Best Chicken Chili Recipe

Looking for a delicious and comforting chili recipe? Try this Easy Chicken Chili Recipe and you will come back and thank me for this recipe. Full of flavor and loaded with protein from the chicken and beans. It makes for the perfect comforting meal for that cold winter night!

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Cold weather always calls for soup recipes and this simple and easy Chicken Chili Recipe has been our go-to recipe recently. It is so comforting and filling and even kids love it too. It is bursting with flavor and doesn’t take much time to make.

I use fresh vegetables like onion, bell peppers, tomatoes, and corn to make this chili extra hearty and packed with flavor. And with the chicken (or turkey if you’d prefer!) and black beans, it’s sure to fill you up and warm your belly at the same time.

Chili is a great way to get both protein and veggies into your diet with one dish! Not to mention it warms you right to the soul on those cold nights.

Reasons to love this recipe

• Rich and delicious. Made with succulent shredded chicken, savory chicken broth, and a host of other good-for-you goodies, this red Chicken Chili recipe has deep flavors that are bound to satisfy. It’s exactly what you need to warm you up after a long day of work or play.
• Easy to make: No need for a long cook or to take out the crock pot. This foolproof chili is a one-pot meal that goes from pantry to table in 30 minutes! Perfect for busy weeknights because there are minimal dishes and it’s ready in a flash!
• Hearty: Protein-packed chicken, black beans, and veggies, it’s a chili that’s loaded with goodness. We opt to use chicken (or even turkey) to make it healthier than a traditional chili that uses ground beef. The ingredients are clean and simple and the flavors blend perfectly.

ingredients for chicken chili

• Shredded chicken: If you’re partial to turkey or that’s what you have on hand, feel free to sub that in instead. It’s a great way to use up leftover Thanksgiving turkey! You can also use already-cooked chicken like Rotisserie chicken.
• Olive oil: A great vegetable oil that can be used at high temperatures, high-quality olive oil has natural aromatic flavors that are robust and so delicious.
• Sweet onion: I love the flavor a nice sweet onion provides to a chili like this one.
• Red bell pepper: Bell peppers also add a nice crunch and perfect flavor. You can sub out any color that you’d like, including yellow, green, or orange.
• Garlic cloves: Can you ever have too much garlic? Minced garlic adds so much to the flavor profile of this chili, but feel free to add more if you’re a total garlic lover.
• Diced tomatoes: I love the flavor profile that a can of diced tomatoes adds to this chili. They have just enough acidity to balance out all of the other flavors nicely.
• Chicken broth: The savory broth provides a nice base for this chicken chili. You could substitute vegetable or turkey broth if that’s what you have on hand.
• Black beans: A can of black beans is a great way to add some extra protein to your chili recipe. You can use different types of beans-like pinto beans, Great Northern beans, or Cannellini white beans if you prefer.
• Sweet corn: Feel free to use either fresh, canned, or frozen corn to your chili. If using frozen, just make sure it is thawed before adding to your chili.
• Seasoning: A blend of chili powder, ground cumin, dried oregano, chili flakes, sea salt, and pepper really take the flavor of this chili to the next level. all of the flavors complement each other and really send the whole chili over the top.

how to make chicken chili

• Sauté the veggies – First, heat oil in a pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, peppers, garlic, and sauté until tender. This process will take about 5-7 minutes.
• Cook the chili – Next, stir in beans, corn, tomatoes, broth, chicken or turkey, and spices. Lower the heat and simmer for about 12-15 minutes or until the chili thickens and flavors blend.
• Garnish – Finally, garnish, serve, and enjoy! This chili really is that easy with only three simple steps to follow!

best toppings for chili

We all have our favorite toppings for chili, here’s some of the most popular:

• Lemon or lime wedges
• Shredded cheese – jack or jalapeno cheddar works great.
• Cubed or sliced avocado
• Chopped or sliced Jalapenos
• Tortilla chips or strips
• Fresh Chopped Cilantro
• Sliced Green onions
• Sour cream
• Green chiles
• Greek yogurt
• Sliced jalapenos (remove the seeds and ribs if you don’t want a lot of heat)
• Salsa verde

More chili recipes

• Turkey Pumpkin Chili
• Ground Turkey Chili
• Sweet Potato Chili
• White Bean Turkey Chili
• Easy Homemade Beef Chili
• Vegetarian Bean Chili
• Easy White Chicken Chili Recipe
• Keto Beef Chili Recipe

Frequently asked questions

How to make chicken chilli in a crockpot or slow cooker

If using cooked or leftover chicken, place all the ingredients listed into the slow cooker/crockpot. Stir to combine, cover, and set it to cook on either Low or High. Cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-7 hours.

Using raw chicken breast? Add the chicken, onion, veggies, spices, and broth. Mix and then close the lid. Set it on High for 3 hours or LOW for 5 hours. The Chicken should be tender enough to shred with a fork. This is the step where you will add cream cheese if you plan on using it for a creamy version. Then add the beans and corn. Taste and adjust salt and pepper if needed. Close the lid again and set it on LOW for 2 hours or on HIGH for one hour.

Storing and Reheating

• To Store: Place leftovers in a sealed container and store it in the fridge for up to 5 days. You may also place your leftovers in a freezer-safe dish and freeze for up to 3 months.
• Reheating: You may simply reheat a single serving in a microwave-safe bowl for 1-2 minutes until it heats through. To reheat on your stovetop, place the chili in a saucepan over medium heat and allow it to heat for 10-15 minutes while stirring occasionally. If the chili was in the freezer, allow it to thaw the night before and follow the same above instructions, or simply defrost and reheat in the microwave.

tips and substitutions

• To save time, use a store-bought rotisserie chicken or leftover chicken that you have on hand.
• You can, of course, roast or pan fry the chicken and shred that, if you wish.
• Feel free to use different proteins if you’d like. You can sub chicken for ground turkey, ground chicken, or ground beef.
• For a robust chili flavor consider adding 4 ounces of green chilis or salsa verde.
• Olive or avocado oil are always good alternatives to olive oil.
• To make a creamy version: Add in some cream cheese. In a small bowl, mix about 1/4 cup of cream cheese with warm water mix it as best as you can, and add them to the chili as it boils, about halfway through or 10 minutes before it’s done.
• Don’t feel like you have to stick with chicken broth. You can use any broth you have handy.
• If you are watching your salt intake, opt for low sodium chicken broth and low sodium canned beans.
• Skip the cheese and other dairy toppings for a lactose-free option. The recipe is dairy-free as written.
• For a vegan option, use vegetable broth and skip the chicken. You can add in extra veggies or beans for more protein.
• If topping with shredded cheese, ideally shred your own. Also, pre-shredded cheese doesn’t melt that well.
• Increase or decrease the chili flakes, depending on the spice level you’d like. You can always make things a little spicier if you’d like and add in some cayenne pepper.

recipes you may like

Citrus Garlic Butter Shrimps

Healthy Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Creamy Wild Mushroom Pasta

Lemon Garlic Marinated Chicken

Shrimp Taco Bowls

Baked Balsamic Cranberry Chicken

Chicken Cabbage Soup

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