If you are craving a cozy, soul-warming dish that combines smoky spices with meltingly tender biscuits, the Chipotle Chicken Chili with Cheddar Bay Biscuit Topping Recipe is about to become your new favorite dinner. This dish beautifully layers spicy chipotle peppers with succulent shredded chicken and hearty white beans, simmered to perfection, and then topped with irresistibly cheesy, buttery Cheddar Bay biscuits. It’s comfort food at its finest, guaranteed to fill your kitchen with welcoming aromas and your plate with layers of bold flavor and pleasing textures.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Ingredients You’ll Need
Every ingredient in this recipe plays a critical role, from delivering vibrant color and deep smoky flavor to creating that perfect biscuit topping. These simple staples come together to form a dish that looks and tastes like magic.
- Olive oil: The base for sautéing veggies, bringing out their sweetness and softening them perfectly.
- Onion: Adds natural sweetness and depth to the chili’s flavor profile.
- Garlic: Provides a warm, aromatic punch essential for a rich chili base.
- Red and green bell peppers: Bring color, a mild crunch, and fresh flavor contrast.
- Cooked, shredded chicken: Packed with protein and soaks up the smoky, spicy broth beautifully.
- Diced tomatoes: Add juiciness and a slight tang to balance the bold spices.
- White beans: Make the chili creamy and hearty with extra fiber and texture.
- Chicken broth: Builds the savory, rich base that ties all the ingredients together.
- Tomato paste: Intensifies the tomato flavor and adds body to the chili.
- Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce: The star of the dish, bringing smoky heat – adjust to your spice comfort level.
- Ground cumin and smoked paprika: Provide earthiness and smoky warmth that elevate the chili.
- Salt and pepper: Essential for seasoning and enhancing all the flavors.
- All-purpose flour (for biscuit topping): Forms the structure of those fluffy, golden biscuits.
- Baking powder: Helps the biscuit topping rise perfectly.
- Garlic powder and salt: Infuse the biscuit topping with classic Cheddar Bay flavor.
- Cold unsalted butter: Creates flaky layers and rich taste in the biscuits.
- Shredded cheddar cheese: Adds sharp creaminess in every bite of the biscuit topping.
- Milk or buttermilk: Brings moisture for tender biscuit dough with a slight tang if you choose buttermilk.
How to Make Chipotle Chicken Chili with Cheddar Bay Biscuit Topping Recipe
Step 1: Sauté Your Base
Start by warming olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Toss in the diced onions, minced garlic, and both red and green bell peppers. Let them cook gently until they’ve softened into a sweet, fragrant medley that sets the foundation for your chili, about 5 to 6 minutes. This part is crucial because it mellows raw flavors and builds that deep, inviting base that your chili needs.
Step 2: Build the Chili
Next, stir in the shredded chicken, canned diced tomatoes, rinsed white beans, and chicken broth. Dollop in the tomato paste for richness and then add the finely chopped chipotle peppers along with cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. These smoky spices transform simple ingredients into an exciting flavor adventure. Let everything simmer for 10 to 15 minutes so the flavors can meld beautifully. Then remove from heat, as your chili base is ready for its crowning glory.
Step 3: Prepare the Cheddar Bay Biscuit Topping
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, garlic powder, and salt. Cutting in cold butter until the mixture feels like coarse crumbs will ensure your biscuits come out flaky and tender. Stir in shredded cheddar cheese to add that trademark richness, then pour in the milk and mix just until combined—overmixing can make the biscuits tough, so be gentle!
Step 4: Assemble and Bake
Drop generous spoonfuls of the biscuit dough evenly over the top of the chili, leaving small spaces apart so they have room to rise and bake into golden perfection. Pop the entire skillet into the preheated oven and bake at 400°F (200°C) for 20 to 25 minutes. You’ll know they’re done when the biscuits are beautifully golden and cooked through, the perfect contrast to the hearty chili bubbling underneath.
Step 5: Let It Rest and Serve
Once baked, allow the dish to cool for a few minutes. This resting time lets the flavors settle and makes serving easier, so you can scoop up both chili and biscuit together for the ultimate bite.
How to Serve Chipotle Chicken Chili with Cheddar Bay Biscuit Topping Recipe
Garnishes
Fresh garnishes like chopped parsley or sliced green onions bring a pop of color and a fresh bite that contrasts the rich chili and buttery biscuits perfectly. A dollop of sour cream or a sprinkle of extra shredded cheddar can also add creaminess and a little indulgence to each bowl.
Side Dishes
This hearty dish stands strong on its own, but serving it with a crisp green salad or some roasted vegetables adds freshness and balance. For a fun twist, cornbread or extra biscuits make wonderful companions if feeding a crowd or wanting leftovers the next day.
