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{Today I am partnering with Andy Boy Broccoli Rabe to bring you this hearty Crockpot Italian Chicken and Broccoli Rabe Chili. I am so excited to be using their delicious Broccoli Rabe in this recipe!}

Have I mentioned how excited I am that it’s soup season? This Crockpot Italian Chicken and Broccoli Rabe Chili is so easy (ummm helloooo crockpot!) and has sooo much flavor!

Crockpot Italian Chicken and Broccoli Rabe Chili

I wish I was able to hit a magical pause button so that I could have a good 2-3 extra months of this amazing fall and holiday season. I know things are about to start getting really crazy, but I don’t care, I still love it!

I can honestly feel the excitement in the air and I am PUMPED.

But like I said, things are about to start to get crazy, and that means we all need some go-to meals that are healthy and easy to prepare. I mean, I know that Halloween candy is delicious and all, but let’s be real, we can’t live solely on candy. Besides, you all know how much I love my veggies. No I promise, I really, really LOVE veggies. I think I’ve said this before, but did you know that literally every night I have a big bowl of roasted veggies with dinner, like every stinkin night!

No joke.

This’s partly because I am a semi repetitive person with almost everything I do, but mostly because I adore roasted veggies. My current favorites are butternut + acorn squash, pumpkin (duh), brussels sprouts and broccoli… and/or BROCCOLI RABE!

So you see, I don’t just live on sugar, carbs, chocolate, cheese and butter. I mean, I mostly do….but that doesn’t mean I don’t love my vegetables!

Crockpot Italian Chicken and Broccoli Rabe Chili | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvestCrockpot Italian Chicken and Broccoli Rabe Chili | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest

Sooo, I made us a hearty, but healthy chili, full of one of my favorite autumn veggies, broccoli rabe. This chili is the perfect dinner to warm up to on a cold autumn night, and it couldn’t be simpler. Just throw everything into the crockpot, turn it on, walk away for six or so hours and come home to a house smelling like your Italian grandma’s…or maybe what you would imagine your Italian grandma’s house would smell like… if you had an Italian grandma.

Loaded with lean chicken, cannellini beans, tomatoes and broccoli rabe this bowl of chili is about as healthy and wholesome as it gets… but it doesn’t feel that way.

Crockpot Italian Chicken and Broccoli Rabe Chili | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest

Just serve this chili with a side of crusty bread and plenty of freshly grated parmesan. You’ll have yourself a complete meal with NO complaining, and all tummies happy!

Yeah!!

Another way to serve this chili is over a bed of buttery polenta, it’s pretty amazing. Or you could also boil some pasta and go that route too. Personally, my favorite is to serve the chili over polenta alongside garlic bread for soaking up any extra sauce.

I really could not think of a better Sunday night dinner!

Crockpot Italian Chicken and Broccoli Rabe Chili | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest

Crockpot Italian Chicken and Broccoli Rabe Chili | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest

FUN FACT: Did you know that Sunday night dinners are my absolute favorite in the fall. Something about them makes me feel so happy inside. When I was a kid, Sunday night was the one night of the week my parents really tried to get it together and have a nice family dinner. They would either make Chicken Noodle Casserole, Pot Roast, Chili, London Broil, Chicken + Rice or a Roasted Chicken. Simple meals, but ones that the whole family would actually sit down at the table, eat and really talk to each other… and we’d even eat at a decent hour (which meant somewhere between 7:30 and 8:30). My oldest brother Creighton would come home (this was after he had moved out and was in college) and we’d all just eat and be together. The kitchen would be warm from the oven, due to mom baking bread or cookies, and all us kids would come rushing in for dinner. It was nothing fancy, and it was always a bit chaotic, but I still loved it.

Thinking about it now though, the fact that I liked Sunday night dinners is SO odd, because at the same time, I also HATED Sundays with a passion. Knowing that it was back to school the next morning was overwhelming for me. Friday and Saturday where my favorites… Sunday + Monday, not so much! Ugh, SO happy I am outta school.

NEW GOAL: Bring back Sunday night dinners this fall. If not every Sunday night, at least every few weeks. You guys too! Let’s do it? Mmm, K???

We can all start with this easy broccoli rabe chili, sound good?

Awesome, let’s do this!

Crockpot Italian Chicken and Broccoli Rabe Chili | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest

Crockpot Italian Chicken and Broccoli Rabe Chili.

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 6 hours 40 minutes
Servings: 8 Servings
Calories Per Serving: 202 kcal

Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

Ingredients

Instructions

  • In the bowl of a 6-8 quart crockpot pot, add the chicken, onion, garlic, chili powder, oregano, paprika, thyme, allspice, crushed red pepper flakes, bay leaf, salt and pepper. Next add the tomato paste, chicken broth and balsamic vinegar. Give everything a gentle stir to combine. Cover the crockpot and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours (or 4-6 hours on high) stirring once or twice if possible.
  • During the last 30 minutes of cooking, stir the broccoli rabe, roasted red peppers and cannellini beans together in a bowl and add to the crockpot. Crank the heat up to high, cover and let cook 20-30 minutes longer.
  • Lightly shred the chicken with two forks, it should just fall apart. Stir in the parmesan and parsley.
  • Ladle the soup into bowls and serve with parmesan + crusty bread for dipping.

Notes

*If you prefer, you may add the broccoli rabe in the beginning of the cooking, but just know it will be cooked down a bit more. It’s still delicious this way, it just has a little less firmness to it. **You can also serve the chili over polenta or pasta for an extra hearty meal
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Crockpot Italian Chicken and Broccoli Rabe Chili | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest

But really, whatever you do, don’t forget to add the cheese + a carb to this chili. It’s Sunday and they really are a MUST!

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Comments

  1. Hi! There wasn’t any broccoli Rand at the store today. I have kale and regular broccoli. I’m thinking of using the kale as a substitution. Think it’ll work?

    1. Hi Trisha,
      Totally, kale would be great here! Please let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xT

  2. So yummy! I did this in the instant pot- cooked chicken 10 min on high pressure and quick released. I did different veggies, just felt out the cook time on them.

    1. Hi Tara,
      Honestly, any other bean that you enjoy would work with this recipe, kidney beans would be a great option as well. Let me know how this dish turns out for you:) xx