Chicken Chili Verde
Paleo Chicken Chili Verde Recipe: A lean low-carb green chili recipe that fits neatly into a Whole 30 diet! It’s gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free… And delicious!
Skinny Chili Verde
Today I’m sharing a lighter version of our traditional New Mexican Chile Verde… My kids’ absolute favorite chili recipe.
The original recipe is made with pork and masa (corn flour) and is ultra-rich. However, if you are trying to cut your caloric intake and get rid of grains, this skinny chicken chili is very similar and packed with perky flavor!
We’ve got tons of mean lean recipes that fit into Whole Foods, Vegan and Vegetarian, Gluten Free, and Low Carb, Paleo, Whole 30, and Ketogenic menus.
It’s our goal to make this season a delicious transition into clean eating!
A Chicken and Green Chili For All
Our easy chicken chili is:
- Low carb
- Low fat
- Gluten free
- Grain free
- Dairy free
- Paleo
- And Whole 30 friendly.
Add some sliced avocado for healthy fat and it’s ketogenic as well!
The lighter flavor profile of this Paleo Chicken Chile Verde accentuates the smoky peppers and tangy tomatillos, while still offering plenty of protein.
I love making a big pot of healthy chicken chili this time of year. The bold flavors of the steamy chili will fill your belly and calm your spirits.
Plus, this recipe makes wonderful leftovers for healthy lunches throughout the week.
Sometimes I pull out my biggest pot and make a double batch, so everyone in the family can take leftover Paleo Chicken Chile Verde for lunch the next day or two.
No one ever argues.
What Ingredients You Will Need
- Olive Oil
- Onions – peeled and chopped
- Garlic Cloves – peeled and minced
- Poblano Peppers – seeded and chopped
- Jalapeno Peppers – seeded and chopped
- Tomatillos
- Ground Cumin
- Ground Coriander
- Dried Oregano
- Salt
- Bay Leaf
- Boneless Chicken – breasts, thighs, or both will work
- Chicken Broth
- Chopped Cilantro
- Possible Garnishes – cilantro, avocado, lime
How to Make Paleo Chicken Chile Verde
- Sauté the Vegetables – With most stewed recipes, it’s important to sauté the onions, garlic, and other aromatics first to release their flavor.
- Add the chicken, spices, and broth – Once all the ingredients are in the pot, simmer the green chili to soften the vegetables and cook the chicken.
- Shred the chicken – Remove the chicken pieces and shred them with forks.
- Puree the veggies – Once the chicken is out of the pot, puree the vegetables so the chili base is relatively smooth.
- Combine – Stir the shredded chicken back into the pot and add cilantro.
Get the Complete (Printable) Paleo Chicken Chili Verde Recipe + Video Below. Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Make Chili in the Slow Cooker?
Oh yes! However, it’s still important to sauté the onions, peppers, and garlic on the stovetop before adding them to the crockpot.
This step softens and sweetens the vegetables to create the best overall flavor and texture.
Slow cook the chicken chili for 6-8 hours on low, or 3-4 hours on high.
How Long Do Leftovers Last?
You can store the leftovers in an airtight container for 5 to 6 days in the refrigerator. You can also freeze the leftovers for up to 6 months.
What If I Don’t Have An Immersion Blender?
Use a large slotted spoon to scoop the tomatillos, onions, and peppers into a standard blender. Open the vent and cover the lid with a towel for safety. Puree. Then stir the vegetable slurry back into the broth.
How Hot Do The Peppers Make This Chili?
If you are worried about spice, take out the jalapeños. The poblano peppers will still offer a bit of smoky heat on their own, but it will not be overpowering.
More Amazing Chili and Soup Recipes
- Paleo White Chicken Chili Recipe
- Beer & Beef Chili Recipe
- Chorizo Chili Recipe in Bread Bowls
- Pumpkin Chili Recipe
- Turkey Chili Recipe
- Pork Green Chili Recipe (New Mexico Chile Verde)
- Creamy White Chicken Chili Recipe (3 Ways!)
