Beef and Chorizo Chili is the perfect one pot meal for chilly fall nights. I caved and turned my heat on this week, so I am officially in fall food mode. Nothing says fall quite like a pot of chili. I’ve been tweaking my recipe for ages, and finally perfected it. Chili is one of those foods that people have strong feelings about. If you ask a Texan beans in chili are blasphemy. Midwesterners gravitate towards a Cincinnati style chili, served on a bed of noodles.
I grew up in the South, so noodles in chili aren’t my cup of tea. I’m not opposed to beans in chili either. I grew up eating chili with a side of cornbread, and some cheese on top. I played with chili recipes for years until I got to this one. I’ve made them with beer, I’ve made them with every spice under the sun. I’ve made chili with no beans, and ever bean under the sun. Different types of peppers, you name it. I finally got to this one, and knew I had nailed it.
Ingredients for Beef and Chorizo Chili
- Ground Chuck – Ground chuck has a beefier flavor, and is leaner than ground beef.
- Ground Chorizo- Chorizo is a spicy sausage, I use the Mexican version over spanish chorizo
- Ancho Chile Powder- Ancho chili powder does the heavy lifting here. It’s made from one type of pepper and is spicier than regular chili powder
- Beef Broth- Beef broth provides a better depth of flavor than water.
- Rotel- Normally used in dips, it does a lot of heavy lifting flavor wise in this chili
How To Make Beef and Chorizo Chili
Gather your ingredients
Heat a large dutch oven or heavy bottomed pot on medium heat. Add olive oil and ground chuck.
Break up beef with spoon, and cook until almost brown, about 5-8 minutes.
Add ground chorizo to pot, and continue to cook until brown and crispy.
Add bell peppers, onions, and garlic to meat mixture. Cook until soft, about 5 minutes.
Add spices and tomato paste to pot. Cook for a few minutes until tomato paste has started to brown.
Add Rotel, fire roasted tomatoes, beans, beef broth, and water to pot. Give it a good stir.
Bring chili to a simmer, and lower the heat. Cook for at least 30 minutes. Chili will thicken and reduce in volume. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed, Serve immediately.
How To Serve Chili
- Cornbread- I‘m a southern girl, so cornbread is always my go to with chili.
- Cheddar Cheese- The tang of sharp cheddar helps balance out the spice of the chili.
- Sour Cream- Chili adds some tang and a cool contrast to the chili.
- Tortilla Chips- If you like a bit of crunch, crumble some chips on top.
- Diced Onion – Finely diced onion adds a bit of bite to the chili.
- Avocado – Not super traditional, but adds a bit of contrast to the richness of the chili
If you make this dish tag me @lifeskandy and share!
Beef & Chorizo Chili
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground chuck
- 1 lb ground Chorizo
- 3 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1 onion chopped
- 1 Bell pepper chopped
- 5 cloves garlic finely minced
- 1 can rotel
- 1 can fire-roasted tomatoes
- 1 can mild chili beans
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 cup water
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 3 tbsp ancho chili powder
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Heat a large dutch oven or heavy bottomed pot on medium high heat.
- Add olive oil to pot.
- Add ground beef and cook until almost browned thru; about 5-8 minutes.
- Add chorizo to pot and cook until brown and crispy.
- Add chopped onions and bell peppers and give the pot a stir. Add a pinch of salt and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Veggies wil be translucent but not cooked all the way through.
- Add garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds, until fragrant.
- Stir in salt, pepper, chili powder, cumin, and coriander. Stir in tomato paste and cook for a few minutes, until paste has started to brown slightly.
- Add rotel, fire roasted tomatoes, beef broth, and water. Stir until combined.
- Allow pot to come to a simmer and then reduce heat. Let simmer for at least 30 minutes. Chili will cook down slightly and thicken.
- Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve immediately.
Notes
- To bulk up this recipe for a crowd, add an additional 1-2 cans of beans.
- The longer the chili cooks, the better it will taste.
- For a less spicy version, use 2 Tbsp of ancho chili powder instead of 3.
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