Can you put raw chicken in a slow cooker?

Yes, you can put raw chicken in the slow cooker! In fact, most slow cooker and instant pot chicken recipes - like this easy chicken chili - start with raw chicken! The raw chicken will cook through while simmering along with other ingredients in the chili so that it gets perfectly tender and shreds easily with two forks!

Can you cook raw chicken in chili?

Yes! Raw chicken will cook right in the chili. This saves time, energy, and washing extra dishes which is a win in my book! The instant pot will cook the chicken to at least 165 degrees and will also cook the other ingredients in the chili ensuring that they are safe to eat. As long as the chicken is cooked through, the chili is safe to eat!

Is 4 hours on high the same as 8 hours on low?

For the most part, yes. A recipe that recommends cooking 4 hours on low can also be cooked 8 hours on high and vice versa. The difference between the two settings is not the overall temperature of the cooker, it's simply how quickly it heats to a simmer temperature. Once the cooking temperature is reached, the slow cooker temperature stabilizes.

30 Minute Instant Pot Chicken Chili

Name: Easy Instant Pot Chicken Chili
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: American/Mexican
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 white onion, diced; 6 cloves garlic, minced; 1 tablespoon chili powder; 2 teaspoons cumin; 2 (15 oz.) cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed; 10 oz. frozen fire-roasted corn; 15 oz. can fire-roasted diced tomatoes; 29 oz. can enchilada sauce; 1 cup chicken broth (or water); 1 pound, boneless, skinless chicken breast; 1/2 cup heavy cream; Kosher salt; fresh cracked pepper; fried tortilla strips; cheddar cheese; sour cream; thinly sliced green onion; thinly sliced jalapeno

Ingredients

Scale

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 white onion, diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons cumin
2 (15 oz.) cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed
10 oz. frozen fire-roasted corn
15 oz. can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
29 oz. can enchilada sauce
1 cup chicken broth (or water)
1 pound, boneless, skinless chicken breast
1/2 cup heavy cream
Kosher salt
fresh cracked pepper

For serving:

fried tortilla strips
cheddar cheese
sour cream
thinly sliced green onion
thinly sliced jalapeno

Instructions

Heat oil in the instant pot on the saute setting.
Add onion and a couple pinches of salt and pepper and saute for 4 minutes.
Add garlic, cumin, and chili powder along with a couple pinches of salt and pepper. Cook for about 1 minute, stirring frequently.
Add a splash of broth to the pot to deglaze and scrape all those yummy bits off the bottom.
Add pinto beans, corn, tomatoes, enchilada sauce, remaining broth, and chicken to the instant pot.
Stir to combine and nestle the chicken into the chili. Seal IP and cook on the manual setting for 15 minutes.
Allow to naturally release for 10 minutes, then use the quick-release button to remove the rest of the steam. Gently shred chicken with two forks.
Stir in heavy cream and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Garnish with tortilla strips, cheddar cheese, sour cream, green onion, and jalapeno!

Equipment

instant pot

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measuring cup

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Notes

Store cooked creamy chicken chili in an airtight container in the fridge for 5-7 days. As with most chilis the flavor just gets better with time.

Freeze this chicken chili for up to 3 months in an airtight container. Before reheating, I like to thaw the frozen chili in the fridge overnight so that it reheats more evenly.

Reheat chicken chili in a pot on the stove over medium heat. Add a couple pinches of salt and pepper and cook, stirring frequently until warmed through. Season to taste and enjoy!

Author: Kylie
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Category: Main Dish
Method: Instant Pot/Slow Cooker
Cuisine: American/Mexican

Nutrition

Serving Size:
Calories: 323
Sugar: 11.6 g
Sodium: 1160.6 mg
Fat: 7.3 g
Saturated Fat: 2.6 g
Trans Fat: 0.1 g
Carbohydrates: 41.9 g
Fiber: 11.1 g
Protein: 24 g
Cholesterol: 50.5 mg