Name: Leftover Chicken Chili
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 55 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 large onion; 1/2 tsp salt; 2 cloves garlic; 3/4 tsp chili powder; 3/4 tsp ground cumin; 3/4 tsp smoked paprika; 1/2 tsp garlic powder; 1/2 tsp onion powder; 1/2 tsp oregano; pinch cinnamon; salt & pepper; 1 can diced tomatoes; 250 ml / 1 cup chicken stock; 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed; 250g / 8oz leftover chicken (roughly half a rotisserie chicken), roughly chopped.

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This leftover chicken chili recipe is perfect for using up leftover rotisserie chicken for a delicious family meal.

This is one of my favorite leftover chicken recipes and is really versatile. You can enjoy it on nachos, with rice, in tacos or on a steaming hot jacket potato.

Don't be put off by the long list of ingredients in this leftover chili recipe, most of them are spices and can easily be replaced by a store-bought Mexican seasoning.

Spices for a leftover cooked chicken chili

The list of spices may look overwhelming, but remember you only need to buy them once and then you will have them in your cupboard for next time.

I tend to make up a big batch of our homemade Mexican seasoning and keep it in the store cupboard, so whenever I make this I can just use a tablespoonful from the jar.

If you don't have all the spices and don't want to buy them, then you could also just buy a jar of Mexican seasoning like this one.

You may also like these recipes: Leftover Chicken Curry and Leftover Chicken Pasta Bake.

What stock to use in this leftover roasted chicken chili

Because this is a recipe for leftover roast chicken, you will have all the bones from the chicken carcass to make up a stock. If you have time, you can make up a chicken stock before you start cooking.

To make this, add the chicken bones, an onion, clove of garlic, some herbs and salt and pepper and cover with water and let it bubble gently for a couple of hours… and you’ll have a cheap and tasty stock for your chicken chili.

I usually have portions of homemade chicken bone broth in my freezer ready for occasions like this.

If you don’t have time however, it is completely fine to use store bought stock or a stock cube. Whatever you have is fine!

Prefer beef chili? Check out our Easy Homemade Beef Chili recipe.

How to serve chicken chili

Chicken chili is so versatile! Here are some suggestions of how to serve it.

However you choose to serve this easy rotisserie chicken chili, be sure to top it off with a dollop of sour cream and a serving of guacamole and maybe some pico de gallo. Delicious!

Over nachos with melted cheese
Wrapped in tortillas for burritos or enchiladas
In a burrito bowl
With steamed rice
With tortilla chips for dipping
On a baked potato
On top of hot dogs

Fast Chicken Chili

Want a super fast chicken chili? You can easily cut down the time to make this bean and chicken chili. Remember that the chicken is already cooked, and so are the black beans in the can.

So if you want to make this recipe in less time, simply reduce the time of cooking after you add the chicken and beans.

If you are not in a hurry however, I recommend not rushing this step as it allows all the flavors to infuse in the chicken, making it more tasty.

Can you freeze chili?

Yes! This leftover chicken recipe is great for freezing. You can then defrost it and re-heat for a super quick and easy family dinner.

Love Leftovers? You may also like these recipes:

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