girl. Inspired.

travel, food, design

  • TRAVEL
  • FOOD
    • Breakfast
    • Breads
    • Main Course
    • Desserts
    • Drinks
    • Soups|Salads|Side Dishes
    • Sauces|Dips|Salad Dressings
    • Cake Decorating
      • Inspiration and Ideas
      • Tips and Tutorials
  • Design
    • Craft/DIY
    • Sewing
      • Patterns and Tutorials
      • Pattern and Product Reviews
      • Sewing Ideas and Inspiration
    • Parties
  • Shop
  • Blog
  • About
    • Privacy Policy
  • Subscribe

The Best Green Chicken Chili Recipe

January 6, 2021 by girlinspired Leave a Comment

Green Chicken Chili is a delicious alternative to beef chili, with unforgettable flavors and just the right amount of heat. This thick hearty soup is full of juicy pieces of chicken and white beans in a cheesy creamy, perfectly seasoned broth. Garnish with some tortilla strips and a drizzle of fresh lime and this Mexican inspired dish will soon become a family favorite. On repeat!

green chili chicken soup in red dutch oven topped with avocados and colorful tortilla strips; cheese, limes, avocado, and cilantro around the pot

If Mexican food is commonplace in your home like it is mine, then you’ve got to try both the Homemade Salsa Verde and Green Enchilada Sauce which pretty much pairs well with anything! As a side, as a dip, or as a topping, these two sauces will elevate all of your Mexican inspired dishes!

green chili chicken soup in white bowls and red dutch oven, topped with avocado slices and colorful tortilla strips

What is Green Chicken Chili?

Bring your tastebuds on a journey with this green chicken chili with white beans recipe. It’s a true crowd-pleaser not just because it’s out of this world, warming comfort food, but because it is brimming with bold flavors that combine so nicely together. Your crowd will get all of the different tastes and textures in every bite.

This chili has chunks of chicken and tender white beans, combined with a broth so thick and creamy and perfectly seasoned with oregano, cumin, and paprika. A layer of heat is provided by the roasted chili peppers and all of this is finished off with a hint of citrus from the lime and added salty crunch from the tortilla strips.

What is the difference between White Chicken Chili and Green Chicken Chili?

You might be wondering what the difference between white chicken chili and green chicken chili is. Well, truth be told, so am I! ha. There may, in fact, be no difference at all because just when I think I’ve found what might be a difference in one version, I find a similar recipe in the other version. In the end, it’s so good, it doesn’t really matter what it’s called.

More Soups and Sauces

Green Enchilada Sauce

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Buffalo Chicken Dip

Easy Homemade Salsa Verde

Do I need anything special to make Green Chicken Chili?

Large Pot – Making soups in a Dutch oven or large stockpot is handy for making big batches of soup.

Immersion blender – Otherwise known as a hand blender this handy tool will keep you from having to transfer the soup to a blender for pureeing.

Ingredients:

  • Hatch chilis – Anaheim chilis will also work.
  • Olive oil – You can also use canola oil.
  • Onion & garlic – Diced and minced.
  • Chicken broth – Use homemade broth if you have some on hand; homemade has more flavor and nutrients and not as much sodium.
  • Seasoning – Cumin, paprika, ground coriander, dried oregano, salt, and pepper to taste. This blend of seasoning is pretty much magic.
  • White beans – Drained and rinsed. Cannellini beans or smaller white beans are readily available at your local grocery store. Canned beans are easy to use; dried beans aren’t necessary! A great source of fiber and protein and will give your soup its body and thick consistency.
  • Cooked chicken breast – You can use whatever leftover you have. Either shred a cooked rotisserie chicken or cut up your leftover herb-roasted chicken.
  • Cream cheese – Adds a smooth creamy rich texture to the soup broth.
  • Toppings – Avocado, tortilla strips or chips, grated jack cheese. The more the better!
  • Garnish – Cilantro and lime juice. These garnishes pack a bunch of flavor into every bite of the soup!
chile peppers, diced onions, chicken, spices, white beans, and the remaining ingredients in the green chicken chili

How to Make Green Chicken Chili:

Step 1: Rub the chiles with oil and roast them under the broiler until each side is blistered. This will give it such a nice smoky note to the heat. Once nicely charred, remove to a bowl until cooled enough to handle.

side by side photos of green chiles on roasting pan before and after being roasted

