I promise you there’s chili under all those toppings.

The most notable, simple, light and healthy chili! I made this method all winter long last year. Perfecting it until I got it right and then I sat on it until this fall. Months of waiting to share this colorful and flavor-packed chili.

Like most recipes, it starts with onions and garlic, but instead of beef, I’m using ground chicken and then I punch up the flavor with my kitchen-made southwest seasoning, fire-roasted tomatoes and three kinds of beans. You know, simply to keep things interesting.

It’s ridiculous how simple this chili is. Which only means it’s great for football Sunday or any day of the week.

For this Southwest Three Bean Chicken Chili Gather:

olive oil spray
yellow onion
fresh garlic
kosher salt
lean ground chicken (or turkey)
black beans
pink kidney beans
pinto beans
southwest seasoning
fire-roasted crushed tomatoes
tomato sauce

For Toppings Gather:

plain nonfat greek yogurt or sour cream
charred corn
diced red onion
avocado
cilantro
sliced radish
any other toppings of your choice

Drain and rinse the black, pink kidney and pinto beans. Using canned beans saves SO much time, however I have a tutorial on how to soak/cook dry beans. Times may vary if you go this route.

Start the chili by spraying a dutch oven with olive oil spray. Add in 1 diced yellow onion and 2 minced cloves of garlic with a pinch of kosher salt. Cook until the onions are soft and translucent, stirring occasionally. About 5 to 8 minutes.

Next, add in 2 pounds lean ground chicken. Use a spatula to break it up and cook until the chicken is no longer pink. About 10 minutes or so.

Add in all of the drained beans with 3 tablespoons southwest seasoning.

Pour in 1 (28 ounce) crushed fire-roasted tomatoes, 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce and add 1/4 cup water to a can, swirl it (and I add it to the second can and do the same thing) to catch any excess tomato product and pour it into the chili.

Stir everything together, cover and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and continue simmering for 30 minutes. In the meantime I prep the toppings.

To quickly char the corn, lightly spray a small cast iron skillet and preheat on medium-high heat. Once hot, add a cup or so of fresh or thawed sweet corn, stir occasionally until deeply golden in spots. Remove off of the heat once charred.

Worth keeping a chili with a plethora of toppings!

Feel free to top with any thing you like: plain nonfat greek yogurt, charred corn, sliced radish, avocado and cilantro are simply the beginning!

Serve with tortilla chips and devour! A regular here serving this southwest three bean chicken chili with sweet potato tortilla chips. They add a flavor-packed salty sweetness that I adore.

This chili is so simple and comforting. The flavors are notable and with the addition of allthetoppings you have such a satisfying, soul warming meal that will no doubt warm you up on a chilly fall or winter day.

COOL: make sure the chili is completely cool before freezing. Never place hot or particularly warm items in the freezer (or fridge!) as it can thaw and negatively affect the nearby food.
PORTION: when cool, divide chili into portions. Whether it’s a single serving, two or four, portion the cooled chili into either freezer safe bags or air-tight containers. I prefer using freezer safe bags and removing as much air as possible, this helps with storing.
FLATTEN: once portioned, lay flat on a rimmed baking sheet and freeze for a few hours. Like in this post.
STORE: stack the flat frozen chili portions vertically or horizontally saving so much freezer space. Store chili in the freezer for up to 6 months.
REHEAT: I prefer to thaw frozen chili overnight in the fridge. However you can soak in a sink of lukewarm water for 20 to 30 minutes – flip every so often and change out the water at least once or twice. You can also defrost in the microwave until thawed. Lastly, add thawed chili to saucepan or dutch oven and heat until thoroughly heated throughout.