Texas Chicken Chili is a mouthwatering blend of chicken, beans, chili peppers and zesty spices. Bring the Lone Star State to your kitchen.
There is nothing like a hot bowl of good chili! It’s chock full of ingredients that give this chili depth of flavor that you won’t believe. There are the usual ingredients, like meat, tomato paste and chili powder, But theres also the unexpected like corn flour for thickening, brown sugar for maple sweetness and apple cider vinegar for subtle tartness.
Back when I lived in Texas, we had a monthly pot-luck at work. One time a co-worker brought in a giant pot of Texas Chicken Chili. When she set it down, people in the know nearly knocked me over to fill their bowls. I mean, what was all the fuss? When I finally shouldered my way in and scraped my own bowl from the bottom of the pot, I understood why it was the most popular dish at the pot luck.
Even though there’s a few extra steps to this recipe, it’s definitely worth the effort! I feed it to the football watching crowd, and though this recipe makes a lot of chili, there never seem to be any leftovers?
Ingredients needed to make Texas Chicken Chili
- Chicken Thighs
- Pinto Beans
- Anaheim Chili Peppers
- Jalapeno Pepper
- Olive Oil
- Red Onion
- Tomato Paste
- Whole Peeled Tomatoes
- Chicken Broth
- Corn Flour
- Brown Sugar
- Apple Cider Vinegar
- Spices – Chili Powder, Garlic, Cumin and Oregano
How To Make Texas Chicken Chili
This recipe is a bit of a project – but worth it! Here’s how I made it”
- Begin by toasting the dried Anaheim chiles in a large pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat, until slightly darkened and fragrant. Turn the chilies often so they do not burn. This will take about 4 minutes. Remove to a plate and set aside.
- Season the chicken liberally with salt and pepper. Heat 2 TBSP of olive oil in the pot. Over medium-high heat, add the chicken and cook until browned on all sides, about 8 minutes. Remove to a plate or bowl with a slotted spoon.
- In the same pot, heat remaining 2 TBSP of oil. Add the Jalapeno, red onion, garlic, cumin, oregano, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Cook while stirring the mixture around until the onions soften, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook while stirring, until the vegetables are coated, about a minute.
- Add the canned tomatoes, chicken broth, 2 cups of water, corn flour, brown sugar, vinegar and the set aside toasted chiles to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer until the dried chiles soften, about 20 minutes.
- Use an immersion blender to puree the mixture, or work in batches using a blender or food processor to puree.
- Return the meat to the pot. Add remaining 3 cups of water. Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, partially cover and cook, stirring occasionally for about 3 hours.
- Add the beans and cook an additional 15 minutes, until the beans are tender.
- Serve with assorted toppings and chips.
More Soup Recipe Ideas
Texas Chicken Chili
Ingredients
- 2 Anaheim chile peppers dried, stems removed
- 1 jalapeno pepper seeds removed and chopped
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1 medium red onion chopped
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp oregano
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 28 ounce whole peeled tomatoes do not drain
- 15 ounce low-sodium chicken broth
- 5 cups water
- 2 tbsp corn flour or all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 pounds chicken thighs boneless, skinless, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
- 15 ounce pinto beans drained and rinsed
- sour cream, red onion, shredded cheese and tortilla chips for topping
Instructions
- Begin by toasting the dried Anaheim chiles in a large pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat, until slightly darkened and fragrant. Turn the chilies often so they do not burn. This will take about 4 minutes. Remove to a plate and set aside.
- In the same pot, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken and season with salt and pepper to taste. Stirring and flipping occasionally, cook chicken until browned on all sides, about 8 minutes. Remove to a plate and set aside.
- To the pot, add remaining 2 tablespoons of oil. Add the jalapeno, red onion, garlic, cumin, oregano, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Cook, stirring the mixture until the onions soften, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and continue stirring until the vegetables are coated.
- Add the canned tomatoes, chicken broth, 2 cups of water, corn flour, brown sugar, vinegar and your toasted chiles. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer until the chiles soften, about 20 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat. Use an immersion blender to puree the mixture, or work in batches using a blender or food processor to puree.
- Return the chicken to the pot. Add remaining 3 cups of water. Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, partially cover and cook, stirring occasionally for about 3 hours.
- Add the beans and cook an additional 15 minutes, until the beans are tender.
- Serve with assorted toppings and chips.
Chef Tips
Equipment Used
Nutrition Facts
© Copyright Christine Mello for Must Love Home. We would love for you to share a link to this recipe but please do not copy/paste the recipe instructions to websites or social media. We are happy for you to share a photo with a link back to this website instead.
