Here’s a fun and easy recipe for Queso Chicken Chili that you can whip up in no time. It’s creamy, spicy, and packed with flavor. The star ingredients are roasted corn, jalapeño, and Pepper Jack cheese.
Ingredients:
- 1 pound of boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 3 cups of salsa (divided)
- 1 1/2 cups of water
- 1 teaspoon of cumin
- 2 teaspoons of chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt
- 3 minced bell peppers
- 1 can (14 ounces) of corn (rinsed and drained)
- 1 minced jalapeño pepper (without ribs and seeds)
- 1 can (14 ounces) of black beans (rinsed and drained)
- 4 ounces of light cream cheese
- 6 ounces of Pepper Jack cheese
- Cilantro for topping
- Blue corn tortilla chips for dipping
Instructions:
- Start by placing the chicken breasts, 1 1/2 cups of salsa, water, cumin, chili powder, and salt in a slow cooker or Instant Pot. Cook on high for 3-4 hours, or low for 6-7 hours. If you’re using an Instant Pot, cook for 20 minutes on high pressure.
- While the chicken is cooking, preheat your oven to 450 degrees. Pat the peppers and corn dry with a paper towel, place them on a baking sheet with a little bit of oil, and roast for 10-15 minutes until they’re browned and roasted.
- Once the chicken is done, shred the meat directly in the pot using two forks. Add the roasted peppers, roasted corn and jalapeño, black beans, remaining salsa, and cream cheese to the pot. Stir everything together and replace the cover, allowing the cream cheese to melt. If needed, you can adjust the consistency of the soup by adding another 1/2 cup of water. Let the soup simmer for another 15-30 minutes until everything is smooth and melted.
- Just before serving, stir in the Pepper Jack cheese. Spoon the chicken chili into a bowl, top with avocado, and scoop everything up with tortilla chips. Enjoy!
Note: If you prefer, you can cook your peppers and corn over a skillet. Just place the bell peppers in a large nonstick skillet over high heat without oil. Cook for 4-5 minutes without stirring to get that browned, roasted look on the outside of the peppers. Stir once and repeat until the peppers are nicely browned. Set them aside and repeat this process with the corn and jalapeño together.
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 8 hours
Category: Dinner
Method: Instant Pot
Cuisine: Tex Mex
Keywords: chicken chili, queso chicken chili, instant pot chicken chili, crockpot chicken chili
