When you’re in the mood for hearty, comfort food like Chorizo Chili, look no further than this easy recipe. It’s loaded with spicy chorizo sausage, smoky roasted poblano peppers (or Anaheim peppers), tender pinto beans and sweet corn.
It’s so thick, your spoon will stand up in it! Then it's piled high with cheddar cheese, fresh tomato and avocado, sour cream, cilantro (and maybe a squeeze of fresh lime juice): the ultimate bowl of chili.
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What makes this recipe so simple.
When you read this recipe, your first thought may be that it's too simple - you'll need very little prep time. You might expect the recipe to begin with a large onion and other aromatics and spices like oregano and cumin. Instead this recipe depends on great quality chorizo sausage, smoked paprika, and chili powder - simple ingredients that come together to make a knock-out chili!
A lot of chili recipes are too tangy for me, more about the tomatoes than the other ingredients. This is the opposite. There are tomatoes, but instead of using diced tomatoes (which can have calcium chloride to help them hold their shape, but can also make them tough), tomato sauce or tomato paste, these are crushed and fire roasted, adding a sultry smokiness instead of tang. Mexican chorizo, creamy beans and sweet corn are the stand-out flavors.
How to Roast Peppers (optional)
I mentioned that there is very little prep, but there are a couple of things you can do to make this chili even better with very little effort: roast your own peppers and cook your own dry beans.
You can buy canned, roasted green chilies, but for the best flavor and texture roast your own. It's as simple as arranging whole Anaheim or Poblano peppers on a baking sheet and roasting until they are tender and blistered. Then let them steam for a few minutes in a covered bowl. They'll be a cinch to peel and worth the effort.
How to Cook Dry Beans (optional)
I also recommend cooking your own pinto beans in lieu of canned beans (you can also use kidney beans or black beans if you prefer). The texture and flavor of home-cooked beans is far superior to canned and they’re simple to make. (I make them in a slow cooker using the salt soak method as I do in my Slow Cooker Pinto Beans, Tuscan White Bean Soup, White Chicken Chili, and White Bean Turkey Chili - and they freeze beautifully.)
The method is simple: soak dry beans overnight in a ratio of 1 pound of dry beans to 6 cups of water and 1 tablespoon of fine sea salt. The next day, give them a quick rinse and cover them by 1-inch in a slow cooker. Then cook on low until tender, creamy and flavorful. The idea that salt soaking causes beans to be tough is a myth - try this method once and you'll be a believer!
A Note on Chorizo
Take care when choosing your chorizo as it will be the primary flavor in this chili. And if you can't find bulk Mexican chorizo, buy it in sausage form and remove the casings. Just make sure that the meat is raw. Also note that the heat of your chorizo will determine how spicy your chili is, so choose it with care. And if you want to add some heat, sliced jalapeños or a few dashes of chipotle sauce are great choices.
Serve With
My two favorite cornbreads make the perfect pair for this chili, Skillet Cornbread and Mexican Cornbread!
How to Make Chorizo Chili
Step 1: Roast Anaheim or Poblano peppers until charred. Cover and let steam 15 minutes, then peel, seed, and chop.
Step 2: Brown chorizo sausage, then add beans, crushed tomatoes, smoked paprika, and chili powder. Stir and let simmer 15 to 20 minutes.
Step 3: Add roasted peppers and corn; stir until heated through. Ladle into bowls and serve with your favorite toppings.
Recipe Video
Chorizo Chili
Ingredients
- 6 poblano peppers or Anaheim peppers
- 1 pound ground Mexican chorizo sausage uncooked (recipe note #1)
- 2 15-ounce cans crushed tomatoes ideally fire roasted
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 3 cups cooked pinto beans or 2 15-ounce cans, drained
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 cup frozen sweet corn or fresh corn kernels from 2 ears of corn
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Toppings
- shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- sour cream
- diced avocado
- diced fresh tomato
- chopped fresh cilantro
- thinly sliced jalapeño
- chipotle hot pepper sauce
- lime wedges
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees °F.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange the whole poblano peppers in a single layer.
- Roast peppers until skin is dark and crinkled, 20-25 minutes.
- Remove from oven; transfer to bowl and cover. Let steam 15 minutes. When cool enough to handle, remove stems, skin and seeds. Coarsely chop. (recipe note #2)
- In the meantime, heat a soup pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Add chorizo, using a spoon to break it up; cook and stir until lightly browned (add a little olive oil if your chorizo is very lean).
- Stir in pinto beans, tomatoes with juice, chili powder and paprika. Stir and bring to boil.
- Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 to 20 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (I typically don't need to add more seasoning.)
- Stir in roasted peppers and corn; cook and stir until heated through.
- Serve piled high with your favorite toppings.
Notes
- If you can't find bulk Mexican chorizo sausage, look for raw chorizo sausages and remove the casing.
- The easiest way to chop the skinned and seeded roasted peppers is to pile them in a stack then chop into bite size pieces. (see video for a visual tutorial)
- Note that nutrition facts do not include toppings.
Made this for dinner last night. Amazing! Smoky and spicy and came together so quick and easy. Definitely a recipe I will be making again.
I love to hear that, Mary! Thank you for coming back to let me know.
So when do you add the peppers?
Thank you for catching that, Della! (Recipe instructions corrected.) You stir the peppers in along with the corn just after you've let the chili simmer (step 7). They just need to be heated through, then the chili is ready to serve.
This looks amazing!! And the spicier the better, I say!! Pinned!
Thanks so much, Annie!
I rarely enjoy chili as I am not a huge fan of spicy food. But I must admit this recipe looks and sounds very appetizing. Love the addition of chorizo and smoked paprika. With some cornbread (Your skillet cornbread has been on my list for a long time.), thus must be so delicious!
Yes, cornbread is a must! 😉 Thanks, Ben!
We just had chorizo yesterday and talked about how much we like it! This chili looks fantastic - I love that you grilled the peppers too! Extra spice for me, please!
So good, right? Thank you, Katherine!
Mmmmm.....the chorizo must impart an amazing flavor!!! Your recipe will definitely influence my next batch of chili!
Yay! I hope you'll give it a try, Liz!
Mmmmmmm. Beautiful. I love grilling peppers. Fortunately, living in Oklahoma, I can get a wonderful variety of fresh chile peppers. And they grow well here. I use them a lot.
I bet you make some wonderful things with fresh chile peppers, Mimi!
Delicious combination of ingredients for a chili Marissa. So cozy and hearty. Bet everyone in our house would love it!
I hope you'll give it a try, Mary Ann!
Can you tell me what raw chorizo is? The only chorizo I see in the deli section of the supermarket (my only choice except for one butcher) seems to be ready to eat so it is obviously cooked. My butcher does sell a pork sausage he calls chorizo; he told me it is just a matter of seasoning. Is this what you mean?
Hi there, Miriam! Yes, the pork chorizo sausage that your butcher sells is what you want for this chili. The two main types of chorizo sausage are Mexican and Spanish. Mexican chorizo is a spicy blend of fresh ground pork, chiles and spices. Spanish chorizo is made of smoked pork that's cured and flavored primarily with smoked paprika, a hard sausage that can be sliced. (So the one you're seeing in the deli section is Spanish chorizo.)
I love chili thick like that too...and chorizo adds so much flavour! We've had more snow just this past weekend so I'm still in need of all the comfort food! A big bowl of this would just hit the spot 🙂
More snow!? Come on spring!! 😉 Yes, you definitely need some of this chili.
"Sultry smokiness"? Now you've got my attention! You know I love my smoked meats, so the thought of a smoky chili loaded with chorizo sounds like my kinda meal. I love chorizo! I also love chili. This is a match made in heaven for sure! Oh, and I hear ya about roasting your own poblanos!
I thought you might like this one, David! 🙂
Marissa, the flavor combination in this chili is so brilliant. The chorizo + the roasted peppers is what lured me in. And perfect for this time of year. Love it. 🙂 ~Valentina
Thank you, Valentina!
I am totally digging this chili, Marissa!! I absolutely love the spicy and smoky flavors happening here!!! All I need is a big 'ole bowl of this and some of your Mexican cornbread and I'd be eating like a queen!!! I'm drooling just thinking about it! Definitely adding this to my "must make" list!!
Woohoo! I hope you love it, Cheyanne!
Hi Marissa - I came across your sight by accident and I am hooked. All your recipes are remarkable. I was wondering if you have ever made a Thai chicken with pineapple coconut fried rice.
Hi Gina! Thanks so much for the kind words. No, I haven't made the fried rice you mentioned, but it sounds delicious!
I agree about taking care with choosing chorizo. Some are amazing while others can be very average. What a mouth watering dish Marissa! 😀
Thanks so much, Lorraine!
I love your chili, it looks and sounds delicious. I like the chorizo sausage and the poblano peppers in this.
Thanks, Dawn!
Is it Mexican chorizo or Spanish chorizo.
Hi Yolanda - Mexican chorizo. Thanks for asking, I've noted it in the recipe now as well.