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Street Corn Chicken Chili

Sweet corn, ground chicken, and Mexican spices combine with a creamy, tangy finish for a crowd-pleasing one-pot chili.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American, Mexican
Calories: 332
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium onion diced
  • 3 to 4 jalapeno peppers seeds removed and diced
  • 6 to 8 ears corn on the cob kernels cut from cob (or 4.5-6 cups frozen/canned)
  • Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
  • 6 to 8 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 pounds ground chicken
  • 3 tablespoons chili powder
  • 2 tablespoons paprika
  • 1 tablespoon cumin
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 1 tablespoon chicken base such as Better Than Bouillon
  • hot sauce a few dashes, to taste
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1 cup cilantro chopped
  • 3 tablespoons lime juice fresh
  • Optional toppings extra cilantro, crumbled cotija cheese, chili powder, lime wedges

Equipment

  • Large soup pot or Dutch oven
  • Sharp knife for cutting corn
  • wooden spoon or spatula

Method
 

  1. Heat olive oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add diced onion, diced jalapenos, corn kernels, salt, and pepper. Cook for 7 to 9 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables soften and onion becomes translucent. Allow corn to caramelize slightly for best flavor.
  2. Stir in minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add ground chicken, breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Sprinkle in chili powder, paprika, cumin, and additional salt and pepper. Cook for 7 to 9 minutes, breaking apart chicken as it browns and loses its pink color.
  3. Pour in chicken broth and stir in chicken base until dissolved. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until chili thickens and flavors develop.
  4. Stir in hot sauce, sour cream, chopped cilantro, and lime juice. Cook for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, stirring gently until creamy and well combined. Taste and adjust seasoning with more chili powder, salt, or pepper as desired.
  5. Ladle chili into bowls and garnish with extra cilantro, crumbled cotija cheese, a sprinkle of chili powder, and lime wedges. Serve hot.

Notes

Storage: Store in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Flavors improve overnight.
Freezing: Freeze in portions for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in refrigerator before reheating.
Reheating: Warm on stovetop over medium heat, adding a splash of broth if too thick. Refresh with lime juice and cilantro before serving.
Substitutions: Use frozen or canned corn (4.5-6 cups). Ground turkey or beef can replace chicken. For vegetarian, use white beans and vegetable broth.
Spice Level: Adjust jalapenos to taste. Remove all seeds for mild, keep seeds for spicy.
Slow Cooker: Sauté aromatics and chicken first, then transfer to slow cooker (except sour cream, lime, cilantro). Cook on low 4-6 hours, add finishing ingredients before serving.
Serving Ideas: Serve with cornbread, tortilla chips, or over rice. Great for taco bars or as burrito filling.