimates and may vary from your actual results. This is home cooking, and there are many variables. To taste ingredients such as salt will be my estimate of the average used.
The weather is starting to cool off here in Texas. And by cool off, I obviously mean it’s down to being in the 90’s on most days instead of the 100’s. Even so, I’m excited for Fall. I love it when Fall starts to roll in, the temperature changes, the leaves drop, and it’s time for pumpkins and spice. Well, almost…
With Fall on the mind, I decided to make an Italian Chicken Soup for dinner this week. This soup is sort of like a minestrone, only without being quite so tomato heavy. This soup makes its own broth while cooking in the pressure cooker with all those yummy veggies and chicken.
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