Flavorful Super Bowl Spicy Chicken Chili Cups
These bite-sized spicy chicken chili cups combine smoky chipotle flavors with tender chicken in crispy tortilla cups, perfect for game day or casual gatherings.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Appetizer
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded (rotisserie chicken works great for convenience)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 can (14 oz / 400g) diced tomatoes, fire-roasted if possible
- 1 can (4 oz / 113g) diced green chilies
- 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, minced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- ½ cup chicken broth or stock
- ¼ cup cream cheese, softened
- ¼ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese (optional for topping)
- 8 small corn or flour tortillas (6-inch diameter)
- Cooking spray or a touch of oil (to crisp up the cups)
- Optional garnishes: chopped fresh cilantro, diced avocado or guacamole, sour cream or Greek yogurt, fresh lime wedges
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly spray or brush your muffin tin cups with oil to prevent sticking.
- Cut each tortilla into quarters or sixths, depending on desired cup size. Press each piece gently into the muffin tin cups, folding edges as needed to create a cup shape. Spray or brush the tortillas lightly with oil.
- Bake the tortilla cups for 10-12 minutes until crisp and golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool.
- Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onions and sauté for 3-4 minutes until translucent and soft.
- Add minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
- Stir in diced tomatoes, green chilies, chipotle pepper, cumin, smoked paprika, chili powder, oregano, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add shredded chicken and chicken broth. Stir to combine and simmer for another 5 minutes until mixture thickens slightly.
- Turn off heat and stir in softened cream cheese until creamy and well blended.
- Spoon the chicken chili filling into the baked tortilla cups, filling them generously. Sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese on top if desired.
- Bake the filled cups for an additional 7-8 minutes at 375°F (190°C) until cheese melts and cups are heated through.
- Remove from oven and garnish with fresh cilantro, diced avocado, a dollop of sour cream, and a squeeze of lime.
- Serve warm and enjoy.
Notes
If chili filling is too wet before baking, simmer longer or add a tablespoon of cornmeal to thicken. Let tortilla cups cool before filling to keep crisp. Use same size tortillas for uniform cups. Store filling and cups separately to maintain crispness. Reheat gently and re-crisp cups in oven if needed.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chili cup
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 3
- Sodium: 350
- Fat: 9
- Saturated Fat: 3
- Carbohydrates: 15
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 12
Keywords: spicy chicken chili cups, game day snacks, Super Bowl recipes, chipotle chicken, tortilla cups, easy appetizers