Chicken Chorizo Chili makes one of the best chorizo chili recipes with tender chunks of chicken, a spicy red sauce, beans and secret ingredient spices. This super easy chorizo chili recipe can be made on the stove top or Instant Pot!
Scroll down to read how to win a chili cook-off with this AWARD WINNING CHILI!
If you are looking for the perfect chorizo recipe Chicken and Chorizo Chili is known to garner some attention. It was the winning contender in a neighborhood chili cook-off.
May not sound like much to boast about, but competition was fierce.
Among the entrants was my good friend, seen below. He wrongly assumed if he showed up with a ChiliChamp T-shirt and drank beers from his previous year’s trophy, he’d secure the hardware again.
Obviously there were no hard feelings when I clenched the title. We passed the symbolic Chili Torch with a toast.
The point of sharing this chicken chorizo soup recipe isn’t to toot my own horn (insert tiny toot). I wanted to share how much forethought went into making my (WINNING!) chili.
I may or may not have gotten some carpal tunnel researching spices, techniques, flavor profiles, and ingredients online. Since I went through all the trouble, jump to the bottom of the post for a crash course in…HOW TO WIN A CHILI COOK OFF!
What Is Chorizo?
Quite simply chorizo is a type of spicy sausage. But not all chorizo is created the same. Epicurious gives some great basic tips about using it if this is your first chorizo recipe.
Basically, though, use chorizo like you would any other sausage. There is one important difference, though! Mexican chorizo has a casing that must be removed before using.
Similar to different types of pork sausage, there are different versions of chorizo. Mexican chorizo is fresh sausage that needs to be cooked. Spanish chorizo is cured, similar to salami, and uses different spices.
Some people even make homemade chorizo using meat grinders, pork, and their own unique mixture of spices.
What Can I Substitute for the Chorizo?
If you don’t like chorizo or cannot get it, spicy Italian sausage may be substituted. Remove the casings and saute, breaking up with a spoon.
Alternatively, make a red chicken chili by leaving out the sausage all together. You may want to add an additional 1/2-1 pound of chicken in its place.
How to Make Chorizo Chili Recipe
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- Remove the casings from the chorizo by cutting a slit across the top lengthwise.
- Sauté the uncased chorizo until cooked through. Remove the chorizo from the pan and set aside.
- Cook the bell peppers, onion in the chorizo drippings. Add the spices and cook a minute longer.
- Add chorizo, chicken thighs, tomatoes, broth, and cooked chorizo back to the pot with peppers, onions, and garlic.
- Bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer uncovered. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 1/2-2 hours, or until chicken is very tender.
- Add the beans and tomato paste to thicken. Serve with fresh cilantro, sour cream, shredded cheese, and lime wedges.
Instant Pot Chorizo Recipe
If you love easy recipes in the pressure cooker, try this version for quick meal!
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Press SAUTE to heat pressure cooker. Add chorizo and cook through. Remove to a bowl and set aside.
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Add red peppers and onions to the pot. Saute until they begin to soften. Add garlic and saute 30 seconds longer.
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Add spices to the peppers and onions. Cook and stir for 30 seconds. Add chorizo, chicken thighs, chicken broth, and tomatoes to the pot. Ccook at HIGH pressure for 12 minutes. Let pressure naturally release for 5 minutes, then let out remaining pressure.
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Open lid and add beans, tomato paste, salt, and pepper to the chili. Stir until tomato paste mixes in smoothly. Season with a little cayenne pepper if you like it spicier. Serve with desired toppings.
Tips for Making Chicken Chorizo Chili
- Craving a ground beef and chorizo chili? Simply saute the ground beef with chorizo.
- Serve with shredded cheese, avocado, tortilla chips, fresh cilantro, sour cream, and lime wedges. A squeeze of lime juice compliments the flavors perfectly in this chicken and chorizo recipe!
- Use fire roasted tomatoes for best flavor, but diced tomatoes may be substituted.
- Chicken and Chorizo Chili recipe calls for red kidney beans and cannellini, which are white kidney beans. Any preferred bean may be used, such as black beans or pinto beans.
- Substitute spicy Italian sausage for the chorizo or replace the sausage with additional chicken.
- Chicken breasts may be used instead of chicken thighs.
Click here to see the
step-by-step web story instructions for this recipe!
More Award Winning Chili Recipes!
Buffalo Chicken Chili has the perfect amount of spice, a smooth creamy base, lots of tender chicken, and takes only 10 minutes to prepare.
Pork Chili is a smoky chili with savory, sweet and spicy chili flavors combining pulled pork, apples, chipotles, and pumpkin.
