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Best Chicken Chili Recipe

Best Chicken Chili Recipe

The ultimate comfort food, this Best Chicken Chili Recipe is perfect for chilly evenings. Packed with tender chicken, hearty beans, and a medley of spices, it’s a satisfying dish that warms you from the inside out. Whether it's a casual family dinner or a gathering with friends, this easy weeknight dinner is one you won't want to miss!
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs patted dry or rotisserie chicken
  • 1/2 large yellow onion chopped
  • 1 jalapeno seeded and minced if you want spicy
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 14.5 oz. cans Great Northern Beans drained and rinsed
  • 1 15 oz. cream style corn
  • 1 15 oz. sweet corn drained and rinsed
  • 1 16 oz. mild salsa verde
  • 3 cups low sodium chicken broth
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon Knorr® Granulated Chicken Bouillon
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 cups half and half
  • 2 tablespoons minced cilantro (optional)

Equipment

  • Saucepan
  • Skillet
  • Oven
  • Large Pot
  • Chef's Knife
  • Wooden Spoon
  • Whisk

Method
 

  1. Sear chicken: Heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat in a large Dutch oven/soup pot. Season chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper then sear until golden, about 2 minutes per side. Remove to a plate but leave drippings.
  2. Sauté aromatics: Melt 2 tablespoons butter with 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium low heat. Once melted, increase to medium-high heat and add onions and jalapenos; cook for 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds.
  3. Cook roux: Sprinkle in flour and cook one additional minute while stirring (it will be thick).
  4. Add ingredients: Add chicken back to the pot followed by beans, creamed corn, corn, salsa verde, chicken bouillon and all seasonings. Whisk cornstarch with 1 cup of chicken broth and stir in. Add remaining chicken broth.
  5. Simmer: Cover the soup to bring to a boil then uncover and simmer for 12-15 minutes or until chicken is tender enough to shred, stirring often so the bottom doesn't burn. Remove chicken to a cutting board, shred, then stir back into the soup. Stir in half and half and cilantro and warm through.
  6. Season to taste: Add additional half and half or broth to thin to desired consistency if you like. Season with salt / pepper / cayenne pepper to taste. Serve with sour cream, crushed tortilla chips, chopped avocados and cilantro.

Notes

  • Rotisserie chicken: To use rotisserie chicken, add about 2 ½ cups shredded chicken to the soup when the recipe calls for adding the shredded chicken back to the soup at the end of step 5.
  • Customize spice level: This recipe is “medium” spicy if you add the jalapeno. To make the chili less spicy, omit the jalapeno or if you’re not sure, omit the jalapeno. You can always add cayenne pepper or hot sauce to taste if you would like more heat.
  • Gluten-free: Use gluten-free flour – the rest of the ingredients should be gluten-free.
  • Stir often: The soup can stick to the bottom and burn while it’s simmering because it’s quite thick, so you’ll want to stir often so the bottom doesn’t burn.
  • Make it less thick: For a thinner soup, simply add additional chicken broth.