Red Chicken Chili Recipe

4.54 from 13 votes

Made with hearty chunks of chicken breast, tomatoes and kidney beans, this mild red chili recipe is a flavorful, protein-packed dinner. Ready in under 1 hour!

Prep Time10

Cook Time30

Total Time40

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings: people

Calories: 302kcal

Author: Becky Hardin

Equipment

Dutch Oven

Ingredients

1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into bite-size pieces*
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup chopped onion
3 tomatoes cubed
2 cloves garlic crushed
16 ounces red kidney beans 1 can**
1 cup tomato sauce
2 tablespoons chili powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper

For Serving (Optional):

shredded cheddar cheese
sour cream
crushed crackers

Instructions

In a medium Dutch oven or pot, cook the chicken breast pieces in olive oil until the chicken is white. Drain some of the juice from the chicken.
1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 2 tablespoons olive oil
Add in the onion, garlic, tomatoes, kidney beans, tomato sauce, and seasonings.
½ cup chopped onion, 3 tomatoes, 2 cloves garlic, 16 ounces red kidney beans, 1 cup tomato sauce, 2 tablespoons chili powder, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Bring to a boil, and reduce heat. Let simmer for about 30 minutes, allowing chicken to be thoroughly cooked and vegetables to soften.
Serve with shredded cheddar cheese, crushed crackers, and a spoonful of sour cream, if desired.
shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, crushed crackers

Video

Notes

*Cubed chicken thighs work well too. If you prefer to use ground chicken, simply brown it before adding the rest of the ingredients.

**You can swap red kidney beans for your preferred beans. If using a can of "chili beans" that have already been seasoned, you might want to adjust the added spices.

Becky's Top Tips:

I recommend using a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven to make chili. It distributes the heat more evenly for a gentle simmer, and it prevents sticking.
To use precooked or leftover chicken, simply add it to the pot at the same time as everything else (no need to par-cook or brown), and simmer.
This is a mild chili recipe. If you like things on the spicy side, feel free to add in a little cayenne pepper, chipotle chili powder, or diced jalapeños.
Add corn or bell peppers with the rest of the ingredients for extra texture and color.
If the chili is too thick, add a splash of chicken broth or water; if it’s too thin, let it simmer uncovered for 10 more minutes.
A squeeze of lime juice or fresh cilantro at the end brightens up the flavors.
Nutritional information does not include optional ingredients.

Meal Prep: Portion cooled chili into freezer-safe containers for individual meals. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Storage: Store chicken chili in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Nutrition