Quick Chicken Chili

Serves 6 to 8

by Pamela Anderson
from Fine Cooking
Issue 91
Last Edit Date: 9/15/2011 10:29:23 AM

Need to save some time? Store-bought rotisserie chicken makes this tasty chili come together fast (perfect for busy weeknights). You can also substitute leftover roasted chicken if you have it.

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2 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 large onion, cut into medium dice
2 Tbs. ground cumin
2 tsp. dried oregano
3 medium cloves garlic, minced
3-1/2- to 4-lb. store-bought rotisserie chicken, meat removed and chopped
1 jar or can (about 4 oz.) diced mild green chiles, drained
1 quart lower-salt chicken broth
Two 15.5-oz. cans white beans, drained
1 cup frozen corn

Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the cumin, oregano, and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute longer. Stir in the chicken and chiles and then add the broth and 1 can of beans. Bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, partially covered and stirring occasionally, until the flavors blend, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, purée the remaining can of beans in a food processor. Stir the puréed beans into the chicken mixture along with the corn. Continue to simmer to blend the flavors, about 5 minutes longer. Ladle into bowls and serve.

Serving Suggestions

Serve the chili with any combination of the following: tortilla or corn chips, shredded sharp cheese, thinly sliced scallions, cilantro leaves, sliced pickled jalapeño chiles, red or green hot sauce, sour cream, guacamole, red or green salsa, and lime wedges.

nutrition information (per serving):
Size : based on eight servings; Calories (kcal): 590; Fat (g): 20; Fat Calories (kcal): 180; Saturated Fat (g): 5; Protein (g): 69; Monounsaturated Fat (g): 7; Carbohydrates (g): 32; Polyunsaturated Fat (g): 5; Sodium (mg): 270; Cholesterol (mg): 175; Fiber (g): 7;

Photo: Scott Phillips

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by Stasia, 1/12/2013Relatively quick, very simple and delicious, even somewhat picky 14-year-old had seconds. Modified just slightly based on reviews and another similar recipe I found online. Used just 4 t. cumin, 7 oz. can green chiles, 1 can cannellini beans, and 2 cans pinto beans (1 in puree). Very glad I added the extra can of beans, next time may experiment with other types of white beans, I'd bet any will work just fine. For the bean puree, I agree with previous reviewer-- needed to add some broth mixture from pot to facilitate blending. Offered chopped white onion, cilantro, grated Monterey Jack cheese and light sour cream as toppings. A delicious, satisfying meal when paired with homemade cornbread and a green salad. Comfort food!

by TheHandThatRocksTheLadle, 12/31/2012Delicious and easy! I served with two other kinds of chili for a football party and everyone loved it. I didn't purée the beans (was tight on time) and it till had a great consistency. Will definitely add to the winter rotation.

by Danamay07, 10/12/2011We had our first cool fall day awhile back and it was the perfect oppurtunity to try this recipe. Really good, and really easy. I threw in some hominy and one jalapeno (sliced in half with seeds- just for the kick). Hit the spot! There weren't any leftovers.

by Dried mushrooms, 3/18/2011I was shocked at how good this was with so few ingredients. I substituted a small can of diced tomatoes with green chilis for the diced green chilis, and reduced the amount of stock a bit to compensate for the liquid from the tomatoes. I also added some of the cooking liquid to the beans before pureeing so I didn't have a really thick mess. For such a quick and easy recipe, this was quite tasty. It would be great with the typical chili accompaniments.

by Nora_K, 12/14/2010Wow! This recipe instantly became a favorite of both mine and my husband's! Its easy to follow the recipe and make. My only complaint would be the amount made as I'm frequently just cooking for the two of us, but next time I can half the recipe and save the rest of the chicken for sandwiches or something. It wasn't too spicy and the cumin added a nice kick to it. I'll definitely be making this recipe again as its easy, tasty, and a new winter staple for my hubby and me.

by Scooteroo, 11/15/2010We were getting a hankering for chili and saw this recipe--and really enjoyed it. Although I was originally considering a "red" tomato-based chili with beef and beans, this soup reminded me of a Mexican Pozole, or a "white" soup. I used a little less cumin, but added 1 tsp cayenne pepper, and 1/4 tsp chili powder to turn up the heat; also added a 1/4 tsp. cinnamon and 1/2 tsp of powdered chocolate for a little sweetness of the holiday season. Tasty, warming, and easy to make--I'll make this again in the colder days of winter.

by twood, 10/16/2010I found this soup to be rather bland. I added extra chilies and cumin, but something is missing for me.

by FSO, 9/5/2010"Outrageous" -- my husband's highest form of praise! I turned to this recipe because my dishwasher broke down (AGAIN!!!) and I wanted an easy one-pot meal. It came together incredibly fast, and the results were fantastic. I didn't have green chiles, so I used some Chinese red chile puree for the heat, and added a little paprika for color. Like any FC recipe, it held up to some modest substitutions and improvisation beautifully. This dish is also a great way to "stretch the pot." A rotisserie chicken usually feeds four people max, but this chili easily yields 6-8 servings. We topped it with a little plain yogurt instead of sour cream, and next time, I'll also bake some cornbread to got with it. Quick Chicken Chili is a winner!

by 42983, 1/28/2009I loved this recipe. I added two cans of chilies and a full 2 tbsp cumin. It was great.

by LilBev, 11/4/2008I used frozen NM chiles and pinto beans (it was all I had in the pantry), and my whole family loved it. The cumin gave it a warm, smokey flavor. A wonderful way to throw something together with rotisserie chicken and pantry items.

by JoanT, 2/29/2008This soup is a little strong on the cumin side for us. Next time I will try cutting the cumin to 1 Tbsp and substitute a jar of fire roasted salsa verdi for the diced chilies.