Step 2: Grab your cooled chiles and remove the stem and seeds from the inside. If you want more spice, leave more of the seeds, if you want a mild soup, remove all of the seeds. If you want medium heat, well, you get the idea. You can also scrape out the flesh and discard the peel if you’d prefer.

roasted chiles on sheet pan with stems and seeds removed; avocado, lime, chicken and cilantro set nearby

Step 3: Meanwhile, in a large stockpot or Dutch oven, saute the onion and garlic in a bit of oil. To the pot, add the chicken broth, cumin, paprika, coriander, oregano, salt, and pepper. Then, add the chiles to the pot.

step by step photos showing onion and seasoning sauteed in red stock pot, broth and chiles added to the pot

Step 4: Simmer the soup and add just a portion of the white beans, reserving the rest. Using a hand blender, blend the soup mixture to as smooth a consistency as you desire. Keep in mind, you’ll have added textures included next.

Step 5: Add the reserved beans, chicken, and cream cheese to the pot and stir until combined. Simmer the soup until the cheese melts, your desired consistency is reached and all of those amazing flavors have formed lasting meaningful relationships.

step by step photos of white beans added and blended into the green chicken chili, chicken and cream cheese added, and finished creamy soup with toppings on and around

Make a big batch (double or triple, in fact) and have lunch leftovers for days. A great budget-friendly meal to feed a big family and perfect as a meal prep freezer meal for down the road when those cravings strike. Because believe you me, they will!

green chili chicken soup in white bowls and red dutch oven, topped with avocado slices and colorful tortilla strips

Have separate bowls for your toppings. Sliced avocado, tortilla chips, shredded cheese, and even some slices of lime. Lay them out on your table so people can pick and choose their own. Load it up!

How long can I store it in the fridge?

It will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days stored in an airtight container.

How hard is it to make green chicken chili?

This is a simple green chicken chili recipe, but it is so easy to make! This one-pot meal is done on the stovetop but you can definitely cook this meal in the slow cooker or the Instant Pot! Roasting the chile peppers is the only step done apart from combining everything in the pot!

Quick and easy recipes are always handy to have around. This Green Chicken Chili doesn’t miss a beat! It’s a must-try any day of the week!

green chili chicken soup in white bowls and red dutch oven, topped with avocado slices and colorful tortilla strips

Green Chicken Chili

A rich and creamy soup bursting with the Southwestern flavors of chile peppers, cumin, and cilantro.
Print Pin Rate
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American, Mexican
Keyword: green chicken chili
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 6
Calories: 448kcal

Ingredients

  • 4 Hatch chilis
  • 1-2 tablespoons olive or canola oil
  • 1/2 yellow onion diced
  • 2 teaspoons garlic minced
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 cans white beans drained and rinsed (15.5 oz cans)
  • 2 cups cooked chicken breast
  • 4 oz. cream cheese
  • 1 cup fresh cilantro for garnish
  • 1 avocado for topping
  • 1 cup tortilla strips or chips for topping
  • 1 cup grated jack cheese for topping
  • lime juice for garnish

Instructions

  • Rub chiles with oil. Roast under the broiler for 6-8 minutes on each side until blistered.
  • In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, saute onion and garlic in one tablespoon of oil.
  • Add chicken broth, cumin, paprika, coriander, oregano, salt, and pepper to the pot. Remove the stem and seeds from the roasted chiles and add them to the pot (you can scrape the flesh away from the peel and discard the peel if you'd like).
  • Simmer soup for about 10 minutes.
  • Drain and rinse white beans well. Add 1/2 cup of the white beans to the pot of soup, reserving the rest.
  • Use a hand blender to blend the soup mixture into a fairly smooth consistency (or as desired).
  • Add the reserved beans, chicken, and cream cheese to the pot and stir.
  • Simmer soup 5-10 minutes or until the cream cheese is melted and the soup is heated through.
  • Top with freshly chopped cilantro, tortilla chip pieces/strips, grated cheese, avocado slices, and a squeeze of lime.
Tried this recipe?Follow me on Pinterest @girlinspired!

