Fajita Chili

With just 8 ingredients and 30 minutes, you can whip up this bold & flavorful Fajita Chili. It’s simple and delicious!!

Perfectly spiced Fajita Chili is a family favorite and goes great with a side of our famous Cornbread or Cornbread Muffins. It’s one of our favorite one pot meals.

fajita style chicken chili

Our weeknights are always hectic, which means I’m all about easy, balanced, soups like this fajita chili made with Knorr® Rice Sides ™.

This simple dinner idea is on your table in only 30 minutes!! Grab a package of Knorr® Fiesta Sides™ – Spanish Rice and get cooking!

This is a chili recipe our whole family loves, even our toddler. It’s packed full of protein, veggies and lots of flavor without being spicy, which is always a plus.

I think you’re going to love this tasty twist! It’s definitely going to be a regular for us this fall and winter.

One pot Fajita style Chili

CHICKEN. Season the chicken with Mexican blend. In a large saucepan or Dutch-oven set over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the chicken and stir occasionally, until the chicken is cooked, about 5 minutes.

VEGGIES. Add the bell pepper and onions, cook for 3 minutes. Remove and set aside.

RICE. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil in same pan, add 2 cups of the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add the Knorr® Fiesta Sides™ – Spanish Rice and prepare according to package directions (cover and simmer for 7 minutes).

SIMMER. Stir in the chicken/onion and pepper mix, along with the beans and remaining chicken broth. Bring to a low boil and simmer for 10 minutes.

GARNISH + SERVE. Serve, if desired, with sour cream, shredded cheese, chopped cilantro, lime wedges and tortilla strips.

Ingredient + Recipe Tips

Fresh beans Instead of canned: All you have to do is hydrate them before adding them to the soup. Rinse them to remove any dirt and place 4 cups of beans in a bowl. Add enough water to cover the beans by 2 inches and allow the beans to soak overnight. If it is warm in your kitchen, place the beans in the refrigerator.

Once sufficiently soaked (about 8 hours) drain the water and they’re ready to use in cooking.

Mixing up the Beans: I noted that we used pinto beans in the recipe, but you can use black beans instead. You can also mix the two for a total of 4 cups. If you want to use fresh beans you can soak them together just be aware that the black beans may stain the pinto beans.

“Mexican Seasoning Blend sodium free”: Typically, Mexican seasoning blend contains a mixture of the following ingredients: chili peppers, garlic, onion, paprika, cumin, celery seed, oregano, cayenne and bay. We suggest using a salt (sodium) free blend, but that is up to you. 

RECIPE TIPS: 

• An easy way to cut thin even slices of chicken is to partially freeze the chicken breast. Once you’ve made the slices, the strips will thaw quickly and be ready to use. 
• If you want to fry your tortilla strips: Heat 1-2 tablespoons of oil in a medium skillet, add strips and cook, turning occasionally, until golden and crisp. Drain on a paper towel and serve. 
• Serve this chili with our delicious mexican cornbread

FAQ

Can you make this a freezer meal? I love recipes that can be doubled or even tripled, this is if your pot is large enough, so that I can put extras into the freezer.  To make this for the freezer: 

• Cook the Chicken and Rice as directed in steps 1 and 2. Allow them to cool and place them in a freezer ziplock bag. 
• Add the remaining ingredients to the bag, except for the remaining 2 cups of broth. Store that in a smaller freezer safe ziploc. 
• If you have room, insert the broth bag into the larger bag otherwise just store them next to each other in the freezer. 
• Label and freeze for up to 3 months. 
• Thaw overnight in the fridge. Place the chicken/rice/bean mixture in a large pot and heat, then pour in the remaining broth. Bring to a low boil then simmer for 10 minutes.

How to store? Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stove top.

more Mexican Inspired recipes:

• Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas
• Mexican Street Corn
• Mexican Lasagna
• Chili’s Enchilada Soup
• Taco Pie

I’ve partnered with Knorr® to let you know what I think about Knorr Sides. As always, all opinions are my own.