It’s another chilly Sunday here and, thinking about lunch for the week ahead, I wanted something comforting with a little kick to remind me that warmer days are around the corner. What better than a chilli—but not your stock-standard one.
This Chicken and Veggie Chilli is loaded with fresh vegetables and chicken thighs slow-cooked in salsa verde until they’re fall-apart tender. Writing that makes it sound long and complicated, but I assure you it’s not. There are also plenty of shortcuts if you want to make life even easier, or simply don’t have a lazy Sunday afternoon to devote to meal prep.
The chicken can easily be left out, swapped for ground chicken, beef or turkey, or replaced with leftover roast chicken—or a store-bought one if that’s where the day has taken you. All will work. I prefer chicken thighs cooked in salsa verde (and yes, I use a pre-purchased sauce here; I’m not that ambitious) because the meat stays incredibly tender rather than drying out, while the salsa verde gives the chilli a little kick without making it overwhelmingly spicy.
Like most of my make-ahead one-pot meals, this freezes well and reheats easily in the microwave, which makes it particularly useful when you need a ready-made lunch for busy workdays. It’s fabulous on its own or loaded up with whatever accompaniments you’re in the mood for.
I usually add a dollop of Greek yoghurt for a little extra protein, some fresh coriander and a few toasted white corn tortillas. Corn chips and sour cream would absolutely elevate things, but when this is my lunch for the week I try to tone down my exuberance slightly so I can feel less guilty about tucking into a few cookies with my afternoon coffee.
There are plenty of chilli recipes out there. If you want one that’s lighter on the meat, heavier on the vegetables and still feels properly comforting, this one is well worth making.
Worth Making?
- Yes – because every bowl is loaded with vegetables, yet nobody at the table is likely to complain about eating them.
- Yes – if you like meals that pull double duty as tonight’s dinner and tomorrow’s lunch.
- Yes – because chicken thighs stay juicy, giving this chilli plenty of flavour without the heaviness of beef.
- Skip it – if you think chilli should be fiery enough to require a disclaimer.
- Skip it – if you’re after a thick, smoky Texas-style chilli—this is its lighter, vegetable-packed cousin.
Chicken and Veggie Chilli
Ingredients
Salsa Verde Chicken
- 500 grams boneless and skinless chicken thighs
- 1 brown onion chopped
- 1 tbsp olive oil or mild cooking oil
- 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 1 litre chicken stock
- 400 grams salsa verde sauce
Chicken and Veggie Chilli
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large red onion chopped
- 2 carrots grated
- 2 zucchini grated
- 2 red capsicums chopped (seeds and inside removed)
- 1 celery stalk (stem only) finely chopped
- 2 ears fresh corn -kernels removed from stalks (or 1 can tinned corn)
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp chipotle paste (Optional) To make paste puree a can/jar of chipotle chilli
- 1 tsp sea salt and plenty of black pepper
- 2 400g tins black beans, drained1
- 1 400g crushed tomatoes
- 500 ml chicken stock (adjust for preference on thick versus thinner chilli)
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- 1/2 lime (juice only)
Toppings
- 180 grams greek yoghurt or sour cream
- 15 grams fresh coriander roughly chopped (small handful)
- 6 small fresh white corn tortillas toasted
- 1 fresh lime cut into wedges
- 1 avocado chopped
Instructions
Salsa Verde Chicken
- Heat oil in large saucepan or fry pan with high sides. Add garlic and onion and cook until slightly softened
- Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper, then add to pan and brown for 2–3 minutes on each side.
- Add chicken stock and salsa verde.
- Cover and cook on low heat for about an hour or until chicken be broken up with a fork and most of the liquid has evaporated/absorbed
Chicken and Veggie Chilli
- Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan pan over medium-high heat.
- Add the capsicum, carrots, celery and zucchini and spices to the pan, stir and cook until combined and vegetables starting to soften.
- Add the black beans, corn, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, Worcestershire, sugar and chicken stock. And chipotle paste if using.
- Cook on low to medium heat until the vegetables are cooked.
- Add pre cooked salsa verde chicken to the chilli and cook until heated through and combined. Season with salt and pepper and lime juice if using.
- Serve with Greek yoghurt, fresh coriander and toasted corn tortillas, or your choice of toppings.
Make it your own way
- Add diced pumpkin during the first cook for a sweeter, more autumnal version.
- Stir through a handful of spinach just before serving.
- Replace half the stock with dark beer for extra depth.
- Add a spoonful of cocoa powder or a square of dark chocolate for a subtle richness.
- Swap the black beans for mixed beans or kidney beans.
- Serve over baked sweet potatoes, rice or with warm cornbread instead of tortilla chips or tortillas.
