Beef and Chorizo Chili Recipe
This Beef and Chorizo Chili recipe has the most delicious twist – sweet potatoes! You’ll love this unique take on an American classic because, let’s face it, there’s nothing better than a big ole’ pot of chili!
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WHY YOU WILL LOVE THIS BEEF AND CHORIZO CHILI RECIPE
- Simple Ingredients – You’ll easily find everything at your local grocery store.
- Flavor Combination – There is a complex flavor combination unlike other chili recipes. The sweet from the sweet potatoes and the spicy from the chorizo is an excellent combination, especially if you like spicy food.
- One-Pot Dinner – This chili is made in one large dutch oven. Yes, it’s a one-pot chili with great flavor! Want to try more one-pot dinners? Try my One-Pot Chicken Fajita Skillet and Hamburger Green Bean Casserole.
- Family Favorite – The whole family will love this recipe when you add your favorite toppings. I recommend cheddar cheese, sour cream, green onions and tortilla chips.
INGREDIENTS AND SUBSTITUTIONS
- Olive Oil
- Onion – Add diced onions for a sweet and crunchy texture.
- Garlic
- Ground Beef – 80 / 20 is best for this recipe.
- Chorizo – Mexican chorizo is most often made ground pork, but it can be made with beef, chicken or turkey.
- Red Bell Pepper – Throw in some diced red bell peppers for a pop of color and flavor.
- Chili Powder
- Chipotle Chili Powder (Optional) – Spice up the chili by adding chipotle chili powder for an extra smoky flavor. I’ve also used a tablespoon of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce.
- Cumin
- Onion Powder
- Garlic Powder
- Salt & Black Pepper
- Diced Tomatoes, Tomato Paste, Tomato Sauce – These make the base of the chili.
- Green Chiles
- Diced Sweet Potato – The sweetness of the potatoes goes so well with the spice from the chorizo and chipotle chili powder.
- Water – Once all ingredients are combined, thin out your chili with water as needed to the desired consistency.
- Black Beans (Optional) – Lastly, add black beans if desired. They’ll make your chili even heartier!
HOW TO MAKE MEXICAN CHORIZO CHILI
STEP 1:
Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or large pot over medium-heat. Add cloves of garlic, diced onion and diced red bell pepper and cook over medium heat until the vegetables soften.
STEP 2:
Add ground beef and chorizo and cook, breaking apart the meat with a wooden spoon until no longer pink. Drain fat as needed, but remember that the fat gives flavor.
STEP 3:
Add spices, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, green chiles, diced sweet potato, and black beans.
STEP 4:
Add the water and simmer over medium-low heat for 30 minutes or until the sweet potatoes are cooked through.
STEP 5:
Serve immediately with your favorite toppings.
WAYS TO SERVE THIS CHIPOTLE CHILI RECIPE
- Serve it over a bed of rice or couscous.
- Use it as a topping for tacos, nachos, or quesadillas.
- Turn it into a dip.
- Make a big batch of chili and save the leftover chili for chili dogs.
- Add this Mexican-style chorizo chili to a baked potato or potato skins.
SLOW COOKER DIRECTIONS
You’ll follow the same instructions for cooking the chili in a slow cooker, except you will add all the ingredients to the slow cooker after you have sauteed the vegetables and cooked the meat.
Once all the ingredients are in the slow cooker, place the lid, turn it to low and wait 5 – 6 hours until the sweet potatoes are soft.
WANT TO STORE THIS CHILI RECIPE FOR LATER? HERE’S HOW:
Fridge: The best way to store beef and chorizo chili for the next day is to let it cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container and storing it in the refrigerator.
It will last up to 5 days in the fridge when stored properly.
Do you like to meal prep? Store the soup in individual servings for quick and easy lunches and dinners all week long.
Freeze: To freeze leftover chili, it should be transferred to an airtight container or freezer-safe bag after it has cooled completely. The chili will last for six months in the freezer.
Thaw: Be sure to thaw completely before rewarming on the stovetop or in the microwave.
FAQ
Because green chilies are generally milder in flavor than jalapenos, I prefer them in this chili recipe. You can substitute two tablespoons of diced jalapenos for the green chilies.
The best toppings for chili are cheese, sour cream, green onion, jalapenos and tortilla chips or crackers.
Sweet potatoes, rice, quinoa, multi-colored bell peppers and zucchini are all good substitutes for beans in chili.
To freeze leftover chili, it should be transferred to an airtight container or freezer safe bag after it has cooled completely. The chili will last for six months in the freezer.
What to serve with chorizo chili
You’ll love serving garlic bread with this chili or a simple salad or honestly we love serving this with crackers or tortilla chips.
TIPS FOR MAKING THIS CHORIZO CHILI RECIPE
- Feel free to add more vegetables such as corn, bell peppers or carrots for an extra boost of vitamins and minerals.
- If you like a thicker chili, add another can of diced tomatoes with their juice or tomato paste.
- Do you like it hot? Add some heat by stirring in cayenne pepper powder or chopped jalapenos.
- Substitute chicken chorizo as a lower sodium option.
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Beef and Chorizo Chili Recipe
Equipment
- Cast Iron Covered Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 small Onion Diced
- 2 cloves Minced Garlic
- 1 cup Red Bell Pepper Diced
- 1 lb Ground Beef
- 1 lb Chorizo
- 4 tsp Chili Powder
- 2 tsp Chipotle Chili Powder Optional
- 2 tsp Cumin
- 2 tsp Onion Powder
- 2 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Black Pepper
- 2 15 oz Diced Tomatoes
- 2 tbsp Tomato Paste
- 2 15 oz Tomato Sauce
- 2 4 oz Green Chiles
- 4 cups Diced Sweet Potato
- 1 15 oz Black Beans Optional
- 1 cup Water
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or stock pot, add olive oil, garlic, diced onion and diced red pepper and cook over medium heat until the vegetables soften.1 tbsp Olive Oil, 1 small Onion, 1 cup Red Bell Pepper, 2 cloves Minced Garlic
- Add ground beef and chorizo and cook, breaking apart the meat with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink.1 lb Ground Beef, 1 lb Chorizo
- Add spices, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, green chiles, diced sweet potato, and black beans.4 tsp Chili Powder, 2 tsp Chipotle Chili Powder, 2 tsp Cumin, 2 tsp Onion Powder, 2 tsp Garlic Powder, 1 tsp Salt, 1 tsp Black Pepper, 2 15 oz Diced Tomatoes, 2 tbsp Tomato Paste, 2 15 oz Tomato Sauce, 2 4 oz Green Chiles, 4 cups Diced Sweet Potato, 1 15 oz Black Beans
- Add the water and simmer over medium-low heat for 30 minutes or until the sweet potatoes are cooked through.1 cup Water
- Serve immediately with your favorite toppings.
- ★ Did you make this recipe? Don't forget to give it a star rating below!
Notes
- Feel free to add more vegetables such as corn, bell peppers or carrots for an extra boost of vitamins and minerals.
- If you like a thicker chili, add another can of diced tomatoes with their juice or tomato paste.
- If you’d like to add some heat, stir in some cayenne pepper powder or chopped jalapenos.
Chili is the perfect comfort food at any time and your recipe with both beef and chorizo sounds fabulous. All the spices in this dish are over-the-top yummy and I love that you added diced sweet potatoes. BTW, I love all of your photos. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you Kristy! This recipe was so fun to shoot!
Love this, I would have never thought to put sweet potatoes in chili, but this was fantastic!!
Potatoes do not belong in chili.
I completely understand your hesitation, but I am a huge fan of sweet and spicy together. Let me know if you change your mind and decide to make it. Have a great day!