Salsa Verde Chicken Chili That Practically Cooks Itself
This is the ultimate cozy soup—if you love enchiladas verdes, you’re going to flip for this Green Chicken Chili. It’s packed with sautéed onions, poblano and jalapeño peppers, sweet corn, creamy white beans, and tender chicken thighs simmered right in a flavorful broth made from chicken stock and salsa verde.
Shred the chicken quickly in a stand mixer (yes, really! it’s the quickest, most efficient way!), then stir it back in for a hearty, satisfying bowl that’s gluten- and dairy-free—though we highly recommend topping with sour cream.
Perfect for game day or cold weather dinners, it’s ready in just over an hour but tastes like it simmered all day.
Craving more cozy homemade soup recipes? Try my lemony Greek white bean soup, Marry Me chicken soup with sun-dried tomatoes and gnocchi, or Grammy’s veggie-packed ground turkey chili next!
A Few Quick Ingredient Notes
- You can use fresh, frozen, or canned corn. Obviously, if it’s in season, fresh is best. If using canned, just drain it first.
- We’re big fans of boneless skinless chicken thighs, but chicken breasts are a-okay.
- Stick to canned small white beans. Something like Great Northern beans cannellini beans, or navy beans
- There’s no replacement for fresh lime juice! Sorry, not sorry.
How To Make Green Chicken Chili Soup
Full instructions can be found in the recipe card below.
My Favorite Chili Toppings
You already know I’m cilantro-obsessed, but in addition to the chili toppings I listed above, consider adding any of the following: radishes, shredded cheddar, and crushed tortilla chips or fried tortilla strips for crunch.
Hosting a crowd? Set up a DIY chili bar with all the toppings in small bowls—everyone can customize their bowl, and it’s always a hit!
Tips For Freezing
Allow the soup to cool completely to room temperature, then portion into manageable serving containers. You can store larger portions in freezer-safe Ziploc bags or use something like Souper Cubes to freeze individual portions.
Do not freeze soup with garnishes. Instead, add these upon thawing and reheating. And pro tip: label everything you put in the freezer! Your future self will thank you when you’re staring at a container and have no idea what’s inside or when it was frozen.
Cannot wait to hear what you think about this homemade chicken chili — it’s going to become a game day staple in our house! Don’t forget to leave a review and ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below — it makes my day every single time!
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Enchilada Verde-Inspired Green Chicken Chili (Dairy-Free)
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large Vidalia onion, diced
- 2 large poblano peppers, diced (keep seeds in for extra heat)
- 1 jalapeño, diced (keep seeds in for extra heat)
- 8 oz hatch green chiles, mild or hot, typically sold in 4oz cans
- 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp Kosher salt
- ½ tsp sweet paprika
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup corn fresh, canned, or frozen and thawed
- 1 quart low-sodium chicken broth
- ½ cup salsa verde
- 1½ lbs chicken thighs boneless, skinless (6 thighs)
- 1 can great Northern beans or other small white beans, including liquid
- 1 medium lime, juiced
- Serving suggestions: sliced avocado, sour cream, pickled jalapeño, chopped onion, and cilantro
Instructions
- Sauté the veggies. Heat 3 Tbsp olive oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat. When hot, add diced onion, poblano peppers, and jalapeño. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5-7 minutes, until softened. Stir in 8oz hatch green chiles and 4 cloves chopped garlic. Cook 1 minute more.
- Add the spices. Add 1 cup of corn, 2 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp Kosher salt, ½ tsp sweet paprika, ½ tsp dried oregano, and ¼ tsp black pepper. Stir well.
- Cook the chicken. Pour in 1 quart of chicken stock and ½ cup of salsa verde. Bring to a rapid boil, then add chicken thighs, submerging completely into the soup. Cover, reduce the heat to medium (more than a gentle simmer), then cook for 35 minutes.
- Shred the chicken. Use tongs or a slotted spoon to carefully transfer the cooked chicken to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment. It's ok if some of the vegetables transfer over with the chicken. Turn the mixer on to medium speed and shred the chicken fully. This will take about 1 minute. Return the pulled chicken to the chili. Alternatively, you can shred or pull the chicken with 2 forks on a cutting board.
- Finish the soup. Stir in one can of great Northern beans and the juice of one lime. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve immediately with sour cream, sliced avocado, cilantro, pickled jalapeños, and chopped onion — or any other toppings you love!
Notes
- Nutrition note: Nutrition facts exclude toppings.
- Freeze: Cool completely, then portion into freezer-safe containers (or Souper Cubes). Add garnishes after reheating. Freeze for up to 6 months (if you prefer to include duration, otherwise omit).
- Reheat: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or reheat from frozen on the stovetop over medium heat, or in the microwave at 50% power, until heated through.
