Chorizo Chili is a fun spin on a classic chili recipe. Chorizo is packed full of flavor that adds more interest and complexity to the chili. I use three different types of beans, a variety of peppers and a little bit of chocolate, for a unique and delicious pot of chili.
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I love cooking chilis and soups in the winter. The aroma fills the house as it simmers on the stove and has everyone looking forward to dinnertime. Our family’s favorite chili recipe is chorizo chili. The chorizo adds a huge punch of flavor to the chili. Once you start making chorizo chili, you’ll have a hard time cooking traditional chili with any other meat.
Chorizo chili is one of the 20 best types of chili!
How to Make Chorizo Chili
When I make chili, I start by chopping up all of my veggies. It’s easier for me to have them diced and ready to go, versus trying to chop and cook at the same time. After the prep work is done, then I get started cooking. Brown the chorizo in a large pot with a little bit of olive oil, or whatever cooking oil you prefer. I usually use my large Dutch oven for making chili, but any large stockpot works. Once the chorizo is browned, add the onions, peppers, and garlic. Cook the veggies until they become a little soft and start smelling delicious. Then it’s time to add the beans. Be sure to drain and rinse the beans thoroughly before adding them to the chili! Along with the beans, add a cup of frozen corn, a can of diced tomatoes (drained!), and a can of tomato sauce.
Let Chili Simmer to Enhance the Flavor
Next up is seasoning! I use cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper, cayenne, plus a little lime juice and cilantro to season chorizo chili. Keep in mind that the chorizo is already full of flavor. So it is a well-seasoned base. Once the chili is seasoned, simmer it for 30-45 minutes. The key here is to not let it boil, but don’t set it too low either. A simmer means that there are pockets of small, constant bubbles because the temperature of the chili is just below boiling. Chili is one of those dishes that tastes better the longer it simmers, so I recommend at least 30-45 minutes. If you start earlier and it can simmer longer, do it!
About 20-30 minutes before serving, stir in about a tablespoon of dark chocolate. I usually use semi-sweet chocolate chips because I always have them on hand. Let the chocolate fully melt into the chorizo chili, then taste test. Add any additional seasonings! After that, it’s ready to serve. I love to garnish my chorizo chili with avocado, sour cream, cheese, fresh cilantro, and some crushed-up tortilla chips. It’s all so delicious and gives the chili a creamy texture.
Once you make a batch of this chorizo chili, you won’t get enough! The bold flavors of the chorizo really elevate this classic chili recipe. Let me know if you give it a try!
Looking for more ideas for a delicious dinner? Check out my Lemon Dill Salmon Sheet Pan Meal! Or my dairy-free white chicken chili!
Chorizo Chili
Ingredients
- ground chorizo
- 1 cup white onion diced
- 1 cup red onion diced
- 2 green bell pepper diced
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 1 jalepeno pepper diced
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 15 oz black beans 1 can
- 15 oz garbanzo beans 1 can
- 15 oz white beans 1 can
- 15 oz diced tomatoes 1 can
- oz tomato sauce 1 can
- 1 tbsp chopped garlic
- 1 tbsp dark chocolate chocolate chips work well
- 1 tsp lime juice
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp chili powder
- cayenne pepper to taste
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp fresh cilantro finely chopped
Instructions
- Brown the ground chorizo in the bottom of a large pot in a little bit of olive oil.
- Once the chorizo is cooked through, add the onions, garlic and peppers and cook until they soften.
- Add beans (after rinsing thoroughly), diced tomatoes, corn and tomato sauce
- Season, add lime juice and cilantro, and simmer for 30-45 minutes. The key to a good chili is to let it simmer. It really brings out the flavors the longer it cooks.
- Add chocolate about 15-20 minutes before serving
- Serve and garnish with shredded cheese, sour cream, tortilla chips, avocado or fresh cilantro. Whatever you prefer!
- Enjoy!
This sounds absolutely incredible! I love chorizo and I bet it’s incredible in chili like this. I’ve just shown the recipe to my husband (we’re huge chili fans) and we’ve decided that we need to make it soon!