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{Today I am partnering with Andy Boy Broccoli Rabe to bring you this hearty Crockpot Italian Chicken and Broccoli Rabe Chili. I am so excited to be using their delicious Broccoli Rabe in this recipe!}
Have I mentioned how excited I am that it’s soup season? This Crockpot Italian Chicken and Broccoli Rabe Chili is so easy (ummm helloooo crockpot!) and has sooo much flavor!
I wish I was able to hit a magical pause button so that I could have a good 2-3 extra months of this amazing fall and holiday season. I know things are about to start getting really crazy, but I don’t care, I still love it!
I can honestly feel the excitement in the air and I am PUMPED.
But like I said, things are about to start to get crazy, and that means we all need some go-to meals that are healthy and easy to prepare. I mean, I know that Halloween candy is delicious and all, but let’s be real, we can’t live solely on candy. Besides, you all know how much I love my veggies. No I promise, I really, really LOVE veggies. I think I’ve said this before, but did you know that literally every night I have a big bowl of roasted veggies with dinner, like every stinkin night!
No joke.
This’s partly because I am a semi repetitive person with almost everything I do, but mostly because I adore roasted veggies. My current favorites are butternut + acorn squash, pumpkin (duh), brussels sprouts and broccoli… and/or BROCCOLI RABE!
So you see, I don’t just live on sugar, carbs, chocolate, cheese and butter. I mean, I mostly do….but that doesn’t mean I don’t love my vegetables!
Sooo, I made us a hearty, but healthy chili, full of one of my favorite autumn veggies, broccoli rabe. This chili is the perfect dinner to warm up to on a cold autumn night, and it couldn’t be simpler. Just throw everything into the crockpot, turn it on, walk away for six or so hours and come home to a house smelling like your Italian grandma’s…or maybe what you would imagine your Italian grandma’s house would smell like… if you had an Italian grandma.
Loaded with lean chicken, cannellini beans, tomatoes and broccoli rabe this bowl of chili is about as healthy and wholesome as it gets… but it doesn’t feel that way.
Just serve this chili with a side of crusty bread and plenty of freshly grated parmesan. You’ll have yourself a complete meal with NO complaining, and all tummies happy!
Yeah!!
Another way to serve this chili is over a bed of buttery polenta, it’s pretty amazing. Or you could also boil some pasta and go that route too. Personally, my favorite is to serve the chili over polenta alongside garlic bread for soaking up any extra sauce.
I really could not think of a better Sunday night dinner!
FUN FACT: Did you know that Sunday night dinners are my absolute favorite in the fall. Something about them makes me feel so happy inside. When I was a kid, Sunday night was the one night of the week my parents really tried to get it together and have a nice family dinner. They would either make Chicken Noodle Casserole, Pot Roast, Chili, London Broil, Chicken + Rice or a Roasted Chicken. Simple meals, but ones that the whole family would actually sit down at the table, eat and really talk to each other… and we’d even eat at a decent hour (which meant somewhere between 7:30 and 8:30). My oldest brother Creighton would come home (this was after he had moved out and was in college) and we’d all just eat and be together. The kitchen would be warm from the oven, due to mom baking bread or cookies, and all us kids would come rushing in for dinner. It was nothing fancy, and it was always a bit chaotic, but I still loved it.
Thinking about it now though, the fact that I liked Sunday night dinners is SO odd, because at the same time, I also HATED Sundays with a passion. Knowing that it was back to school the next morning was overwhelming for me. Friday and Saturday where my favorites… Sunday + Monday, not so much! Ugh, SO happy I am outta school.
NEW GOAL: Bring back Sunday night dinners this fall. If not every Sunday night, at least every few weeks. You guys too! Let’s do it? Mmm, K???
We can all start with this easy broccoli rabe chili, sound good?
Awesome, let’s do this!
Crockpot Italian Chicken and Broccoli Rabe Chili.
