Easy Barbecue Pulled Chicken Chili using leftover chicken. Use up your shredded or rotisserie chicken in this quick, easy and delicious BBQ chili recipe!
This easy Barbecue Pulled Chicken Chili is the kind of recipe that checks all the boxes. It’s hearty, smoky, sweet, and just the right amount of tangy. It’s my go-to way to use up leftover shredded chicken, and it comes together so quickly, you’ll wonder why you ever made chili any other way!
This Barbecue Pulled Chicken Chili is the kind of dish that warms you up from the inside out.
It’s smoky, sweet, savory, and just a little spicy, with tender shreds of chicken swimming in a rich, tomato-based broth. Basically, it’s everything you want in comfort food without the hours of simmering that can kind of ruin the finished product when you’re feeling tired!
While I love a good pot of chili that’s been simmering away in the slow cooker during the winter months, sometimes I want that deep, bold flavor fast. And that’s exactly where this recipe comes in.
With a few pantry staples, some leftover pulled chicken, and your favorite barbecue sauce (don’t be afraid of some Maple Bourbon Sauce!), you’ll have dinner on the table in about 30 minutes.
It’s hearty enough to feed a crowd, simple enough for a weeknight, and flexible enough to work with whatever you’ve got in the fridge.
Let’s discuss the simple ingredients for BBQ chicken chili!
Ingredients for Barbecue Pulled Chicken Chili
Here’s everything you’ll need to bring this cozy dish together! You’ll probably have a fair amount of this in your pantry, but if you don’t, it’s all easy to find.
Grapeseed Oil: Gets our onions and garlic sizzling without overpowering the flavor. Use any other neutral oil (like avocado!) in its place.
Yellow Onion: Adds a mellow sweetness and acts as the savory base for our chili.
Garlic: Four cloves might sound like a lot. But trust me, it melts right into the broth for that amazing depth of flavor!
Jalapeños: Seeded and chopped, these bring just enough heat to balance the sweetness of the BBQ sauce.
Pulled Chicken: The star of the show! Use leftover rotisserie chicken, meal-prepped shredded chicken, or make your own in a crockpot!
Diced Tomatoes: A can of juicy tomatoes (keep the liquid!) forms the tangy backbone of our chili.
Garbanzo Beans: Add a bunch of protein and a slight nuttiness. Plus, they bulk up the chili without making it heavy!
Low-Sodium Chicken Broth: Keeps everything saucy and flavorful. Use low-sodium if you can and add more for a thinner chili.
Chili Powder: Adds an awesome, smoky spice that gives the dish that signature chili taste. Adjust how much you use based on how spicy you like your chili!
Barbecue Sauce: Sweet, tangy, and super bold. Use your favorite brand (or go for homemade!) to give the chili its personality.
Sea Salt: Brings all the flavors together.
Smoked Gouda + Fresh Cilantro: That final flourish that makes each bowl irresistible! Cheddar, Monterey Jack, or dairy-free shreds all work beautifully too!
Recipe Customizations
- Swap the garbanzos for black beans, kidney beans, or pinto beans. Whatever’s in your pantry is fine!
- Try pulled pork or ground turkey instead of chicken.
- Leave out the meat, double the beans, and toss in zucchini, bell peppers, or sweet potatoes.
- Stir in cayenne or chipotle powder if you like it hot!
- Sweet, spicy, mustard-based? If you switch up the barbecue sauce, you’ve got a whole new flavor profile here!
How to Make Barbecue Pulled Chicken Chili
Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 3 minutes until softened.
Stir in garlic and jalapeños, then cook everything for another 3 minutes, until it’s all fragrant.
Add diced tomatoes, garbanzo beans, chicken broth, chili powder, barbecue sauce, and salt. Stir well, then bring it all to a boil.
Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes or so.
Stir in the pulled chicken, then bring the chili back to a boil for 3 to 5 minutes to thicken the base.
Taste and adjust your seasonings, adding more salt or BBQ sauce if you like.
Ladle your barbecue pulled chicken chili into bowls, top with smoked Gouda and cilantro, and serve hot with your favorite sides! I love topping this chicken chili recipe with tortilla chips, sour cream, and cheddar cheese.
Store leftover chili in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. You can also freeze BBQ chicken chili in freezer bags for up to 3 months.
Recipe Tips
- Start with leftovers. This is the perfect way to use up pulled chicken from a rotisserie bird or weekend barbecue.
- If you’re cooking chicken from scratch, let it cool slightly before shredding to keep it juicy.