- Buffalo Chicken Chili (Stovetop, Crockpot & Instant Pot)
- Mexican Street Corn Chili Recipe
- Chunky Vegan Chili Recipe
- Pozole Verde de Pollo (Chicken Pozole)
Chicken Chili Verde Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion, peeled and chopped
- 6 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 4 poblano peppers, seeded and chopped
- 1-2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped
- 1 pound tomatillos
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 1/2 pounds boneless chicken (breasts, thighs, or both)
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
- Possible garnishes: cilantro, avocado, lime
Instructions
- Peel and wash the tomatillos so they are not sticky. Then cut the tomatillos into quarters. Prep the remaining vegetables.
- Set a large 6 quart stock pot over medium heat. Add the oil, onions, garlic, and chopped peppers. Sauté for 5-8 minutes.
- Stir in the tomatillos. Then add the whole raw chicken pieces to the pot. Add all spices and seasoning. Pour in the broth. Stir and push the chicken pieces to the bottom of the pot.
- Simmer the chili for 25-30 minutes, until the largest piece of chicken is cooked through. Use tongs to move the chicken pieces to a cutting board.
- Remove the bay leaf. Then use an immersion blender to puree the vegetables and broth base. It does not have to be totally smooth, but the chunks of tomatillos should be blended in.
- Meanwhile, use two forks to shred the chicken. Then stir the chicken shreds back into the chili.
- Taste, then salt and pepper as needed. Finally, stir in the chopped cilantro. Serve warm as-is, or with lime wedges and sliced avocado.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Making this recipe? Follow us on Instagram and tag @ASpicyPerspective so we can share what you’re cooking!
Your recipe had me drooling and already planning my weekend menu. I’m excited to give it a try and see if my culinary skills are up to the challenge. Thanks for sharing, Sommer – can’t wait to swap notes on our experiences.
Wow, just wow! I made this last night exactly the way it was written. I did however add 1 1/2 cups of corn and 1 1/2 cups of cubed potatoes. So delicious and hearty!
I made this for lunch today and oh my god! this is the best thing ever. it was so good that I ended up having it for dinner as well. 10/10 would recommend trying. I used Himalayan salt and it added to the flavor!
Loved your recipe’s instructions on the paleo chicken chile verde recipe. Thanks for such amazing words.
Loved your recipe’s instructions on the Chicken chile verde recipe. Thanks for such amazing words.
love all chilis anyway and because I do, I need at least one lighter version, this will do, thank you! I only preferred red chilis for a long time until I had a really good verde and that opened up a whole new world and really appreciate this lighter version as a recipe I can go to during the week when I’m much more calorie-conscious, thank you
Oh my goodness! So good, I did add an additional jalapeño as we love the het! I also added some arrowroot powder to thicken it up a bit. We only eat paleo and this was such a nice treat. This would be amazing to add to eggs for breakfast! Definitely will be trying that in the next day or so. Thank you for your recipe!
Hi Sommer, This is one of the best soup. Trust me guys, you need to try this. My hubby loves it. Thanks for sharing :)
Roast the veggies all at once until charred.
It was really good – I didn’t seed the jalapenos (I like the heat) and I roasted the tomatillo and anaheim peppers while I prepped everything else (my store was sold out of poblano). I topped it with plain yogurt for a faux sour cream effect and it was delicious.
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My family really liked it! Fairly easy to pull together. The only change I made was cutting back on the stock. My husband also suggested adding some chili powder. I served with wheat tortillas. Great weeknight meal!
Great tasting! However, being made in a crockpot created a soup instead of a chili. I would reduce the broth by half if I were to do it again (in the crockpot).
New to the low carb way of eating, recipes get challenging. I stumbled across this and so happy I did! It is so good! One thing is, the prep time took me quite a bit longer. I must not be good at chopping.
Definately a keeper recipe. Next time I would add more spice because I like my food a little more spicy.
An easy and delicious recipe. Thank you for sharing it with us.
I made a pot of this this weekend with a skillet of cilantro lime cauliflower rice.
Oh my goodness.
This chili tastes like it could cure anything. It was exactly what my boyfriend and I needed on a weekend under the weather.