SAVE THIS CHORIZO CHICKEN CHILI TO YOUR PINTEREST BOARD!
And let’s be friends on Pinterest! I’m always sharing great recipes!
Chicken Chorizo Chili
Ingredients
Chili:
- 3/4 pound chorizo sausage, casing removed
- 2 pounds boneless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut in large chunks
- 1 teaspoon salt, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper, divided
- 3 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1/2 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa
- 1/2 tablespoon (heaping) brown sugar
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 28 ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, with juice
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 15 ounce can white kidney beans (also known as cannellini beans), drained and rinsed
- 15 ounce can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 6 ounce can tomato paste
Lime Cilantro Sour Cream:
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 tablespoon finely grated lime zest, about 1 lime
- 2 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
- TOPPINGS: lime wedges, cheddar cheese, fresh cilantro, avocado, Fritos or tortilla chips
Instructions
STOVE TOP
- Mix the chili powder, cumin, unsweetened cocoa, and brown sugar together in a small bowl; set aside.
- Heat a Dutch oven or a large pot over medium-high heat. Add chorizo, cook and stir, breaking up with spoon until cooked through, about 4 minutes. Remove chorizo to a bowl.
- Season chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and add to the oil and drippings to brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. It does not have to be cooked through because it will simmer and cook through later. Remove and add to the bowl with the chorizo.
- Add a splash of olive oil, if necessary, and sauté onions and peppers in the pot for 4 minutes, or until they begin to soften. Add the chopped garlic and saute for a 30 seconds more. Add the mixed spices to the onion, pepper, garlic mixture and sauté for and additional 30 seconds.
- Add 1 cup of the chicken broth, scraping bottom of pan to loosen bits and pieces at bottom of pot. Add remaining chicken broth, fire roasted tomatoes, chorizo, and chicken to the pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 1 1/2 - 2 hours, or until chicken is tender and falls apart easily.
- Add the beans, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper and tomato paste to the pot. Season with a little cayenne pepper if you like it spicier.
INSTANT POT
- Press SAUTE to heat pressure cooker. Add chorizo and cook for 5 minutes, or until cooked through. Remove to a bowl and set aside.
- Add red peppers and onions to the pot. Saute until they begin to soften, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and saute 30 seconds longer.
- Add chili powder, cumin, unsweetened cocoa, and brown sugar to the peppers and onions. Cook and stir for 30 seconds. Add chorizo, chicken thighs, chicken broth, and tomatoes to the pot. (Leave out beans and tomato paste for now). Secure lid, seal valve, and cook at HIGH pressure for 12 minutes. Let pressure naturally release for 5 minutes, then let out remaining pressure.
- Open lid and add beans, tomato paste, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper to the chili. Stir until tomato paste mixes in smoothly. Season with a little cayenne pepper if you like it spicier. Serve with desired toppings.
Lime Cilantro Sour Cream
- Mix together all the ingredients. Add salt to taste. Serve chili with desired toppings.
❉DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?? DON'T FORGET TO LEAVE FEEDBACK AND/OR CLICK A STAR RATING ON THE RECIPE CARD!❉
Recipe Notes
Tips for Making Chicken Chorizo Chili
- Craving a ground beef and chorizo chili? Simply saute the ground beef with chorizo.
- Serve with shredded cheese, avocado, tortilla chips, fresh cilantro, sour cream, and lime wedges. A squeeze of lime juice compliments the flavors perfectly in this chicken and chorizo recipe!
- Use fire roasted tomatoes for best flavor, but diced tomatoes may be substituted.
- Chicken and Chorizo Chili recipe calls for red kidney beans and cannellini, which are white kidney beans. Any preferred bean may be used, such as black beans or pinto beans.
- Substitute spicy Italian sausage for the chorizo or replace the sausage with additional chicken.
- Chicken breasts may be used instead of chicken thighs.
Nutrition
HOW TO WIN A CHILI COOK OFF
(or just make a bomb-diggity chili)
1. Put some Flavor in your Flave.
Add a little something unexpected to elevate the taste, but not overwhelm it.
Two staple ingredients I usually add are unsweetened cocoa powder and brown sugar, which are used in red chicken chili.
Some other good additives are strong coffee, chipotles in adobo, beer, red wine, cinnamon, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, canned pumpkin, smoked paprika, balsamic vinegar, ancho chili powder, nutmeg, peanut butter, or coriander.
2. Release the meteor.
Sautéing spices with a little fat is essential for releasing more flavor. After the meat sears and veggies cooked, add the spices to cook for a minute before adding the liquid.