Creative Ways to Present
For a dinner party or family-style meal, serve the chili in the skillet, biscuits nestled on top, straight from the oven to the table. Or, ladle the chili into bowls and place a biscuit on the side as the perfect dipping companion. You could even turn the leftovers into a layered casserole—chili, biscuit topping, cheddar, and repeat—baked just until bubbly and golden.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
Leftover chili with biscuit topping can be stored tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. For best texture, separate the chili and biscuits if possible. Keep the biscuits in an airtight container to prevent them from getting soggy.
Freezing
If you want to freeze the chili, do so without the biscuit topping. Transfer the chili to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Freeze the biscuits separately after they have cooled; wrap them well to protect their texture.
Reheating
Reheat chili gently on the stovetop or in the microwave until steaming hot. Warm the biscuits in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for about 5-7 minutes to refresh their golden crust and soft interior. Combining warm chili with freshly heated biscuits feels like a brand-new meal every time.
FAQs
Can I use ground chicken instead of shredded chicken?
Absolutely! Ground chicken will work well in this recipe. Just brown it first before adding the other ingredients. It will give the chili a different texture but the same delicious flavor.
How spicy is the Chipotle Chicken Chili with Cheddar Bay Biscuit Topping Recipe?
The heat level depends mostly on how many chipotle peppers in adobo sauce you add. Start with one pepper for a smoky but mild chili, and add more if you love it spicy. Always taste as you go!
Can I make the biscuit topping gluten-free?
Yes, you can substitute all-purpose flour with a gluten-free baking mix that works for biscuits. Just make sure it includes a rising agent like baking powder to keep those biscuits fluffy.
Is this recipe freezer-friendly after it’s baked?
It’s best to freeze the chili and biscuit topping separately before baking. Once baked, the biscuits can become a bit soggy after freezing and reheating. Preparing ahead but baking fresh gives you the best texture.
What can I use instead of cheddar cheese?
You can swap cheddar for Monterey Jack, Colby, or even a smoky Gouda for a delicious twist. Each cheese adds its own unique flair to the biscuit topping.
Final Thoughts
The Chipotle Chicken Chili with Cheddar Bay Biscuit Topping Recipe is a heartwarming, flavor-packed meal that brings cozy comfort and a little kick to your dinner table. It’s surprisingly simple to make, yet impressively satisfying, perfect for entertaining or any chilly night at home. Give it a try, and get ready to enjoy leftovers that taste even better the next day!
Print
Chipotle Chicken Chili with Cheddar Bay Biscuit Topping Recipe
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
This Chipotle Chicken Chili with Cheddar Bay Biscuit Topping is a comforting and flavorful one-pot meal that combines smoky, spicy chipotle chicken chili with a cheesy, buttery biscuit topping baked to golden perfection. Perfect for gatherings or cozy family dinners, it offers a delicious blend of tender chicken, white beans, and bold spices under a crispy cheddar biscuit crust.
Ingredients
Chili
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
- 1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes
- 1 (15 oz) can white beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1–2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, finely chopped (adjust to taste)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Biscuit Topping
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 2/3 cup milk or buttermilk
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) to prepare for baking the biscuit topping.
- Sauté Vegetables: In a large oven-safe skillet or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add diced onion, minced garlic, and both red and green bell peppers. Cook until softened and fragrant, about 5–6 minutes.
- Add Chili Ingredients and Simmer: Stir in the shredded chicken, diced tomatoes, white beans, chicken broth, tomato paste, chopped chipotle peppers, ground cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Let the mixture simmer gently for 10–15 minutes to blend the flavors. Remove the skillet from heat afterward.
- Prepare Biscuit Dough: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, garlic powder, and salt. Cut in the cold cubed butter using a pastry cutter or fork until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Add Cheese and Milk: Stir shredded cheddar cheese into the flour mixture, then pour in the milk or buttermilk. Mix gently until just combined, being careful not to overmix to keep the biscuits tender.
- Assemble Biscuit Topping: Drop large spoonfuls of the biscuit dough evenly over the top of the chili in the skillet, spacing them slightly apart to allow for spreading.
- Bake: Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and bake for 20–25 minutes until the biscuits have risen, are golden brown, and fully cooked through.
- Serve: Remove from oven and let cool slightly before serving. Optionally garnish with fresh parsley or chopped green onions for added color and flavor.
Notes
- Adjust the number of chipotle peppers to control the spiciness of the chili.
- Use buttermilk in the biscuit topping for a tangier flavor and fluffier texture.
- This recipe is cooked entirely in one oven-safe skillet or Dutch oven, making cleanup easier.
- Leftover chili can be stored separately from biscuits and reheated gently to maintain biscuit texture.
- You can substitute cooked shredded turkey or beef for chicken if desired.
- If you don’t have a pastry cutter, use two knives or your fingers to cut the butter into the flour.
- Make sure not to overmix biscuit dough to ensure light, flaky biscuits.
