This green chicken chili is loaded with flavor, with chunks of tender chicken simmered in a tangy verde sauce, beans, and the perfect spices, so comforting. The recipe includes both stovetop and slow cooker instructions.
We're cooking up a big pot of Green Chicken Chili in the Chili Pepper Madness kitchen today, my friends! Would you care for a bowl?
Green chicken chili is a flavorful and hearty soup or stew made with chicken and green chilies. It is a popular dish in Southwestern cuisine and is known for its vibrant green color and spicy flavor.
The chicken is essentially stewed in a delicious salsa verde with spices and a few other ingredients. It's very customizable, and you can add beans or skip them, to your preference.
It's definitely a comforting dish, very warming, always satisfying with your favorite toppings.
Let's talk about how to make green chicken chili, shall we?
NOTE: This recipe was updated on 10/3/25 to include new information, photos, and video. It was originally published on 1/1/24.
Green Chicken Chili Ingredients
The full ingredients list with measurements is listed in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- FOR THE VERDE SAUCE (SALSA VERDE)
- Tomatillos.
- Roasted Green Chilies. Use Hatch chilies, poblanos, or a mix. Green bell peppers are good, too. Store bought diced green chilies can be used.
- Jalapeno Peppers. Optional, for spicy. Use serrano peppers for some extra heat.
- FOR THE GREEN CHICKEN CHILI
- Vegetable Oil.
- Boneless Chicken. Use chicken thighs, chicken breast, or a combination.
- Onion.
- Garlic.
- Green Chili Powder. Use Hatch chili powder or any green blend – You can use red chili powder, though it may affect your final color.
- Other Spices. Mexican oregano, cumin, salt and black pepper.
- Chicken Stock. Or chicken broth.
- White Beans. Canned. You can use other beans to your preference, like cannellini beans. You can also skip the beans if you prefer chili with no beans.
- Fresh Chopped Cilantro.
- Lime Juice.
How to Make Green Chicken Chili - the Recipe Method
Make the verde sauce first by blending the tomatillos, roasted green peppers, and jalapenos in a blender or food processor.
Next, season and sear the chopped chicken in a bit of olive oil or vegetable oil in a large pot or Dutch oven, then set it aside.
Cook the onions and garlic, then stir in the seasonings, verde sauce, beans, and reserved chicken.
Simmer the whole pot at least 30 minutes to let the flavors develop. You can simmer longer if you'd like.
You can also toss it all into a crock pot or slow cooker at this point and let it cook on low for 2-3 hours.
Slow Cooker Green Chicken Chili
To make this chili in a slow cooker or crock pot, blend the verde sauce and pour it into the slow cooker. Season and sear the chicken in a skillet with the onion and garlic for extra flavor, or just dump it into the crock pot.
Add the chicken and veggies to the slow cooker with all remaining ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours or on high for 3-4 hours, until the chicken is cooked through and tender and easily shredded. Shred the chicken right in the pot, stir, and serve with your favorite toppings.
Boom! Done! Your green chicken chili is ready to serve. Easy enough to make, isn't it? Wouldn't you love a big bowl right now? Time to eat!
It's hard not to love a good bowl of chili, especially a green chili chicken, which is Patty's favorite.
Recipe Tips & Notes
- The verde sauce in this recipe makes 4 cups. If you prefer less verde flavor, and more of a soup, replace 1-2 cups of the verde with chicken stock. Save the extra verde sauce for another use. It freezes well.
- As a time saver, use a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store. You can pull or add the shredded chicken toward the end to warm it through.
- For creamy green chicken chili, swirl in a bit of sour cream or cream cheese before serving.
- Get Corny! Make it even more Southwest style with fresh or frozen corn added before simmering. 1 cup will do. It's a popular addition. Black beans, too!
Serving Suggestions
This green chicken chili is delicious on its own, but even better with the right toppings and sides.
Ladle it into bowls and top with crunchy tortilla chips or strips, a dollop of sour cream or crema, and fresh garnishes like avocado, cilantro, green onions, sliced jalapeños or serranos, or red pepper flakes.
A sprinkle of cotija, queso fresco, or Monterey Jack cheese adds a salty, melty finish, and a squeeze of lime juice goes a long way!
Warm tortillas or crusty bread on the side are perfect for soaking up every drop.
This is so good with my Mexican cornbread recipe! Round things out with Mexican rice or Elote (grilled street corn) for a full spread.
Pair with a crisp Mexican lager or a classic margarita for the perfect balance to the heat.
Storage & Leftovers
Leftover green chicken chili will last up to 5 days in the refrigerator in a sealed container. You can simply warm it up in a pot on the stovetop to enjoy again.
