This Spicy Black Bean Chicken Chili recipe is the easy, no-nonsense meal you need in your back pocket. Simply made with primarily pantry ingredients (and no cream cheese!), this hearty, healthy bowl of yum is packed with lean protein, colorful veggies, and tender beans — perfect for serving as-is, or atop burgers, hot dogs, fries, and more!
I originally made this black bean chili with beef, but Joe has been trying to lighten his fat load to keep up with his weight-loss goals. He’s lost 85 pounds so far!!! Anyway, I swapped in ground chicken the other day and it’s just as delicious as the old version.
Since the basis of the recipe is canned beans, it's pretty darn cheap to make. Even when you add a pound of ground chicken, it still qualifies as a rent week special for me.
(Want to make it even cheaper? Cook your beans from dried! No need to be precious about it — boil them like pasta, but add aromatics like bay leaves or onion chunks, then, if you want, drain off the extra liquid before proceeding.)
Jump to:
- Why You’ll Love This Spicy Chicken Chili With Black Beans
- Ingredients & Substitutions
- How To Make Black Bean Chicken Chili
- Optional Variations & Dietary Adaptations
- Expert Tips
- Serving Suggestions
- Storage and Reheating Instructions
- FAQs
- More Quick & Easy 1-Pot/1-Pan Recipes
- Black Bean Chicken Chili (No Cream Cheese!)
- 💬 Reviews
Why You’ll Love This Spicy Chicken Chili With Black Beans
- Quick & Easy - Start to finish, the whole process takes maybe 30 minutes. And if you're someone who wants to get a jump on your WFH day? This black bean and chicken chili is great to make in the morning and keep warm on the stovetop till dinnertime. It's also made in one pot, meaning cleanup is a snap. Oh, and if you happen to have frozen chopped peppers and onions on hand, your workload just got even easier!
- Customizable - Chili is a great “clean-out-the-fridge” kinda meal. If you happen to have some wilted greens, a leftover carrot or two, or basically any other veggie that you're not sure what to do with, chuck it in the pot. It'll end up tasting just like chili should — spicy, hearty, and delicious. You’re also welcome to swap in the ground meat or meat substitute of your choice!
- Versatile - This chicken and black bean chili is great for eating on its own, but can also play a supporting actor in several different meals. Spoon it over a jacket potato or air-fried french fries to stretch the pot further, or serve it over hot dogs or burgers for a ballpark special at home.
- Inclusive - This black bean chicken with chili is naturally gluten-free, nut-free, soy-free, dairy-free, and egg-free. It can easily be made vegan. And as long as you don't top this chili with cheese or sour cream, it's also completely Paleo and Whole30-friendly.
Ingredients & Substitutions
This recipe is so gee-dang simple, it'll be ready to scoop into bowls in under 30 minutes. First up, gather your ingredients. Here's everything you'll need:
- Ground Chicken - For higher protein and less fat, I used ground chicken instead of the original ground beef. While I typically prefer ground beef’s texture, in chili you can’t really tell the difference. Feel free to substitute ground turkey, ground beef, ground pork, minced mushrooms, or meatless chunks like Impossible.
- Yellow Onion - Red or white onions will also work!
- Bell Peppers - I prefer using sweet red, orange, or yellow bell peppers, but you’re welcome to use earthier green bell peppers if you like.
- Jalapeños - Optional, but excellent for adding some fiery goodness.
- Garlic - Starting with fresh whole cloves is best, but you’re welcome to use jarred minced garlic to save on prep time. (PRO TIP: I like to buy a giant bag of pre-peeled garlic from Costco and keep it in the freezer — it’s a snappy way to keep fresh garlic on hand at all times!)
- Chili Powder - Contrary to what you might think, “chili powder” is actually a spice blend comprised of multiple types of ground chiles with the addition of other spices like cumin. If you’re fresh out, you can make your own or swap in taco seasoning. If you go for the latter, note that most taco seasoning blends have added salt so adjust how much salt you add accordingly.
- Dried Mexican Oregano - Another fun spice aisle fact: Mexican oregano comes from a completely different plant family than “true” Mediterranean oregano. If you can get your hands on some, I recommend using it here and in all Mexican/Tex-Mex recipes that call for “oregano.” If not, marjoram is actually a closer substitute than Greek oregano, but either will work fine.
