chipotle chocolate chili . . .

Have you ever heard of chocolate chili?

I had heard of it, but had never tried it . . . that is, until I found a recipe for Chipotle Chocolate Chili in one of my sister-in-law's cookbooks . . . and made it the day after arriving home from our Winter vacation. I just couldn't wait!

It's made with unsweetened cocoa powder and chocolate, kidney beans, and chipotle sauce (along with other traditional chili ingredients). It's not only easy to prepare, but it's incredibly rich and flavorful.

I love how the flavors of this chili compliment one another. There's a balance of sweetness (kidney beans & brown sugar), spiciness (chipotle sauce, cumin & chili powder), acidity (diced tomatoes & red wine vinegar), and richness (unsweetened cocoa and chocolate).

Chipotle chocolate chili . . .

a wonderfully, delicious play on a classic!

You'll even fall in love with it's deep color . . .

Ingredients

1 lb. lean ground beef

1 large onion, chopped

1 red bell pepper, minced

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 15-oz. cans diced tomatoes

2 14.5-oz. cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 15-oz. can beef broth

3 Tbsp. brown sugar

2 Tbsp. chili powder

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

1/2 tsp. salt

Chipotle sauce

1/2 oz. unsweetened chocolate 

~ be careful, because too much unsweetened cocoa will make your chili bitter ~

3-4 Tbsp. red wine vinegar

Toppings

fresh cilantro
sour cream

chopped green onions

shredded jack or cheddar cheese

Instructions

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Sauté onion, garlic, bell pepper, and ground beef until meat is cooked through. Add salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder, brown sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, tomatoes, kidney beans, and beef broth. Add all of the chipotle sauce from a small can of chipotle chilies.

Heat to boiling and then reduce to a simmer (uncovered), stirring occasionally, until thickened as desired (about 30-40 minutes).

If desired, add some chopped chipotle chilies (only if you like HEAT!). Add 3 Tbsp. red wine vinegar and a small amount of grated chocolate at a time until desired richness is reached. If necessary, add more red wine vinegar to cut the sweetness of the chili. This is where you can play around a little with the flavors.

When thickened and seasoned, serve with chopped green onions, sour cream, and shredded jack or cheddar cheese. I also served Garlic Naan bread alongside the chili.

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Simply Suzannes at Home

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