You can also freeze it for 2-3 months. I freeze mine all the time for lunches. It freezes perfectly.
That's it, my friends. I hope you enjoy my green chicken chili recipe. Let me know if you make it. I'd love to hear how it turned out for you, and if you decided to spice it up!
This Recipe Is In our Cookbook - FLAVOR MADNESS
Did you know that you can find this recipe in our new cookbook FLAVOR MADNESS? It's waiting for you on PAGE 131.
Want More Chili Recipes?
Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.
Easy Green Chicken Chili Recipe
Ingredients
FOR THE VERDE SAUCE
- 2 pounds tomatillos husked and roughly chopped
- 1 pound roasted green peppers chopped (use Hatch chilies, poblanos, or a mix – canned is OK)
- 2-3 jalapeno peppers chopped (optional, for spicy – use serranos for hotter)
FOR THE GREEN CHICKEN CHILI
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 3 pounds boneless chicken cut into bite-sized pieces (use chicken thighs or a mix of chicken thigh and chicken breast)
- 1 large onion chopped
- 4-5 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon green chili powder use Hatch or any green blend – You can use red chili powder, though it may affect your final color
- 1 tablespoon Mexican oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2-1 cup chicken stock
- 14 ounces canned white beans drained (you can use 2 cans)
- ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- Juice from 1 large lime
Instructions
- Make the verde sauce by adding the tomatillos, roasted green peppers, and jalapenos to a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. Set aside.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot or Dutch oven to medium heat.
- Season the chicken with salt and pepper to taste, then sear it in batches, 2-3 minutes per side, to brown them. Set the chicken aside onto a plate.
- Add the onion to the pot and cook for 5 minutes to soften.
- Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, until the garlic becomes fragrant.
- Stir in the chili powder, Mexican oregano, cumin, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
- Add the verde sauce, reserved chicken with any accumulated juices, chicken stock, and white beans.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through to your liking. You can simmer longer if you’d like.
- Remove the chili from heat, then stir in the fresh cilantro and lime juice. Garnish and serve.
Slow Cooker Version
- Make the verde sauce by adding the tomatillos, roasted green peppers, and jalapenos to a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. Pour into the slow cooker.
- Heat the oil in a skillet to medium heat. Season and sear the chicken with the onion and garlic 3-4 minutes (optional). Add to the slow cooker. (NOTE: To save time, you can skip this step and add straight to the crock pot).
- Stir in the remaining ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours or high for 3-4 hours, until the chicken is tender and shreds easily.
- Shred the chicken in the pot, stir everything together, and serve with toppings of choice.
Video
Nutrition Information
Sarah says
Help! I followed the recipe exactly using 2 lb of fresh tomatillos from our grocery store. The end result is somewhat bitter, quite spicey and too tangey. Suggestions on how to quiet it a bit? I did try adding some chicken and vegetable stock which helped some
Mike Hultquist says
Sarah, the best option is dilution. There are only 3 ingredients, so best to introduce something else, like onion, zero-heat bells, garlic. You can cook down 2-3 bell peppers with a large onion, then some garlic, add to a blender with half of the current verde sauce, then simmer to balance it out. Salt can help balance bitterness, as can a touch of sugar/honey (just a bit). Bitterness may have come from your roasted chilies, depending on where you got them - not sure. Let me know if this helps.
Sarah Abriel says
Wondering if the weight of the roasted peppers is pre-roasted weight or post-roasted weight?
Mike Hultquist says
Sarah, it is post-roasted weight. Enjoy!!
Kim says
hi Mike, love your recipes. Im in Melbourne Australia and we only have canned tomatillo here ive triedthem once and they weren't appealing at(slimy), never seen or found fresh. what could be used instead?
Mike Hultquist says
Kim, if you're not a fan of canned tomatillo, you can replace them with more roasted green chilies. Use milder ones. The flavor won't be the exact same, but it will be delicious. Another option is to purchase a Mexican style green salsa, if you have that available to you. Let me know what you wind up using.
Angela Hook says
I'm looking forward to making this tomorrow, and thank you for adding the number of servings the recipe yields, and calories per serving! One question, what was your serving size though? I'll come back to leave another comment after I make it!
Mike Hultquist says
Angela, a serving is a good sized bowl, roughly 2.5 cups. See the pot in the photos or refer to the video to see how large the pot looks. I hope you enjoy it!
Cathy says
I love this recipe! I swirl in a bit of sour cream and it is just the right amount of spicy.
Mike H. says
Thank you, Cathy - enjoy! =)