Nutrition

Calories: 448kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 77mg | Sodium: 920mg | Potassium: 949mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 650IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 266mg | Iron: 5mg

Filed Under: Food and Recipes, Main Course, Soups|Salads|Side Dishes Tagged With: avocado, chiles, cilantro

Mango Avocado Salsa

June 3, 2020 by girlinspired Leave a Comment

This mango avocado salsa is the perfect sweet and savory blend of fresh ingredients. This mango salsa gets its sweetness from fresh mangos and white corn while bell pepper, jalapeño, red onion, and tomato balance the savory and spicy side. The creamy avocado, cilantro, and lime pull the dish together for a perfect salsa. Serve this delicious side dish alone with tortilla chips or with the most drool-worthy slow cooker carnitas or instant pot carnitas tacos.

diced mangos, red onion, white corn, avocados, and tomatoes in a glass bowl with whole mangos, limes, and a red and white linen in the background.

Mango avocado salsa is such an easy and refreshing side dish. It brings brightness and added flavor to a simple dish like tacos or a piece of grilled fish or chicken. There are many fruits and vegetables that can go into this dish. I like to always use mango tomato and avocado, but you can add pineapple or omit the bell pepper – use what you have available!

overhead photo of fruits and vegetables whole or partially chopped on a cutting board with knife and red and white linen

Salsa Ingredients

  • 1 bell pepper (yellow or orange is lovely for the color and a sweeter flavor)
  • 2 large mangos (learn how to cut a mango here)
  • 1-2 tomatoes
  • 1 jalapeno or other hot pepper of choice
  • 1/2 red onion
  • juice of 2 limes
  • large handful of cilantro
  • 1/2 cup frozen (or fresh) sweet white corn
  • 1-2 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 2 avocados (wait to dice until ready to serve)
  • salt and pepper to taste

Making the Mango Avocado Salsa

Step 1: Dice bell pepper, mangos, and tomatoes. into small pieces similar in size.

Step 2: Remove seeds and dice hot pepper into very small pieces. Dice red onion and cilantro into very small pieces as well.

Step 3: Stir together all ingredients except for the avocado.

Step 4: Cover bowl and place in refrigerator for 2-3 hours to allow flavors to blend.

Step 5: Dice avocado and stir into salsa. Serve immediately!

step by step photo collage showing diced vegetables and herbs, then the mixed ingredients with limes and a bowl of white corn, then all ingredients mixed, then avocado chunks being stirred in

Using Mango in this Recipe

Mangos have a unique sweet and creamy taste. They are refreshing in this recipe and give a tropical twist to an otherwise traditional tomato salsa. Mangos can be tricky to cut, but I have a fool-proof method for cutting up mangos. Be sure to check that out so that you can make the most of your mangos and use all of their juicy goodness in this salsa recipe.

overhead photo of mango avocado salsa in clear glass bowl with whole mangos, lime slices, cilantro, and a red and white linen in background

How to Serve Mango Avocado Salsa

My go to dinner for serving this flavor packed salsa is Carnitas Tacos. We make carnitas in the slow cooker or in the Instant Pot and either way, they’re absolutely delicious in a taco shell with a big spoonful of mango avocado salsa on top. The salsa is also superb with a grilled or baked filet of salmon or grilled chicken breast. You will probably find yourself going back for more salsa and it is just fine to scoop it up with tortilla chips.

overhead photo of tacos lined up on white plate with mango avocado salsa garnish and lime and cilantro garnish

Storage and Leftovers

Keep any leftover salsa in the refrigerator with a tightly sealed cover – either a lid or plastic wrap. The avocados may start to discolor (although the lime juice does a pretty good job combating the brown), but the salsa will still be good for several days.

closeup spoonful of mango avocado salsa in glass bowl with whole mangos in background

Filed Under: Food and Recipes, Soups|Salads|Side Dishes Tagged With: avocado, cilantro, mango, salsa, tomato

Chicken Tortilla Soup

April 20, 2020 by girlinspired 1 Comment

Chicken tortilla soup is my go-to easy meal – we have it for dinner nearly every week.  It’s an easy recipe to prepare and a great way to use up leftover chicken and veggies in your fridge.  My kids love this soup, too.  They get a kick out of eating the cheese off the plate faster than I can shred it. And who doesn’t love a topping bar?  For the ultimate in creamy deliciousness, you’ll want to be sure to have cilantro, avocado, and pepper-jack cheese for toppings. The extra spice in this hearty soup is also great for clearing up the sinuses and soothing a scratchy throat!

white soup bowl with cheese, avocado, and cilantro-topped soup, tortilla chips, and grated cheese on a striped dish towel

