Jalapeño Lime Chicken Chili

Warm up with a bowl of this flavorful jalapeño lime chicken chili. It’s the perfect meal for a chilly night!

A close up of jalapeño lime chicken chili garnished with avocado and tortilla chips.

I couldn’t let spring come without sharing one final soup recipe with you all, and guys, it’s a good one! This is sort of a stew/chili/soup all rolled into one. It’s loaded with three kinds of beans, lots of chicken, and of course, jalapeño & lime.

Last month when we were all under the weather I tried my hardest to avoid grocery shopping. I went almost 2 weeks (which seemed like an eternity) without stepping foot in a store. I hunkered down and used anything and everything we had in our pantry and fridge. I thew together this soup using some leftover ingredients from my sesame soy noodle bowls and asked my husband to grab a rotisserie chicken on his way home from work. 

It ended up being a huge hit with everyone. I was pretty proud of myself for not only mustering up the will-power to cook, but for making something that had us licking our bowls clean. It’s something I plan on doing more. I thrive on pressure and having to think out of the box!

An overhead view of three bowls of garnished, ready to serve jalapeño lime chicken chili.

So how do you make jalapeño lime chicken chili? Great question. Let’s get started!

First, you’ll want to heat the oil in a large stockpot or dutch oven set over medium heat. I prefer using avocado oil for Mexican-inspired dishes, but also any time I’m using higher heat. When the oil is hot, add the corn and blister it. This an important step whether you’re using fresh or frozen corn. Once it starts to turn brown, reduce the heat to medium-low and add the onion. Saute until translucent, then add the green onion, garlic and minced jalapeño. Cook for 1 minute or until fragrant.

A ladle of homemade jalapeño lime chicken chili.

TIP: I always mise en place (which means to put “everything in its place”) my ingredients before I start cooking. Here’s why:

  • It cuts down on the overall time
  • It cuts down on spills/accidents/things burning
  • You are less likely to forget ingredients
  • It allows you to keep ingredients fresh

That last one is especially important when we’re talking about refrigerated ingredients AND dry seasonings. If you’re measuring seasonings as you go, they’ll burn, and if you’re dumping seasonings in over a hot, steamy pan, you’ll trap moisture in the containers. I grab a small prep bowl and pre-measure all of the seasonings into it, mix them together and then they’re ready and waiting for that step. Maybe you already do this or maybe it’s something you hadn’t thought of. Either way it’s a great way to reduce chaos while cooking.

Add the seasonings and let them toast for a few seconds. This helps develop or enhance their flavor. Pour in the chicken broth, salsa verde, lime juice, and beans.

A spoonful of jarred salsa verde ready to be used in jalapeño lime chicken chili.

What type of salsa verde should you use?

You can use any kind of salsa verde you like, I prefer using jarred for this recipe. Make sure you pay attention to the heat level. Choose one that suits your preferences.

What beans can you add to this chili?

  • Pinto beans
  • Black beans
  • Great Northern beans
  • White beans (small)
  • Kidney Beans
  • Hominy (obviously not beans, but delicious!)
  • Chickpeas (^see above)

A bowl of pulled rotisserie chicken for jalapeño lime chicken chili.

Cover and let the soup simmer for 20 minutes. Add in ¼ cup of freshly chopped cilantro along with the chicken. For this recipe I prefer keeping things simple, so I like to use pulled rotisserie chicken. I usually get anywhere from 2-3 cups depending on if I use some of it for another recipe.

Flavorful jalapeño lime chicken chili is easy to make and can feed a crowd.

Serve with your favorite toppings. We chose lime, jalapeño, avocado, and crushed tortilla chips. Sour cream and grated monterrey jack cheese are also great additions if you’re not avoiding dairy.

We hope you’ll enjoy it as much as we did!!

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A cozy bowl full of easy, homemade jalapeño lime chicken chili.

Jalapeño Lime Chicken Chili Recipe

Warm up with a bowl of this flavorful jalapeño lime chicken chili. It's the perfect meal for a chilly night!
4.75 from 4 votes
Pin Rate
Course: Soups
Cuisine: Mexican
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 6 -8 servings
Calories: 539kcal
Author: Andrea
Print Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp. canola - avocado, or olive oil
  • 1 c. yellow corn - fresh or frozen
  • 1/2 yellow onion - diced
  • 4 green onions - thinly sliced
  • 4 cloves garlic - minced
  • 1-2 tsp. minced jalapeño - depending on heat preferences
  • 1 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp. coriander
  • 1/2 tsp. cumin
  • 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp. paprika
  • 1/4 tsp. oregano
  • 1 32 oz. box low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 1/4 c. roasted salsa verde - from the jar
  • Juice of 2 limes
  • 1 14 oz. can black beans, rinsed
  • 1 14 oz. can pinto beans, rinsed
  • 1 14 oz. can white beans, rinsed
  • 1/4 c. chopped cilantro
  • 2-3 c. pulled chicken - rotisserie works great

Toppings:

  • Grated cheese
  • Sour cream
  • Lime wedges or slices
  • Cilantro
  • Crushed tortilla chips
  • Avocado chunks

Instructions

  • In a large stockpot or dutch oven set over medium heat, add the oil. Once the oil is hot, add the corn and saute until it becomes blistered, about 4 minutes. Turn the heat down to medium-low. Add the onion and saute until translucent, about 3 minutes, then add the garlic and jalapeño and cook for 1 minute.
  • Add the garlic powder, salt, chili powder, coriander, cumin, ground black pepper, paprika, and oregano, toast for 30 seconds, then pour in the the chicken broth, followed by the salsa verde, lime juice, black beans, pinto beans, and white beans.
  • Stir, then cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove the lid and add the cilantro and the pulled chicken. Stir, simmer for 5 minutes, then remove from the heat.

NOTES

-This recipe can be doubled if made in a large pot.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 539kcal | Carbohydrates: 71g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 59mg | Sodium: 1184mg | Potassium: 1253mg | Fiber: 16g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1456IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 150mg | Iron: 7mg

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About the Author

Andrea

Hi I'm Andrea!

Hotelier turned Food Blogger to help make your life simple, one recipe at a time.

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Comments:

  1. 5 stars
    This soup really is packed with so much flavor. It is so hearty and fills all of my teenagers bellies! I love a little heat to my recipes and this was the perfect amount!

  2. This was really good soup. I only added about half of the salsa verde in case it was too hot – what I added ended up being the perfect amount. Of course, that could change depending upon what brand of sauce you used. The avocados added a nice creaminess to it. Where we live, we’re able to get fresh from the field sweet corn before they harvest it and that also made for a nice little crunch after blistering it…I always have some in the freezer for just such recipes as this.