This chicken chili is hearty, flavorful, and filling! It's perfect for using up leftover cooked chicken.
It's good as it is, and even better with toppings like sour cream, shredded cheese, and jalapenos.
I've been making this chicken chili a lot ever since the weather started cooling off. Steaming hot and well-seasoned, it's an excellent way to keep oneself warm when it's bitterly cold outside (fish chowder is another one).
We all enjoy it very much, especially The Picky Eater (and when she likes something, I make it often!). Plus, it makes great use of leftover baked chicken breast or broiled chicken breast.
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Ingredients
Here's an overview of the ingredients needed to make this chili. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below.
- To season: Kosher salt, black pepper, ground cumin, smoked paprika, dried oregano, and cayenne pepper.
- Olive oil: I use extra-virgin olive oil. If you prefer an oil with a higher smoke point, you can use avocado oil instead.
- Aromatics: Onion, garlic, and diced chiles. They add so much flavor!
- Chicken broth: I use regular broth, not reduced sodium. I find it more flavorful.
- Heavy cream: Half-and-half is an acceptable substitute, but I prefer the richness of heavy cream.
- Cooked chicken breast, shredded: You can also use shredded rotisserie chicken - just make sure you remove the skin.
- Garnishes: Chopped cilantro, thinly sliced seeded jalapeño, shredded cheese, and sour cream.
Variations
- Add ½ teaspoon of dried thyme to the spice mixture. It goes well with chicken.
- Use cooked turkey instead of chicken. I do that after Thanksgiving!
- A tasty garnish, in addition to the other garnishes, is salsa. I like using it because it adds color to the chili.
- You can drizzle the chili with hot sauce.
- To make it dairy-free, use canned coconut milk and non-dairy toppings such as salsa and sliced avocado.
Instructions
Scroll down to the recipe card for detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps for making this recipe:
First, you cook the aromatics and spices in olive oil.
Next, add chicken broth and simmer to allow the flavors to meld.
Stir in the heavy cream and then the chicken. Cook just until heated through. The chicken is already cooked. You don't want to overcook it.
Ladle the chili into bowls, add your toppings, and serve.
Expert Tips
- It's always a good idea to wear gloves when handling jalapenos. They can irritate your skin.
- Since we're using cooked chicken in this recipe, it's important to cook it very briefly - all we need to do is reheat it. Overcooking will make it dry.
Recipe FAQs
By definition, since it's made with cooked chicken pieces and no tomatoes, it's going to be thinner than traditional chili (such as no-bean chili, pumpkin chili, or turkey chili).
The best way to make it thicker is to add just enough broth to get it to a stew consistency. Don't add too much liquid, and then try to reduce it. Especially in this recipe, where the chicken is already cooked. This will just dry the chicken out.
My recipe calls for 4 cups of chicken broth. If you find it's not thick enough to your liking, try using just 3 cups next time.
If you don't mind a little cornstarch, another trick is to whisk 1 tablespoon of cornstarch into the cold heavy cream before you add it to the chili. Make sure to whisk it well.
Absolutely! I love using rotisserie chicken in recipes. It makes life so easy. Just make sure to remove the skin. It won't work in chili in terms of its texture.
Yes. It's best to divide it into individual portions (in covered mugs or in mason jars) and freeze them. You can gently reheat the individual portions in the microwave directly from the freezer.
Serving Suggestions
I usually serve this chili on its own, in soup bowls. It's hearty, delicious, and very filling, so you don't really need to serve it with anything. But if you'd like to serve it with something on the side, here are a few good options:
- Cauliflower rice - you can top the "rice" with the chili or mix the rice into the chili.
- Cheese biscuits
- Keto cornbread
- Savory cheese muffins
- Homemade pork rinds
- Slices of almond flour bread
Storing Leftovers
You can keep most cooked leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 3-4 days. But if you use leftover chicken, you should take into account how much time that chicken has already spent in the fridge.
As mentioned above, you can also freeze individual portions of this chili for up to three months and reheat them covered in the microwave.
