This is the BEST Green Chili Recipe with tender pulled chicken, salsa verde & green chilies. It's packed with flavour and freezer-friendly!
This chili will make you want to eat your greens! It's loaded with green peppers, green chilis and salsa verde for a tasty take on chicken chili.
Why you'll love this recipe
- Easy to make: Sauté the veggies, add all the spices, and simmer. You can also make it in the crockpot or the Instant Pot!
- Full of flavor: You'll get tons of flavor from the anaheim pepper, green chilies and salsa verde. It's spicy and delicious!
Ingredients and substitutions
- Olive oil – or a neutral cooking oil like avocado oil.
- Red onion – yellow or white onion would also work.
- Green pepper – use another colour bell pepper or more Anaheim peppers.
- Anaheim pepper – poblano peppers would also be good.
- Garlic – use fresh or jarred minced garlic.
- Cumin – caraway seeds, coriander, garam masala or curry powder will also work.
- Chicken breasts – use chicken thighs or even diced pork shoulder.
- Green chilies – use fresh or canned green chilies, or jarred pickled jalapenos.
- Salsa verde – tomatillo would also be good.
- Chicken broth – vegetable broth is the best substitute here.
- Navy beans – use pinto beans or black beans instead.
- Lime juice – lemon juice will work in a pinch.
- Lime zest – use extra juice instead.
Topping ideas
- Avocado – guacamole would also be yummy.
- Jalapenos – pickled jalapenos are a less spicy option.
- Cilantro – leave this off if you're not a fan.
- Lime wedges – garnish with extra lime juice instead.
- Sour cream – lime crema would also be delicious.
How to make green chili
Step 1: Sauté the onions.
Sauté until fragrant.
Step 2: Add the peppers.
Sauté until softened.
Step 3: Simmer the soup.
Add the remaining ingredients and cook.
Step 4: Shred the chicken.
Remove the chicken from the pot and shred.
Step 5: Add the chicken.
Stir the chicken back into the chili.
Step 6: Add toppings.
Add your chosen toppings and serve.
Recipe tips & variations
This green chili is super customizable. Here are some different variations to try:
- Spice it up: For less spice, use canned chilies or jarred pickled jalapenos. For more spice, use a hotter salsa verde.
- Use leftover chicken: Stir in leftover or rotisserie chicken during the last 10 mins.
- Choose your meat: Use diced pork shoulder instead of chicken for a more traditional option.
- Prep ahead: Dice up the veggies and mince the garlic to save time.
Frequently asked questions
Can I make this dish in the Instant Pot or slow cooker?
You can make this recipe on the stovetop, in the slow cooker or the Instant Pot. Just follow the recipe card instructions!
How do I thicken the chili?
To make your chili thicker, you can simmer it down, stir in a cornstarch slurry, or use an immersion blender to blend up some of the beans.
What's the difference between green chili and chili verde?
Chili verde means ‘green chili' in Spanish. It's the traditional Mexican version of this dish made with pork shoulder.
Can I add other beans?
I added navy beans to this green chili, but you can use any kind of bean of your choice like pinto beans or even black beans.
What to serve with this green chili
Here are some of my favourite ways to serve this green chili:
- With your fave toppings like cheese, lime crema or homemade tortilla chips
- With a side of Mexican rice
- With some yummy Mexican cornbread or warm flour tortillas
Storing and reheating
Storing: Store the leftovers in airtight containers in the fridge for 4 days.
Freezing: Freeze the chili for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
Reheating: Bring to a simmer on the stove top, or microwave for 2-3 mins. Add your fresh toppings and enjoy!
Meal prep tools
- Grab some glass meal prep bowls if you plan on turning this green chili into leftovers.
- I get all my free-range chicken from Butcher Box, conveniently delivered to me frozen.
- Get a meat thermometer to make sure your chicken is cooked through.
- Freeze this recipe in glass microwave-safe bowls up to 3 months.
Easy Green Chili Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 red onion, diced
- 1 green pepper, diced
- 1 anaheim pepper, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp each salt & pepper
- 1 lb chicken breasts
- 4 oz can green chilies
- 16 oz jar salsa verde
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 540 mL can navy beans, rinsed and drained
- 1/2 lime, juiced plus more for taste (optional)
- 1 tsp lime zest
Topping ideas
- Avocado
- Jalapenos
- Cilantro
- Lime wedges
- Sour cream
Instructions
Stovetop instructions
- Add olive oil to a large pot over med-high heat. Add onion, sauteeing for 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Add in green pepper and anaheim pepper, sauteeing another 2 minutes until softened.
- Toss in garlic, cumin, salt & pepper, sauteeing for 30 seconds. Add remaining ingredients, stirring well and bringing to a boil. Simmer for 25 minutes.
- Remove chicken breasts and shred, then stir back into chili. Serve in large bowls with any ingredients of choice under the Topping Ideas heading. Enjoy!
Slow cooker instructions
- Add all ingredients except for toppings to the slow cooker and cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 8 hours.
- Remove chicken breasts and shred, then stir back into chili. Serve in large bowls with any ingredients of choice under the Topping Ideas heading. Enjoy!
Instant Pot instructions
- Add all ingredients except for toppings to the Instant Pot and cook on high pressure for 5 minutes. Do a quick release of the pressure and then remove lid once the pressure gauge has dropped.
- Remove chicken breasts and shred, then stir back into chili. Serve in large bowls with any ingredients of choice under the Topping Ideas heading. Enjoy!
Video
Comments & Reviews
Jocelyn says
Tip for not crying: hold your nose and breathe through your mouth! That’s what they taught us in school. It has something to do with the gasses going through your nose. Unfortunately they do that when they’re “old” but most onions are kept in storage. But that explains why some cause you to cry and others don’t.
Taylor Stinson says
Ahh gotcha! Thank you so much for the tip and the education 🙂
June says
This soup had so much flavor!! And was super easy to make! It’s now in our soup rotation for easy and yummy meals. I did the crockpot version.
My changes – I cut up the semi-frozen chicken breast into cubes so I didn’t have to shred it later.
Only added two cups of chicken broth (instead of 3 as recipe calls for) because I wasn’t sure if my chicken would add too much water/broth as it cooked.
Added 1 teaspoon oregano because it’s green and I like the taste. 🙂
PS This will make your house smell so good!
Taylor Stinson says
I’m so happy you enjoyed!