I tried Ina Garten's easy chicken chili. It's a delicious, hearty dinner that's perfect for chilly temperatures.

I made Ina Garten's chicken chili, and it was easy, healthy, and so comforting. Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider Ina Garten served traditional chili to her customers for 20 years while running her 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, but Garten's chicken chili recipe still lives on — and it's perfect for fall. Ina Garten's chicken chili features plenty of spices. Ina Garten demonstrated how to make her chicken chili in an early episode of "Barefoot Contessa." Mike Smith/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images via Getty Images To make Garten's chicken chili for six, you'll need:4 split chicken breasts, bone-in, skin on2 (28-ounce) cans of whole-peeled plum tomatoes in puree, undrained4 cups of chopped yellow onions2 red bell peppers, cored, seeded, and large-diced2 yellow bell peppers, cored, seeded, and large-diced¼ cup of minced fresh basil leaves⅛ cup of good olive oil, plus extra for chicken⅛ cup of minced garlic2 teaspoons of kosher salt, plus more for chicken1 teaspoon of chili powder1 teaspoon of ground cumin¼ teaspoon of dried red pepper flakes, or to taste¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper, or to tasteFreshly ground black pepperChopped green onions, for servingCorn chips, for servingGrated cheddar cheese, for servingSour cream, for servingWhile 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. I prepped my ingredients and preheated the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. I chopped my yellow and red bell peppers first. Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider I chopped my onions and bell peppers and minced the garlic.I misread Garten's recipe and cut 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. I cooked the onions in olive oil for 15 minutes, then added the garlic. After adding the garlic, I cooked my onions for an additional minute. Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider "You want to cook the garlic for just a minute so it doesn't get really bitter," Garten explained in a "Barefoot Contessa" episode while demonstrating the recipe. I added the bell peppers and seasoning. I doubled the seasoning for this recipe to add more flavor. Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider I threw in the chili powder, cumin, red pepper flakes, cayenne, and salt, and cooked everything for one minute. Then it was time to add the tomatoes. I crushed the tomatoes by hand and threw the leftover juice into the pot as well. Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider "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 tore the basil into chunks and threw the leaves in the pot. Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider Garten's recipe is designed so the chicken and chili are ready at the same time, so she recommends cooking the chili for 30 minutes.I had some extra time on my hands, so I allowed the chili to simmer for a little longer to give the flavors more time to develop. While my chili simmered, I roasted the chicken. My chicken breasts after I took them out of the oven. Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider 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 seasoned them with salt and pepper before throwing them into the oven for 35 minutes.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. My chopped chicken pieces. Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider "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. I let my chili simmer for another 45 minutes after adding the chicken. Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider Garten's recipe calls for the chili to simmer with the chicken for 20 minutes. While the chili was simmering with the chicken, I prepped my toppings. My chopped green onions. Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider 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 perfect for fall and winter. Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider Garten's chicken chili is so hearty and comforting. The rich tomatoes paired really well with the tender, juicy chicken, which soaked up so much delicious flavor, and the bell peppers and green onions added great texture. I also enjoyed the extra hit of acidity and creaminess from the sour cream.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 comforting recipe will definitely satisfy your chili cravings. Read next Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know Anneta Konstantinides is a lifestyle correspondent at Business Insider and has spent nearly 10 years reporting in the lifestyle space. Her focus is on food and travel, where she's known to take readers inside Michelin-starred kitchens or to the hottest new Las Vegas hotel. Sometimes it's Anneta doing the cooking, leading readers through the best recipes by Gordon Ramsay or Ina Garten. Anneta has also been deeply reporting on the pageant industry since 2019, interviewing dozens of Miss USA and Miss Universe winners. She was a two-time finalist at the LA Press Club Awards for her investigation into the 2022 and 2024 Miss USA scandals and was featured in The New York Times Presents episode "How to Fix a Pageant" on Hulu in September 2023. After graduating from UCLA with a B.A in English Literature and a minor in film & television, Anneta worked as a journalist in London, Sydney, New York City, Los Angeles, and Washington, DC. She currently lives in Los Angeles. Ina Garten Food