3. If you can’t take the heat, don’t tickle the dragon.
You have to go big, or at least bigger, on the spice if you want to secure a win.
Chili should be spicy. If spice is missing you have spent a lot of time simmering a complex pot of soup.
Tying into tip #1, use something unconventional for spiciness. Try ancho chili powder, freshly ground dried chiles, chipotles in adobo, sriracha, or spicy meat such as chorizo.
4. There’s something different about you…
If you want to stick with ground beef, try adding a little pizazz to go along with it. Chorizo, breakfast sausage, or Italian sausage make great additions.
Generally combine two proteins, which could be bacon, steak, brisket, short ribs, ground pork, or chicken thighs.
5. Patience. Learn, you must.
Chili is not something you can rush because it needs a long time to simmer and meld the flavors.
I’m sure you’ve heard low and slow a thousand times, but there is a very important step a lot of great chili recipes fail to mention…make it the day before!
This is a great secret weapon, but use it wisely.
Beans, rice, or potatoes will absorb liquid. Add those while warming it up the next day, which is also a good time to make any other spice adjustments.
6. Throw out those jazz hands.
You’ve put a lot of time and effort into this dish, now make sure you give it some flare. Put some thought into the chili toppings.
A sharp cheddar, monterey jack, queso fresco, or pepper jack are some great cheese choices.
Add something fresh and light to offset the spiciness, such as fresh cilantro, scallions, avocado, or some freshly squeezed lime.
The Lime Cilantro Sour Cream I use for this recipe and my Sweet and Spicy Tacos, is really worth the five extra minutes of effort, trust me. Of course, don’t forget those Fritos or crushed tortilla chips.
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Lisa Wilkinson says
Is 3 Tablespoons of Chili powder and 1 Tablespoon of Cumin accurate?
Melissa says
Hi Lisa,
Yes, thanks for checking, but that is correct!
Best,
Melissa
Dremammrket says
Valuable information. Fortunate me I discovered your website by chance, and I’m shocked why this twist of fate did not took place earlier! I bookmarked it.
Hannah Flack says
This looks delicious, and I appreciate all your helpful notes and tips! Bookmarking for this weekend 🙂
Tamara KSA says
Excellent read, I just passed this onto a friend who was doing a little research on that. And he actually bought me lunch since I found it for him to smile So let me rephrase that: Thanks for lunch!
Anonymous says
can you use ground chorizo or is the italian sausage a better substitute?
Melissa says
Ground chorizo would be perfectly fine!
Kim says
Could you add green chili’s to this?
Melissa says
Hi Kim,
That sounds like a great addition! The great thing about chili recipes is being able to put your own spin on it. Enjoy!
Best,
Melissa
Shanda Keller says
Delicious and definitely award winning. I placed in two categories: other meats and people’s choice. I followed closely, but added a few shakes of hot sauce and Worcestershire sauce. I used a can of light kidney beans, black beans, and great northern with jalapenos. It’s so, so good!!
Melissa says
Hi Shanda,
Thank you so much for taking the time to write! Thanks for adding all your adaptations. I love reading how people made the recipes their own. Congrats on your wins!
Best,
Melissa
Rose Martine says
LOOks so delicious. I love how you can use it in various ways !
Dave says
This is a fantastic recipe. Made it for the first time last night and it’s definitely going to make another appearance. I substituted a poblano for the red pepper because my local grocery was inexplicably out of red peppers.
I knew this was a keeper when my son asked me, “Was this easy to make?” That’s his way of saying that he likes it and hopes it’s not a huge hassle.
Melissa says
Hi Dave,
Isn’t that the best feeling when you make something your kids love? Even better when you enjoy it too! Thanks for taking the time to write!
Best,
Melissa
Brook Bentley says
Another chili contest winner with this recipe! The only things I did different— used a small tomato sauce— because I didn’t have paste and at the end, I melted a block of cream cheese in it (didn’t do sour cream mixture as we couldn’t have extras) and it made for a very well balanced heat! Literally my crockpot was completely empty by the end!
Melissa says
Hey Brook,
I love the idea of adding cream cheese at the end. That sounds amazing! Thank you so much for letting me know and congrats on your win!
Best,
Melissa
Lexi says
This was delicious! Tons of depth and perfect level of spice. I am totally going to win my chili cookoff with this recipe.
Melissa says
I can’t wait to hear how it goes! This recipe is great for a chili cook-off because it’s not your average chili recipe and tastes amazing!
Amanda Hicks says
Do you drain the chorizo?
Melissa says
Hi Amanda,
Sometimes I pour the chorizo onto a paper towel lined plate to soak up some of the extra grease. Enjoy!
