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Cozy up to a bowl of the easiest chicken chili recipe ever! My chicken chili recipe is packed with flavor. Using three kinds of beans, corn, tomatoes with chiles, chicken, and onion, it cooks in 30 minutes!
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Chili is one of my favorite foods, so what could be better than a simple chili made in just around 30 minutes? This flavorful, easy chicken chili recipe always does the job. If you're used to chicken in chili being bland, get ready to be surprised!
This is not your basic chili recipe! By cooking it on the stove top it's done in no time. A blend of easy, wholesome ingredients packs it with flavor. Adding corn gives it a nice, sweet crunch - and once you melt the cheese on top, it's all over!
Ingredients in Chicken Chili
- Olive oil
- Onion, finely chopped: Sweet onion is best for chili, as it adds a nice sweetness to balance out the spice.
- Navy beans: Navy beans have a great middle-of-the-road texture; not too soft, not too hard!
- Black beans: With the firmest texture of the three beans, these add great variation to the chili.
- Northern beans or Pinto Beans: Use what you have on hand, or pick your favorite! I find northern beans have a softer skin.
- Whole kernel corn: Fresh or frozen corn will work great! Fresh will be sweeter, but frozen is so, so easy!
- Tomato sauce: A plain, smooth tomato sauce works best. I tend to use Hunts, as it's budget friendly and very smooth!
- Diced tomatoes with green chiles: You can also use regular diced tomatoes, and add in 1-2 diced and seeded jalapenos!
- Chili Seasoning: You can also use your favorite packet of taco seasoning, but my chili seasoning blend is the perfect balance of cumin, chili powder, and everything that really makes chili shine!
- Pan seared chicken breasts, one whole roasted chicken, or shredded chicken: Use whatever you have! I've used shredded rotisserie chicken too.
How to Make Chicken Chili
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add finely chopped white onion to the pot and sauté for about 5 minutes, until the onions soften and become translucent.
- Stir in a packet of taco seasoning or chili seasoning.
- Add navy beans, half black beans, and northern beans to a blender and puree. Don't drain the cans; you want the liquid!
- Stir pureed beans into the pot.
- Add tomato sauce, diced tomatoes with green chiles, and whole-kernel corn to the pot, draining only the corn.
- Add shredded chicken to the pot. You can use leftover chicken such as rotisserie chicken or the meat of 3 cooked chicken breasts or chicken thighs. I love making shredded chicken in the Instant Pot. It is super easy.
- Mix in the remaining half can of navy and black beans, then stir to combine.
- Let your chicken chili simmer over medium heat until fully heated through, about 15 to 20 minutes. Add the juice of 1 lime and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Top with tortilla strips, shredded cheese, and sour cream to serve.
This is the easiest chicken chili recipe you will ever make. It's similar to a Chicken Tortilla Soup but as a thick, hearty chili. I love serving it with my Quesabirria Tacos recipe!
Isabel's Top Tips for Making Chicken Chili
- One of the BEST parts about this easy chili recipe is that you can use leftover chicken to make it. Be it leftover shredded chicken or a rotisserie chicken, you can use whatever you have!
- I like to use shredded rotisserie chicken or instant pot shredded chicken to make mine.
- Want a little more spice? Add some chili powder or cayenne pepper to it. You can also dice up and add a few jalapenos!
- This chili is super customizable! I like to add extra veggies like chopped carrots and bell peppers. Just add them alongside the onions.
- The best chili I've ever had was leftover chicken chili that I popped an entire Burrata cheese ball into! By letting it melt in the pot, my chili turned into a creamy, luscious dream. It's seriously so good!
Top Reviews
Overall a very tasty healthful dish! - Sarah
This recipe is so easy and just amazing. - Maryjo
See them all here→ or keep scrolling to the comments section below! I appreciate all of the amazing reviews on this recipe.
Toppings for Chicken Chili
- Mexican Crema or Avocado Crema
- Corn Tortilla Strips OR Frito Chips
- Shredded Cheddar Cheese or Monterey Jack Cheese
- Sour Cream
- Green Onions
- Diced Tomatoes
- Avocado
- Cilantro
- Lime Juice
FAQ
This chili is fairly thick! This is due to using the liquid from the blended beans instead of thin chicken stock. You can make it thinner by adding chicken stock, or thicken it by draining one or two cans of the beans before blending them instead of adding the liquid.
You can absolutely use raw chicken. I've used diced chicken breast or chicken thighs and they tasted wonderful! To make chicken chili with raw chicken, dice the chicken and add it into the pot with the onions, then cook until nicely browned. Then continue the recipe as directed.
The secret to perfect chili is creating depth of flavor with your ingredients; pay attention to the seasonings used, kinds of beans, and tomatoes with green chiles to kick this Mexican chili up a notch from your average classic chili recipe.
Red Chicken Chili can be made with either boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs. They both work great, so use your favorite!
You can add the beans whole, if you prefer. It's really just a matter of preference with the texture of the chili.
If you find your chili is not thick enough, you can add a thickening agent like flour, cornstarch, or even corn masa flour.
Take a bit of liquid from your chili, about a cup if possible, and mix in one tablespoon or so of your thickening agent.
Add another tablespoon if one does not do the job. If you mix outside the pot of chili, it's less likely to clump up and easier to mix in and thicken your Mexican chili!
