Black Bean Chicken Chili

How to store this and can you freeze it?

Store the chili in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 to 5 days. You can even freeze the leftovers. Portion leftovers into individual servings and freeze using Souper Cubes or freezer zip locks and pull them out when you’re ready to use. Let the black bean chicken chili fully defrost in the refrigerator the night before or defrost directly in a sauce pan over medium until warmed through. 

Best way to reheat this chili

This black bean chicken chili reheats great stovetop or microwave. Be sure to cover the bowl is using the microwave to save yourself some cleanup if the chili splatters. 

Can I make this in the crockpot?

Yes, if you do not want to make this black bean chicken chili in the crockpot you can add all ingredients to the crockpot and cook on low for 6-8 hours. If you lose some liquid add additional chicken broth. You can also do the same steps and put this chili in the instant pot for 15 minutes. 

Stovetop this chili can be made in a soup pot or a Dutch oven. 

Tracking macros and eating chili / stews / soups

Soups, chili and stews are hard when it comes to measuring and weighing your servings. Unless you were to separate all the ingredients and individually fill bowls with them there is no way to have a 100% accurate measurement. This is a general breakdown per serving. 

I always suggest weighing your final dish and dividing by the number of servings when weighing out your serving size. The reason is the total weight can change person to person. Example, you used more or less chicken than directed, you simmered the chili for longer and lost some of the liquid or simmered for less time and have extra liquid. The final weight will be different than mine in these cases. This is just a great way to be sure you get the serving size according to your dish. My serving size was approximately 325 grams each or 1 heaping cup.

Optional additions to this chili

You can use any protein for the base of this chili including, ground beef, rotisserie chicken, ground turkey or sausage. Add additional vegetables like zucchini, peas, and spinach to this black bean chicken chili. 

Ingredients and Substitutes:

These are the main ingredients and substitutions. See recipe card below for full ingredients list and instructions for Black Bean Chicken Chili. 

Chicken Breast: for this recipe I am using boneless, skinless chicken breast. You can use your favorite protein source like ground beef, ground turkey, chicken thighs or sausage. Make this vegetarian by omitting the chicken and adding lentils. 

Peppers: any color bell peppers will work for this chili. I personally like the sweetness of the red and orange mixed with the cumin and chili powder. Green bell peppers will have less sweetness to them. 

Green Chilies: do not run when seeing green chilies and think that means a recipe is spicey. They do not add spice like you would think a chili pepper or jalapeno does. They have a almost sweet and smokey taste to them with very minimal heat. 

Black Beans: the main ingredient in this recipe is black beans. Prior to adding to the pot be sure to drain and rinse. You can substitute with your favorite beans. 

Fire Roasted Tomatoes: these add a lot of flavor to the chili. If you cannot find fire roasted regular diced tomatoes in any flavor will work. 

Chicken Broth: chicken, beef or vegetable broth will work for this chili. Sticking with the chicken in the recipe I am using chicken broth.

Corn : canned, fresh or frozen will work. 

How to make Black Bean Chicken Chili

Step 1: Cook the chicken

Over medium heat add 2 Tbsp. olive oil to the large Dutch oven or soup pot. Once hot add cubed chicken breast, diced onions and minced garlic. Sauté, stirring frequently until the chicken is no longer pink. 

Add cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper and green chilies. Mix and stir to evenly coat the chicken in the spices. 

Step 2: Add ingredients

Add all remaining ingredients and stir together well to combine. Cover with lid and let simmer for 15-12 minutes until warmed through. 

Step 3: Serve

Serve the chili and enjoy. Top with chopped cilantro, crushed chips or as is. 

Serving size

This recipe makes 10 servings, approximately 325 grams or 1 heaping cup each. 

(See note above regarding serving sizes)

What to serve this chili with

This black bean chicken chili is great as a standalone dish but you can also serve with a side salad or chips for dipping. Top with fresh cilantro, jalapenos or crushed tortillas chips for some crunch. 

If you like this recipe be sure to check out some of our other easy meals!

• Cowboy Soup
• Instant Pot Chicken Stroganoff
• Vegetarian Hamburger Helper
• Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta
• Air Fryer Breaded Pork Tenderloin