Is the chili in your slow cooker still watery even after hours of cooking? After all their hard work, it can be extremely upsetting to discover them in this condition. But that does not mean you will have to serve these watery chilies.
If you’ve ever wondered about “how to thicken up chili in a slow cooker,” you may have heard various answers. According to Maria Jiménez, using cornstarch could be one of the fast solutions. However, our research led us to a few more methods to thicken the chili, which are easy and add unique flavors to the dish.
Let’s examine every technique for thickening chili in a slow cooker..
How to Thicken White Chicken Chili With Cornstarch?
First, ensure the white chicken chili reaches the end of the cooking point. Then
Mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and 1 tablespoon cold water to make a thick paste. Then add it to the chicken chili and stir.
Now, simmer on medium to high heat until you reach the desired thickness. It will become thicker the longer you stir.
How to Thicken Up Chili in Slow Cooker?
You may not always have cornstarch in your kitchen. In that case, you can try our other methods too:
1. Simmer excess liquid
One of the best ways to thicken chili in a slow cooker is to let it simmer for an extended period of time on low to medium heat, allowing the excess liquid to evaporate.
It works when the chili is not too thin. The best part of this method is that it preserves the natural flavor and taste.
But if the chili remains watery even after simmering for a long time or you do not have time for it, then you can use the following methods.
2. Add powder starches
To thicken up paste thicken chili, in addition to cornstarch, you can also add other powder starches like flour, arrowroot, or potato starch.
Adding the powder directly to the chili won’t mix well. First, mix a tablespoon of the powder with cold water to make a slurry paste. Then add it to the chili and stir until you are satisfied with the thickness.
3. Add tomato paste
For additional thickening options, add tomato sauce or paste to chili. It will add extra flavor to the chili. Also, add a pinch or two of sugar to neutralize the sourness.
Generally, one or two tablespoons of tomato should be enough. Avoid using this method if the chili already contains mixed tomatoes, as the chili will then be too sour to consume.
4. Meat
Not using enough meat can also lead to watery chili. If you have excess meat, you can add that to increase the thickness.
However, meat takes at least 3 to 4 hours to cook in a slow cooker. Hence, you will need to give it enough time to cook after mixing.
5. Put on shredded cheese
Adding shredded cheese to the chili is also a good idea to increase the thickness. It will also add a rich flavor.
Add a little bit of shredded cheese on top of the chili and cook it for 10 to 15 minutes on the slow cooker on low to medium heat.
6. Mix vegetables
You can mix some vegetables to thicken up green chili. Beans, potatoes, and carrots work best.
To combine with the chili, first, chop the vegetable into smaller pieces. You can also add mashed potatoes.
7. Add tortilla chips
If you love tortilla chips and have some at home, you can add them to thicken the chili in a slow cooker.
Crush a few chips and sprinkle them on top of the chili. Then stir them for 15 to 20 minutes on low to medium heat. Once they are thick enough, turn off the cooker and serve the chili.
