Green Chicken Chili

This Green Chicken Chili is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of BUSH’S® Beans. All opinions are 100% mine.

Grab your family, the remote, your favorite sports shirt, and whip up a batch of our new favorite dish to enjoy tailgating at home- Green Chicken Chili. Salsa verde, roasted jalapeños, ground chicken, and plenty of BUSH’S White Chili Beans are the foundation for our chili, while notes of apple cider vinegar and cumin round it out.

Green Chicken Chili

I think we can all admit, tailgating season is going to look slightly different this year. And as much as it’s a bit of a bummer, I’m also kind of okay with it. Because if a different tailgating season means I get to stay home with family, cozy up on the couch, watch our favorite team WIN, and dig into a cozy bowl of Green Chicken Chili, well I’m all over that.

While I love all forms of chili this time of year, I think today’s version made with roasted jalapenos, salsa verde, ground chicken, and BUSH’S® White Chili Beans just may be my favorite. It’s smoky, the perfect balance of sweet and spicy, and full of great chili flavor.

Unlike a lot of chili or football recipes out there, this guy is full of good-for-you ingredients, leaving you just enough room for a slice of cornbread or crusty ciabatta.

Ingredients in Green Chicken Chili

Veggies. In keeping with the verde theme, we stuck with green bell pepper as well as the classics – onion and garlic.

Jalapeno. To add a little bit of smokiness and spice, I like to roast a whole jalapeno. If you really like heat, you could add two, and if you’re a bit sensitive to heat, you could also omit it altogether.

Ground chicken. Because green chicken chili is definitely on the healthier side, I like to stick with ground chicken breast. You could also use regular ground chicken, ground turkey, or even shredded chicken if you have it leftover.

Salsa verde. We’re all about ease today, so we take some help from the grocery store in the form of store-bought salsa verde.

BUSH’S® Beans. So much of the flavor in our chili comes from BUSH’S White Chili Beans. I love that the beans are already slow cooked in a luscious sauce with garlic, cumin, and onion, so you really don’t have to add much seasoning in addition to them.

And bonus, because BUSH’S® Beans are a naturally gluten-free and cholesterol-free plant-based protein, in combination with the ground chicken breast, we’re really honing in on a healthier chili you can feel really good about eating.

Apple cider vinegar. Whether it comes from tomatoes or something else, for me, every chili needs some sort of acidic note to it. Here, we use a little bit of apple cider vinegar to give the green chicken chili a little zip off acid. You could also use white wine vinegar or even lemon juice.

Chicken stock. As most chilis go, green chicken chili is on the thicker side, so we need just a bit of chicken stock to loosen everything up.

How to make Green Chicken Chili

Roast the jalapeño. You could simply chop the jalapeño up and add it to the chili, but I love roasting my jalapeño to add a little bit more smokiness. If you have a gas stove, all you have to do is set the jalapeño over the flame and turn it until it’s charred on all sides. If you don’t have a gas stove, you can char the pepper under the broiler.

Either way you go about roasting the pepper, when it’s done, slide it into a plastic baggie and let it steam while you prep/cook the veggies and chicken.

Brown the chicken. Because ground chicken breast has virtually no fat, you need a little bit of olive oil to cook the chicken. About a tablespoon of olive oil will do the trick.

Sauté the veggies. When the chicken is just shy of cooked through, add the veggies. Sauté for a few minutes.

Add everything else. Chop up the jalapeños, and throw them in along with the salsa verde, BUSH’S® Beans, apple cider vinegar, and cumin. Bring it up to a boil, and reduce to a simmer. Let the chili simmer for about 20 minutes.

What to serve with Green Chicken Chili

• shredded Monterrey jack, pepper jack, or cheddar cheese.
• sour cream or Greek yogurt
• chopped cilantro or green onions
• cornbread!
• crusty bread

Can I make this in advance?

Yes! As most chilis go, this gets even better the next day.

Substitutions and Tips and Tricks for Recipe Success

• If you like spice, add another jalapeño,
• For a creamier green chicken chili, add in a few ounces of cream cheese, sour cream, or greek yogurt.
• If you want to make this a vegetarian chili, simply omit the chicken and add another can of BUSH’S® Beans

For more easy chili recipes, check out these recipes

• This vegetarian chili has all of the flavors of a classic chili, without the meat! It’s packed with carrots, bell peppers, beans, and chopped walnuts. You won’t miss the meat here!
• This sweet potato chicken chili is another favorite of ours and perfect for a cozy night at home.
• If you want chili, but in less of a soup form, check out our Mini Chili Cheese Dogs. Messy, but so delicious.