One of the things I am most known for is my Famous Chili. I realize not everyone likes red meat so I decided to come up with an alternative using chicken. So here’s my Spicy Chicken Chili.
For this recipe, I used my Instant Pot pressure cooker (which I absolutely love by the way). If you are not fortunate enough to have a pressure cooker, a Slow Cooker is a great alternative.
Tips
- While you can pretty much use any brand of cream cheese, I highly recommend you use Philadelphia brand cream cheese. You will taste the difference.
- To make this recipe even easier, cut up some rotisserie chicken. This will save you some time from having to cook the chicken ahead of time.
- You will need to experiment with cooking times though. I suspect no more than 4 hours on high would suffice for this recipe.
Ingredient Substitution
An alternative to using chicken broth is Better Than Bouillon. I often use it when I don’t have broth on hand.
How to Make Bacon
If you struggle to make bacon perfectly, I’ve put together a short tutorial on How to Make Perfect Bacon – 3 Ways. Check it out! My preferred method is baking it in the oven.
If you are curious about where Chili comes from, I found this article that might be of interest.
How Hot Are the Peppers
The Scoville Scale is the measurement that tells you the spiciness of a given type of pepper.
| Pepper Type | Scoville Rating (Heat) |
|---|---|
| Bell Pepper | 0-0 |
| Banana Pepper | 0-500 |
| Poblano Pepper | 1000-1500 |
| Jalapeño Pepper | 2500-8000 |
| Serrano Peppers | 10,000-25,000 |
| Manzano Pepper | 12,000-30,000 |
| Tabasco & Cayenne | 30,000-50,000 |
| Habanero Pepper | 100,000-300,000 |
| Ghost Pepper | 855,000-1,000,000 |
| Carolina Reaper | 1,500,000-2,300,000 |
Kitchen Gadgets
Using the Right Equipment can make a BIG Difference. Check out our Favs!
Gather your Ingredients
You will need the following ingredients to make this Spicy Chicken Chili recipe (see recipe card for quantities): Yellow Onion, Jalapeños, Garlic, Chicken Breasts, Chili Powder, Ground Cumin, Salt, Ground Black Pepper, Dried Oregano, Low Sodium Chicken Broth, Diced Tomatoes, Green Chilies, Corn, Bacon, Cream Cheese, Navy Beans, Cheddar Cheese and Tortilla Chips.
How to Make Spicy Chicken Chili
- Add diced onions, jalapeños, garlic, chicken, chili powder, cumin, salt, pepper, oregano, chicken broth, diced tomatoes, green chilies, navy beans, and corn into the pot. Mix until combined. If you prefer less spicy, cut back on the jalapeño seeds.
- If you are using a pressure cooker, set it manually for 10 minutes. For a slow cooker, set for 4 hours on high.
- Once done, add the cream cheese and half the bacon. Mix well and cook another 5 minutes. The cream cheese should’ve completely melted at this point.
- Serve chili in bowls. Top with cheese, crushed tortilla chips, and the remaining bacon.
Printable Recipe Card
Spicy Chicken Chili
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Ingredients
- 1 ¼ Cup Yellow Onion, diced
- 4 Fresh Jalapeños, diced
- 3 Tsp Garlic, minced
- 4 Chicken Breasts, cooked & diced
- 2 Tsp Chili Powder
- 1 Tsp Ground Cumin
- ⅛ Tsp Salt
- ¼ Tsp Ground Black Pepper
- 1 Tsp Dried Oregano
- 14 oz Low Sodium Chicken Broth
- 10 oz Diced Tomatoes, drained
- 4 oz Green Chilies, drained
- 15 oz Navy Beans / White Beans, drained & rinsed
- 14 oz Corn, drained
- 1 lb Bacon, cooked & crumbled
- 8 oz Cream Cheese
Garnish (optional)
- Cheddar Cheese, shredded
- Tortilla Chips, crushed
Instructions
- Add diced onions, jalapeños, garlic, chicken, chili powder, cumin, salt, pepper, oregano, chicken broth, diced tomatoes, green chilies, navy beans and corn into the pot. Mix until combined. If you prefer less spicy, cut back on the jalapeño seeds.
- If you are using a pressure cooker, set manually for 10 minutes. If you are using crock pot, set for 4 hours on high.
- Once done, add the cream cheese and half the bacon. Mix well and cook another 5 minutes. The cream cheese should’ve completely melted at this point.
- Serve chili in bowls. Top with cheese, crushed tortilla chips and the remaining bacon.
Notes
OMG this chicken chili is great. I would never have thought to use chicken in my chili until I saw this recipe. It turned out great and tasted just as great. Number one in my book.