- Ground Cumin - For earthy warmth. If you only have whole cumin seeds, give them a quick toast in a dry pan over medium heat until they are fragrant, then crush them in a mortar & pestle or clean spice/coffee grinder.
- Ground Coriander - For bright, citrusy undertones. If you only have whole coriander seeds, toast and crush them as I described for cumin seeds above. A smidge of lime or lemon zest is a fine substitute.
- Cayenne - Again, optional but tasty if you like your chili in the 3-5-alarm range. Feel free to dial the heat up or down by adding more or less.
- Rotel - We typically use the spicy generic version (e.g. Walmart’s Great Value or Kroger brand), but any tomato-green chile blend is a fun flavor booster. Plain canned diced tomatoes and a small can of diced green chiles will also work, but if you have the option, use fire-roasted tomatoes for the best flavor.
- Canned Black Beans - I use the liquid from my canned beans because I love the body it gives to the chili. If you prefer to drain yours (it helps with the more *musical* aspects of bean-eating), swap in some veggie/chicken broth or water.
- Tomato Paste - For sweetness, umami, and a bit of thickening power. I recommend buying the double-concentrated kind that comes in a metal tube — it’s easier to store and has a more potent flavor than the canned variety.
- Kosher Salt & Pepper - For seasoning.
How To Make Black Bean Chicken Chili
This simple chili recipe comes together in a flash. Here’s how:
Step 1: Brown Meat. Set a heavy-bottomed dutch iron over medium heat. Add the ground chicken and a five-finger pinch of kosher salt. Brown the meat all the way through, cutting it up into small bits with your spatula.
Step 2: Sauté Veggies. Add the onion, bell peppers, and jalapeños to the mix with another pinch of salt. Stir to coat and cook until the veggies are beginning to soften and become translucent, about 5 minutes.
Step 3: Season. Add the garlic and spices and cook until fragrant, about another 45 seconds.
Step 4: Finish. Add the RoTel, beans, and tomato paste, stirring to combine. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until everything is warmed through. Season with salt and pepper as needed, then dig in!
Optional Variations & Dietary Adaptations
As much as we love this recipe for chicken chili with beans, there are plenty of ways for you to make it your own:
- Make it Milder - Joe and I like our meals pretty spicy. If you’re not a fan of tongue-titillating heat, you can easily dial it back by either:
- using less jalapeño and cayenne pepper,
- removing the seeds and membranes from inside the jalapeños before using them, or
- omitting either/both.
- Make it Spicier - Love to set your tastebuds ablaze? I see you! Feel free to either add more jalapeño or cayenne, or swap in spicier alternatives like serranos or habaneros for the jalapeño and ground ghost pepper for the cayenne. 🌶️
- Vegetarian/Vegan Black Bean Chili - Whether you’re practicing a vegetarian/vegan diet, want to make this chili for Meatless Monday, or just don’t have a pound of meat in the budget, not to worry. I’ve made this recipe using minced mushrooms instead, and it’s still a hit. You can also use the meatless crumbles of your choice!
- Lower-Sodium - MSG gets a bad rap, but it’s actually a great salt substitute for people watching their sodium intake. It’s also delicious — it tastes like seasoned meat.
- Optional Add-Ins - As I mentioned above, chili recipes are great for helping clear out all the unused bits and bobs in your fridge or freezer. Feel free to toss in any extra chopped veggies that need using (e.g. carrots, celery, parsnips, sweet potatoes, etc). You can also add sweetness with a drained can of corn or frozen corn kernels.
Expert Tips
- Cut back on prep time by using frozen chopped onions and peppers.
- Feel free to keep the pot warming on the stovetop all day long over the lowest heat setting. Keep it covered so not too much liquid evaporates, and give it a stir every so often to prevent scorching. You’re also welcome to put it in a slow cooker on low if you won’t be around to keep an eye on it or your burners run hot.
- Season at every step. Want to know why restaurant food always tastes good? One of the big reasons is that the good ones add salt to each component. Rather than waiting to add all of your salt at the end, add some to the pot with each addition of unsalted ingredients.
