Making this great change of pace chili is easy in a crock pot or on the stovetop. With just a few pantry ingredient and precooked chicken, everybody will be impressed with the results.
Introduction
This high protein and low-fat chili will fit most diets with under 300 calories per serving. Everybody loves a good bowl of chili, and one that is healthy will make you smile.
I have many other chili recipes, but this one is special. It has a little heat, a nice sharpness, and great flavor. Add in that it is crockpot easy, this chili is a winner in every way.
Based on my Easiest Crock Pot White Chicken Chili, I pulled the pepper jack cheese and added some green chilis and spices. Of course, I changed the salse from red to green.
👨🍳How to make this chili
- Chop one medium onion.
- Drain and rinse the beans.
- For a crock pot, use 4 quarts or a larger slow cooker. Add all ingredients and cook on low for 4 hours or 2 hours on high.
- For the stovetop, use a Dutch oven. Over medium-high heat, saute onions in oil until clearing some. Add all the other ingredients, bring to a light boil, cover, turn down to simmer for at least 15 minutes, but longer is better.
🐓Ingredients
The Chicken
Rotisserie chicken is excellent here, but I frequently toss a couple of chicken breasts in a 350° oven until done (about 30 minutes, give or take a little). 1 pound will yield about 3 cups. But get your chicken any way you want.
You need about 3-4 cups for the standard recipe. You can use a bit more or less for your taste.
Salsa Verde
Salsa verde is a type of spicy green sauce in Mexican cuisine. It is based on Mexican green tomato or tomatillo and chili pepper. I never have a good source of tomatilloes, so it is jars of Salsa Verde for us.
The Beans
I like to use white beans like great northern or navy beans, but you can use the beans of your choice. I recommend draining and rinsing precooked beans to decrease the sodium.
❓FAQ
This recipe needs a crock pot of 4 quarts or larger as written if you use the full amount of beans and broth—both are recommended.
If using a crock pot, add raw chicken with the other ingredients. Cook on low for about 3 hours or high for 1 ½ hours, then remove and shred. Then place back into the crock pot to finish cooking.
If sodium is a concern for you, skip the added salt is about 140 mg per serving. Also, draining and rinsing your beans will decrease the sodium some. And, of course, low sodium broth.
Chili can be stored in the refrigerator for 4 days. It can also be stored sealed in an airtight container in the freezer for 3-4 months.
📖Chicken Chili Recipes
Ultra Simple Crock Pot White Chicken Chili
Low Fat High Taste Crock Pot White Chicken Chili
Crock Pot Southwest Chicken Chili
This recipe is listed in these categories. See them for more similar recipes.
Step-by-Step Photo Instructions
Start with 3-4 cups of shredded cooked chicken.
Chop a medium onion.
In a 4 quart or larger crock pot, combine the shredded chicken, the chopped onion, 32-48 oz. of cooked Great Northern or Navy beans drained and rinsed, 16 oz jar premade Salsa Verde, 4.5 oz can chopped chilies, 2 teaspoon cumin, 2 teaspoon chili powder, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, and one or two 14 oz low sodium chicken broth. Mix well.
Cook on low for 4 hours or 2 hours on high. Serve with big dab of sour cream and tortilla chips.
For stovetop, use a Dutch oven. Over medium high heat, saute onions in oil until clearing some. Add all the other ingredients, bring to a light boil, cover, turn down to simmer for at least 15 minutes—longer is better.
📖 Recipe
Salsa Verde Chicken Chili
Ingredients
- 3-4 cups shredded chicken - about 1 pound
- 1 medium onion - chopped
- 32-48 oz cooked beans - Great Northern preferred. Drained and rinsed.
- 14-28 oz chicken broth - low sodium preferred. Adjust for the thickness you like.
- 16 oz salsa verde
- 4.5 oz chopped chilies
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Start with 3-4 cups of shredded cooked chicken.
- Chop a medium onion.
- In a 4 quart or larger crock pot, combine the shredded chicken, the chopped onion, 32-48 oz. of cooked Great Northern or Navy beans drained and rinsed, 16 oz jar premade Salsa Verde, 4.5 oz can chopped chilies, 2 teaspoon cumin, 2 teaspoon chili powder, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, and one or two 14 oz low sodium chicken broth—mix well.
- Cook on low for 4 hours or 2 hours on high. Serve with a big dab of sour cream and tortilla chips.
- For the stovetop, use a Dutch oven. Over medium-high heat, saute onions in oil until clearing some. Add all the other ingredients, bring to a light boil, cover, and turn down to simmer for at least 15 minutes—longer is better.
Your Own Private Notes
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips
- The crock pot size is 4 quarts or above as written if you use the full amount of beans and broth. Both are recommended.
- Easy to cut in half, and you can use a smaller crock pot.
- Most people will want 48 oz of beans and 28 oz of chicken broth but you can adjust to your taste. Also, a bit more or less chicken is fine.
- Use the beans you prefer.
- 1 pound of raw chicken will make about 3 cups of shredded chicken.
- You can use raw chicken. Add the raw chicken breasts with all the other ingredients. Cook in high for 1 ½ hours (or low for 3 hours), then remove and shred. Then add back to finish cooking.
- This is high protein and low fat, so is an excellent fit for most diets.
- The serving size is about 1 ½ cup serving size. It varies a bit by the options you use.
- Good refrigerated for 3-4 days. Good frozen for 3-4 months.
To adjust the recipe size:
You may adjust the number of servings in this recipe card under servings. This does the math for the ingredients for you. BUT it does NOT adjust the text of the instructions. So you need to do that yourself.
Nutrition Estimate
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Editors Note: Originally Published October 30, 2017. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.
Wendy Hampton
It is cold and rainy today and Salsa Verde Chicken Chili was something I craved. I reviewed this in September and I have made it many times on the stove top since then. I just don't have the patience for a crockpot. AND it always turns out perfectly! I ran out of cumin this time so I just used oregano. And I wanted to use up some leftover brown rice, so I threw that in with some canned corn this time. It was just as wonderful as the original recipe! I always intend to freeze some, but we end up eating it in a day or so..yes, we have even had it for breakfast. Just had to thank you again for this wonderful chili. We really enjoy it!
Southern Born Class
I tried this recipe and it was very simple, yet delicious! I added slightly more chili powder to mine though. My husband is slightly picky about some soups & chilis ad this was a winner!!!
Wendy Hampton
I can't believe there are no reviews on this recipe! It is a wonderful filling bean dish with plenty of chicken and is just what I have been looking for. I'm gathering recipes for the cooler weather and this is a Keeper! It is great with cornbread and I enjoyed having leftovers in the fridge over several days! Thanks for posting.
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
Hi Wendy,
Thanks for the note and rating. I rewrote this recipe over the last week and when I republished it, things went a bit screwy. The outcome is that after fixing that, all the comments did not transfer from the old to the new version. I looked at them and it would be a lot of work to fix and the comments were not very useful to readers. So... you get to be first.
Dan