Ina Garten served traditional chili to her customers for 20 years while running the Barefoot Contessa store in the Hamptons.
One day, Garten decided to tweak the recipe and swap the beef for chicken. It became even more popular than the original dish.
The Barefoot Contessa store is long gone, and Garten is now a Food Network star, but her chicken chili recipe still lives on.
Here’s how to make it.
Ina Garten’s chicken chili features bell peppers, onions, and plenty of spices.
To make Garten’s chicken chili for six, you’ll need:
- 4 split chicken breasts, bone-in, skin on
- 2 (28-ounce) cans of whole-peeled plum tomatoes in puree, undrained
- 4 cups of chopped yellow onions (3 onions)
- 2 red bell peppers, cored, seeded, and large-diced
- 2 yellow bell peppers, cored, seeded, and large diced
- ¼ cup of minced fresh basil leaves
- ⅛ cup of good olive oil, plus extra for chicken
- ⅛ cup of minced garlic (4 cloves)
- 2 teaspoons of kosher salt, plus more for chicken
- 1 teaspoon of chili powder
- 1 teaspoon of ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon of dried red pepper flakes, or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper, or to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Chopped green onions, for serving
- Corn chips, for serving
- Grated cheddar cheese, for serving
While these are Garten’s recommended measurements, I should note that I doubled some of the seasoning and added 2 teaspoons of chili powder, 2 teaspoons of ground cumin, ½ teaspoon of dried red pepper flakes, and ½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper.
I wanted the chicken chili to pack a punch, and doubling these spices turned up the flavor without making things too hot.
First, I prepped my ingredients and preheated the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
I chopped my onions, diced my bell peppers, and minced my garlic.
I misread Garten’s recipe and diced my bell peppers a bit smaller than she recommended, but their shape still held up well in the chili.
I think larger pieces might actually be too chunky for this dish because there’s so much chicken in the chili, so I recommend going with a smaller dice for the bell peppers instead.
Then, I began cooking my onions.
I added the olive oil to my pan and threw in the onions.
I cooked the onions for 15 minutes, until they turned translucent, then added the garlic.
I cooked the garlic for an additional minute, per Garten’s instructions.
“You want to cook the garlic for just a minute so it doesn’t get really bitter,” she explained in a “Barefoot Contessa” episode while demonstrating the recipe.
I added the bell peppers and seasoning.
I threw in the chili powder, cumin, red pepper flakes, cayenne, and salt, and cooked everything for one minute.
It was time to add the tomatoes.
“I always make this with canned tomatoes; life’s too short to peel a tomato,” Garten said in the episode.
According to the recipe, you can crush the tomatoes by hand or throw them in a food processor. If you opt for the latter, Garten recommends adding them in batches and pulsing the processor six to eight times.
I don’t have a food processor, so I crushed the tomatoes by hand. I also threw the leftover juice into the pot.
After adding basil, I brought my chili to a boil and then reduced the heat to a simmer.
I left my pot uncovered as my chili began to simmer.
I started prepping the chicken.
During the “Barefoot Contessa” episode, Garten said she cooks the chicken with the skin on because she found it “really keeps it moist.” She also noted that she roasts the chicken instead of boiling it because it makes the meat taste better.
I rubbed my chicken breasts with olive oil and generously sprinkled salt and pepper on each one. I then threw them in the oven and set the timer to 35 minutes, per Garten’s instructions.
Garten recommends simmering the chili for 30 minutes, but I let it go for about an hour and a half.
I love making chili and believe it always tastes better the longer it is left on the stove, so I was happy to wait a little longer.
But Garten’s recipe is designed so the chicken and chili are ready at the same time, so you can always finish this more quickly, depending on how soon you need dinner.
After 40 minutes, my chicken was ready.
Garten said the chicken breasts should be “just cooked” when you take them out of the oven.
Once my chicken had slightly cooled, I separated the meat from the bone and started chopping.
“Tear off the bone with your hands; it’s the best way to do it,” Garten said in the “Barefoot Contessa” episode.
Garten then recommended cutting the chicken into ¾-inch chunks so the meat can be “really delicious and chunky.”
I added the chicken to the chili and continued simmering it uncovered.
Garten’s recipe calls for the chili to simmer with the chicken for 20 minutes. I wanted to maximize the flavor, so I let it simmer for 45 minutes.
While the chili was simmering, I prepped my toppings.
Since I bought pre-grated cheese, all I needed to do was chop my green onions.
Garten’s chicken chili made for a fantastic dinner.
Garten’s chicken chili is so hearty and comforting. The rich tomatoes paired really well with the tender and juicy chicken, which soaked up so much delicious flavor, and the bell peppers added great texture.
The green onions on top also helped brighten each sip and added some nice crunch. And I recommend pairing this with sour cream for that extra hit of acidity and creaminess.
I made this chili for my friend Kayla, who was also a huge fan.
“This chili is reminiscent of a chicken tortilla soup, but it’s so much heartier!” she added. “It makes you feel so warm and cozy.”
As temperatures continue to drop, Garten’s recipe will definitely satisfy your chili cravings.
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