Servings: 8 Servings
Calories Per Serving: 202 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 3 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts
- 1 small sweet onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced or grated
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- ¼-½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 dried bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon salt + pepper or to taste
- 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
- 4 cups low sodium chicken broth
- ½ cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 large bunch broccoli rabe ends trimmed + roughly chopped
- 1 (12 ounce) jar roasted red peppers sliced,
- 1 (15 ounce) can cannellini beans drained + rinsed
- 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese plus more for serving
- ½ cup chopped parsley plus more for serving
Instructions
- In the bowl of a 6-8 quart crockpot pot, add the chicken, onion, garlic, chili powder, oregano, paprika, thyme, allspice, crushed red pepper flakes, bay leaf, salt and pepper. Next add the tomato paste, chicken broth and balsamic vinegar. Give everything a gentle stir to combine. Cover the crockpot and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours (or 4-6 hours on high) stirring once or twice if possible.
- During the last 30 minutes of cooking, stir the broccoli rabe, roasted red peppers and cannellini beans together in a bowl and add to the crockpot. Crank the heat up to high, cover and let cook 20-30 minutes longer.
- Lightly shred the chicken with two forks, it should just fall apart. Stir in the parmesan and parsley.
- Ladle the soup into bowls and serve with parmesan + crusty bread for dipping.
Notes
*If you prefer, you may add the broccoli rabe in the beginning of the cooking, but just know it will be cooked down a bit more. It’s still delicious this way, it just has a little less firmness to it. **You can also serve the chili over polenta or pasta for an extra hearty meal
But really, whatever you do, don’t forget to add the cheese + a carb to this chili. It’s Sunday and they really are a MUST!
Oh My Gosh! This looks soo…. good, and your photography is beautiful. I want this for dinner this week. If I didn’t have to battle the weekend crowds shopping at the local grocery store, I’d go get the ingredients to make it tonight.
Wow, this chili looks like an amazing healthy dinner for cool nights or while watching some football! Can’t wait to try! 🙂
This sounds AMAZING !!! one of those good wholesome, warming meals…yum. I am totally into the Sunday dinners thing, nothing beats the family all sitting around the table eating and chatting. I grew up with Sunday dinners mainly being a roast with veggies, so I now generally do that too (creature of habit). I too, love veggies, so really load those on. :-). Loving this crockpot idea though, so easy, and love the polenta idea with the chilli…got to try this one 🙂
This will definitely go on my list of must-make recipes for this fall/winter!! It looks yummy! And I love that spoon set…they are beautiful. Where did you get them?
Hi Hannah! Thank you! I got the spoons at vintage shop in Utah, but I have seen similar pieces online. Just search twig spoons, Thanks again!
I just wanted to say all you’re recipes are fantastic! I’m always super excited when I get to cook one and your dessert game is magical thanks for all the great recipes!
This sounds so good! Can’t wait to make it soon. Wondering though, could apple cider vinegar replace the balsamic? ACV is friendly for candida issues, which I struggle with.
Hi! That will be fine. hope you love this! THANKS!
This is one of the only chilis I’ve ever seen that wouldn’t make me feel fat by first glance! I think the buttery polenta sounds like a great combo with this dish! Gotta add some spice too!
Our Sunday dinner usually was pot roast but I never really liked it.
But I do like this chili recipe.
Even though I’m a teacher (looking forward to retirement) Friday and Saturday are my favorite days also.
This chili looks fantastic! I’ve never tried chili with broccoli rabe, but I’m sure it’s nothing less than amazing, plus it’s a great way to introduce some greens into a typically non-green food. And I completely agree with you about wishing there were a pause button that could help us get some extra fall!
Perfect timing- making this tonight!
Such hearty goodness! We’ve been having a few amazing autumn days and I want them to last forever too but the temperature is about to plummet according to weather people. I need this chili to keep me warm. 🙂
Beautiful! I’m a huge fan of broccoli rabe! One of my favorites to toss with pasta, especially 🙂
I am about to read this recipe, again : ) I am a huge rabe fan.
I’m definitely all for Sunday Dinners. And this Chilli with that stunning broccoli rabe and some polenta. Ummm yeah. Love them Sunday dinners! Gorgeous Tieghan!
love how cozy this sounds! and serving it over polenta with garlic bread on the side sounds like a really good idea. never wrapped my head around the whole carbs with more carbs mentality, but my stomach has never complained (;