More Chili Recipes
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Recipe Card
Easy Chicken Chili Recipe
Ingredients
Spices:
- ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt - or ¼ teaspoon of any other salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Chili:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil - extra-virgin
- 1 onion - medium, diced
- ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt - or ¼ teaspoon of any other salt
- 1 tablespoon fresh garlic - minced
- 1 can diced green chilies - 7 ounces
- 4 cups chicken broth
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 24 ounces cooked chicken breast - shredded; about 5 cups
Garnishes:
- ¼ cup cilantro - chopped
- 1 jalapeño pepper - seeded and thinly sliced
- ½ cup cheddar - shredded
- ½ cup sour cream
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix together the spices. Set aside.
- Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and ½ teaspoon of kosher salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic, green chilies, and spice mix. Cook, stirring, for 30 seconds.
- Add the chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
- Stir in the heavy cream, then the shredded chicken. Simmer just until heated through, for about 5 more minutes.
- Divide the chili between bowls, garnish, and serve.
Video
Notes
- It's a good idea to wear gloves when handling jalapenos. They can be quite irritating to your skin.
- If you prefer an oil with a high smoke point, you can use avocado oil.
- Since we're using cooked chicken in this recipe, it's important to cook it very briefly in the chili - all we need to do is reheat it. Overcooking will make it dry.
- To make this chili dairy-free, use canned coconut milk and non-dairy toppings such as salsa and sliced avocado.
- The best way to make this chili thick is to add just enough broth to get it to a stew consistency. Don't add too much liquid, and then try to reduce it. Especially in this recipe, where the chicken is already cooked. This will just dry the chicken out. My recipe calls for 4 cups of chicken broth. If you find it's not thick enough to your liking, try using just 3 cups next time. If you don't mind a little cornstarch, another trick is to whisk 1 tablespoon of cornstarch into the cold heavy cream before you add it to the chili. Make sure to whisk it well.
- You can keep most cooked leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 3-4 days. But if you use leftover chicken, you should take into account how much time that chicken has already spent in the fridge.
- You can also freeze individual portions of this chili for up to three months and reheat them covered in the microwave.
Nutrition per Serving
Disclaimers
Cup measurements refer to the standard American cup, which is 240 milliliters. Most of my recipes are low-carb (or keto) and gluten-free, but some are not. Please verify that a recipe fits your needs before using it. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate, and the carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Nutrition info may contain errors, so please verify it independently. Recipes may contain errors, so please use your common sense when following them. Please read these Terms of Use carefully before using any of my recipes.
Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., CNC, has been following a low-carb real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She's a Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC), has taken courses at the Harvard School of Public Health, and has earned a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from Cornell University. Her work has appeared in several major media outlets, including Healthline, HuffPost, Today, Women's Health, Shape, and Country Living. 
Dee-Dee Stewart
My entire family of seven (including the one who HATES chili and the three that complain salt is spicy) LOVES this recipe!
We do it a little different. On chili day eve, I will air-crisp two whole chickens. I use McCormick's Mojito Lime marinade packets (two per chicken) for 4+ hrs in the fridge. Then pop those birds into my Ninja Foodi on 360°F for 30 min breast down and 45 min breast up.
After dinner, I chop up the leftovers for chili the next day. We make it a bit heartier by adding a can of cannellini beans, a can of white hominy, and two juiced limes.
Vered DeLeeuw
Your way of making it sounds marvelous, Dee-Dee! I'm so glad the entire family enjoys it.
Tammy
can I safely add cannelloni beans without messing up the recipe ?
Vered DeLeeuw
Hi Tammy,
I haven't tried it, but I believe it would work. You can add one can of cannellini beans (drained) while keeping the rest of the recipe as is.
Mike
This looks like a great recipe (minus the immense amount of dairy) and I'm definitely going to try it, but it is in no way a chili... there are no beans or tomato in it. This is a creamy chicken soup that looks really good.
Vered DeLeeuw
Hey Mike,
Thanks for the feedback! I respectfully disagree. 🙂 I have a fiend from Texas who won't touch chili if it has beans. Here's an interesting discussion on the subject.