As I mentioned, I like to use leftover chicken to speed along dinner preparations –  roasted chicken or grilled works great – simply cut it into bite-size pieces and toss it into the soup during the last 10-minutes of cooking to heat it through.  I also use homemade chicken stock to cut down on extra sodium.  And if I’m lucky enough to have jars of home-canned tomatoes in the pantry, those go in the pot, too!

colorful veggies chopped on a cutting board including onions, bell pepper, zucchini, potato, and tomatoes

What makes this recipe so darn easy is that you’re simply throwing everything together.  Aside from chopping veggies and grating cheese, there isn’t much cooking to do! If you do not already have prepared chicken to add to the soup, simply cut up a couple fresh chicken breasts, sautee them in the pot with a little olive oil until they start to brown and then go ahead and add your onions, then a bit later your garlic, and then the rest of the ingredients.

white soup bowl with cheese, avocado, and cilantro-topped soup, tortilla chips, and grated cheese on a striped dish towel

I love crushed red pepper in the soup to give it some spice – if the kids are eating the soup, I tone it down some – the longer you simmer, the more heat the soup picks up from the spice.  Top the soup with pepper-jack cheese for the ultimate kick in flavor and heat!  You can use any kind of cheese though if extra spice isn’t your thing – jack cheese is great, mozarella, even cheddar if that’s what you have available! As the cheese melts into the soup, it turns this dish into a creamy bowl of perfection.

white soup bowl with cheese, avocado, and cilantro-topped soup, tortilla chips, and grated cheese on a striped dish towel

For a heartier soup, I like to throw in a potato and top with tortilla chips. If you are sticking to a grain-free or low carb diet, skip those additions and load in extra avocado and cheese! Fresh cilantro is another essential ingredient to round out the flavors in this delicious meal.

white soup bowl with cheese, avocado, and cilantro-topped soup, tortilla chips, and grated cheese on a striped dish towel

Chicken Tortilla Soup

This hearty chicken tortilla soup has a light tomato broth base and is filled with chunky chicken, potatoes, and vegetables. Top it with your favorite cheese, chips, avocado, and cilantro for a filling meal for the whole family!
Print Pin Rate
Course: Soups
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 408kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 Tbs. olive oil
  • 1/2 medium yellow onion diced
  • 2-3 cloves garlic minced
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 1 can 14.5 oz diced tomatoes, juice included
  • 1 large potato peeled and cubed
  • 1 zucchini peeled, and sliced
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 cups cooked chicken cut into bite-size pieces (2 chicken breasts)
  • 1 avocado
  • tortilla chips
  • 4 oz. shredded pepper-jack cheese or cheese of choice
  • 1 bunch of fresh cilantro washed and chopped

Instructions

  • Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over med-high heat.
  • Add onions and saute, about 5 minutes.
  • When onions are translucent, add garlic and saute 1 min. longer.
  • Add broth, tomatoes, potato, zucchini, oregano, red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper.
  • Simmer over med-low heat for 20 minutes. Add chicken and heat 5-10 minutes longer.
  • Ladle soup into bowls. Top with shredded cheese, sliced avocado, tortilla chips, and fresh cilantro.
  • Serve immediately.
  • Chips can alternately be served on the side to avoid becoming soggy in the broth.
Tried this recipe?Follow me on Pinterest @girlinspired!

Nutrition

Calories: 408kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 78mg | Sodium: 1076mg | Potassium: 985mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 452IU | Vitamin C: 35mg | Calcium: 269mg | Iron: 3mg

white soup bowl with cheese, avocado, and cilantro-topped soup, tortilla chips, and grated cheese on a striped dish towel

I hope you love this chicken tortilla soup recipe as much as our family does!

 

Filed Under: Food and Recipes, Health and Wellness, Soups|Salads|Side Dishes Tagged With: avocado, cheese, chicken, cilantro, soup

About Stef
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Search Older Posts

Sharing Policy

It is my hope that you will find inspiration on the Girl. Inspired. blog. All photos are copyright protected by Girl. Inspired. If you wish to share something that you have seen here, I am absolutely thrilled! Please use only one picture with a direct link back to the project you are referencing. Thank you so much for your understanding!

Privacy Policy

What are You Looking For?

Search by Category

Copyright © 2021 · Foodie Child Theme by Shay Bocks · Built on the Genesis Framework · Powered by WordPress

This site uses cookies: Find out more.