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55 minutes

BBQ Chicken Chili

Steph LoaizaWritten by:
10 Comments
5 from 3 votes
This delicious BBQ chicken chili, filled with beans and peppers, is an easy recipe that can be prepared in the slow cooker or Instant Pot.
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Our barbecue chicken chili is a great dinner recipe with a ton of flavor. You can make it with little to no prep time, since most of what you need is already in your pantry. This chili recipe is one of our favorite go-to recipes for fall. You can either throw everything in the slow cooker in the morning, an let it do its thing. Or, if you forgot to do it in the morning, throw it in the Instant Pot in the evening. Let the Instant Pot do it’s thing an come back when it beeps. Perfect for busy weeknights.

Chicken breasts, canned beans, corn, broth, diced tomatoes, peppers, onions, spices, and an Instant Pot arranged on a white countertop for meal preparation.

Recipe Ingredient Notes

To make our barbecue chicken chili recipe, you need the following ingredients:

  • Boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • Onion
  • Diced carrots
  • Diced green bell pepper
  • Diced red bell pepper
  • Minced garlic cloves
  • Barbecue sauce (Your favorite BBQ sauce)
  • Cannellini beans
  • Pinto beans
  • Diced tomatoes
  • Green chiles
  • Liquid smoke
  • Chili powder
  • Cumin
  • Smoked paprika
  • Salt
  • Ground pepper
  • Chicken broth
  • Corn
  • Shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • Sour Cream (Optional)
Three bowls of chili with vegetables and shredded cheese, each with a spoon, are placed in front of an Instant Pot on a white surface.
A spoonful of chili with chicken, corn, and diced vegetables is held over a bowl, with two more bowls of soup in the background.
Three bowls of soup containing vegetables, shredded chicken, and garnished with parsley. A metal spoon is placed next to the main bowl.

Equipment Needed

For this recipe, you only need a few simple kitchen tools. We recommend using the following equipment:

Raw chicken breast pieces placed in the bottom of a stainless steel pot on a white marble surface.
A stainless steel bowl filled with diced onions, red bell peppers, green bell peppers, and carrots on a white marble surface.
A metal bowl filled with white beans, kidney beans, and corn, placed on a white marble surface.

How to Make BBQ Chicken Chili

Slow Cooker Instructions

  1. Spray slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray.
  2. Add all ingredients to the slow cooker except the cheese and sour cream.
  3. Cook on LOW heat for 6-7 hours.
  4. Remove chicken breasts and shred with 2 forks, then add back to the slow cooker. Stir everything together.
  5. Ladle soup into bowls and top with sharp cheddar shredded cheese.

Instant Pot Instructions

  1. Add all ingredients to Instant Pot.
  2. Place lid on pot and press MANUAL (or PRESSURE COOK) and set timer for 20 minutes.
  3. Allow 10-15 minutes to come to pressure before it starts the countdown cook timer.
  4. Once it is finished cooking, let the Instant Pot do a natural release of the pressure for 10 minutes, then move the valve to VENTING to release any remaining pressure.
  5. Remove lid and stir, breaking up chicken.
  6. Ladle soup into bowls and top with sharp cheddar shredded cheese.
A stainless steel bowl containing white beans, corn, diced tomatoes, and seasoning on a white marble surface.
A stainless steel bowl containing white beans, corn, diced tomatoes, and seasoning on a white marble surface.
A saucepan filled with beans, tomatoes, and chopped green chiles, with a ladle pouring tomato sauce in, next to an open bottle of hot sauce on a marble surface.

Freezer Meal Notes

  • Place all the ingredients except for the chicken broth into a gallon-sized freezer bag. Place freezer bag into freezer and it will last up to 90 days.
  • When ready to use, dump ingredients from bag into Instant Pot and add 4 cups of chicken broth in with the frozen food. Place the lid on top, move the valve to SEALING, and press the MANUAL button. Set timer for 30 minutes. Follow the rest of instructions as written.
Three bowls of chicken chili garnished with shredded cheese and parsley, shown from above on a white surface with spoons in each bowl.
A bowl of chicken chili topped with shredded cheese and parsley, with a wooden-handled spoon inside, placed on a white surface near a cloth.

Explore More Delicious Chili Recipes

Explore our collection of delicious, homemade chili recipes that are easy-to-make and freezer-friendly. For more chili inspiration, check out our full list of chili recipes!

Three bowls of chicken chili topped with shredded cheddar cheese, diced vegetables, and parsley, arranged on a white surface.