Serving Suggestions
Chili is one of those meals that I can eat time and again in all kinds of situations. Heck, I'm even happy to eat it for breakfast! (Doesn't basically anything qualify as breakfast if you throw an egg on it, anyway? 🤔)
What I’m trying to say is that in my book, there's really no wrong way to eat this chicken black bean chili, but here are some ideas just to get you started:
- Add it to a burger or hot dog for a grill out.
- Scoop it over a baked potato, air-fried french fries or sweet potato fries, or oven-baked potato wedges for a super cheap, super filling rent week meal.
- Add it to a quesadilla, use it as the basis for a platter of nachos, or spoon it into a bell pepper and bake it.
- Eat it straight from the pot.
Toppings are always welcome, regardless of how you eat it. Some of my favorites include (but aren't limited to):
- Sliced green onions/scallions
- Chopped cilantro
- Sour cream or Greek yogurt
- Cheese - preferably sharp cheddar or pepperjack
- Crushed tortilla chips or Fritos
- Hot sauce
However you decide to dress up your bowl of this easy chicken and black bean chili, I hope you love it as much as we do!
Storage and Reheating Instructions
- Chicken chili with beans will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week or in the freezer for up to three months. If you freeze it, leave some headroom for the liquid to expand.
- Allow frozen chili to defrost in the fridge overnight, then gently reheat on the stovetop over low-medium heat, stirring frequently. You can also heat it in the microwave in 45-second bursts at 70% power, stirring between each zap.
- If the chili is too thick for your liking during the reheating process, simply add a splash of water, beer, or broth to help thin it out.
FAQs
Sure, why not? Some folks may say I’m wrong, but I’ve made chili with all kinds of beans and I’m never mad about it. 🤷🏼♀️
It honestly depends on the recipe and what your definition of “healthy” is. This particular chicken chili is a red chili, so there’s no cream cheese or dairy added. It’s also jam-packed with lean protein from ground chicken breast and black beans and has a bunch of veggies, so I consider it a guilt-free meal. 🤷🏼♀️
I’d say kidney beans or pinto beans are probably your best bet. Cranberry/borlotti beans also work!
It depends — if you’re using canned beans, which are already cooked, you should add them near the end of cooking. In this chicken black bean chili recipe, pre-cooked beans get added in the last step (step #4). If you’re trying to make a one-pot chili using dried beans, you should add them after sautéing your meat and/or aromatics in order to give them plenty of time to rehydrate while it bubbles away on the stove.
You sure can! This red chicken chili with black beans is made without it, and it’s awesome. That said, if you’re looking for a white chicken chili, this isn’t the recipe for you.
I tend to reach for heartier beans like red kidney beans, black beans, and pinto beans. That said, use whatever variety you prefer or have on hand!
There’s a fierce bean chili vs meat chili debate, and some folks are firmly in one camp and opposed to the other. I, on the other hand, love all chilis. I personally tend to put beans in my chili more often than not as it helps to stretch my grocery budget and adds some healthy fiber to the mix, but you do you!
Nope! I've made this same recipe with ground beef, ground bison, ground turkey, ground pork, meatless crumbles, and even just veggies. It's always good. Feel free to omit the chicken and use any alternative you see fit.
You're also welcome to use pulled rotisserie chicken if you prefer, but if you go this route, start at step 2, sauté your veggies in some olive oil, and then add the chicken pieces when you add the beans and tomatoes.
Absolutely! Not only will the flavors meld together after a day or two in the fridge, this recipe is also perfect for freezing. Stash a batch in delitainers
in the fridge for up to a week, or in the freezer for up to three months.
Heck yeah! Beyond Meat and Impossible Meat are both very convincing substitutes, but if you'd rather go old school, I also love making this chili with finely chopped mushrooms as my "meat." Any mushrooms will do, though I'm partial to portobello, cremini, or white mushrooms for this application.
Grab a pint or two of whatever mushrooms do it for ya. Chop them into small pieces and sauté them with a glug or two of olive oil, a hefty pinch of salt and some serious patience. If necessary, work in batches. You want the mushrooms to be nicely browned and the liquid to be evaporated before moving on to the next step.
