Cozy up to a bowl of the BEST chicken chili recipe EVER! Mexican chili is full of flavor from three kinds of beans, corn, tomatoes with chiles, chicken, and onion.
Top it off with tortilla strips, shredded cheese, and sour cream, and you have yourself a bowl of the most delicious chicken chili soup ever!
You are going to LOVE this Mexican chili. It’s similar to a Chicken Tortilla Soup, but as a thick, hearty chili recipe.
Mexican Chili is the Best Chicken Chili Recipe, Ever
Chili is one of my favorite foods. What could be better than a simple chili recipe, put together in just a little over 30 minutes? Flavorful, easy chicken chili is one of my all-time favorite ways to make chili. But this Mexican chili… it’s something else!
This is not your basic chili recipe! This is the best chicken chili recipe, ever. The seasoning, three kinds of beans, and tomatoes with green chiles really kick this Mexican chili up a notch from your average classic chili recipe.
This is a spicy chili recipe, but not overpowering. Adding corn gives it a nice, sweet crunch, and once you melt the cheese on top, it’s all over – you’re going to want to make this chicken chilli recipe all of the time!
It really is the best chicken chili recipe ever!
Is chili a soup?
Generally, chili is a little too thick to be soup. Chili is more like a stew due to its thickness, intensity of flavor, and inclusion of a main protein.
The Best Chicken Chili Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 white onion, finely chopped
- Navy beans, 15.5 oz. can
- Black beans, 15.5 oz. can, drained and rinsed
- Northern beans, 15.5 oz. can, drained and rinsed
- Whole kernel corn, 15.5 oz. can, drained
- Tomato sauce, 8 oz. can
- 2 cans diced tomatoes with green chiles, 14.5 oz. cans, undrained, such as Rotel
- 1 package taco seasoning, 1.25 oz.
- 3 whole skinless boneless chicken breasts, cooked, or 1 whole rotisserie chicken, shredded – about 4 1/2 cups of chicken
Optional Chili Toppings
- Corn tortilla strips OR Frito chips
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Sour cream
The flavor in this white bean chicken chili is out of this world delicious. Diced tomatoes with green chiles and taco seasoning add SO much flavor, and make this more like a Mexican chili than your classic chili recipe.
One of the BEST parts about this easy chili recipe is that you can use leftover chicken to make it.
I like to use shredded rotisserie chicken to make mine, but it’s perfect for making a chicken dinner like Slow Cooker Whole Chicken and then repurposing it the next night for this easy chili recipe.
What is the best chili seasoning for the best chicken chili recipe?
For this Mexican chili, I use a packet of taco seasoning. Taco seasoning generally contains a mix of spices like paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, and oregano.
If you want to make your own taco seasoning to use, simply mix those spices together at a ratio of 1 Tbsp. of chili powder to 1 Tsp. of the other spices, and it should work out deliciously.
I find it much easier to just use a packet of pre-made taco seasoning, however! The flavor blend is delicious in this Mexican chili. It has a nice, spicy kick to it, without being overwhelmingly hot.
What are the best beans for chili?
- Navy beans: Also known as haricot beans, Boston beans, or pea beans. These are small white beans that are perfect chili beans.
- Black beans: Black beans are a common bean also known as black turtle beans. They are dense, with a meaty texture, so they’re great for making chili with beans.
- Northern beans: Northern beans, also known as Great Northern Beans, are a large white bean. They are larger than navy beans and smaller than cannellini beans. They actually resemble lima beans, with a nutty flavor and a great texture for chili beans!
If you’re making white bean chicken chili, you will, of course, need to use white beans! My favorite white beans to use for chili beans are Navy Beans and Northern Beans. If you want to make this purely a white bean chicken chili, remove the black beans and compensate with extra white beans (I recommend Navy as they are smaller).
I love to also use black beans, as they add a perfect meaty texture to the chili that complements the chicken really well!
How to Make Homemade Chili – Best Chicken Chili Recipe
- 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.
- Stir in 1 (1.25 oz.) packet of 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.
- Stir pureed beans to the pot.
