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
Jeremy Heyl says
I made this last night- sooooo good. I used a couple large chicken breasts and 1/2 a pulled chicken from two nights ago. A 1/2 jar of pre-grilled and peeled hatch green chilis from Costco that was a few weeks from expiring. Hatch red chili powder (green will be on order soon) and soaked my own Rancho Gordo small white beans. The red powder didn't affect the color to badly (not as vivid as your picture, but still very green). I tasted it before adding the lime and cilantro and thought I was really missing something and I didn't want to add more salt. Turns out it was the lime and cilantro- after I added that it was over the top spectacular. I figure I made a 1.5x batch, used 4 large cored and de-seeded jalapenos- it wasn't over the top spicy, but it was definitely there. I cook to my wife's level of spice and add hot sauce if I want. Oh, and the beans simmered in mostly chicken broth and a bit of water until soft. I reserved the liquid and added a bit when I though it needed to loosen up. Really great- TY!
Mike Hultquist says
Awesome! Glad you enjoyed it, Jeremy!
Nathan Yuma says
I love this recipe. I've made it a bunch of times. This time, I did a combo of pasilla, anaheim and jalapeno peppers. I roasted all the peppers with the tomatillos for about 30 minutes at 450 degrees then peeled the skins off the peppers before blending. So rich in flavor. Mike, I love your recipes and the recipe tips and notes are always helpful! Cheers.
Mike H. says
Super motivational, Nathan. Thank you for your comment!
jamie parisi says
Looks really good, can you substitute enchilada sauce (homemade using your recipe) for the verde its a bit thin but i can add some salsa verde to thicken it up a bit?
Mike H. says
Thanks, Jamie. It can be done, but it will change the flavor profile of the dish, so expect the taste to be different. And you can definitely add salsa verde to thicken it up but again, keep in mind that it will change the flavor even more and add more tanginess. Let me know how it goes though!
Pallavi says
This looks excellent! Can I cook the chicken in the verde sauce? Similar to your chicken tinga recipe?
Mike H. says
Thank you, Pallavi. Absolutely! Let me know how it goes please.
Scott Swanberry says
I am trying this soon !! I am surprised you don't also oven roast the tomatillos before blending. I have been wanting to ask you, does Mrs. Hultquist also like spicy food? Keep up the great work !!
Mike H. says
Go for it, Scott! It is totally up to your preference. 😉
Robyn L Conger says
Fabulous! This is the best chili Verde we've ever had. The spice level was perfect. We used pork shoulder that we sauteed then put in the IP pressure cooker. It came out melt-in your-mouth tender. Thanks for a great recipe!
Mike H. says
I am happy to hear that, Robyn. And thank you for the feedback!
Tim B. - Reno says
To Connie Ralon: yes bake or broil the tomatillos for 12 to 15 minutes. Then quarter them and put them in the food processor with all of the peppers and blend them into a verde sauce. Be sure to first cook the peppers and blacken them and peel off the skin as best you can before you blend them.
Alex Jeffrey says
Hi Mike, this looks the kind of recipe that I would enjoy, quick question though, I live in a country where I can't seem to find Tomatillos, what would you recommend I use instead?
Regards
Alex
Mike H. says
Hi, Alex. Try swapping them with green tomatoes, which are somewhat similar in flavor and acidity. The taste won't be the same, but they still can be a good substitute when tomatillos are not available.
Scott Swanberry says
You might look to see if you can order the canned ones. My wife likes these over fresh when we make Camarones (shrimp) Culichi.
Elliot Fisch says
This is very much like a recipe I use. I add 1 bottle of a Mexican beer and frozen corn.
Of course, a rotisserie chicken is a time-saver.
Mike H. says
Love it. Thanks, Elliot!
Connie Ralon says
Did you cook the tomatillos first?
Mike H. says
Connie, I blended them with roasted green peppers and jalapeños, when making the verde sauce.
Gaik says
Can I use bottled verde sauce? How much would I need?
Mike H. says
Gaik, 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.
Barbee says
I can't wait to make this.Also, Thank you for adding in your comments that we do not have to add the beans. This helps for the Low Carber's.
Mike H. says
Welcome and enjoy, Barbee!
Ramya says
Cant wait to make this soon for me can i use tofu and vegetable stock i never had green chicken chili before perfect for my after office meals love your recipes as always brightens up my day everyday after work
Mike H. says
Enjoy, Ramya!