I made this for dinner last night and it was incredible. The bright acid flavors blended perfectly with the warm and hearty chicken/bean protein. I topped it with sour cream and a dash of Chili Lime Salt to finish. Would make time and time again!
I am so, so, so glad you tried this! Easily one of the best Well Seasoned recipes in a year. I agree, the sour cream makes it — tastes just like enchiladas verdes!! xo, Ari
This was very very good. This will go on regular rotation. Thanks for the great recipe Ari!
Thank you, Greg! Agree, the flavors in this soup are amazing! xo, Ari
So easy to make and so delicious ! I sautéed the vegetables, added the spices , used a 15 oz jar of xochitl asada verde from Trader Joe and some black beans because I forgot to buy northern beans. Took the thighs out of the soup after 40 minutes and waited for them to cook and chopped them up and put them back in . I’ll make this again and again .
Thank you, Bobbi!! I LOVE all the salsa from TJ’s, so I will def try that one next time. xo, Ari
Such incredible flavour. I accidentally made mine extra spicy but it was still so tasty we ate the whole lot. Will definitely make again.
(Review provided by an employee of wellseasonedstudio.com.)
Hah, I love that you still ate them extra spicy! I likely would’ve had to add a gallon of sour cream lol! xo, Ari
Another delicious winner from Ari and Well Seasoned Studio. Not only was it delicious on the first night, the leftovers kept so well in the fridge for lunches the next couple of days. I used fresh corn (because it’s not difficult!) and shredded the chicken with two forks (because I was too lazy to take out my mixer) and it was still easy to put together. Another great meal on repeat!
Sounds perfect, Jill! Really glad you enjoyed this one. It’s so cozy! xo, Ari
Made this soup last night and it was delicious! It was a cool night and it hit the spot. I topped it with sour cream, avocado slices and some pickled jalapeños. Much flavor without much effort— must be the perfect blend of seasonings 😉
My husband’s favorite! It’s so good with pickled jalapeños. Thanks so much, Sandy! xo, Ari
This soup is more than a mere dish; it’s a culinary delight that I will definitely be making again!
Totally one of my favorites too, Roxy!! xo, Ari
We just made this and it was so good! I had homemade chicken broth and smoked green salsa (that we just made ) and smoked hatch chilies diced in place of canned green chiles. I love finding a recipe that we can utilize everything we make at home with local produce. Thank you!
Love that you were able to utilize so many homemade ingredients. YUM! xo, Ari
Made this as part of my Hurricane Helene meal prep. So tasty and flavorful. Will make this over and over. Love the lime juice. I didn’t have sour cream but had cottage cheese. It was actually quite good on top 🙂
Wow, what a great hurricane meal prep hah! This is my favorite fall soup, I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Debbie! xo, Ari
I just made this for dinner, and it was easy and delicious! I followed the recipe, and it turned out great! Saving this so I can make it again.
Totally craving this and plan to make it again this week. So glad you enjoyed, Alex! xo, Ari
Looking forward to making this but there are SO MANY ads that keep popping up that I can’t read the recipe.
Hi Colleen, I know how annoying ads can be, but they’re a necessary evil when providing free content to readers. I’ve thought about putting everything behind a paywall, but that doesn’t sit well with me. Instead, my hope is that readers will ‘x’ out the ads that are bothering them, read through my tips from recipe testing, and/or simply jump to the recipe card and enjoy the written recipe for free. I do appreciate the feedback, though, and will keep it in mind moving forward. If you make the soup, definitely let me know what you think! Kindly, Ari
Made the soup and it is AMAZING! Loved every layered flavor and so did everyone else in the family. Outstanding recipe! Thank you for sharing it!!!
This is absolutely one of my favorite soups, and I’m thrilled you enjoyed it too. It’s rich and creamy and deceptively nutritious! Cheers, Ari
This was DELICIOUS!!! Will be making this a lot!! And I usually don’t take the time to leave a review but I did for this one. My husband loved it too!
It’s one of my favorites too, Kathy!! Yay! -Ari
This dish is so hearty and cozy! I made it with 2 cans of beans instead of 1, and it was perfect. I’ll be making this again!
Love the added fiber by adding another can of beans (I am currently white bean obsessed!). So glad you enjoy this soup, it’s definitely one of my favorites for fall and winter! Cheers, Ari
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Wow! This soup is AMAZING! I did use extra jalapeño because we like a little more heat and I only had a small pkg of frozen poblano from our garden, but it was the flavor that was just so delicious! I only used 1 lb of boneless, skinless chicken thighs but after shredding , it was plenty! My husband said ‘keep this recipe…I love it’!
It’s absolutely one of our favorite chicken soup recipes! So hearty and filling. Really glad you enjoyed it too!