- Add an 8 oz. can of tomato sauce, a 14.5 oz. can of diced tomatoes with green chiles, and a 15.5 oz. can of drained whole kernel corn to the pot.
- Add shredded chicken to the pot. You can use leftover chicken such as rotisserie chicken or the meat of 3 cooked 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.
It really is that easy to make the best chicken chili recipe ever! This easy homemade chili recipe will quickly become your favorite – and your family’s favorite! I guarantee you that once you serve up this great chili recipe, your family will be asking you when you’ll make it again.
How to Thicken Chili
This is a thick chili recipe already, but 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 1 tablespoon or so of your thickening agent. Add another Tbsp. if 1 does not do the job.
If you mix outside of the pot of chili, it’s less likely to clump up and easier to mix in and thicken your Mexican chili with!
How long is chili good for?
To keep your chili, you can either store it in the refrigerator or even freeze it! This Mexican chili keeps well in the refrigerator and in the freezer, following the instructions below.
How long does chili last in the fridge?
Generally, chili lasts up to 5 days in the refrigerator (though I guarantee you’ll have eaten it all before then!). The same goes for this white bean chicken chili.
Can you freeze chili?
Yes, you can! An airtight container of this chili will last several months, but I recommend not storing it for more than 2 months so the flavor retains well once you reheat it.
To reheat, just thaw and heat in the microwave or on the stovetop as you prefer.
What goes with chili with beans?
There are many options for what to eat with chili! If you’re stuck on figuring out what goes good with chili, here are a few of my favorite choices…
What to Serve with Chili
- Portuguese Rice – make perfect rice every time!
- Biscuits, rolls, or homemade bread – bread pairs perfectly with chili.
- Fresh vegetable salad – a simple salad is a great choice as a side dish for chili.
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Even More of the Best Chili Recipes
Other Recipes like the Best Chicken Chili Recipe
- Mexican Instant Pot Chicken and Rice Soup
- Easy Beef Stew in Instant Pot
- Chilaquiles Rojos (Chilaquiles Mexicanas)
- Elote Recipe (Elotes Mexicano)
- Mexican Lasagna Recipe with Corn Tortillas
The Best Chicken Chili Recipe – Mexican Chili
🥘 Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 white onion finely chopped
- 1 can navy beans 15.5 oz.
- 1 can black beans 15.5 oz., drained & rinsed
- 1 can northern beans 15.5 oz., drained & rinsed
- 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.
- Stir in 1 (1.25 oz.) packet of 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.
- Stir pureed beans to the pot.
- Add an 8 oz. can of tomato sauce, a 14.5 oz. can of diced tomatoes with green chiles, and a 15.5 oz. can of drained whole kernel corn to the pot.
- 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.
- 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.
Video
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 chili.
- Chili will last up to 5 days in the refrigerator. Store in an airtight container.
- You can freeze chili in an airtight container. I recommend not freezing for longer than 2 months.
Taylor Kiser says
Amazing flavors going on in this chicken chili recipe! This will be perfect for Super Bowl Sunday!
Em Beitel says
Thanks so much, Taylor! We love this chili for game day. It’s a big hit.
Suzy says
I LOVE how you made this with chicken! So delicious and flavorful! We serve our chili over rice!
Em Beitel says
Thanks so much, Suzy! Chili over rice is one of our favs. We have a perfect rice recipe for it, too: https://sundaysuppermovement.com/how-to-cook-perfect-rice/
Katie says
This looks so delicious, can’t wait to pair it with my homemade cornbread!
Em Beitel says
YUM! Love cornbread with chili! A cheesy jalapeno cornbread would go deliciously with this chili especially.
Tawnie Kroll says
This was seriously amazing and really THE BEST I’ve had! Can’t wait to make it again for Super Bowl Sunday!
Em Beitel says
Thank you so much, Tawnie! Chili’s the best for game day, right?
Anita says
This was so so good, and a good use for a store-bought rotisserie chicken. This will be a repeat recipe for sure. 🙂
Em Beitel says
Thank you, Anita! We totally agree- great use of rotisserie. It makes everything so easy.