First, line your slow cooker with a plastic liner or coat it with cooking spray to make cleanup a breeze.
Next, rinse the quinoa thoroughly in a fine mesh sieve to remove the bitter saponin coating. This step is crucial as it removes the bitter saponin coating that can impact the flavor.
Now it’s time to prepare the black beans. Drain and rinse them under cold water.
Cut the chicken breast into pieces measuring about 2 to 3 inches long and 1-inch thick.
In your large 6-quart slow cooker, add the rinsed quinoa, black beans, chicken pieces, chili powder, ground cumin, cayenne pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, salt, pepper, chicken stock, the frozen corn, the undrained chili beans, and the undrained fire-roasted diced tomatoes.
Cover the slow cooker and set it to cook on high for about 2.5 to 4 hours. I find that 3 hours is the sweet spot for tender chicken and perfectly cooked quinoa.
As the cooking time nears its end, keep an eye on the consistency. Once the liquid is mostly absorbed, carefully remove the slow cooker insert from the heat.
At this point, season the chili to taste with any additional salt or pepper as needed.
Now, shred the cooked chicken in a separate bowl using two forks or chop it coarsely with a knife.
Finally, serve the chili hot, topped with your favorite garnishes like a generous handful of freshly shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, a squeeze of lime, a dollop of sour cream, and some chopped cilantro.
