Ground Chicken Chili Recipe with Black Beans
This ground chicken chili recipe with black beans is one hearty bowl of comfort food. Made with lean ground chicken, beans, veggies, and spices, this is the recipe for those who like their chili on the thicker side.
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Aside from a steaming bowl of pasta e fagioli with sweet sausage, there are few recipes more equipped to chase away the winter blues than a big bowl of hearty chili. And this ground chicken chili recipe with black beans is no exception.
It’s on the thicker side (my favorite kind), and it’s loaded with lean ground chicken that’s anything but dry, a good amount of black beans (and some red kidney ones), and a medley of vegetables like onions, garlic, peppers, and diced tomatoes.
The trick to moist and tender ground chicken is to season it with some of the spices, cook it in a pan just until cooked through, then finish cooking it in the pot with the other chili ingredients for a few more minutes.
Of course, you can’t eat chili without your favorite toppings. Whether it’s grated cheese, sour cream, avocado, lime wedges, sliced scallions, or tortilla chips, no bowl of chili is complete without a pile of something equally delicious on top.
Let’s grab a spoon and dig in!
Why You’ll Love This Ground Chicken Chili Recipe with Black Beans
- Thick and hearty: If thick chili is your preference, this is it!
- Nourishing: And in a good way. Filled with lean meat, beans, and vegetables, you can enjoy this chili without the guilt (unless you want to go heavy on toppings like cheese and sour cream!).
- Great leftovers: This chili makes awesome leftovers and freezes beautifully.
Key Ingredients
- Ground Chicken: Ground chicken melds into the chili and creates a nice texture.
- Black Beans: These are a classic bean for chili.
- Chipotle Pepper: This adds a rich, smokey element to this recipe.
See the recipe card below for more information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make This Ground Chicken Chili Recipe with Black Beans
- Prep the chicken: Season the ground chicken with chili powder and cumin, mixing gently. Cook chicken in a skillet until no longer pink; set aside.
- Cook veggies and spices: In a large pot, heat olive oil and sauté onion, garlic, and peppers with salt and pepper until soft and golden. Stir in additional spices and chipotle pepper, cooking briefly. Add diced tomatoes and cook until softened.
- Add broth: Pour in broth, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
- Finish cooking: Stir in beans and par-cooked chicken, avoiding any excess liquid from the skillet. Simmer for a few more minutes, partly covered. Taste and adjust seasoning, and serve.
Pro Tips
- Brown the peppers and onions: This enhances the flavor of the chili. Cook them until they just start to give some color.
- Use a Dutch oven: If possible, make this chili in a Dutch oven, which distributes heat better than standard pots.
- Dice/mince veggies beforehand: You can do this a few hours before cooking the chili. Just store the prepared vegetables in a sealed container in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Variations & Substitutions
-Use ground turkey instead of ground chicken.
-Sub the yellow onion with Vidalia.
-Use chicken stock if you don’t have chicken broth.
-Replace the red kidney beans with cannellini beans.
-Add another 1/2 to 1 cup of stock if you like more liquid in your chili.
Recipe FAQs
The possibilities are virtually endless, but here are a few: grated cheese like Monterey Jack, pepper jack, cheddar, or a Mexican cheese blend; other options are a dollop of sour cream; sliced or mashed avocado, crumbled tortilla chips or tortilla strips, sliced green scallions, minced cilantro, and lime wedges.
Storage
Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Freezer: Store in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months.
Reheat: If reheating the chili from frozen, defrost it in the refrigerator first. Reheat in a pot on the stovetop on low until warmed through, or reheat in the microwave.
More Comfort Food Recipes
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Ground Chicken Chili Recipe with Black Beans
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 16 ounces lean ground chicken (Note 1)
- ½ tablespoon chili powder
- ¾ teaspoon ground cumin
For the Chili
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½ large yellow onion peeled and diced
- 4 garlic cloves peeled and minced
- 1 green bell pepper diced
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Ground black pepper
- ½ tablespoon chili powder
- ¾ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground oregano
- ½ tablespoon chipotle pepper from the can, chopped
- 1 14-ounce can unsalted petite diced tomatoes with liquid (Note 2)
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth (Note 3)
- 1 15-ounce can black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 15-ounce can red kidney beans drained and rinsed
Instructions
- Sprinkle the ground chicken with the chili powder and ground cumin, mixing it into the meat without overworking it.16 ounces lean ground chicken½ tablespoon chili powder¾ teaspoon ground cumin
- Warm a medium-sized skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook just until it's no longer pink, stirring often, and breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Turn off the heat, and set the pan aside.
- In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium-low to medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, peppers, salt, and pepper. Cook until the onions and peppers soften and turn golden, stirring often, 8 to 10 minutes.2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil½ large diced yellow onion4 minced garlic cloves1 diced green bell pepper1 diced red bell pepper1 teaspoon kosher saltFreshly ground black pepper
- Add the chili powder, cumin, and oregano, quickly stirring it into the cooked onions and peppers for several seconds. Add the chipotle pepper and stir for a few more seconds.½ tablespoon chili powder¾ teaspoon ground cumin1 teaspoon ground oregano½ tablespoon chopped chipotle pepper
- Pour in the diced tomatoes, and cook for about 5 minutes until softened, stirring occasionally. Add the broth, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Stir in the beans and the ground chicken. Make sure NOT to pour in any water left behind from when you cooked the chicken. 1 14-ounce can unsalted petite diced tomatoes (with liquid)1 cup low-sodium chicken broth1 15-ounce can drained and rinsed black beans1 15-ounce can drained and rinsed red kidney beansPar-cooked ground chicken
- Simmer for 5 to 7 minutes, partly covered, to allow the chicken to finish cooking. Taste and adjust for seasoning. Enjoy!
This ground chicken chili is delicious! A hearty, flavorful spoonful in every bite.