Salsa Verde Chicken Chili (Quick + Easy + Healthy!)

Salsa Verde Chicken Chili – This might be the EASIEST chili recipe ever! Just 7 ingredients + 15 minutes and you’re ready to enjoy this lighter take on chili night. (Gluten-Free + Easy!)

I’m riding a serious salsa verde kick lately. After posting my salsa verde recipe, I’ve been adding green salsa to EVERYTHING–scrambled eggs, roasted veggies, tacos, chicken, and so much more.

One of our favorite ways to use salsa verde (store-bought OR homemade!) is in this SUPER easy Salsa Verde Chicken Chili recipe. It’s almost laughably easy and perfect for nights where you’re craving a cozy soup or chili but you don’t have a lot of time.

This easy chili recipe only takes 7 main ingredients and 15-20 minutes (TOPS) to pull together and still packs a flavorful punch. (As most soups and chilis do, this gets better with time, so if you have a few minutes to make it in the morning, it’ll be even more amazing that night for dinner!)

Here’s all you need to make this simple salsa verde chicken chili…

HERE’S WHAT GOES INTO MY SALSA VERDE CHICKEN CHILI RECIPE

COOKED CHICKEN. To keep things simple, our salsa verde chicken chili recipe uses leftover cooked chicken. (Rotisserie to the rescue!)

SALSA VERDE. The big flavor boost in this chicken chili comes from salsa verde. Green salsa is LOADED with flavor from tomatillos, jalapeño or chiles, cilantro, onion, etc. Using salsa instead of adding those ingredients individually to the soup saves lots of time without sacrificing flavor. I LOVE making this with my homemade salsa verde, but store-bought is even easier and faster.

WATER OR BROTH. To finish out the liquid, I add water or chicken stock to the soup. Since most salsas tend to have quite a bit of salt, I recommend using low-sodium or no-sodium added broth if you go that route.

GREAT NORTHERN BEANS. Salsa verde chicken chili is considered a “white” chili, so we use white beans! I most often reach for great northern beans, but white cannellini beans would also work in a pinch.

GREEN CHILIS. To play up the green chile flavor in the salsa and to add a bit of texture, I add a small can of green chiles to the chili. (Say that ten times fast!)

CUMIN, CHILI POWDER + SALT. And to add a bit of depth, I add cumin, chili powder, then salt to taste. (If your salsa runs salty, you may not need much additional salt, if any.)

WHAT TO SERVE WITH SALSA VERDE CHICKEN CHILI

• CORN CHIPS OR TORTILLA STRIPS. A quick and easy side dish for salsa verde chicken chili is corn chips or tortilla strips. Feel free to go with store-bought, or bake your own if you’re feeling fancy. It’s easy!
• CORNBREAD. If you’ve got time, cornbread is a GREAT side to go with chicken chili. I love my cakelike cornbread, gluten-free cornbread muffins, or maple cornbread. It only takes about 30-40 minutes start-to-finish and really makes this feel like a cozy meal!
• A LIGHT SALAD. If you don’t want to do tortilla chips or cornbread, a light side salad can be a great pairing.

FAQ + TIPS AND TRICKS FOR THE BEST SALSA VERDE CHICKEN CHILI:

WHAT’S THE BEST WAY TO COOK CHICKEN FOR CHILI? I usually use leftover rotisserie chicken for my salsa verde chicken chili, but if you don’t have any on hand, poaching can be a great way to go. My blog friend Lisa has a great tutorial for how to poach chicken over on her site.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE STORE-BOUGHT SALSA VERDE? I really (REEEEALLY!!!!) love the tomatillo salsa from Sprouts. It’s shelf-stable so it’s easy to keep on hand, it’s got a little kick but won’t burn anyone’s mouth, and it tastes fantastic.

DO YOU HAVE A HOMEMADE SALSA VERDE RECIPE? Sure do! My homemade salsa verde is one of my favorites!

IS THIS CHILI SPICY? You’re in total control of the spice/heat in this chicken chili recipe. It all comes down to what salsa you use. (If you use mild salsa, it’ll be mild; if you use medium salsa, it will be medium, etc.) Be sure to check the label on your salsa, since salsa verde comes in mild, medium, and hot varieties!

CAN YOU FREEZE LEFTOVER CHICKEN CHILI? You totally can. Like most chili recipes, the beans and meat will have a *slightly* different texture when thawed, but it’s never been a deal-breaker for me. I love doubling chili to freeze half for later!

ARE YOU A CHILI LOVER? YOU MIGHT ALSO LOVE…

• Chili Cornbread Pot Pie (Gluten-Free + Vegan-Friendly)
• Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Chili
• Simple Slow Cooker Chili (A great classic chili!)
• The BEST EVER Pumpkin Chili
• Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Chili

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