This Spicy Chicken Chili is creamy, hearty, and full of bold flavor. Tender shredded chicken simmers with jalapeños, green chiles, corn, and great northern beans in a rich, lightly spicy broth. Jalapeño cream cheese makes it extra creamy, while blending one can of beans gives the chili a thicker texture without needing a long simmer.
Add your favorite toppings—cilantro, shredded cheese, sour cream, and even more jalapeños—and you’ve got a cozy bowl with plenty of personality. It’s the kind of chili that warms you up and still leaves room for a little “Let me add just one more jalapeño.”
Why You’ll Love This Chicken Chili
- Creamy and comforting: Jalapeño cream cheese melts into the chicken broth for a rich, smooth base.
- Easy to make: The chili comes together in one pot and simmers in about 15 minutes.
- Full of texture: Whole beans, blended beans, corn, vegetables, and shredded chicken make every spoonful satisfying.
- Easy to adjust: Control the heat with the jalapeños and cayenne, then season to taste at the end.
Ingredients
For the chicken
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1–2 tablespoons olive oil
For the chili
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 bell pepper, diced
- 2 fresh jalapeños, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 can diced green chiles
- 8 ounces jalapeño cream cheese
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 2 cans great northern beans, drained
- 1 can corn, drained
- Cayenne pepper, to taste
- Onion powder, to taste
- Additional Cajun seasoning, to taste
For serving
- Chopped cilantro
- Shredded cheese
- Sliced jalapeños
- Sour cream
How to Make Spicy Chicken Chili
- Season the chicken. In a small bowl, combine the cumin, Cajun seasoning, garlic powder, and smoked paprika. Season the chicken on both sides with the mixture.
- Cook the chicken. Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook until it’s cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside. Once it’s cool enough to handle, shred it with two forks.
- Sauté the vegetables. Add the onion, bell pepper, jalapeños, and garlic to the same pot. Sauté until the vegetables begin to soften, stirring occasionally.
- Blend one can of beans. Add one can of drained great northern beans to a blender with a splash of the measured chicken broth. Blend until smooth. Keep the other can of drained beans whole.
- Build the creamy broth. Stir the diced green chiles and jalapeño cream cheese into the vegetables. Slowly pour in the remaining chicken broth, stirring until the cream cheese melts into the broth.
- Add the chili ingredients. Stir in the blended beans, whole beans, drained corn, and shredded chicken.
- Simmer and season. Bring the chili to a gentle simmer and cook for 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste and add cayenne, onion powder, and more Cajun seasoning as desired.
- Add your toppings. Serve warm with cilantro, shredded cheese, sliced jalapeños, and sour cream.
Tips for the Best Chicken Chili
- Use the chicken seasoning as a starting point. Cajun seasonings vary in salt and heat, so taste the finished chili before adding more.
- Blend one can of beans for a thicker chili. A splash of broth helps the beans blend smoothly. Use some of the 3 cups measured for the recipe.
- Adjust the heat to your liking. For a milder chili, remove the jalapeño seeds and membranes before dicing. For more heat, leave them in and add cayenne gradually.
- Keep the simmer gentle. Once the cream cheese is in the pot, a gentle simmer helps the chili stay creamy.
What to Serve with Spicy Chicken Chili
This chili is satisfying on its own, especially with all the toppings. You can also serve it with cornbread, warm flour tortillas, tortilla chips, or a simple green salad.
Storage and Reheating
Let leftover chili cool, then store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days. Reheat it gently on the stove over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Add a splash of chicken broth if it has thickened in the refrigerator.
For longer storage, freeze the cooled chili in a freezer-safe container for up to 2–3 months. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. The texture may change slightly after freezing because of the cream cheese, but stirring well as it warms will help bring it back together.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use chicken thighs instead of chicken breast?
Yes. Boneless, skinless chicken thighs will work well. Cook them through, then shred and add them back to the chili.
How can I make the chili less spicy?
Remove the seeds and membranes from the fresh jalapeños, and start with no cayenne. You can also use less Cajun seasoning if yours has a lot of heat.
Can I make this chili thicker?
Blending one can of beans helps thicken the broth. For an even thicker chili, let it simmer uncovered for a few extra minutes, stirring often.
Can I make it ahead?
Yes. You can make the chili a day ahead and reheat it gently on the stove. The flavors will have time to mingle, and it may thicken as it chills; add a little broth when reheating if needed.
Spicy Chicken Chili
Ingredients
Ingredients
- * 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast
- * 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- * 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
- * 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- * 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- * 1–2 tablespoons olive oil
- * 1 onion diced
- * 1 bell pepper diced
- * 2 jalapeños diced
- * 3 cloves garlic minced
- * 1 can diced green chiles
- * 8 oz jalapeño cream cheese
- * 3 cups chicken broth
- * 2 cans great northern beans drained; blend 1 can with some of the broth until smooth
- * 1 can corn drained
- * Cayenne pepper to taste
- * Onion powder and additional Cajun seasoning to taste
- For serving: chopped cilantro shredded cheese, sliced jalapeños, and sour cream
Instructions
Instructions
-
Season the chicken with the cumin, Cajun seasoning, garlic powder, and smoked paprika.
-
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook the chicken until cooked through, then transfer it to a plate. Once cool enough to handle, shred it.
-
In the same pot, sauté the onion, bell pepper, jalapeños, and garlic until softened.
-
Stir in the green chiles and jalapeño cream cheese. Gradually add the chicken broth, stirring until the cream cheese is mostly melted.
-
Add the drained beans, blended beans, corn, and shredded chicken. Bring to a gentle simmer.
-
Simmer for 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste and add cayenne, onion powder, and more Cajun seasoning as desired.
-
Serve with cilantro, shredded cheese, sliced jalapeños, and sour cream.
No Comments