Chicken Enchilada Chili is made with green enchilada sauce and Mexican seasonings. It is hearty, flavorful and healthy as it is made with lean ground chicken, beans and vegetables. It is a great way to feed a group with minimal effort required.
There is nothing quite like a bowl of chili in the cold weather! Warming like soup but with less liquid, it is thick and hearty. This Chicken Enchilada Chili would be good for a game day event, weeknight dinner or weekly meal prep for a great lunch. Serve it with some chips and shredded cheese and you are good to go!.
If you want to try some other lean and healthy chili recipes, check out White Chicken Chili and Chicken Chili which is more of a traditional chili with a tomato sauce base. If you are a fan of chicken enchiladas you might also like Chicken Enchilada Quesadilla. For the full collection of Mexican recipes check out 35 Simple Cinco de Mayo Recipes.
SOME THINGS TO KNOW:FAQ’S
INGREDIENT TIPS:
- Opt for high-quality, lean chicken breast to keep the chili healthy and light. You can easily grind your own chicken in a food processor.
- Use low-sodium chicken broth to control the salt level in your dish. For a richer flavor, you can also use homemade chicken stock.
- Small white beans like navy or cannellini beans are perfect for this recipe. They have a mild flavor and creamy texture that absorbs the flavors of the chili well. Read 4 Different Types of White Beans: What’s the Difference?
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT NEEDED:
- Large Pot or Dutch Oven: A large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven is ideal for cooking chili. It provides ample space and distributes heat evenly, which is crucial for browning the chicken and simmering the chili.
- Food Processor or Blender: This is needed to puree half of the beans to thicken the chili.
- Wooden Spoon or Rubber Spatula: These are essential for stirring the ingredients. A wooden spoon is particularly good for scraping up any flavorful bits stuck to the bottom of the pot during cooking.
- Measuring Cups and Spoons: For accurately measuring your ingredients like olive oil, chicken broth, spices, and enchilada sauce.
- Knife and Cutting Board: A sharp knife and a stable cutting board are needed for chopping the onion, mincing the garlic, and chopping the cilantro.
- Can Opener: To open the cans of white beans and enchilada sauce.
- Colander or Strainer: Useful for rinsing the beans.
- Ladle: For serving the chili.
SUBSTITUTIONS:
- If you do not have olive oil, you can use another cooking oil like canola, vegetable, or avocado oil.
- Ground turkey is a great alternative to the ground chicken breast. You could also use ground boneless skinless chicken thighs.
- Salsa Verde is similar to green enchilada sauce but it is raw, not cooked. They are both made with green chiles. It would make a good substitution in this recipe if you cannot find the enchilada sauce at your grocery store.
- The yellow onions can be substituted with what you have on hand. Red onion, green onion or white onion would all work well.
- Any other type of beans like kidney beans, black beans, or pinto beans can be used. Each type will offer a different flavor and texture to your chili.
- If you do not have fresh garlic cloves you can use garlic powder in the chili. ¼ teaspoon of the powder equals 1 clove of garlic.
- For those who dislike cilantro, you can use fresh parsley or omit it altogether.
HOW TO STORE CHICKEN ENCHILADA CHILI:
- You can store the chicken enchilada chili in the refrigerator for about 3-4 days. Allow the chili to cool to room temperature before storing it. Place the cooled chili into an airtight container.
- Properly stored, the chili can last for up to 2-3 months in the freezer. Allow the chili to cool to room temperature before freezing it. Freeze the chili in airtight freezer containers or freezer bags.
- Thaw the frozen chili in the refrigerator overnight.
HOW TO REHEAT CHICKEN ENCHILADA CHILI:
- Reheat the chili in a pot on the stove over medium heat, stirring occasionally until it is heated through. If the chili seems too thick, you can add a little water or broth to reach your desired consistency.
- For smaller portions, reheating in the microwave is convenient. Use a microwave-safe container and cover it with a microwave-safe lid or plastic wrap. Heat on high at 1-2 minute intervals, stirring often to ensure even heating.
- Try to reheat only the amount of chili you plan to eat. Repeated reheating can degrade the quality and flavor of the chili.
Add the olive oil to a large stockpot and heat over medium low heat. Add the ground chicken and cook until it is no longer pink, breaking up the chunks as it cooks with a knife and fork. Add the onion and garlic and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
Place one half of the beans into a food processor with ½ cup of chicken broth and puree until it is smooth. Add the puree to the pot and stir to combine well.
Add the enchilada sauce, chicken broth, chili powder, and cumin to the pot. Raise the burner to medium-high heat to bring the mixture to a boil. Turn the heat down to low and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. The chili will thicken as it simmers.
Add the remaining beans, corn and cilantro to the pot and simmer for an additional 10 minutes.
Chicken Enchilada Chili
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Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound ground, lean, boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cans small white beans, 15.5 ounces rinsed and drained
- 10 ounce can green enchilada sauce ( you can substitute the same amount of salsa verde)
- 4 cups chicken broth, divided (reserve ½ cup)
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoons cumin
- 1 cup frozen corn kernels
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
Instructions
Divide the beans and set half of them to the side.
Add the olive oil to a large stockpot and heat over medium low heat.
Add the ground chicken and cook until it is no longer pink, breaking up the chunks as it cooks with a knife and fork.
Add the onion and garlic and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
Place one half of the beans into a food processor with ½ cup of chicken broth and puree until it is smooth. Add the puree to the pot and stir to combine well.
Add the enchilada sauce, chicken broth, chili powder, and cumin to the pot. Raise the burner to medium-high heat to bring the mixture to a boil. Turn the heat down to low and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. The chili will thicken as it simmers.
Add the remaining beans, corn and cilantro to the pot and simmer for an additional 10 minutes.
Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
Serve the chili with some shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream and tortilla chips or corn chips.
