Spicy Chorizo Chili
Spice up your chili routine with this thick and hearty Chorizo Chili! This easy one-pot recipe is bursting with spicy chorizo sausage, smoky spices and the sweetness of sweet potato. It’s a comforting dinner that’s great for meal prep!
Do you ever prepare food knowing that you’re the only one that will like it?
I enjoy spicy food but my family doesn’t, so when I make my stuffed poblano peppers and Instant Pot chicken wings with buffalo sauce, I know it will be up to me to eat most of it.
Honestly, I’m totally fine with that. 🙂
This Spicy Chorizo Chili is another example of a dish that I make just for me. The chorizo sausage has a nice kick and plenty of flavor, which will elevate any bowl of chili.
The sweetness of cubed sweet potato pairs beautifully with the smoky flavor of the sausage and warm spice flavors as well.
It’s a delicious twist on my typical ground chicken chili, and serving it with honey cornbread muffins is an absolute must!
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Chorizo chili is a delicious twist on the classic! Spicy chorizo is complemented with the sweetness of sweet potato, hearty beans, warm spices and a touch of maple syrup.
- It’s an easy one pot dinner that’s perfect for chilly evenings.
- It’s great for meal prep as it tastes better over time, and it’s freezer friendly.
Recipe ingredients
You’ll need quite a few ingredients to make this spicy chili with chorizo, but they’re all important to develop layers of flavor.
It’s got plenty of smoky, spicy flavor from the fire roasted tomatoes and chili powder, with sweetness from sweet potato and maple syrup to balance everything out.
- Chorizo. There are two types of chorizo sausage on the market. Mexican chorizo is either ground or in sausage links, and is typically made with pork and labeled mild or hot. Spanish chorizo is a hard, cured sausage similar to salami. I recommend using Mexican chorizo in this recipe.
- Sweet potato. I added sweet potato to this recipe for sweetness as well as color. It may be substituted with kabocha squash, butternut squash, or omitted altogether.
- Poblano pepper. I grow poblano peppers in my garden and freeze them to use in recipes like this. You can substitute it with your favorite chili pepper or omit it.
- Maple syrup. The sweetness in the maple syrup balances out the smoky, spicy flavors incredibly well. If you’re watching your sugar intake, it’s totally fine to leave it out.
- Spices. For this chili recipe, I used a blend of chili powder, smoked paprika, ground cumin, salt, and pepper.
- Beans. I prefer making my chorizo chili with both black beans and kidney beans. You may use just one or the other, if preferred.
- Tomato paste. Adds a concentrated tomato flavor that makes the chili taste like it’s been simmering for hours.
- Fire roasted diced tomatoes. Do not add spice, just a gorgeous smoky flavor.
See the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and quantities.
How to make chili with chorizo
This chorizo and bean chili recipe is extremely easy to make, and may even be made a few days in advance to eat throughout the week.
Pro tip: Prep your vegetables in advance to make meal prep even quicker for those busy weeknights!
See the recipe card below for full instructions.
- Sauté the onion until softened in an oiled and preheated Dutch oven. Add the chorizo to the pan and cook until no longer pink.
- Add the garlic and spices, then the sweet potato and poblano pepper.
- Add the tomato paste, diced tomatoes, and chicken stock. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium low and add the beans, maple syrup, salt and pepper.
- Simmer for 20-25 minutes until the sweet potatoes are tender. Stir in the cilantro and lime juice before serving.
Recipe FAQs
Chorizo is typically made with highly seasoned pork. This sausage is spicy, and used in Spanish and Mexican cuisines.
You’ll want to use Mexican chorizo sausage, which is sold ground in 1- to 1.5-pound packages, or in packages containing 5 links.
Do not use Spanish chorizo, which is cured and sold with other cured meats such as salami.
Chorizo is spicy, so it’s nice to pair it with smoky, sweet flavors and a touch of acidity. This chorizo chili includes smoked paprika, sweet potato, maple syrup and lime juice, which balances all of the flavors perfectly.
Your chili will be watery if it has not cooked long enough. Be sure to cook it with the lid off in order for the liquid to evaporate.
Normally chili will be nice and thick after it simmers for 20-25 minutes, but if it hasn’t, add a thickener such as tomato paste and continue to simmer until it reaches the desired consistency.
Serving suggestions
A slice of cornbread or a fresh side salad is all you need to round out your meal.
- Pair your bowl of chili with a slice of skillet cornbread or honey cornbread muffins.
- Quickly toss together a butter lettuce salad or massaged kale salad for serving on the side.
- Garnish your bowl of chili with a lime wedge, fresh cilantro, shredded cheese, and / or sour cream.
