Sweet Chili Chicken
30 Comments Mar 10, 2022
Updated Jun 04, 2025
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Sweet chili chicken is slow cooked until tender and coated in a creamy, tangy sauce with just the right amount of heat—easy, flavorful, and family-friendly.
We love sweet chili sauce in our house—the kind you dip crab rangoons in, not the super spicy Thai version. Paired with the other ingredients in this recipe, it’s the perfect combo.
A pizza from a local shop in my town inspired this sweet chili chicken. It has a cream cheese base, tender chicken, and a drizzle of sweet chili sauce with green onions on top—this recipe brings those same flavors to the crockpot. I hope you enjoy my latest creation.
Cream cheese is a magic ingredient to add flavor and creaminess to many slow cooker recipes. You can also find cream cheese in Slow Cooker Crack Chicken, Fiesta Chicken, and Artichoke Mushroom Chicken.
Key Ingredients
Boneless skinless chicken breasts – Absorbs the creamy, spicy sauce
Sweet chili sauce – Adds a perfect balance of sweetness and heat
Ranch seasoning – Adds all the seasonings this meal needs
Cream cheese – Makes the sauce rich and smooth.
Green onions – Add a little crunch and flavor to each bite.
Cook’s Notes and Variations
Added Vegetables – One of the most popular variations includes adding onion, red bell pepper, shredded carrots, and pineapple chunks.
Chicken Thighs – A meat variation idea is to use boneless, skinless chicken thighs.
Make into a freezer meal: Add all ingredients into a freezer-proof Ziploc bag and try to remove as much air as possible. Freeze it flat for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to cook it, allow it to defrost, add it to your crockpot and cook according to the directions
How to serve:
- When it comes to topping, consider sliced green onion, cilantro, and/or toasted sesame seeds. Adding toppings like this to slow cooker meals makes all the difference in flavor and texture.
- This sweet chili chicken recipe pairs perfectly with steamed white rice or chow mein noodles.Add a stir fry vegetable to round out the meal.
Featured Comment
“I made this tonight and it was delicious! I added minced garlic and 2 tbsp of soy sauce and served over lo mein noodles!”
– Stephanie
Sweet Chili Chicken Recipe
How to Video
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 oz. packet ranch dressing mix
- 20.75 oz. sweet chili sauce, (about 2.5 cups, I use Panda Express Brand)
- 8 oz. cream cheese, Philidelphia brand melts best
- sliced green onions for serving
Instructions
- Add the chicken breasts to the slow cooker.
- Sprinkle over the ranch dressing mix.
- Pour over the sweet chili sauce.
- Place the block of cream cheese on top of the chicken.
- Cook on LOW for 4.5 hours or HIGH for 3.5 hours.
- Shred the chicken with two forks and stir the cooked cream cheese into the sauce and chicken. Serve with rice topped with green onions with a green veggie if desired.
Nutrition
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
More slow cooker chicken recipes
Try bold and flavorful meals like Korean BBQ Chicken or Slow Cooker Mongolian Chicken, both packed with sweet and savory depth.
For something rich and nutty, Slow Cooker Thai Peanut Chicken is a creamy favorite. Craving takeout at home?
Slow Cooker Orange Chicken and Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Chicken hit the spot. Or go with Slow Cooker Chicken Adobo for a tangy, slow-simmered classic.
Can you use ranch dressing instead if the powdered ranch mix?
I’m unsure how the mayonnaise would cook, and if it would curdle.
I originally gave it 1 star however I ended up blending the cream cheese chunks into the sauce and it turned out super creamy! Then I made pasta with it and it was very good!
So good! Wouldn’t change a thing! This has become one of our fan favorites! And it’s so easy!! Such a time saver!
How much rice do you recommend making?
I usually cook 2 cups of rice (dry).
Can you do this in the instant pot?
I have not tested I apologize. I’m unsure if you would get a burn warning with the only liquid being the thick sweet chili sauce.
I made this in the instant pot and it turned out great. I cut my chicken breasts into thinner pieces and cooked on manual for 20 minutes
I made this tonight and it was delicious! I added minced garlic and 2 tbsp of soy sauce and served over lo mein noodles!
I saw this on Pinterest and was actually going to try it, however; when creators turn off comments on their Pins, when using Pinterest as a platform to promote their site, immediately, it’s a no for me. I rely on others comments to guide me on alterations to the recipes to make them better and not everyone wants to comment on a website because they have to give the email address. bummer.
Hi, I’ve never turned off the comments on any pin. I don’t touch them.
This was pretty good! We served it over cilantro lime rice. I thought it was very creamy and sweet with mild spiciness. I’m not a big fan of really spicy things so this was really good actually! My fiancé loved it and wants it again! So quick to make too!
I absolutely loved this!!!! Just a few alterations: We used the Panda Express Sweet chili sauce like suggested, low fat cream cheese and added fajita veggies!! It was fantastic!!!