BBQ Chicken Chili Recipe

5 from 3 votes
This delicious BBQ chicken chili, filled with beans and peppers, is an easy recipe that can be prepared in the slow cooker or Instant Pot.
Serving8 servings
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Pressurize 25 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Save Print Review Pin

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 2 carrots, diced
  • 1 green bell pepper, diced
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • ½ cup BBQ sauce
  • 15 ounces cannellini beans, drained, rinsed
  • 15 ounces pinto beans, drained, rinsed
  • 14 ½ ounces diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 4 ounces green chiles
  • 2 teaspoon liquid smoke
  • 2 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ground pepper, to taste
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 15 ¼ ounces canned corn, undrained
  • ½ cup sharp cheddar shredded cheese

Equipment

Instructions

Instant Pot Instructions

  1. Add all ingredients to Instant Pot.
  2. Place lid on pot and press MANUAL (or PRESSURE COOK) and set timer for 20 minutes.
  3. Allow 10-15 minutes to come to pressure before it starts the countdown cook timer.
  4. Once it is finished cooking, let the Instant Pot do a natural release of the pressure for 10 minutes, then move the valve to VENTING to release any remaining pressure.
  5. Remove lid and stir, breaking up chicken.
  6. Ladle soup into bowls and top with sharp cheddar shredded cheese.

Slow Cooker Instructions

  1. Spray slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray.
  2. Add all ingredients to the slow cooker except the cheese and sour cream.
  3. Cook on LOW heat for 6-7 hours.
  4. Remove chicken breasts and shred with 2 forks, then add back to the slow cooker. Stir everything together.
  5. Ladle soup into bowls and top with sharp cheddar shredded cheese.

Notes

This barbecue chicken chili recipe can be modified into a freezer meal. Place all the ingredients except for the chicken broth into a gallon-sized freezer bag. Place freezer bag into freezer and it will last up to 90 days. When ready to use, dump ingredients from bag into Instant Pot and add 4 cups of chicken broth in with the frozen food. Place the lid on top, move the valve to SEALING, and press the MANUAL button. Set timer for 30 minutes. Follow the rest of instructions as written.

Nutrition

Calories: 354 kcal · Carbohydrates: 45 g · Protein: 31 g · Fat: 6 g · Saturated Fat: 2 g · Trans Fat: 1 g · Cholesterol: 62 mg · Sodium: 1326 mg · Potassium: 1000 mg · Fiber: 10 g · Sugar: 10 g · Vitamin A: 3542 IU · Vitamin C: 51 mg · Calcium: 160 mg · Iron: 4 mg
Cuisine: American
Cost: $10
Author: Steph Loaiza
Course: Soup
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Questions & Reviews

  1. Kelly says:

    Could you do this in the crockpot on low for 6-8 hours instead? Would you alter any of the ingredients?

  2. Marty Dillon says:

    So so good!!! Everyone loved it.5 stars

  3. P. Bolden says:

    I made this receipe for the first time last night and my husband and I absolutely loved it! I think it’s one of the best chilis I have ever had! Keep in mind I LOVE anything barbecue also. I froze what was left to have another time and invite my daughter and her son over, there was so much left.5 stars

  4. Candac says:

    This was easy and delicious. I subbed chicken thighs for chicken breasts because that’s what I had in hand and chopped the chicken instead of shredding. Delicious! Everyone loved it and will definitely make it again.5 stars

  5. Bev Goldsby says:

    My husband, who is the best soup-maker ever!, says this is now his favorite “soup.” It’s hearty and SO flavorful! I love it because it is so easy to make – and stays warm until you’re ready to eat without compromising any flavor or quality at all. I saw the video on FB and tried it the same day. Am now making it again for a weekend trip to the beach with friends.

  6. Momma Cyd says:

    Your sweet comment made our day! And we wish we were going to the beach for a weekend trip! Have so much fun!!

  7. Marla says:

    If you don’t have a insta pot can you cook in a crock pot?

  9. Lucia says:

    I would like to double this recipe in my 8 quart instant pot and freeze half when it is finished. Do you think that would work?

  10. Momma Cyd says:

    This makes a lot of soup, but an 8 quart should hold a double batch.

Steph Loaiza
About The Author:

Steph Loaiza

Steph is recipe developer and bestselling cookbook author. Her advanced degrees in communication shape how she breaks down cooking techniques into simple, reliable steps for millions of home cooks around the world. Her work has been featured by Costco Connection, Women's Health, Taste of Home, and more.
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