Melissa
Miranda says
Making this in the insta pot for a work national chili day cook-off!
saute all ingredients as suggested in the specific order, siphon off extra grease after the onions and peppers or sauteed
Added all the other ingredients in the order listed;
added extra 2oz tomato paste for thickness,
added lime juice and lime zest to the pot (because 5 pots of chili and I avidly support lime and want to make sure that flavor is there)
added 1-2 tbs of oregano
1 tbs of smoked paprika
couple pinches of cinnamon
then turn the insta to soup or manual mode full pressure and cook for 20 min
Melissa says
Sorry for the VERY late reply, but somehow this got sent to my junk box. Thank you so much for posting the instant directions. I’m going to give it a try like this. How did it turn out?
Best,
Melissa
Heather says
This has become a favorite in our house since I started making it some time ago. Thanks for the recipe!
Melissa says
You’re very welcome, Heather. I’m glad it’s a house fave! 🤗
Christina says
This is my absolute favorite chili. We found it on the morning of a chili cook off and decided to try it. We won first place and I haden’t even tasted it yet. Now we make it at least every few months. Thank you!
Melissa says
Hi Christina, I love this chili too! It’s such a great mix of flavors with the spice from the chorizo and tender chicken. This would be the perfect chili for a chili contest because it’s so unusual. 🙂
Amy L says
I just made this exactly as written and it was delicious. My husband is very picky when it comes to chili and he raves about it. Thank you for sharing your recipe!
Melissa says
That is so great. I’m so happy it passed the husband test 😉 Thanks for taking the time to let me know, Amy.
Cindy says
Can you use boneless skinless chicken breasts as opposed to thighs? If so would the amount change?
Melissa says
Hi Cindy, You can most definitely swap out chicken breasts. I would probably use 1 1/2 pounds. Thanks for writing and enjoy!
Silly girly says
I’m making this via crockpot right now. I couldn’t find this recipe but I remembered seeing it before and the chicken chorizo combo sounded awesome. I had to wing it. I used pico de gallo, black beans , and corn. Well see this afternoon how it turns out!
Melissa says
Hello! Those additions sound amazing. Let me know how it turns out!
Silly girly says
We had a chili cook off at work today which I host every year. I make a chili but go for super easy with canned ingredients wherever possible. Lol it’s super serious though and some folks even grow their own ingredients so I never expect to win wth my canned chili beans but the chicken chorizo was a big hit this year. I didn’t win but I think something is lost in the presentation because we don’t allow toppings and extras so I didn’t get to make mine pretty like yours and the chorizo looks pretty greasy. It was great at home though with the sour cream!
Melissa says
I’m glad everyone liked it (even if you didn’t win 😩) It does taste so good with the lime sour cream on top. You’ve inspired me to make this chili this weekend with all this talk about it. I love this recipe!
Dinorah says
What chorizo brand did you use? Pork or beef? Cant wait to try it!!
Melissa says
I usually use pork, but I’m sure either would be fine. Enjoy!
Janice says
Would it be ok to add one bottle of beer to this recipe?
Melissa says
Sure it would! I would reduce the chicken broth by half, though, so it isn’t too liquidy.
Rebekah says
Thanks for this recipe! It won first place in my church’s Super Bowl chili cook off yesterday! I’m giving credit where it’s due and sharing this link with everyone. I made the chili two days ahead and then on Sunday I added the beans and tomato paste in the crock pot while it was heating through. I also added more chicken broth because it was a bit thick. This chili was gone within 20 minutes!!! 😀
Melissa says
Wow Rebekah! How great to hear! I’m so glad you took the time to let me know because that makes me very happy. Thanks for sharing!
ashley says
hi!
what adjustments would you make if you were cooking this using a slow cooker?
thanks,
ashley
Melissa says
Hey Ashley, I would brown the chorizo and chicken and throw that in the crockpot with all the rest of the ingredients EXCEPT the beans and tomato paste. You can add those at the end when the chicken is tender, maybe 6 hours on low? The chili might have a little more liquid because of the slow cooker, so you’ll have to probably add more tomato paste or leave the lid off the last 30 minutes or so before adding the paste. Let me know if you try it and how it turns out… I have been wanting to try it in the slow cooker too.
Shelly says
Awesome and different chili. I am always looking for something beyond the standard ground beef chili and this one fits the bill! Loved the chili cook-off hints – will put them to use with all my chili endeavors!
Melissa says
Hey Shelly, This is definitely not your typical chili. Glad you liked all the cook-off pointers. Hope they come in handy with bringing home some hardware!