Ain’t nothing like a big, cozy bowl of chili – especially when it’s bright, tangy, and just a little spicy. This Verde Chicken Chili has quickly become one of my favorite comfort meals to make on repeat. It’s hearty and flavorful, with tender shredded chicken thighs, creamy white northern beans, and fire-roasted corn – all simmered in a homemade salsa verde that makes the whole soup what it is.

The Perfect Balance of Comfort and Freshness

This chili has a little bit of everything – the smoky sweetness of fire-roasted corn, the heartiness of beans, and the brightness of that homemade verde sauce. It’s spicy but not overpowering, cozy but still light enough to enjoy year-round.

Top it with sliced avocado, fresh cilantro, a squeeze of lime, or even a dollop of sour cream if you want to cool things down a bit. I love serving it with a side of warm tortillas or tortilla chips for dipping.

The Magic is in the Salsa Verde

The heart of this verde chicken chili is the homemade salsa verde – and I promise, it’s so much easier to make than it sounds. If you’ve ever been intimidated by tomatillos, don’t be. They’re those little green tomato-looking guys with a papery husk, and once you peel and roast them, they transform into something bright, tangy, and deeply flavorful.

For the salsa, I roast tomatillos, jalapeños, poblano peppers, and onion until they’re blistered and a little smoky. Then I blend everything with fresh cilantro and a little salt until it’s silky and vibrant green. The flavor is unmatched – slightly tart, a little spicy, and full of that fresh, zippy energy that cuts through the richness of the chili.

If you’re short on time or just not in the mood to make your own, store-bought salsa verde works perfectly too. Choose a brand that uses real tomatillos (check the ingredient list!) and you’ll still get a great result.

Why I Use Chicken Thighs Over Breasts

When it comes to soups and stews, I’m always Team Thigh. Chicken thighs have more fat, and in turn, more flavor than breasts, which makes a huge difference in a chili like this. They stay juicy and tender after simmering – no dry chicken in here. If you’re still team breasts, go off! But I promise, your soup will be more flavorful with thighs.

Make this Verde Chicken Chili your own!

The best part about this Verde Chicken Chili is that it’s flexible:

• Swap chicken for shredded rotisserie if you’re short on time.
• Make it vegetarian by using 2 different kind of beans.
• Add extra jalapeño for more heat, or skip it if you like things mild.

It’s the kind of recipe that adapts to your mood – and tastes even better the next day after all the flavors have married together.

Let me know in the comments if you make this!
xoxo,
Megan

Verde Chicken Chili

megan sheley

This Verde Chicken Chili is hearty, flavorful, and perfectly balanced. It has a homemade salsa verde that gives it a bright, zesty kick, plus tender shredded chicken, fire-roasted corn, and creamy beans. A touch of heat rounds it out, making every bite cozy, vibrant, and deeply satisfying.

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Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Mexican

Ingredients

  

• 1.5 lbs Tomatillos
• 6 oz poblano peppers about 3-4 large poblanos
• 2 jalapeño peppers
• 1 white onion
• Olive oil
• Salt
• 1.5 chicken thighs
• season generously with cumin, chili powder, cordiander, paprika, garlic powder, and salt
• heavy drizzle of olive oil
• 1/2 white onion chopped
• 3-4 cloves of garlic minced
• 3 cups broth can use chicken or veggie!
• 1.5 tsp salt taste at the end and add more to your liking
• 2 cups frozen fire-roasted corn
• 1 can white northern beans or pinto, black, chickpeas, whatever!
• 1/3 cup heavy cream

TOPPINGS

• cilantro
• cotija cheese
• lime wedge
• tortilla chips

Instructions

 

• If you’re making your salsa from scratch, preheat your oven to 425. Peel your tomatillos and place on a baking sheet with your poblanos (cut off the tops), jalapeños (cut off the tops and half them), and a white onion (halved). Drizzle with a good amount of olive oil and season with salt. Bake for about 30 minutes until veggies are roasted.
• In a large bow, season your chicken thighs generously with the spices listed. I eyeballed this and trust that you can too! This is hard to mess up. Drizzle with lots of olive oil and massage oil and spices into the thighs.
• Heat a large skillet (I used cast iron) over medium heat and let heat up for a few minutes. Place your thighs in the hot pan and let them sit on one side for a couple minutes until seared (just leave them alone, don’t play with them). Flip to sear the other side. Once seared, remove from heat and set aside.
• In a large soup pot, drizzle olive oil and let heat up. Dice white onion and mince garlic and add to pot. Stir well and let cook for a few minutes until onions are translucent. Add chicken thighs in with the garlic and onions. Add in broth and cover for 20 minutes and set heat to LOW or SIMMER.
• Remove veggies from oven and place into a blender with a big handful of cilantro. Blend on high to puree it. Add salsa to your soup.
• Remove chicken from the soup after 20 minutes and chop into small bite-sized pieces. Return back to soup. Add in your choice of beans, frozen fire-roasted corn, salt to taste, and 1/3 cup of cream. Let simmer for 10 minutes.
• Serve with cilantro, tortilla chips, lime, and cotija cheese (or top with whatever you want!)

Keyword easy recipes, fall recipes, soup