Chicken Chili With Pinto Beans Recipe

Classic chilis are often made with beef, but chicken versions also exist and make a wonderful and filling meal that you can make with little effort. Ideal for a weeknight meal, this chili is filling and delicious, and makes tasty leftovers that you can reheat in the microwave or freeze for later use. What's best, our take on chicken chili is ready in under one hour, requires very little preparation, and most of the work happens on the stove during a 20-minute simmering action while you get your hands free to arrange what else is needed for dinner. Chicken breasts pieces are browned and cooked in a delicious mixture of canned tomatoes and beans, seasonings, and chicken broth. A touch of fresh cilantro adds a herbal note to the chili. Serve this tasty meal with white or brown rice, or slices of cornbread to soak up the delicious juices.

Canned ingredients get a bad rep, but not all canned food is made equal. Beans canned in water, without any added sodium are a great and healthy ingredient to have in your pantry, and the same goes for low-sodium canned tomatoes. Packaged cooked and with all the freshness you'd need, these canned ingredients are great for making chilis, sauces, or stews. For this recipe, you'd need two cans of delicious and meaty drained pinto beans, which bring to your recipe an outstanding 40 grams of protein, and 30 grams of fiber, and barely 3 grams of sugar. Always choose low-sodium canned goods, and season at home to taste.

If you happen to have enough leftover rotisserie chicken at hand, simply follow the recipe as is without adding the cooked chicken, and add it once you're into the 20-minute simmering stage. This is an easy way of repurposing leftover chicken into a wonderful belly-warming chili.