slow cooker chicken chili

I’ve never been huge on homemade chili, but I absolutely adore Wendy’s chili. I know it’s probably totally lame for me to admit that, but come on! It’s super cheap (I think it’s $1.29 for a small), reasonably healthy, and totally filling. And if you factor in that there’s a Wendy’s just down the street from my house, well, I’ve got a problem. Lately we’ve been really buckling down and trying to eliminate fast food/eating out from our budget (except for special occasions), and so the fast food chili had to go. Luckily I found this great copycat recipe on Lulu the Baker! I made a few tweaks to suit my preferences, let it cook in the crockpot all afternoon, and by evening had a delicious dinner. Lizzy slurped all of hers down, and Abby even consented to taking some bites of beans and chicken, although she wouldn’t touch any of the vegetables. Geoff and I both loved it too, so I’ll be adding it to the list of family favorites!

Slow Cooker Chicken Chili
adapted from Lulu the Baker

1 lb ground chicken
2 8 oz cans tomato sauce
1 14.5-oz can kidney beans, drained
1 14.5-oz can pinto beans, drained
1 small diced onion
1/4 cup diced celery
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 teaspoons cumin
1 Tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoons salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 cups water

Brown ground chicken over medium heat. Add to slow cooker along with all other ingredients. Cook on low for 4-6 hours, and serve with cheese, sour cream, and tortilla strips.