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.
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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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