This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

A delicious and cozy one-pot flavor bomb! This Southwest chicken chili offers comfort and just a touch of heat to warm you up!
Want to save this recipe?
Enter your email and we’ll send this recipe directly to your inbox! Plus, we’ll send you fresh recipes weekly to inspire you in the kitchen!
Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

I literally said to Brandy and Gina the other day that I can’t wait for my first pot of chili for the season.

It’s something about that first batch that really makes cool weather that much more approachable and welcome. It’s also a sign, for me at least, that Fall is officially here to stay.

A delicious and cozy one-pot flavor bomb! This Southwest chicken chili offers comfort and just a touch of heat to warm you up!

Southwest chicken chili

This Southwest chicken chili is a one-pot flavor bomb. It has all the warm flavors you think of in Southwest cuisine and it’s so easy to make.

My favorite kind of spicy soups/chilis are the ones that initially don’t have any heat to them but the more you eat it, the more you feel it hit the back of your throat and warm you up. It’s like a sneak attack, haha

This is what that soup does. Instead of ancho chili powder, I used chipotle chili powder because it’s what I had and it was a great substitution.

A delicious and cozy one-pot flavor bomb! This Southwest chicken chili offers comfort and just a touch of heat to warm you up!

Can you make this in the slow cooker or Instant Pot?

I haven’t tried it specifically but generally, most chilis and soups you can make in the slow cooker or Instant Pot so I’m going to say yes, this Southwest chicken chili can be made in either of those.

Slow cooker: probably 4-5 hours on low, 2-3 hours on high.

Instant Pot: 15 minutes, high pressure, manual release.

Don’t quote me on these as I haven’t tested it for myself to see if it actually works. I just want to offer suggestions to cook times because I know often times I get those questions so I wanted to address them here.

A delicious and cozy one-pot flavor bomb! This Southwest chicken chili offers comfort and just a touch of heat to warm you up!

How long ahead of time can the Southwest chicken chili be made?

The beauty of chilis is you can make it a day or two ahead of time and reheat easily.

Honestly, the best flavors come from leftovers sometimes because the flavors have time to hang out and get together.

I made mine hours ahead of when guests were going to come and just let it sit in the dutch oven on the stovetop. It retains a lot of heat so it’ll was just fine.

A delicious and cozy one-pot flavor bomb! This Southwest chicken chili offers comfort and just a touch of heat to warm you up!

Other chili recipes

Slow Cooker Chorizo, Potato, and Two-Bean Chili

Crockpot Turkey Pumpkin Chili

Slow Cooker White Turkey Chili

Turkey Taco Beer Chili

Want to save this recipe?
Enter your email and we’ll send this recipe directly to your inbox! Plus, we’ll send you fresh recipes weekly to inspire you in the kitchen!
Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.
4.60 from 5 votes

Southwest Chicken Chili

A delicious and cozy one-pot flavor bomb! This Southwest chicken chili offers comfort and just a touch of heat to warm you up!
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 6

Equipment

Ingredients 

  • 3 tablespoons (42 g) unsalted butter
  • 1 medium green pepper, diced
  • 1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 tablespoons flour
  • 2 ½ teaspoons chipotle chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • ¾ cup (177 ml) heavy cream or whole milk
  • 4 cups (946 ml) chicken broth
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 3-4 cups (420 g) cooked chicken, shredded (I bought a rotisserie chicken)
  • 2 cans of pinto beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 ½ cups (246 g) corn kernels, can be frozen corn
  • Salt, to taste

Instructions 

  • In a large stockpot, melt butter on medium heat and saute the green pepper, jalapenos, onion, and garlic until soft. Then season with chipotle chili powder and cumin. Sprinkle with flour and stir until flour is all combined then cook for a while longer.
  • Add in 1 cup of the chicken broth and 3/4 cup of cream. Stir all together and bring to a simmer. Then stir in the tomato paste.
  • Add in the beans, chicken, and corn. Stir together and add the rest of the broth. Cover and let simmer for 45 minutes to an hour over medium low heat.
  • When ready to serve, remove the lid and let simmer uncovered for 15 more minutes, seasoning with salt, to taste. If it’s not the thick consistency you want, you can add more flour to it (dissolve it in wanter first).
  • Serve with sour cream, green onions, cheese, and/or crushed tortilla chips.

Notes

Source: slightly adapted from Simply Scratch

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 350kcal, Carbohydrates: 17g, Protein: 21g, Fat: 23g, Saturated Fat: 12g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 108mg, Sodium: 775mg, Potassium: 542mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 3g

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition information can vary for a variety of reasons. For the most precise nutritional data use your preferred nutrition calculator based on the actual ingredients you used in the recipe.

The default measuring system for this website is US Customary. Unit conversions are provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. While we strive to provide accurate unit conversions, please be aware that there may be some discrepancies.

Like this? Leave a comment below!

Photography by Ari Laing

You May Also Like...

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




25 Comments

  1. This is an outstanding dish! Full of wonderful flavor and comes together quickly. Will be making this again!

  2. a great chili! I love all kinds, chicken, beef, veg, etc and with ancho chili powder or chipotle chili powder, they are always to me the perfect savory dish since they have everything that I love in them, so much so that I even like them in the middle of summer, so thank you!