How to Store Leftover Chili
- Cooling Down: Let the chicken chili cool to room temperature. To do this quickly, you can immerse the pot in an ice water bath. Then pack it into airtight containers or glass jars, if you prefer.
- Refrigerator: Keep it in the refrigerator if you plan to eat it within 4 days.
- Freezing: For longer storage, freeze it. Use freezer-safe containers or bags. Chili lasts up to 4 months frozen, and is one of my favorite easy freezer meals!
- Thawing: Defrost in the refrigerator overnight or using the microwave. I've also used a skillet to thaw frozen chili by adding a little extra water to the pot and heating it over low heat. Just keep an eye on it, as you may need to add more liquid.
- Reheating: Warm it on the stovetop or microwave until heated through.
How to Reheat Homemade Chicken Chili
- Microwave Method:
- Transfer a portion of chicken chili into a microwave-safe bowl.
- Cover the bowl with a microwave-safe lid or microwave-safe plastic wrap, leaving a small vent.
- Microwave on high for 1-2 minutes, stirring halfway through, until heated through.
- Check the temperature and continue heating in 1-minute intervals if needed.
- Stovetop Method:
- Pour chicken chili into a saucepan or pot.
- Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until warmed through.
- Once heated, it's ready to serve.
Chili Recipes
This is one of my kids' all-time favorite recipes. I have made it thousands of times, and every time, it is a true winner. The other chicken recipe they request over and over is chicken quesa birria tacos - it is incredible!
Chicken Chili Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 white onion - finely chopped
- 1 can navy beans - 15.5 oz.
- 1 can black beans - 15.5 oz.
- 1 can northern beans - 15.5 oz.
- 1 can whole kernel corn - 15.5 oz. drained
- 1 can tomato sauce - 8 oz.
- 2 cans diced tomatoes with green chiles - 14.5 oz., undrained, such as Rotel
- 1 packet taco seasoning - 1.25 oz.
- 3 skinless boneless chicken breasts - cooked and shredded; or, 1 whole rotisserie chicken, shredded - amounts to about 4.5 cups total
Optional Chili Toppings
- corn tortilla strips OR frito chips
- shredded cheddar cheese
- sour cream
Instructions
- Heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add 1 finely chopped white onion to the pot and sauté for about 5 minutes, until the onions soften and become translucent.1 Tbsp. olive oil,1 white onion
- Stir in 1 (1.25 oz.) packet of taco seasoning.1 packet taco seasoning
- Add half of a 15.5 oz can of navy beans, half a 15.5 oz can of black beans, and one whole 15.5 oz. can of northern beans to a blender and puree. Include the liquid!1 can navy beans,1 can black beans,1 can northern beans
- Stir pureed beans to the pot.
- Add an 8 oz. can of tomato sauce, two 14.5 oz. cans of diced tomatoes with green chiles, and a 15.5 oz. can of drained whole kernel corn to the pot.1 can tomato sauce,2 cans diced tomatoes with green chiles,1 can whole kernel corn
- Add about 4.5 cups of shredded chicken to the pot. You can use leftover chicken such as rotisserie chicken or the meat of 3 cooked chicken breasts.3 skinless boneless chicken breasts
- Mix in the remaining half can of navy beans and half can of black beans, then stir to combine.
- Let your white bean chicken chili simmer over medium heat until fully heated through, about 15 to 20 minutes. Add juice of 1 lime and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Top with tortilla strips, shredded cheese, and sour cream to serve.corn tortilla strips OR frito chips,shredded cheddar cheese,sour cream
Notes
- If you find the chili is not thick enough to your liking, take about a cup of liquid from the chili. Mix it with 1 to 2 Tbsp. of a thickening agent such as flour, corn masa flour, or cornstarch. Add the mixture back to the chili and slowly mix it in to thicken the chili.
- One of the BEST parts about this easy chili recipe is that you can use leftover chicken to make it. Be it leftover shredded chicken or a rotisserie chicken, you can use whatever you have!
- I like to use shredded rotisserie chicken or instant pot shredded chicken to make mine.
- Want a little more spice? Add some chili powder or cayenne pepper to it. You can also dice up and add a few jalapenos!
- This chili is super customizable! I like to add extra veggies like chopped carrots and bell peppers. Just add them alongside the onions.
Meghan says
I am going to make this tonight. The ingredients do not say to drain/rinse navy beans. I’m assuming I should?
Isabel Laessig says
Hi, Meghan! Please enjoy, and thank you for pointing this out! I would recommend draining and rinsing the navy beans as well.
Tony says
Do I actually need to purée the beans or could I just add them as is?
Isabel Laessig says
Hi Tony! You could just add them as is if you'd prefer them to be whole. It's really just a matter of which texture you'd prefer. Enjoy!
Sarah S says
Overall a very tasty healthful dish! But I had to make some adjustments. I added about a cup of chicken stock as it needed more liquid. And I only added about 2 cups of chicken as 4 cups would have been too much. I also kept the beans whole to make a a chunkier chili. I’ll will make this again!
Isabel Laessig says
Glad you enjoyed it, Sarah!
Phil Novinger says
You need to clarify your instructions about draining and rinsing the beans. The recipe says to drain and rinse them, but then you say to include the liquid with those that are pureed. I had to add chicken broth to supplement the needed liquid, which was actually not a bad thing.