Hatch Chicken Chili
on Feb 06, 2022, Updated Jan 31, 2025
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Spicy and flavorful, this chunky white chili features in inimitable taste of Hatch chile peppers from New Mexico.
The earthy, smoky flavor of New Mexican Hatch chiles is a perfect foundation for a rich chicken chili recipe. This is more of a white chicken chili, though the liquid in the stew takes on a nice orangey red from the chili powder and cumin.
From early August through late September, you can buy fresh Hatch chiles all over New Mexico and the surrounding regions. Fans of these peppers usually buy them by the case, roast them, and stick a supply in the freezer for pulling out and using all year round.
Like most chiles, this Hatch chile and chicken recipe is great served on top of rice, whether white rice or brown rice. Or try Cilantro Lime Rice for a nice change of pace.
Table of Contents
Hatch Chicken Chili: Spicy and flavorful, this chunky white chili features in inimitable taste of Hatch chile peppers from New Mexico.
Ingredients
- Olive oil – For sautéing.
- Diced onion and garlic – The aromatic base.
- Green bell pepper – You can use other colors, but I prefer the slight bitterness of green bell peppers in this chili.
- Zucchini – Bulks up the chili and adds soft texture.
- Chili powder – For a bit of spiciness and smokiness.
- Ground cumin – Offers a savory and nutty warmth.
- Hatch chiles – These are the secret weapon and flavor bomb for this recipe; check out the notes below for more on choosing the right spice level and how to roast them.
- Chicken broth – Use less-sodium chicken broth so you have more control over the saltiness.
- Chicken – Use shredded and cooked chicken; try using Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken or even a rotisserie chicken. Or make baked chicken breasts or baked chicken thighs and use those; either white or dark meat works beautifully in this recipe.
- White beans – Any cooked white beans, such as cannellini beans or navy beans, all work in this chili, offering a lovely creamy texture and mild nuttiness.
- Salt and ground black pepper – To taste.
- Fresh cilantro or parsley – For fresh flavors.
- Lime – For a pop of acidity and brightness.
Variations
Add a bit of ground coriander or cayenne to the recipe, along with the other spices.
Add some corn kernels to the chili towards the end. You can use fresh, frozen, or canned and drained corn.
Using Hatch Chile Peppers in Chili
There are several varieties of Hatch chilies available: mild, medium, hot, or extra hot. The package should be labeled with the level of heat of the chilies. You won’t be able to tell how hot the pepper is from its appearance, so make sure to check since the level of hotness can vary dramatically.
You can use any Hatch chile for this stovetop chili recipe, but note that the amounts called for vary, and you should taste the chile as you add them to make sure you are getting to the level of heat you are looking for. Even within a certain heat category, peppers can range in their level of hotness, so start with less, taste, and add more as you wish.
In season, these chiles are also available via many online sites, including Melissa’s, which is one of the leading distributors of authentic Hatch Chilies (beware of imitations; look for the name Hatch chiles from New Mexico).
Kitchen Smarts
Read How to Roast Hatch Chiles for more info about selecting, buying, roasting, and storing Hatch peppers.
How to Make Hatch Chile Chicken Chili
- Sauté the vegetables: Heat the oil in a big deep pot over medium-high heat and sauté the onions and bell pepper until softened. Then add the garlic, zucchini, chili powder, and cumin, and sauté.
- Add the remaining ingredients: Add the hatch chiles, chicken broth, shredded chicken, white beans, and salt and pepper. Stir and simmer over medium heat for about 20 to 30 minutes. Stir in the cilantro or parsley and the lime juice.
- Finish and serve: Serve with any combination of sour cream, cheese, diced avocados, scallions or onions, tomatoes, lime wedges, and cilantro leaves.
Storage
You can store the chili in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze it in a freezer-proof airtight container for up to 6 months.
To freeze, pack it into small containers of freezer-proof zipper-top bags, and leave a 1/2-inch of space on top of the chili in the container so it has room to expand when it freezes without popping the container open. Defrost in the fridge overnight. Partially frozen chili can also be reheated over low heat in a pot on the stove. Stir often.
Kitchen Smarts
Much of the heat in hot peppers is in the seeds. To reduce and modulate the heat, remove most or all of the seeds; if you like more heat, you can leave some of them in. Then, peel the skin off and freeze them in a freezer-proof container. Remove as much excess air as possible from the container or freezer-proof plastic bag before freezing. I suggest wearing a pair of gloves when removing the skin from Hatch chiles because, depending on how spicy the peppers are, the oils can burn your skin.
FAQs
While they look very similar, you may be in for quite an unexpected shock if you bite into a Hatch pepper, thinking it to be an Anaheim. More specifically, a very uncomfortable burning sensation; Hatch chiles are much spicier than Anaheim chiles. Additionally, while both chiles have a slightly sweet flavor, Hatch chiles are often described as having a more robust, earthy, and complex flavor compared to the milder flavor of Anaheim.
They are the same pepper, just at different stages of maturity. Red chiles are left on the vine for a longer period of time; they have a sweeter and earthier flavor and are often used in New Mexico for salsas or ground into a powder. The green chiles, on the other hand, are harvested early and roasted for a smokier and more upfront flavor.
Similar to Parmesan or Champagne, Hatch peppers get their name from their terroir. Hatch peppers are named after the valley in which they grow: Hatch Valley. Actually, in 2012, New Mexico passed a law that ensures that only chiles grown in New Mexico’s Hatch Valley can be labeled as Hatch chiles.
What to Serve With Hatch Chicken Chili
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Hatch Chicken Chili
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup diced onion
- 1 yellow or green bell pepper (cored, seeded, and diced)
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 medium zucchini (diced)
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 cups diced and seeded mild roasted Hatch chiles (or 1 cup diced and seeded hot roasted Hatch chiles)
- 4 cups chicken broth (preferably less-sodium)
- 3 cups shredded or diced cooked chicken (rotisserie chicken is fine!)
- 2 (15-ounce) cans white beans (rinsed and drained)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
- Juice of 1 lime
To Serve (Pick and Choose):
- Sour cream
- Shredded cheese (such as cheddar or a Mexican blend)
- Diced avocados
- Minced scallions or onions
- Chopped fresh tomatoes
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- Heat the oil a big deep pot over medium-high heat. Add the onions and bell pepper, and sauté for 4 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic, zucchini, chili powder, and cumin, and sauté for 2 more minutes.
- Add the hatch chiles, chicken broth, shredded chicken, white beans, and salt and pepper. Stir and simmer over medium heat for about 20 to 30 minutes, until it tastes like chili, and adjust any seasonings. Stir in the cilantro or parsley and the lime juice.
- Serve with any combination of the sour cream, cheese, diced avocados, scallions or onions, tomatoes, lime wedges, and cilantro leaves.
