Chicken Chili Recipe

During the winter months, my husband and I especially like to have spicy foods.  The heat from the dishes warms our bodies and also our spirits. This chicken chili recipe is one of our favorite winter meals.

This Chicken Chili Recipe is perfect for a cold winter night.

If you are looking for winter comfort foods, look no further than a big bowl of chili.  Nothing seems to do the job of warming me up quite like a tasty chili recipe.  (See my One pot chile con carne recipe here.)

Most of the time, we make bean or beef chili recipes like this one that I make in the crock pot. But sometimes I don’t want the heavy taste that a beef chili provides.   Then, chicken is the perfect choice for the protein to add to the chili recipe. 

Your family will also perhaps enjoy a change from the traditional when they spoon into this flavorful blend with the tender chunks of chicken, paired with cannellini and garbanzo beans, fresh peppers and just enough zip to satisfy without being too spicy.

The colors in this chicken chili are something else. So vibrant!  Much more appealing to my eyes than the traditional dark colored chili. 

I used both white wine and red wine in the recipe, but 1/2 cup of chicken broth can be substituted for the wines if you prefer it to be non alcoholic.   

Yield: 8

Chicken Chili Recipe

Print

Chicken thighs give this tasty chili a rich and hearty flavor. It is a very filling recipe and loaded with nutritional value.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 yellow onions chopped
• 1 lb of chicken thighs, skin on
• 2 tbsp good olive oil, plus extra for chicken
• 2 cloves of minced garlic
• 2 red bell peppers, cored, seeded, and diced
• 2 yellow bell peppers, cored, seeded, and diced
• 1 tsp chili powder
• [1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp dried red pepper flakes, or to taste
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, or to taste
• 2 tsp kosher salt, plus more for chicken
• 28 oz stewed tomatoes, undrained
• 15.5 oz can of cannellini beans
• 15.5 oz can of garbanzo beans
• 1/4 cup minced fresh basil leaves
• 1/4 cup good red wine
• 1/4 cup good white wine
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Optional: For serving:
• Chopped onions, corn chips, grated cheddar, sour cream

Instructions

1. Cook the onions in the olive oil over medium-low heat for about 10 to 15 minutes, until they are translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
2. Add the bell peppers, chili powder, cumin, red pepper flakes, cayenne, and salt. Cook for 1 minute more. Remove and add to a large pot.
3. In the same pan add the chicken thighs and cook until they are lightly browned and no longer pink inside. (can add more olive oil if you need to. Cut them into chunks.
4. Stir in the tomatoes and beans into the pot with the basil. Add the wines. (can substitute 1/2 cup of chicken broth for the two wines if you prefer.)Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for about 50 minutes, stirring occasionally. (can also be cooked for four hours on high in the crock pot. Both ways work fine.)
5. Serve with your desired toppings, or refrigerate and reheat gently before serving.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 475Total Fat: 19gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 97mgSodium: 978mgCarbohydrates: 46gFiber: 10gSugar: 10gProtein: 32g

Nutritional information is approximate due to natural variation in ingredients and the cook-at-home nature of our meals.

Share on Social Media