This easy chicken chili recipe is packed with healthy and nutritious ingredients. Made without tomatoes, this dish is full of Mexican flavors. Perfect for a weeknight meal and it can be made ahead of time.
(Editor's Note: In case you missed it, head back to the previous post to read up on two-for-one recipes. This is the second installment for how to take one main ingredient and turn it into two meals with Lauren Daniel)
I have been going back and forth on whether to call this a soup or a chili. I honestly think it’s a chili but feel like that name can be a bit deceiving because this isn’t a basic chili--there are no tomatoes but it certainly hits those tex-mex flavors with a zing of lime in there.
It’s hearty and easy. Especially since you’ve already cooked the main ingredient! (Not sure what I’m talking about? Read more here.)
How to make Easy Chicken Chili with Roasted Corn - Step By Step
- Turn oven to 400 degrees. Husk corn and drizzle with 1 tablespoon avocado oil, then sprinkle with salt, pepper and 1 teaspoon of chili powder. Roast corn for 25 minutes.
- While corn roasts, in a large stock pot add 1 tablespoon avocado oil of medium-high heat.
- Add onions, peppers and jalapeno and cook for 4-5 minutes.
- Then add beans, seasonings, and stir for 2-3 minutes.
- Pour in broth and lime juice and bring heat to high. Once soup is boiling, turn heat to low and allow to simmer for 20-30 minutes.
- After soup has simmered, cut roasted corn from the cob and add about 2 cups to the chili along with ~3 cups of pulled chicken.
- Simmer for another 10 minutes. Serve garnished with cheese, avocado, cilantro and a lime wedge if desired.
- While soup simmers prepare corn bread. Grease a 10 inch cast iron skillet* with avocado or coconut oil.
- In a medium bowl, mix cornmeal, gf flour blend, salt and baking powder together.
- Add oil, honey, milk, and egg and mix until well combined.
- Fold in roasted corn.
- Pour mixture into skillet and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a knife inserted comes out clean.
This easy chicken chili recipe is perfect comfort food
Does anyone else live for soup season? My husband jokingly calls me the soup queen. I’ll gladly wear that crown. They are one of my favorite things to make and eat. Since we live in Texas and it’s one million degrees in the summer, I don’t make soup or chili at all.
It’s just too hot to enjoy, so as soon as September hits and rainy days start, soup season, as I lovingly call it, begins. We will have soup or chili once a week until temps rise back up in late spring.
I like that my soup and chili making days are a season, it’s just long enough to not get sick of it but then by the time summer is over, you can’t help but crave it again.
Chili with fresh roasted corn
This recipe is tangy, rich, spicy and honestly a little confusing because how is it all of those things at once? I love delicious addition of roasted corn. Yes, you can totally use frozen corn instead--but there is literally no comparison in taste.
The roasted corn adds SO much flavor. My favorite way to serve it is topped with avocado, cheese, and fresh cilantro. Finished with a squeeze of lime.
The perfect cornbread for chili
I dip my absolute favorite cornbread in it. I love this cornbread. It's slowly been perfected and though I don’t always add roasted corn, when I do I always remember how much I love the addition. It add just a bit of texture and crunch.
This cornbread is not dry, not too sweet, and I can’t say it enough, that cast iron skillet adds something special.
Top Tips To Make This Easy Chicken Chili Recipe
- This recipe can also be done in a crock pot, add everything except for corn and chicken to your crockpot and cook for 4-6 hours on low. Add chicken and corn 30 minutes before serving.
- Fresh corn is preferable, but you can use canned or frozen if that's all you have.
- Use organic ingredients wherever possible.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge and it will last for about 3-4 days. It also freezes well.
So whether you’re making this for dinner and the Peach BBQ for lunch for the week, vice versa, or you’re using them both for epic dinners this week, it’s so easy to make one simple ingredient take on two totally different flavor profiles. (Hint: really in a scramble for dinner this week? Make these two recipe with a rotisserie chicken! Boom, you’re welcome.)
Be sure to check out these other tasty dinner recipes!
- Stuffed Pork Tenderloin Recipe with Apple Pecan Chutney
- Crispy Carnitas Taco Bowls
- Whole30 Chicken Teriyaki Meatballs Recipe
- Potato Crust Sausage Butternut Squash and Egg Frittata (Whole 30 + Paleo)
I love hearing form you, so be sure to leave me a comment and a star rating below if you have tried this easy chicken chili recipe.
Roasted Corn Chicken Chili
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon avocado oil
- 1 half onion chopped
- 1 red pepper chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 jalapeno seeded and diced
- 4 cups chicken broth
- ⅓ c fresh lime juice
- 1 can organic pinto beans
- 1 can organic black beans
- 3 ears of corn I used organic white corn
- 1 tablespoon chili powder plus 1 teaspoon for corn
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ~3 cups of pulled chicken a little more or a little less than this amount is fine
Garnish
- Lime slice
- Avocado
- Fresh Cilantro
- White chedder shredded
Gluten Free Corn Bread
- 1 teaspoon avocado oil or coconut oil
- ¾ cup organic cornmeal certified gf
- 1 cup all purpose gluten free flour
- ¼ c roasted corn
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- Pinch of salt
- 3 tablespoon coconut oil melted
- 1 egg room temp
- 3 tablespoon honey
- ¾ c milk of choice I use almond
Instructions
- Turn oven to 400 degrees. Husk corn and drizzle with 1 tablespoon avocado oil, then sprinkle with salt, pepper and 1 teaspoon of chili powder. Roast corn for 25 minutes.
- While corn roasts, in a large stock pot add 1 tablespoon avocado oil of medium-high heat.
- Add onions, peppers and jalapeno and cook for 4-5 minutes.
- Then add beans, seasonings, and stir for 2-3 minutes.
- Pour in broth and lime juice and bring heat to high. Once soup is boiling, turn heat to low and allow to simmer for 20-30 minutes.
- After soup has simmered, cut roasted corn from the cob and add about 2 cups to the chili along with ~3 cups of pulled chicken.
- Simmer for another 10 minutes. Serve garnished with cheese, avocado, cilantro and a lime wedge if desired.
- While soup simmers prepare corn bread. Grease a 10 inch cast iron skillet* with avocado or coconut oil.
- In a medium bowl, mix cornmeal, gf flour blend, salt and baking powder together.
- Add oil, honey, milk, and egg and mix until well combined.
- Fold in roasted corn.
- Pour mixture into skillet and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a knife inserted comes out clean.
Notes
Nutrition
Photography by Chase Daniel
Jennifer says
These both look so good!!
Jennifer
Effortlessly Sophisticated