Recipe notes
- Pro tip: Veggies may be prepped ahead to make this meal go even quicker, and the chili may be made up to a day or 2 in advance. It’s also freezer friendly!
- If the chili is a bit thick for your liking, add about 1/2 cup more stock.
- The sweet potato may be substituted with butternut squash, kabocha squash or omitted altogether.
Did you try this recipe? If so, be sure to leave a review below and tag me @flavorthemoments on Facebook and Instagram
Spicy Chorizo Chili
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 lb. Mexican chorizo sausage mild or spicy, ground or links with casings removed
- 1 small onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 small sweet potato peeled and cut into 1/2" pieces
- 1 large poblano pepper stemmed, seeded and chopped
- 4 ounces tomato paste
- 14 ounces fire roasted diced tomatoes
- 3 cups homemade chicken stock or low sodium store bought
- 15 ounces black beans rinsed and drained
- 15 ounces kidney beans rinsed and drained
- 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper plus more to taste
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro plus more for serving (optional)
- 1 lime juiced, plus more for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Heat the oil over medium heat in a large sauté pan or Dutch oven. Add the onion and cook for 3 minutes or until softened. Add the chorizo to the pan and break up into pieces with a wooden spoon and cook 5 minutes or until no longer pink.1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, 1 lb. Mexican chorizo sausage, 1 small onion
- Add the garlic and spices and cook for 30 seconds, then add the sweet potato and poblano pepper and cook for 1 minute longer.3 cloves garlic, 2 tablespoons chili powder, 2 teaspoons smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 small sweet potato, 1 large poblano pepper
- Add the tomato paste, diced tomatoes, and chicken stock and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium low and add the beans, maple syrup, salt and pepper.4 ounces tomato paste, 14 ounces fire roasted diced tomatoes, 3 cups homemade chicken stock, 15 ounces black beans, 15 ounces kidney beans, 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- Simmer the chili for 20-25 minutes until the sweet potatoes are tender and the chili has thickened. Remove from heat and stir in the cilantro and lime juice, and adjust the seasoning as necessary. Serve with additional cilantro and lime if desired and enjoy!1/4 cup chopped cilantro, 1 lime
Notes
- Pro tip: Veggies may be prepped ahead to make this meal go even quicker, and the chili may be made up to a day or 2 in advance. It’s also freezer friendly!
- If the chili is a bit thick for your liking, add about 1/2 cup more stock.
- The sweet potato may be substituted with butternut squash, kabocha squash or omitted altogether.
- Store in chorizo chili in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.
42 Comments on “Spicy Chorizo Chili”
I have replaced my own recipe with this one and it is a staple in my household. I have served to several guests and they always ask for the recipe.
I modified it a bit to my liking, but love the spicy and sweet combo!
I skip the chili powder all together and use the jalapeno el pato tomato sauce instead but only about 3/4 of a can. Also I use half cumin and paprika amounts and 3 tablespoons of maple syrup. Putting sweet potato in my chili seemed so odd but now I can’t eat it without it! Thank you so much for this incredible recipe!
Thank you so much for your feedback Kayla, and I’m so happy to hear that this chili has been a hit! I really appreciate you leaving a review as well! 🙂
This chili is so delicious and pretty easy to make. No changes needed. Pair it with some cornbread for the perfect quick & easy dinner.
Thank you for your review Barbara and I agree with you on serving the chili with cornbread!
This chili is outstanding! I used white flesh sweet potatoes because its what I had. Absolutely delicious!
I’m so glad you liked it Bridgette and thank you for leaving your review! 🙂
Do you use Spanish chorizo or Mexican chorizo?
Definitely trying this, though I’m allergic to tomatoes so I’ll have to leave those out!
Hi Kal — you can use your favorite chorizo! Maybe try subbing the tomatoes for red bell pepper too. 🙂
By watching your post, I almost can imagine your enthusiasm in every dish. And I think that’s the main reason for the perfection of recipes you’ve shared. I also like the way you took pictures. You know, the dish looks very tasty and attractive in your photos. Thank you for inspiring me to cook!!!!!
Thank you, Sabrina!
Urgh, I replied to this post and as soon as I pressed enter, the internet went off and the comment never made it! :/ Anyway this looks so comforting and delicious! And I sometimes cook for me, not a bad thing actually! 😉
Ah, sorry about the comment — I hate when that happens! Thank you Manali and cooking for ourselves is not a bad thing! 🙂
haha I totally make meals that are geared toward me all the time! Thankfully the husband is a good sport about it – at the very least he’s getting a home cooked meal 🙂 This chili sounds soooo good! I love spicy food so I’d be all over this!
You can never complain about a home cooked meal right? 🙂 Thanks, Ashley!