This homemade chili recipe is packed full of tender chicken breast, rich chicken stock and tomatoes, fresh bell pepper, onion, hearty beans, zesty green chilis, and flavorful spices. Chili with chicken and beans is the perfect wholesome meal to warm up a cold winter day.
I am excited to partner with some of my favorite kitchen names to sponsor this post, Martha Stewart Living and College Inn®.
I have had 14 different homes in nine different states, and this is the very first time I have had to brave a bitter cold winter. I thought it was bad last year. I swear the neighbors told me it was bad. But once the air warmed up and the flowers started to bloom, they all chatted about how mild last winter was. I couldn’t really understand it… until this winter came.
It has been cold. Bitter cold. It has snowed. There was what seemed to be the never ending blizzard which ended up dumping so much snow that the side of every section of our driveway was about a foot taller than me. We are talking, you have to knock snow down just to be able to reach the top to pile more on, kinda snow. Then when it stopped snowing it got so cold that my car thermometer could no longer measure it.
I have come to the conclusion after the (not so) scientific research I did in this frozen tundra over the winter that I am just not cut out for the cold. But to every challenge in life there is a silver lining, and this silver lining came in the form of soup.
The day I looked at my husband and said excitedly, “I don’t think there is any snow left in our backyard!” It started snowing again. The very day. I know!
But when you get round 2 just when you thought winter might be over and spring is peeking through, you take the opportunity to make a big, fresh pot of homemade chili to keep you warm and enjoying the snow from the window.
I always love Martha Stewart recipes. As a matter of fact hers is my one of my go-to mac & cheese recipes which is saying something if you know how much I love mac & cheese! When the Martha Stewart Living team sent over the recipe along with the gorgeous pot I showed you on Instagram, I couldn’t wait to get that chili simmering on my stove. What I really liked about it was that it was made with real, whole foods but still pretty simple on the prep to make it a really practical recipe for a family. Of course being chili, it feeds a crowd, or leaves plenty to freeze for an easy meal on another night.
Chili with Chicken and Beans Recipe – Step by Step
Follow along below to get my step by step of the recipe, or skip to the bottom for a full, printable recipe card! All of the ingredients are super simple and can be found at your local Walmart.
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 teaspoons whole cumin seed- make sure to get the whole seeds, not powdered cumin
- 2 medium onions, finely chopped (about 3 cups) – I used one very large onion which made enough!
- 5 garlic cloves, roughly chopped- for a time saver, look for pre-peeled garlic cloves in a bag the produce section. I find these very helpful when I am adding more than a couple of cloves to a recipe.
- 1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
- 2 boneless and skinless chicken breasts (about 1 3/4 pounds), cut into 1 inch cubes
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 dried bay leaf
- 1 28-ounce can chopped tomatoes with their juice- These provide a lot of flavor to the chili, so using good quality ones will really add to the final flavor of the chili.
- 1 4-ounce can green chiles, finely chopped
- 2 1/2 cups College Inn® Chicken Stock – This is rich and full of flavor. It really helps to give the chili a real depth to the flavor.
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
- 4 cups canned kidney beans, drained and rinsed – This was a little less than 3 cans for me.
- freshly ground black pepper
Instructions:
- In a large, heavy bottom pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil and cumin seeds over medium heat until the cumin is lightly toasted and aromatic, about 1 minute. Add onion, garlic, and bell pepper, and reduce heat to medium low; cook stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft and lightly golden, about 10 minutes.Make sure that your pan really is big. Between all of the veggies, the chicken, all of the beans, and then the broth, it is a full pot of chili. There is nothing worse than having to switch a pot in the middle of a recipe because you run out of room! Trust me on that one!
- Raise heat to medium, and add the chicken, chili powder, oregano, and bay leaf to pot. Cook, stirring frequently, until chicken is seared on the outside and coated thoroughly with spices, about 10 minutes. Add tomatoes and green chiles, and stir to combine. Cook 5 minutes. Add College Inn® stock, salt, and beans; season with black pepper, and stir to combine.
- Cover; simmer. Stir contents, then replace lid to partially cover pot. Reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until chili is thickened and chicken is tender, stirring occasionally, about 1 1/2 hours. Divide chili among six bowls; garnish with sour cream and cilantro leaves, if desired. Serve immediately.The fresh veggies make it taste like you spent hours slaving away over this dinner, but the canned tomatoes and beans really make it simple to prep and have on the stove in no time. I always over load my chili with toppings, but I restrained and only added what was directed here above, and boy am I glad I did! The flavors in this chili really shine when they aren’t covered up by too much. An hour and a half may sound like a while to cook, but what is happening in that pot is that the flavors are coming together and the chicken breast cooked so low for so long makes it tender, juicy, and absolutely perfect in every bite!
For more delicious recipes featuring College Inn® check out their Facebook page and what they are pinning on Pinterest!
I hope you have a cozy night in planned soon so you can make this chili and enjoy it as it should be! I would love to hear about it in the comments if you give it a try. Hearing that people find and make new recipes for their families on my site fills my heart to the top! Also, if you share any photos on Instagram, make sure to tag me so I can see @easyfamilyrecipes!
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Chili with Chicken and Beans
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 teaspoons whole cumin seed
- 2 medium onions finely chopped (about 3 cups)
- 5 garlic cloves roughly chopped
- 1 green bell pepper finely chopped
- 2 boneless and skinless chicken breasts about 1 3/4 pounds, cut into 1 inch cubes
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 dried bay leaf
- 1 28- ounce can chopped tomatoes with their juice
- 1 4- ounce can green chiles finely chopped
- 2 1/2 cups College Inn® chicken stock
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
- 4 cups canned kidney beans drained and rinsed
- freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a large, heavy bottom pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil and cumin seeds over medium heat until the cumin is lightly toasted and aromatic, about 1 minute. Add onion, garlic, and bell pepper, and reduce heat to medium low; cook stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft and lightly golden, about 10 minutes.
- Raise heat to medium, and add the chicken, chili powder, oregano, and bay leaf to pot. Cook, stirring frequently, until chicken is seared on the outside and coated thoroughly with spices, about 10 minutes. Add tomatoes and green chiles, and stir to combine. Cook 5 minutes. Add College Inn® stock, salt, and beans; season with black pepper, and stir to combine.
- Cover; simmer. Stir contents, then replace lid to partially cover pot. Reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until chili is thickened and chicken is tender, stirring occasionally, about 1 1/2 hours. Divide chili among six bowls; garnish with sour cream and cilantro leaves, if desired. Serve immediately.
(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.)
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