Chorizo Chicken Chili
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Spicy, smoky chili is a hearty meal in one bowl, made with chicken chorizo sausage (or your favorite meatless sausage) smoky spices and canned beans. This quick 30-minute recipe will nourish any day or night!
A bowl of this spicy, smoky chili (any kind of chili, really) will warm you up inside and out, any day of the week.
Like any great soup or stew, this chili recipe is a tasty one-pot meal you can garnish just the way you like. And It’s ready in about half an hour!
You can make it a day or two ahead of serving — it will taste even better — and it’s also easy to freeze.
Ingredients in chorizo chicken chili
Onion, peppers and garlic set the flavor base.- Smoky chipotle puree and ground spices.
- Chorizo sausage: I used chicken chorizo sausage, but you can swap it with sausage made with any meat you like, or even a meatless vegetarian chorizo.
- Spices: Ground cumin, coriander, smoked paprika and cayenne add bold flavor and smoky warmth to the chili.
- Canned chipotle in adobo sauce: These smoked jalapeno peppers give the chili a tasty kick and a little heat. They come packed in a tangy sauce made with tomato, garlic, vinegar and spices. If your chilies are packed whole, chop them up before adding to the chili.
- Onion, garlic, red bell pepper and jalapeno: These ingredients form the base of classic sofrito, which is the key to making a tasty chili.
- Beans: The creamy texture of white beans or pinto beans gives the chili a satisfying texture. You can use a mixture of navy beans (Great Northern beans) and pink pintos or all the same kind.
- Cheese: You can use mild cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese. I buy a chunk of cheese and grate it coarsely, but pre-shredded cheese works great too.
About chorizo sausage
Instead of using beef or other ground meat, I took a cue from the smoky flavor of Mexican chorizo sausage to make this chili.
I removed the seasoned meat from the casing and added lots of bold spices. Traditionally, Mexican-style chorizo is a raw sausage, as opposed to cured, dried Spanish-style chorizo. It’s made with pork and lots of seasoning.
Storage and freezing:
Make a pot of chili on a leisurely weekend and double the recipe if you have a hungry family or want leftovers for another meal.
- To store the chili, put it in a sealed container and refrigerate up to 1 week. Reheat on the stovetop with additional water or stock if it has thickened too much. Remember to check the seasoning if you do add more liquid, as it will dilute the flavor a bit.
- To freeze the chili, cool completely and pack into a freezer-proof container. Freeze up to 1 month. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator or using the defrost function on a microwave before reheating.
More 30-minute meals:
- Farro Risotto with White Beans
- Bowtie Pasta with Sausage and Broccolini
- Hot and Sour Pineapple Chicken
Chorizo Chicken Chili
Ingredients
Spice Blend
- 1 tablespoon (15 g) ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon (15 g) ground coriander
- 1 tablespoon (15 g) smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Chili
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 white or yellow onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 jalapeno pepper, chopped
- 1 pound (450 g) spicy chicken sausage, removed from the casing
- 2 tablespoons (30 g) tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons chopped chipotle chili in adobo sauce
- 3 15-ounce cans white navy beans or pinto beans, drained
- 1 ½ cups (375 ml) water
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
- 2 cups (225 g) grated cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
Garnish Ideas
- Sliced avocado
- Tortilla chips
- Sliced jalapeno
- Lime wedges
Instructions
Mix the spice blend
- Stir all the spices together in a small bowl.
Make the chili
- Heat the oil in a wide pot or Dutch oven. Add the onion, garlic, bell pepper and jalapeno and cook 3-5 minutes over medium heat, until the onion is softened.
- Add the chorizo to the pot. Cook until the meat is no longer pink, stirring frequently to break the meat into pieces.
- Stir in the ground spices. Let the spices cook in the oil for about a minute to bloom their flavor.
- Stir in the tomato paste, chipotle, beans, water and salt. Bring to a simmer. Turn down the heat to a gentle simmer, partially cover the pot and cook 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn off the heat and stir in the cilantro and 1 cup of the cheese.
- Serve the chili in bowls, topped with additional cheese and all the garnishes you enjoy.
Karen’s Notes and Tips
- To store the chili, put it in a sealed container and refrigerate up to 1 week. Reheat on the stovetop with additional water or stock if it has thickened too much. Remember to check the seasoning if you do add more liquid, as it will dilute the flavor a bit.
- To freeze the chili, cool completely and pack into a freezer container. Freeze up to 1 month. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator or using the defrost function on a microwave before reheating.
Nutrition
Nutrition facts are calculated by third-party software. If you have specific dietary needs, please refer to your favorite calculator.
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Hey, I’m Karen
Creator of Familystyle Food
I’m a food obsessed super-taster and professionally trained cook ALL about creating elevated dinners with everyday ingredients. Find simplified recipes made from scratch and enjoy incredibly tasty food! Read more about me here.
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OK, so I just made this tonight and my son declared it the best chili he has ever eaten! The complex flavors are fantastic; no further hot sauce required. I did need to add twice as much water as was called for but otherwise it was perfect.
Taina, that’s amazing! I know when my kids say they love a dish it’s a keeper.
And thank you for pointing out that you needed to add more water – there was a typo in the recipe and I’ve corrected it – should have been 1 1/2 cups, not 3/4 cup water.
this looks amaaaaazing! fabulous photography, too.