I made this recipe last night and my family all LOVED it! I followed the recipe exactly. One comment I would make is that when I glanced at the prep and cook times, I incorrectly assumed that I would prep, then let cook for 40 minutes. You need to be prepared to blend the soup and shred the chicken at the end. I should know better to read the whole recipe… Will definitely be making this delicious and healthy recipe again!!!
How about the instapot. What would the timing conversion be? You can sauté then pressure cook. I think it’d take no more than 30 or so minutes.
Hi Kate!
Sorry, we haven’t tested this recipe in the Instant Pot yet. If we do, I will make sure to update the recipe. However, if you want to give it a try please report back! My guess is it would take 6-8 minutes on Pressure Cook High, after sauteing the veggies.
I made this tonight in my Instant Pot and it was SO good! I sautéed the veggies and then set the IP to the chili (less) setting (10 minutes) because I chose to use a rotisserie chicken instead of cooking the meat with the chili. It was a little running like some of the other comments said, so I added a can of great northern beans and some arrowroot powder to thicken it up. It was definitely a crowd pleaser!
Super simple and even a novice like me can make it. Bonus points because all my kids loved it!
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agree on it being watery BUT, its not watery in flavor, just consistency. Leftovers had better consistency, and a friend told me to add the white beans, good call.
sooo yum!
Tasty, but a bit too liquidy for my taste to be considered chili, more soupy. I would add no more than 3 cups of the broth next time.
Added white beans after the shredding and the blending, to make a meal.
Hi, did you roast and peel the poblano peppers?
Hi Carmen,
No, not in this particular recipe. Because it’s pureed later it’s unnecessary. :)
Absolutely delicious! Thank you for a great recipe full of flavor and easy to make, will definitely be making this again.
Delicious and light chili that packs a huge punch of flavor! Highly recommend.
Wow! Wish I could send a picture of my finished Chili! This was so delish and definitely one for books! Thank you! Been raining and felt like either Chili or Soup and came upon your recipe! Love it!!!❤️
Thank you for a wonderful recipe. We had this last night, and I made one error, which is that I used 2lb of tomatillos instead of one. It was delicious, but all of the liquid from the tomatillos made it more of a soup texture, very thin. But DELICIOUS, and I will make it as written next time. We are not paleo around here, it just looked good…I wonder if I could add some white kidney beans to thicken it up a bit without compromising flavor…
Make this for dinner tonight and my husband and I were practically licking the bowl! This will need to go in our weekly rotation. P.S. Our supermarket didn’t have poblanos this time of year but the had cubanele peppers and it came out great using those : )
Would adding corn to this dish be a good idea?
Hi Leanne,
That would taste great, but the recipe would no longer be paleo, if that matters to you. We also have a fabulous Mexican Street Corn Chicken Chili recipe: https://www.aspicyperspective.com/mexican-street-corn-chicken-chili-recipe/
What’s with the high sodium level?????????????
it should depend on the chicken stock that is used, i would think..
Looks absolutely delicious and mouth watering ! I’m inspired ! I’ve got to try this ! Thank you!! Nom nom nom!! : )
This looks great but I’m a white girl who grew up on southern cooking and bacon grease was the main seasoning. I can do a bit spicy and like it, but how hot is this. Thank you for the recipe.
Hi Vanessa,
You are cracking me up! If you are worried about spice, take out the jalapeños. The poblano peppers will still offer a bit of smoky heat on their own. Enjoy!!
What a great winter soup. Love all the Mexican flavors.
Thanks for sharing such a nice recipe. It looks so delicious.
Such a delicious dinner recipe- repeater!
love verde sauces now but used to love red sauces, great flavor to a paleo dish like this, thank you for this recipe and for the jalapenos too!
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Stunning meal, will serve over and over again.
The flavor of this is off the chain we love it!
A super easy recipe with loads of flavor! I love how it’s lightened up without compromising the taste!
Can I make this in the crockpot? If so, hi or low and for how long? Thanks so much!
Hi Sandra,
Yes, you can. You will still need to saute the onions and garlic first. Then you can dump everything in the slow cooker. 4-6 hours on high, 7-9 on low. :)