This Ground Chicken Chili recipe with no beans is perfect for every occasion and comes together easily on the stovetop.
Healthy No Bean Chili with Ground Chicken
This recipe is similar to my original paleo chili recipe, but we're making chili with ground chicken instead of beef. Ground chicken is lower in fat and makes a lighter option that doesn't lack in flavor or texture.
It has the perfect blend of smoky flavor and hearty texture without any beans. The ground chicken and diced vegetables give it all the volume it needs.
Ingredients
The meat I use in this no-bean chili is ground chicken (but you can swap it for turkey and make this a ground turkey chili). For tons of flavor, this recipe includes garlic, onion, celery, and carrots, along with chili spices: chili powder, cumin, oregano, and cayenne pepper. To bulk it up, also add zucchini, tomato pureé (or tomato sauce), and diced tomatoes.
How to Make Ground Chicken Chili
In the video below, you can see how I make this ground chicken chili. Here's a quick view of the steps:
- Brown the ground chicken in a large pot.
Brown it with garlic for extra flavor. Remove from the pot and set aside. - Cook the aromatics.
Once they are translucent, add the zucchini and cook until tender. - Simmer for 20 minutes
Add the chicken, tomato pureé, and diced tomatoes. Simmer until the chili is thickened.
Laura’s Tips for Ground Chicken Chili
You can certainly add any variety of beans such as pinto, red kidney, white, or black beans to make this chili more hearty and amp up the amount of protein and fiber. However, since the recipe is already thick, you may want to add 1 cup of chicken broth per can of beans to keep it the right consistency.
You can make this chili in the slow cooker once you brown the meat. I have a slow cooker no bean chili recipe that shows you how; follow the recipe but swap the same amount of ground beef for ground chicken.
Just like tacos, chili tastes even better when you load it up with all your favorite toppings, like sour cream, shredded cheese, or corn chips. You can also serve it over a baked sweet potato, with cornbread, or in a chili taco (it’s amazing!).
I like to freeze leftover chili in 1 ½ cup servings for quick lunches. Of course, you can fill leftovers in a gallon zip bag and freeze them for another dinner.
Ground Chicken Chili with No Beans
Watch how it’s made:
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds ground chicken
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 ½ cups onion, diced, about 1 large onion
- ½ cup celery, chopped, about 1 stalk
- 1 ½ cups carrots, peeled and diced, about 4 medium carrots
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
- 4 cups zucchinis, diced, about 2-3 medium zucchinis
- 15 ounce can tomato sauce
- 15 ounce can diced tomatoes
Instructions
Brown the chicken:
- In your seasoned skillet or 5-6 quart large cast iron pot, brown ground chicken and garlic. Cook over medium heat until chicken is thoroughly cooked and browned. Drain off excess fat, set aside.
Cook the veggies:
- Add oil, onions, celery, carrots, and seasonings to the skillet and cook until translucent over medium-high heat, about 5-7 minutes. Once onions are golden and veggies are midway cooked, add zucchini and cook for 2 minutes, making sure you stir everything well.
Simmer:
- Add cooked ground chicken, tomato puree/sauce, and tomatoes into the pot and stir well. Bring everything to a boil, stirring frequently, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Check on the amazing mixture every so often and stir. Serve immediately.
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Karen says
Love this recipe and make it for craft night and card night and the ladies love it also! Very hearty – I sometimes substitute corn for zucchini.
Sarah says
The seasoning of this ground chicken chili was spot on. It made up for chicken being naturally bland.
Jill says
This is a great chili recipe. I used turkey instead of chicken but otherwise followed the recipe exactly. Delicious!