Jalapeño Popper Chicken Chili is the perfect warm and comforting soup with a creamy, cheesy jalapeno popper base, chicken, beans and loads of vegetables! Lightened up for a healthier version that is perfect for a cold day.

Next week, I'm seeing highs of 3 degrees with lows of -9 degrees...that's horrible! I'm freezing just thinking about it. All of our meals will be hot for until this super cold spell breaks so I'm thinking of all the soups, chili and casseroles that I can make that will help keep us warm. That's where this incredible Jalapeno Popper Chicken Chili comes in! It is warm, cozy, comforting, creamy and makes the perfect winter soup.

I've always loved anything with the name jalapeno popper in it which is why I decided to make a jalapeno popper chili! A couple of years ago, I created this amazing jalapeno popper dip which has been a hit on the blog and I have so many jalapeno popper type recipe ideas written down to make for you eventually (think jalapeno popper cheesy bread!).

In true dietitian The Nutrition Reviews fashion, I made this recipe healthier than what you may think of when having a creamy, cheesy chili. I used white meat boneless, skinless chicken which is a lean source of protein. I used neufchatel cream cheese which is a lighter version of cream cheese that tastes exactly the same as regular.

I amped up the nutrition with added vegetables including bell peppers, celery and carrots and added lots of beans for protein and fiber. I also used low-sodium chicken broth. Lots of little changes to make this soup lighter yet still delicious! It is creamy, rich tasting, comforting, warm and delicious. I would start with less heat unless you know you love it spicy and therefore, add all of the jalapenos you want. I recommend making a big pot of this soup for meal prep and eating it over a few meals. It would be great for lunches reheated and I plan to freeze some for when the baby is born so we have easy meals ready-to-go.

For this recipe to save time and to add lots of flavor to the chili, I added BUSH’S® Mild Kidney Chili Beans. I love kidney beans and so do my kids so it was an obvious choice for this chili. They are super easy to add to soup and chili and have the spices mixed right in which saves time. They are made especially for chili so the flavors are perfect for any kind of chili you're making.

They have all kinds of beans including pinto, black, white, red or mixed beans with hot, mild or medium sauce. If you are not satisfied with your BUSH’S® Chili Beans purchase, you can register to receive a coupon for a free can of BUSH’S® Beans up to 16 ounces. This could include BUSH'S® Baked Beans, Variety Beans, Savory Beans and more. Some restrictions may apply. Visit bushschilibeansguarantee.com for complete terms and conditions.

Jalapeno Popper Chicken Chili Recipe

Jalapeno Popper Chicken Chili is the perfect warm and comforting soup with a creamy, cheesy jalapeno popper base, chicken, beans and loads of vegetables! Lightened up for a healthier version that is perfect for a cold day.

Yield: makes a huge pot of chili to serve a crowd Author: Amanda Hernandez

Jalapeño Popper Chicken Chili

Jalapeno Popper Chicken Chili is the perfect warm and comforting soup with a creamy, cheesy jalapeno popper base, chicken, beans and loads of vegetables! Lightened up for a healthier version that is perfect for a cold day.

Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook time: 35 minutes Total time: 45 mins

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
3 stalks celery, diced
4 large carrots, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 fresh jalapeno peppers (add more if you love spice), seeds and ribs removed, finely diced
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced
32-ounce container low-sodium chicken broth
28 ounce can no-salt added diced tomatoes
28 ounce can no-salt added tomato sauce
2 cans BUSH’S® Mild Kidney Chili Beans
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
2 cups frozen corn
8 ounces neufchatel cream cheese, cut into pieces
1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Toppings: fresh jalapeno slices

INSTRUCTIONS

In a large pot, heat olive oil and saute onion, bell peppers, celery, carrots, garlic and jalapenos for about 5 minutes until vegetables are softened.
Meanwhile in a separate pan or pot, cook the chicken until chicken is cooked through, about 8 minutes.
Add in chicken broth, tomatoes, tomato sauce, beans, spices and corn and simmer for 20 minutes.
Add in cream cheese and cheddar cheese and stir until melted for about 5 minutes. In the beginning, cream cheese may be in little pieces and you can whisk until it melts and cream cheese mixes into broth. Serve hot topped with jalapeno slices.

Enjoy!
*If not serving a crowd, cut this recipe in half.