I’m always looking for recipes that are simple, tasty and healthy, and this 30-Minute Chicken Chili is all of those things. It’s spicy and satisfying, and it cooks up quickly with just a few staple ingredients. My family loves my Mom’s Best Turkey Chili recipe, but this chicken chili is lighter and less expensive to make. It’s more of a broth-based soup than a meaty chili.
Begin the chicken chili by sautéing onion and garlic in olive oil for about 5 minutes until the onion is translucent. Add chopped cooked chicken, oregano, cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper and sauté for about 3 minutes longer to distribute the spices. Sautéing develops flavors quickly, so you don’t have to simmer for hours.
This chicken chili is made with pre-cooked chicken, which is a huge time saver. For this recipe I used the meat from a rotisserie-style chicken I made in the crock pot, but you can easily use a purchased rotisserie chicken. Sometimes I pre-cook chicken breasts and keep the meat in the freezer for recipes, and sometimes I buy cooked chicken breast from Costco.
Once everything in the pan is nicely spiced, add some chicken broth and chopped green chiles, and simmer for about 15 minutes. I sometimes make my own chicken broth using the pressure cooker, but it’s not essential. It’s fine to use canned or boxed chicken broth, or a soup base like Better Than Boullion.
After 15 minutes, add white beans and cook for 5 more minutes. At the end of cooking, add chopped fresh cilantro.
You can dress up this chicken chili with optional garnishes like tortilla chips, shredded cheese, sour cream, sliced jalapeño, chopped tomato, lime wedges, diced avocado, cilantro leaves or sliced green onion.
My family devoured this easy chicken chili! It’s getting a spot in our regular dinner rotation, because it’s quick and flavorful, with healthy ingredients I feel good about serving myself and my family.

30-Minute Chicken Chili
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1 clove garlic pressed
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano preferably Mexican
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 3 cups chopped cooked chicken
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 small can 4 oz. green chiles, with liquid
- 1 can white beans drained and rinsed
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Put olive oil in the bottom of a heavy bottomed soup pot, and heat over medium high heat. Add onion and garlic, and sauté until onion is transparent, about 3-5 minutes.
- Add cooked chicken, oregano, cumin, chili powder, salt and black pepper, and continue to sauté for about 3 more minutes until spices are distributed.
- Add chicken broth and green chiles, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer, and cook for about 15 minutes until onions are softened.
- Add beans and continue cooking for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add chopped cilantro.
- Serve chicken chili with optional garnishes such as tortilla chips, shredded cheese, sour cream, sliced jalapeño, chopped tomato, lime wedges, diced avocado, cilantro leaves or sliced green onion.
Nutrition
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