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Chicken and Chorizo Chili

Categories Easy Recipes, Main Course, Soup

I love a good hearty chili and this chicken and chorizo chili is so hearty and so delicious! The chorizo gives this chili a depth of flavor that makes the perfect base for all of the other flavors! This chili can be made Texas style where it does not have beans in it or you can add beans to the recipe, I included the optional amount to add in the recipe below.

I love building the flavors in a soup, chili or stew because you can get so much flavor into one bite! It’s kind of like making a magic potion to me and I love making them multidimensional in flavor.

When I was pregnant with my first baby we lived in the desert where it got hot and I was first pregnant through the 110-120 degree summers but I still craved soups, stews and chili! I would go to different restaurants trying to find good soups and people looked at me like I was crazy. Consequently my kids love chili even though my husband does not. My husband gets out voted and we still make and enjoy chili every fall and winter!

This chili has a little kick to it but it isn’t super spicy. It can be made less or more spicy if desired by adjusting the cayenne and chili pepper.

What you need to make chicken and chorizo chili:

Serves 6

  • 3 pounds tomatoes – you can also use 3 – 14.5 ounce cans diced canned tomatoes with the juice
  • 1 cup white onion – diced
  • 2 chicken breasts – uncooked, diced
  • 1 pound chorizo
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 1 red bell pepper – diced
  • 1 Anaheim chili pepper – roasted and skinned if possible and diced
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 4 bay leaves
  • 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
  • dash of cayenne pepper
  • 1 tablespoon molasses
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • Optional – 1 – 15 ounce can pinto beans, drained
  • Optional – 1 – 15 ounce can red kidney beans, drained

Instructions

  1. If using fresh tomatoes, place tomatoes in a bowl, top centers removed. Bring a pot of water to a boil and pour over tomatoes, let sit for about 5 minutes before draining and filling bowl with cold water. Peel the skins off the tomatoes then dice into large chunks.
  2. Place tomatoes in a large stock pot.
  3. Add salt, bay leaves, chili powder, cayenne pepper, molasses and sugar to pot with tomatoes.
  4. Bring mixture to a boil then reduce to a simmer, stirring occasionally.
  5. In another pan, add diced onion, chicken breast, chorizo, garlic, bell peppers, and Anaheim chili peppers and stir over medium-high heat until the chicken and chorizo are cooked.
  6. Add chicken and chorizo mixture to the tomato mixture and if adding beans, add drained and rinsed beans now.
  7. Simmer for 15 minutes, remove bay leaves and serve.

If you are looking for a few other chili recipes check out these:

Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Chicken and Chorizo Chili

This chili is bursting with flavor and goodness, it can be made Texas style or with beans and both ways are delicious!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Course: Dinner, Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: American, Dinner, main course, Soup
Keyword: Chicken, chili, Dinner, Fall, Peppers, Weekend Dinner, Weeknight Dinner
Servings: 6 people

Ingredients

  • 3 pounds tomatoes – you can also use 3 – 14.5 ounce cans diced canned tomatoes with the juice
  • 1 cup white onion – diced
  • 2 chicken breasts – uncooked diced
  • 1 pound chorizo
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 1 red bell pepper – diced
  • 1 Anaheim chili pepper – roasted and skinned if possible and diced
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 4 bay leaves
  • 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
  • dash of cayenne pepper
  • 1 tablespoon molasses
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • Optional – 1 – 15 ounce can pinto beans drained
  • Optional – 1 – 15 ounce can red kidney beans drained

Instructions

  • If using fresh tomatoes, place tomatoes in a bowl, top centers removed. Bring a pot of water to a boil and pour over tomatoes, let sit for about 5 minutes before draining and filling bowl with cold water. Peel the skins off the tomatoes then dice into large chunks.
  • Place tomatoes in a large stock pot.
  • Add salt, bay leaves, chili powder, cayenne pepper, molasses and sugar to pot with tomatoes.
  • Bring mixture to a boil then reduce to a simmer, stirring occasionally.
  • In another pan, add diced onion, chicken breast, chorizo, garlic, bell peppers, and Anaheim chili peppers and stir over medium-high heat until the chicken and chorizo are cooked.
  • Add chicken and chorizo mixture to the tomato mixture and if adding beans, add drained and rinsed beans now.
  • Simmer for 15 minutes, remove bay leaves and serve.