Ground Chicken Chili
Cozy up to a hearty bowl of Ground Chicken Chili! It’s packed with ground chicken, beans and bold spices, and the fun part is piling on the toppings. It’s a lighter twist on the classic comfort food and it’s ready in about 40 minutes!
Soup season calls for a new chili recipe! Chili is one of my favorite things to make (and eat!) during the fall and winter months especially, so it’s fun to change things up.
This Ground Chicken Chili is my latest creation. It’s rustic and hearty with plenty of beans, a rich tomato base and bold spice flavor.
It’s reminiscent of my slow cooker turkey chili, but the ground chicken is milder in flavor with a softer texture that makes this unique.
So why not use chicken breast like I did in my Instant Pot white chicken chili? This recipe is even quicker and easier because ground chicken cooks up very quickly and there’s no chicken breast to shred.
Top it with your favorite toppings and serve with sweet, buttery honey cornbread muffins for a cozy fall dinner. 🙂
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Ground chicken chili is rustic and hearty with beans, a rich tomato base and warm spicy flavor.
- It takes just 10 minutes to prep and it cooks up in about 30 minutes.
- It’s great for meal prep and it’s freezer friendly.
- It can be customized with your favorite ground meat, beans and veggies, as well as your favorite toppings.
Recipe ingredients
- Ground chicken. It’s much lighter than ground beef with a mild flavor and soft texture. The fat content and texture will vary based on whether it’s ground chicken breast, or a combination of dark meat and skin.
- Aromatics. Onion and garlic are the foundation of great flavor, so I don’t recommend omitting them.
- Beans. You’ll need a 15 ounce can of beans. I used a 3 bean combination for color and flavor, but you can use your favorite variety.
- Herbs and spices. Chili powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika and oregano are what gives this chili is bold spice flavor. Add 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper if you like things spicy!
- Chicken stock. One cup of homemade chicken stock (or your favorite store bought brand) adds flavor and thins out the chili.
- Diced tomatoes. Use fire roasted diced tomatoes for the best flavor.
- Tomato paste. A few tablespoons of tomato paste adds rich tomato flavor as opposed to using an entire can of tomato sauce. If you don’t have tomato paste on hand, use a 15 ounce can of tomato sauce and add 1/2 – 1 cup more stock as needed.
- Diced green chilies. Use mild or spicy. Sub with a jalapeño or your favorite chili pepper as desired.
See the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and quantities.
How to make chicken chili with ground chicken
This chicken chili with ground chicken is a lighter twist on classic beef chili. It’s still hearty, comforting and full of bold flavor!
It takes just 10 minutes to prep and it cooks up in about 30 minutes.
Pro tip: If the chili is too thin, cook until it has reduced down or add 1-2 more tablespoons of tomato paste. If it’s too thick, adjust with and additional 1/2 – 1 cup stock.
See the recipe card below for full instructions.
- Cook the over medium heat for 5 minutes or until softened. Add the ground chicken and break it into small chunks, and cook for 5 minutes more. Add the garlic, chili powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika and oregano and cook 30 seconds longer.
- Add the diced tomatoes, chicken stock, diced chilies and tomato paste and stir well. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium low. Add the beans and continue cooking for about 20 minutes or until the chili has thickened to the desired consistency.
- Remove from heat and stir in the lime juice. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.
Recipe FAQs
Ground turkey is a great substitute, but keep in mind that the flavor and texture will vary. Ground turkey has a richer flavor and firmer texture then ground chicken.
Be sure not to overcook the ground chicken during the browning stage, and add more oil to the pan as needed to keep it moist.
If the chili is on the thin side, simply cook it on the stove top uncovered until the liquid reduces down to the desired consistency.
To speed the process up, add 1-2 additional tablespoons of tomato paste, or mash half a can of rinsed and drained beans and stir them into the chili.
Yes! Simply follow the instructions for my slow cooker turkey chili.
Serving suggestions
There’s no wrong answer when it comes to serving this ground chicken chili recipe. It makes a great quick and easy weeknight dinner and it’s perfect served for game day with a variety of toppings and sides!
- Serve it as-is with your favorite toppings such as diced avocado, cheese, sour cream, sliced jalapeño, or tortilla chips.
- A slice of beer bread or a wedge of skillet cornbread are perfect for dunking!
- Serve with a simple spring mix salad or a loaded Italian chopped salad.
Recipe notes
- Pro tip: If the chili is too thin, cook until it has reduced down or add 1-2 more tablespoons of tomato paste. If it’s too thick, adjust with and additional 1/2 – 1 cup stock.
- Add another 1/2 lb. ground chicken or an additional can of beans to make it extra hearty. Add more stock as needed.
- If you don’t have tomato paste on hand, use a 15 ounce can of tomato sauce and add 1/2 – 1 cup more stock as needed.
- Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
More chili recipes you’ll love
Did you try this recipe? If so, be sure to leave a review below and tag me @flavorthemoments on Facebook and Instagram
Ground Chicken Chili
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion chopped
- 1 lb. ground chicken
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1.5 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 14 ounces fire roasted diced tomatoes
- 1 cup homemade chicken stock sub with store bought
- 4 ounces diced green chilies mild or spicy; sub with your favorite fresh chili as desired
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste see note 3
- 15 ounces cannelini beans or your favorite variety; rinsed and drained
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes until softened. Add the ground chicken to the pan and break up into the small pieces with a wooden spoon. Cook for 5 minutes, then stir in the garlic and spices and cook for 30 seconds longer.1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 onion, 1 lb. ground chicken, 3 cloves garlic, 1.5 tablespoons chili powder, 2 teaspoons ground cumin, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- Add the diced tomatoes, chicken stock, diced chilies and tomato paste and stir well. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium low. Add the beans and continue cooking for about 20 minutes or until the chili has thickened to the desired consistency.14 ounces fire roasted diced tomatoes, 1 cup homemade chicken stock, 4 ounces diced green chilies, 2 tablespoons tomato paste, 15 ounces cannelini beans
- Remove from heat and stir in the lime juice. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- Serve with optional toppings and enjoy!
Notes
- Pro tip:Â If the chili is too thin, cook until it has reduced down or add 1-2 more tablespoons of tomato paste. If it’s too thick, adjust with and additional 1/2 – 1 cup stock.
- Add another 1/2 lb. ground chicken or an additional can of beans to make it extra hearty. Add more stock as needed.
- If you don’t have tomato paste on hand, use a 15 ounce can of tomato sauce and add 1/2 – 1 cup more stock as needed.
- Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.
