Green chicken chili is a quick stovetop chili with shredded chicken, poblano peppers, jalapeño, green chilies, white beans, and fresh cilantro. It comes together in about thirty minutes.
This is the chili I make when I want something lighter than a red chili but still want a bowl that feels like dinner.
Why This Green Chicken Chili Works
Poblano peppers are milder than jalapeños with an earthy, almost smoky flavor. Sauté them with the onion and jalapeño until soft and they melt into the broth, giving the chili its backbone.
Fresh jalapeño and canned green chilies hit differently. The canned chilies spread a steady warmth across the whole pot. The fresh jalapeño brings sharp heat that pops up in some bites and skips others. Seed it for less heat or leave the seeds in.
The chicken poaches right in the broth. Boneless skinless chicken breasts go in whole, simmer until cooked, then get shredded with two forks and stirred back in. Less mess and the meat soaks up the chili flavor as it cooks.
White beans instead of kidney beans. Small white beans are creamy and mild. They blend into the background and let the poblanos and green chilies lead.
Cilantro goes in after you pull the pot off the heat. It softens into the hot chili and keeps its fresh flavor. Cook it even a minute and it turns bitter.
How to Make Green Chicken Chili
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion, chopped poblano peppers, and diced jalapeño. Sauté until soft, about 5 minutes.
- Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring.
- Stir in the cumin, coriander, and chili powder. Cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the green chilies, white beans, salt, pepper, and chicken broth. Stir to combine.
- Nestle the chicken breasts into the liquid. Bring to a boil, reduce to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
- Pull the chicken out onto a cutting board. Shred with two forks and return it to the pot. Stir and simmer another 5 minutes.
- Take it off the heat. Stir in the chopped cilantro. Serve hot with sour cream, shredded Monterey Jack cheese, tortilla chips, and lime wedges.
Quick Tips
- Seed the jalapeño for mild chili. Leave the seeds for more heat.
- Poach the chicken whole in the broth. Juicier meat, deeper flavor.
- Cilantro goes in off heat so it stays fresh.
Make Ahead and Storage
Keeps in the fridge up to 4 days. Reheat on the stove or microwave.
Freezes up to 3 months. Cool completely, transfer to a freezer-safe container, and leave an inch of headroom. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat on the stove.
More Chili Recipes
For more chicken chili, try my Instant Pot white chicken chili. My Instant Pot salsa verde chicken chili is an easy chili recipe. My Instant Pot chipotle chicken chili brings a smoky flavor.
📖 Recipe
Green Chicken Chili
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion - diced
- 2 poblano peppers - chopped
- 1 jalapeño pepper - diced
- 4 garlic cloves - minced
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 4 ounce can green chilies
- 15 ounce can small white beans - drained and rinsed
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
- ¼ cup cilantro - chopped
- Sour cream - for serving
- Shredded Monterey Jack cheese - for serving
- Tortilla chips - for serving
- Lime wedges - for serving
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion, chopped poblano peppers, and diced jalapeño. Sauté until soft, about 5 minutes.
- Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring often.
- Stir in the cumin, coriander, and chili powder. Cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the green chilies, white beans, salt, pepper, and chicken broth. Stir to combine.
- Place the chicken breasts into the liquid. Bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.
- Remove the chicken to a cutting board. Shred with two forks.
- Return the shredded chicken to the pot. Stir and simmer another 5 minutes.
- Remove from heat. Stir in the chopped cilantro.
- Serve hot with sour cream, shredded Monterey Jack cheese, tortilla chips, and lime wedges.
Notes
- Seed the jalapeño for less heat. Leave the seeds in for more.
- Poach the chicken whole in the broth. Shred with two forks.
- Cilantro goes in before serving so it stays fresh.
- Serve with sour cream, shredded Monterey Jack, tortilla chips, and lime wedges.
- Keeps up to 4 days in the fridge. Freezes up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate based on third-party calculations. Actual values may vary due to ingredients, measurements, and serving sizes.
© Mama Needs Cake
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Let us know how it was!Dana is an experienced recipe creator who crafts easy and delicious recipes for all levels of home cooks.
Her recipes range from classic comfort foods to healthy and nutritious meals, and she is always on the lookout for new and exciting ways to bring flavor and variety to the table.
