Green Chili w/Grilled Chicken

By: Honey & Habaneros

Green Chili with Grilled Chicken

Prep Time: 30 min | Cook Time: 30 min | Serves: 4–6

Fire-roasted veggies, smoky grilled chicken, and a bold broth come together for the ultimate bowl of comfort with a kick.

Why You’ll Love this Green Chili w/Grilled Chicken

This version of Green Chili was born out of a craving—and a lack of steak. All I had were chicken breasts and zero desire to drive to town to get some steaks. I figured it’d be tasty, but I didn’t expect it to be totally cravable. 🌶🔥🍯

Now let’s talk about that broth. Spicy, but not overpowering—just the right kind of heat. It’s loaded with fire-roasted chilies, tomatillos, and tomatoes, then rounded out with sweet bursts of fresh corn. One bowl, and you’ve got a full-on flavor-packed meal.

How to Make Green Chili w/Grilled Chicken

I like to get the grill going first so it’s nice and hot by the time I’m done prepping the veggies.

Start by removing the husks from the tomatillos and corn, then rinse them under cold water. Give the chilies and tomatoes a rinse too. Peel the garlic cloves, and quarter the onion (if you’re not using a grill basket, just halve the onion instead).

Pat everything dry, and if you have a grill basket, load it up.

🔥 Pro Tip: No grill basket? No worries—just place the veggies directly on the grill. You can toss the onion on the grill in halves and keep the garlic off the flames to avoid losing it to the flames.

Grill the veggies until they’re blistered and browned. Then transfer them to an airtight container or a paper/plastic bag to steam—this will make peeling them much easier later.

While the veggies roast, place the chicken breasts in a large zip-top bag. Add a drizzle of neutral oil, salt, and pepper. Seal the bag most of the way, leaving a small gap for air, and pound the chicken to about 1-inch thickness.

Once the veggies are off the grill, toss the chicken on. Heads up: Oiled chicken can cause flare-ups, so keep a spray bottle of water or the grill lid handy. You’re just aiming for a bit of char and smokiness—about 4-5 minutes per side, depending on how hot your grill is.

Note: You can put the chicken and veggies on at the same time just watch everything closely because the cooking times will vary.

Let the chicken rest while you peel the chilies, tomatillos, and tomatoes. Give everything a rough chop, including the grilled onion, and toss it all into your stock pot or pressure cooker. Cut the corn kernels off the cob and set them aside for now.

💡 Pro Tip for Roasted Chilis:
When it’s time to peel your roasted chilis, skip the running water (it can wash away flavor). Instead, grab a paper towel. Hold the chili in one hand, wrap the paper towel around it with the other, and gently slide it down the chili. The charred skin comes right off, and you keep all that smoky, roasted flavor intact.

Slice the rested chicken into bite-sized pieces, then add it to the pot. Pour in the water, seasonings, and bouillon. Bring it all to a boil over medium heat, then reduce to low and let it simmer into green chili goodness.

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