Smoky Chipotle Chicken Chili with Four Beans

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Smoky Chipotle Chicken Chili with Four Beans This chicken chili starts with grilled chicken breasts and thighs, then brings them together with four kinds of beans, fire-roasted tomatoes, honey-roasted corn, and chipotle in adobo. The combination is built in a large pot or Dutch oven, beginning with softened onion and sweet bell peppers before the garlic, chipotle, adobo, and spices are added.

After the chicken, beans, vegetables, stock, and tomatoes are combined, the chili simmers covered on low for 2 to 3 hours. Heavy cream is stirred in only during the final 10 to 15 minutes, keeping the creamy finish separate from the longer simmering stage.

Ingredients You'll Need

The chicken portion calls for 3 to 4 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breasts and thighs. Season the chicken before grilling, then let it rest once it is fully cooked so it can be diced or shredded before being stirred into the chili.

A 32-ounce box of chicken stock forms the main liquid base. Keep more stock available if needed later in the cooking process, since the recipe specifically allows for an additional amount after the chili has begun to simmer.

Four canned beans give this chili its varied bean mixture: chili beans, garbanzo beans, white beans, and black beans. Drain and rinse every can before adding the beans to the pot with the grilled chicken, green chilis, and corn.

The tomato component includes two 14.5-ounce cans of fire-roasted diced tomatoes, added with their sauce, along with one can of fire-roasted tomato sauce. These are paired with a small 4-ounce can of green chilis and two bags of honey-roasted corn.

For the vegetable base, use two diced sweet bell peppers and one diced onion. Garlic is minced, while half of a chipotle pepper in adobo sauce is finely minced so it can be stirred directly into the aromatic base.

The chipotle and adobo sauce are joined by a spice blend of 2 1/2 tablespoons chili powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin, and 1 teaspoon smoked paprika. The chili powder amount is adjusted for the full quantity of ingredients in this large batch.

Heavy cream is reserved for the final stage rather than added at the beginning of the simmer. Once the chili is finished, adjust salt and pepper to taste and choose toppings such as red onions, cilantro, cheese, jalapeños, or sour cream.

How To Make It

Set out the ingredients in the order they are used: chicken and vegetables for the first preparation stage; stock, tomatoes, beans, green chilis, and corn for the pot; then heavy cream and toppings for the finish. The recipe moves from grilling the chicken to building the chili base, followed by a covered low simmer and a brief final cream addition.

The Prep & Grill

Dice the sweet bell peppers and onion, and mince the garlic. Finely mince the half chipotle pepper in adobo sauce as well, so it is ready to add with the aromatics and spices.

Season the chicken breasts and thighs, then grill them until fully cooked. Let the chicken rest after grilling, then shred or dice it into pieces before it is added to the chili.

Build the Flavor Base

Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat with a splash of oil. Add the diced onion and sweet bell peppers, and sauté them until soft before introducing the garlic and seasonings.

Stir in the minced garlic, finely minced chipotle pepper, and 1 to 2 teaspoons adobo sauce. Add the chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, ground cumin, and smoked paprika, then cook the mixture for 1 minute, until fragrant.

This brief cooking step keeps the chipotle, adobo, and spice blend together with the softened onion and peppers before the liquid ingredients go in. Have the stock and tomato ingredients ready at this point so they can be added directly after the 1-minute spice stage.

Combine & Slow Simmer

Pour in the box of chicken stock, the fire-roasted diced tomatoes with their sauce, and the fire-roasted tomato sauce. As the liquids are added, scrape the bottom of the pot.

Stir in the grilled chicken along with the drained and rinsed chili beans, garbanzo beans, white beans, and black beans. Add the green chilis and honey-roasted corn, making sure the chicken, beans, vegetables, and tomato base are evenly combined.

Bring the chili to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot and let the chili simmer for 2 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally throughout the simmering time.

If needed later, add more chicken stock as the chili cooks. Keep the pot covered during the low simmer, opening it as needed for the occasional stirring and any stock adjustment.

The Creamy Finish

During the final 10 to 15 minutes of cooking, keep the heat on low and gently stir in the 1/2 cup heavy cream. Let the cream heat through without allowing the chili to boil.

Taste and adjust the salt and pepper as needed. Serve with toppings of choice, including red onions, cilantro, cheese, jalapeños, or sour cream.

Wrapping Up

This chili follows a clear sequence: grill and rest the chicken, build the aromatic base, combine the beans and tomato ingredients, then simmer covered before the cream is added at the end. The final toppings are added when serving, after the salt and pepper have been adjusted.

Recipe created by Xena’s Kitchen for Trust Me Try It.

Smoky Chipotle Chicken Chili with Four Beans

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 45 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 3 hours hours

Total Time: 3 hours hours 45 minutes minutes

Servings: 8

Ingredients

• Protein: 3-4 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts and thighs grilled and diced/shredded
• Broth: 1 box chicken stock 32 oz, add more later if needed
• Beans:
• 1 can chili beans drained and rinsed
• 1 can garbanzo beans drained and rinsed
• 1 can white beans drained and rinsed
• 1 can black beans drained and rinsed
• Smoky Heat & Tomatoes:
• 1/2 a chipotle pepper in adobo sauce finely minced
• 1-2 tsp adobo sauce from the chipotle can
• 2 can fire-roasted diced tomatoes 14.5 oz, with their sauce
• 1 can fire roasted tomato sauce
• Vegetables & Aromatics:
• 2 bags honey roasted corn
• 2 sweet bell peppers diced
• 1 small can green chilis 4 oz
• 1 onion diced
• 3-4 clove garlic minced
• Spices:
• 2.5 tbsp chili powder adjusted for the extra ingredients
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1.5 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• Finish:
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• Garnish with toppings of choice! Red onions, cilantro, cheese, jalapeños, sour cream etc

Instructions

• The Prep & Grill: Dice your fresh sweet bell peppers, onions, and garlic. Finely mince the ½ chipotle pepper. Season your chicken breasts and thighs, grill until fully cooked, let rest, and then shred or dice the meat.
• Build the Flavor Base: Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat with a splash of oil. Sauté the diced onions and sweet bell peppers until soft. Stir in the minced garlic, minced chipotle pepper, adobo sauce, and your spice blend (heavy on the chili powder, plus garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, and smoked paprika). Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
• Combine & Slow Simmer: Pour in the box of chicken stock and the fire-roasted tomatoes with their sauce, scraping the bottom of the pot. Stir in the grilled chicken, chili beans, garbanzo beans, white beans, black beans, green chilis, and honey roasted corn. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down to low. Cover and let it simmer for 2 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally.
• The Creamy Finish: In the final 10-15 minutes of cooking, turn the heat to low and gently stir in the heavy cream. Let it heat through without boiling, adjust your salt and pepper to taste, and serve.