More Quick & Easy 1-Pot/1-Pan Recipes
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Black Bean Chicken Chili (No Cream Cheese!)
Ingredients
- 1 lb Ground Chicken or substitute ground turkey, ground beef, ground pork, minced mushrooms or meatless chunks like Impossible.
- 1 Yellow Onion medium dice
- 2 Bell Peppers any color, medium dice
- 1-2 Jalapeños optional, small dice
- 6-8 cloves Garlic chopped fine
- 3 tablespoon Chili Powder
- 1 tablespoon Dried Mexican Oregano
- 1 ½ teaspoon Ground Cumin
- 1 teaspoon Ground Coriander
- 1 teaspoon Cayenne optional
- 1 can RoTel drained
- 2 cans Black Beans and their liquid, or drained and rinsed with about 1-2 cups of water or broth
- 3 tablespoon Tomato Paste
- Kosher Salt and Pepper to taste
Optional Toppings
- Shredded Cheese
- Fresh Cilantro
- Sliced Green Onions
- Sour Cream or Greek Yogurt
Instructions
- Set a heavy bottomed dutch iron over medium high heat. Add 1 lb Ground Chicken and a five finger pinch of kosher salt and brown it all the way through, cutting the meat up into small bits with your spatula.
- Add the following chopped veggies: 1 Yellow Onion, 2 Bell Peppers and 1-2 Jalapeños (if using) with another pinch of salt. Stir to coat and cook until the veggies are beginning to soften and become translucent.
- Add the 6-8 cloves Garlic and spices (3 tablespoon Chili Powder, 1 tablespoon Dried Mexican Oregano, 1 ½ teaspoon Ground Cumin, 1 teaspoon Ground Coriander, 1 teaspoon Cayenne) and cook until fragrant, about another 45 seconds.
- Add 1 can RoTel, 2 cans Black Beans, and 3 tablespoon Tomato Paste, stirring to combine. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until everything is warmed through. Season with Kosher Salt and Pepper as needed.
- Feel free to keep the pot warming on the stovetop all day long. The seasonings will continue to mesh and meld. Otherwise, scoop it into bowls, over baked potatoes, french fries, burgers or hot dogs and enjoy!
Notes
- Make it Milder - Dial it back by either: using less jalapeño and cayenne pepper, removing the seeds and membranes from inside the jalapeños before using them, or omitting either/both.
- Make it Spicier - Feel free to either add more jalapeño or cayenne, or swap in spicier alternatives like serranos or habaneros for the jalapeño and ground ghost pepper for the cayenne. 🌶️
- Vegetarian/Vegan Black Bean Chili - Use minced mushrooms instead, sautéing them in 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil in step 1. You can also use the meatless crumbles of your choice!
- Lower-Sodium - MSG gets a bad rap, but it’s actually a great salt substitute for people watching their sodium intake. It’s also delicious — it tastes like seasoned meat.
- Optional Add-Ins - Chili recipes are great for helping clear out all the unused bits and bobs in your fridge or freezer. Feel free to toss in any extra chopped veggies that need using (e.g. carrots, celery, parsnips, sweet potatoes, etc). You can also add sweetness with a drained can of corn or frozen corn kernels.
- Cut back on prep time by using frozen chopped onions and peppers.
- Feel free to keep the pot warming on the stovetop all day long over the lowest heat setting. Keep it covered so not too much liquid evaporates, and give it a stir every so often to prevent scorching. You’re also welcome to put it in a slow cooker on low if you won’t be around to keep an eye on it or your burners run hot.
- Season at every step. Want to know why restaurant food always tastes good? One of the big reasons is that the good ones add salt to each component. Rather than waiting to add all of your salt at the end, add some to the pot with each addition of unsalted ingredients.
- Add it to a burger or hot dog for a grill out.
- Scoop it over a baked potato, air-fried french fries or sweet potato fries, or oven-baked potato wedges for a super cheap, super filling rent week meal.
- Add it to a quesadilla, use it as the basis for a platter of nachos, or spoon it into a bell pepper and bake it.
- Eat it straight from the pot.
Bill majors says
So delicious! We’ve made this recipe a few times already
Ash, The Grocery Addict says
Awesome, that makes me so happy! Thanks for sharing!