- If you like a thick chili, stick with 1 cup of broth for thicker chili. For a soupier vibe, add more!
- Add your BBQ sauce slowly. I always start with 2 tablespoons, taste, and then adjust from there. Some pulled chicken comes pre-sauced, so you may need less.
- Like most chilis, the flavors deepen if you let it sit for a few hours or overnight. So, don’t be afraid to prep this ahead of time.
These barbecue pulled chili chicken bowls are hearty, flavorful, and just downright comforting. They’re perfect for weeknights, potlucks, or cozy evenings at home when the weather starts to bite!
If you’re looking for a traditional chili recipe, try my Easy Stove Top Beef Chili or my Three Bean Turkey Chili.
Love chili recipes? Here are five more fall and wintertime favorites you’re bound to enjoy.
More Winter Recipes
- Roasted Winter Vegetable Quinoa Salad with Cider Vinaigrette
- Maple Roasted Butternut Squash and Beets
- Cinnamon Maple Roasted Butternut Squash
- Crock Pot Sausage and Cabbage Soup
- Southwestern Vegetarian Chili
A great way to use up leftover shredded chicken, enjoy a big pot the next time the craving strikes!
Barbecue Pulled Chicken Chili
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons grapeseed oil
- ½ yellow onion finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 jalapeños seeded and chopped
- 2 cups cooked pulled chicken*
- 1 15-oz can diced tomatoes
- 1 15-oz can garbanzo beans, drained
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth add more for thinner chili
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 2 to 4 Tbsp your favorite bbq sauce I like Trader Joe’s
- Smoked gouda cheese and cilantro for topping
Instructions
- In a large pot, heat the oil to medium and sauté the onion until soft, about 3 minutes.
- Add the garlic and jalapeño and sauté another 3 to 5 minutes, until the jalapeño is fragrant.
- Add the diced tomatoes (including juices), garbanzo beans, chicken broth, chili powder and bbq sauce.
- Bring to a full boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cover for 10 minutes.
- Remove cover, add the pulled chicken and return to a full boil for 3 to 5 minutes to allow chili to thicken. Taste the chili for flavor and add more BBQ sauce according to your personal taste.
- Serve with shredded smoked gouda cheese on top and toasted sourdough bread.
Notes
Option 1: I cooked my chicken in a crockpot with barbecue sauce on low for 6 hours and then shredded the chicken with a fork. I added the already cooked pulled bbq chicken to the chili. Option 2: You can boil the chicken until cooked all the way through, shred it with a fork, toss it in a couple tablespoons of bbq sauce and add to the chili. Option 3: Chop raw chicken breasts and brown the chicken with the onion and instead of having pulled chicken, you can use chopped chicken for the chili Option 4: Throw everything, including 1 large chicken breast, in a crock pot and cook all day on low. Remove the chicken breast from the crock, shred with a fork then return the shredded chicken to the crock and stir before serving. If you choose this method, add an additional tablespoon or two of barbecue sauce. Option 5: Marinate a chicken breast in bbq sauce, grill it until cooked all the way through, shred with a fork and add to the chili.
“You know that my rough-day cure-all is a cold porter and a plate of classic fudge brownies. ”
Can we be besties? You are clearly my kind of woman.
These photos are fantastic, and I hope you’ll consider contributing this post to this month’s Shine Supper Club. Our theme is one-pot meals.
OMG this sounds amazing, have pinned it, thanks.
Ohhh Great.. I liked.
Thanks
Murat
This is perfect – I have leftover pulled bbq chicken in my fridge last night. I made homemade pretzel buns and had bbq pulled chicken sammies, but WAY too much leftover chicken.
Totally going to make this tonight for my lunches this week! Thank you!!!
Jenn, I’m so happy to hear it! This soup was inspired by the same “problem!!” We had extra pulled chicken on hand and were kind of sick of putting it on sandwiches, so I figured a nice smoky chili would do the trick. Let me know how yours turns out!!
Shout it loud girl!! You have combined 3 of my favorite foods ever, which is why we are friends 😀 bbq chicken, chili and smoked cheese, OH MY! I think you’re on to something with soups and stews as the cure for cold weather, warm & hearty but healthy too. Next time I’ll bring the porter.
Yeeeeah! So glad you like it. I ate it for like 4 meals in a row…including breakfast. I think it’s my favorite chili I have made so far and that’s a big step for me because I’m a huge chili lover 🙂 Hope you’re having a great weekend, lady!!