Chicken Chili

Chicken Chili
James Ransom for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Maggie Ruggiero.
Total Time
1 hour
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
45 minutes
Rating
4(284)
Notes
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This comforting weeknight chili recipe takes advantage of quick-cooking ground chicken, for speed, and ancho chile powder, which brings deep, smoky flavor. Caramelized tomato paste adds savory depth, plus a touch of acidity to brighten the rich sauce. Meaty kidney beans simmer alongside until they break down a little, thickening the stew. Enjoy the chili on its own, perhaps paired with crusty bread, or turn your meal into a more festive affair with a tasty toppings bar to customize as you like.

Learn: How to Make Chili

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • ¼cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1cup finely chopped white onion
  • 1cup finely chopped green bell pepper
  • Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and pepper
  • 2tablespoons tomato paste
  • 3garlic cloves, minced
  • 1tablespoon ancho or chipotle chile powder (or a mix)
  • ½teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1pound ground chicken (preferably dark meat)
  • 2cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 2(15-ounce) cans kidney beans, rinsed
  • Optional toppings: any combination of chopped cilantro, sour cream, chopped avocado, grated Cheddar and lime wedges
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

524 calories; 25 grams fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 15 grams monounsaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 42 grams carbohydrates; 12 grams dietary fiber; 8 grams sugars; 35 grams protein; 1294 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a large Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium. Add onion and bell pepper, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5 minutes.

  2. Step 2

    Reduce heat to medium-low and add tomato paste. Cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly caramelized, 2 to 3 minutes. Add garlic, chile powder, oregano and the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and stir until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add chicken, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally and breaking up the meat, until no longer pink, about 3 minutes.

  3. Step 3

    Add broth and beans and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring to lift up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until chicken is tender and flavors have melded, about 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

  4. Step 4

    Divide chili among bowls and finish with any of the toppings. Serve with lime wedges.

Ratings

4 out of 5
284 user ratings
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Cooking Notes

A very nice flexible recipe. The second time, I added tomatoes, which were wonderful. Very easy to adapt to heat level preferences by substituting smoked paprika, for some of the chile powder, if necessary. It was great without the chicken for a vegan dish. Used about half the liquid and cooked for 10 minutes on high pressure in an Instant Pot.

Another winner from Kay Chun! This recipe is very adaptable and forgiving. I tried it with ground turkey and added tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and chopped chipotles in adobo. Delicious!

Simple and delicious without the beans (I love beans however he does not) by adding orzo for the last ten minutes. The broth orzo ratio was perfect.

Love this, used ground turkey and subbed a can of corn for the beans because I can't stand beans (and as a Texan, beans don't belong in chili).

Green peppers are traditional for many cooks, especially in chili. If you prefer a colored "ripe" pepper, by all means use one. I don't like green peppers either, but I don't question those who do.

Fabulous, fast and easy, even with putting dry beans in to soak and then the pressure cooker first. Only had beef on hand-of course, still delicious.

I treat chili as a medium for the things I add to it, but it's not a neutral medium. Above all, it has to have the right texture. Happily, this one fits the bill. It has the hearty texture of a ground beef-based chili (and thereby eludes the problem of insufficient heft that afflicts many vegetarian chili recipes), so if you're cutting down on red meat in your diet, this is an excellent choice. Eat with tortilla chips, shredded cheese, onion, jalapenos, and sour cream.

Please don’t use canned beans! -use: 1 cup each-Black bean, Red Kidney & 15 Bean Soup Dry Beans soaked 8hrs then pressure cooked 20min. Also-add finely diced 1-2 serranos w/o seeds, 2 celery stalks, 1-2 tomato-w/o seeds, 1 chipotle pepper w/ 2-4tbsp abobo sauce, 3/4 cup mild salsa verde, 1/2 bunch chopped cilantro to Dutch oven, sub chicken stock w/ 1/2 -1 cup water- ditch ground chicken- instead dice 2 chicken breasts, sauté separately seasoned with recipe listed spices & lime zest add to chili

This recipe never fails. Very simple and comes together really nicely in an hour. I swap the broth for bouillon cubes (1:1), it really amps the flavor up! Just be mindful the salt used throughout the recipe if you go with bouillon.

As I usually do, I followed the recipe the first time I cooked it. It's a good base, but I agree with commenters who say that it needs a flavor pickup and more heat. Next time I'll adjust the spices (maybe some smoked paprika and cumin?) and probably add more tomato. This time I dressed it up with some sour cream and a healthy amount of Valentina.

This is great: cheap, easy, quick, and tasty. Definitely use ground dark-meat chicken.

Made this with ground dark meat turkey and red pepper for sweetness. Was absolutely perfect.

Delicious and easy. I used half ancho chili and half chipotle…ended up using lean ground beef bc I was too lazy to go to the store. Will definitely make this again.

One of the rare "easy weeknight meals" that actually lived up to the hype. Had to chop 3 veg (two peppers and one onion), peel and press 3 cloves of garlic, rinse the canned beans and that was basically the only prep required! Turned out great. My 5yo asked "can we eat this tomorrow night also?"

Very easy and tasty recipe. I substituted zucchini for the beans to make it less carb-y.

Delicious! I used yellow bell pepper because that’s what I had but everything else was as written. Will definitely add into rotation.

This was delicious and easy. I added about 1 tablespoon of cumin and coriander as I found the flavor needed a boost. Also a can of crushed tomatoes. And Whole Foods has a can with 3 different beans - life changing! Will make this again!

Easy to make and tasty—though a bit too spicy for my liking. Perhaps next time I will half the chili powder.

Comes out more soup like. Simmer uncovered for the 30 minutes and maybe reduce the added stock to achieve a more stew like consistency.

Used ground turkey and added fresh corn off 1 cob. Topped with a dollop of sour cream, cilantro and a squeeze of lime which it needed cuz a little thin on taste (only had regular chili powder). Next time will fortify the chili powder with some smoked paprika. Probably add a jalapeño or some shishito peppers. As with all chilies, improves with age. Will make again.

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