Quick & Easy Smoky Chocolate Chili

There’s something about the cold days of winter that beg for a hot bowl of chili. Only problem is that I’ve never been a huge fan of chili. I love a tasty soup or hearty stew but chili…not so much. It helps to add a big hunk of Sweet Yankee Cornbread but usually I’ll just eat the cornbread and leave the chili for someone else. Since the rest of my family loves chili I’ve tried lots of recipes searching to find one we could all enjoy. Turns out, it wasn’t a matter of finding the right recipe but simply a matter of adding a secret ingredient. In the case of chili, I borrowed that secret ingredient from one of my favorite Mexican dishes: chicken molé. Yep, you guessed it, my family’s boring chili recipe turned into Smoky Chocolate Chili. Yum!!      

I don’t want my chili to be spicy but I do want it to be smoky and cocoa powder was just the ticket. Most people think of cocoa as the base of a yummy chocolate dessert but, truth is, cocoa has been used as a savory ingredient by many cultures for thousands of years. It adds the perfect smoky, bitter notes to tomato based dishes like chili. I also love that this recipe is quick and easy, using ingredients you probably have in your house right now.

Resources: Here is a great Chili Powder I’d recommend: McCormick Dark Chili Powder— it has some extra smokiness and a bit more heat than regular chili powder so adjust accordingly. And here is a fabulous Cocoa Powder if you don’t have a Trader Joe’s near you: Navitas Organic Cocao Powder.

I love a recipe that uses ingredients you already have in your cupboard. I always keep several cans of fire-roasted tomatoes on hand to use in my Fabulous Winter Salsa recipe and tomato sauce, either home-canned or store-bought, is always part of my food storage. I don’t usually have a fresh green pepper sitting around but ever since I learned How To Freeze Peppers, I always have several bags of homegrown peppers sliced up in my freezer. I usually use hamburger but have had great results with ground pork, elk or venison as well. If you want a vegetarian chili, just leave the meat out altogether.

Like I said, this recipe couldn’t be quicker or easier. Just add the meat, onion and pepper to a large dutch oven and cook until meat is no longer pink. Throw in the beans and chili powder, cook for a bit, add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil. Simmer for 25 minutes and it’s done. Add a salad and a pan of Sweet Yankee Cornbread and dinner is served.

If you’ve hung around here for a bit you’ve probably noticed that I love freezing stuff and there’s nothing I love freezing more than future dinners. This chili recipe freezes beautifully so I always double or triple the batch. Divide the remaining chili into family size portions and freeze flat in gallon bags. If you freeze the leftover Yankee Cornbread then you have a delicious hearty meal ready to go at a moment’s notice. Because convenience, my friends, is the real secret ingredient. You’re welcome!

Smoky Chocolate Chili
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 lb. hamburger (or ground meat of choice, optional)
1 sweet green pepper, chopped (3/4 cup)
1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
1 15-oz. can Great Northern beans*, drained and rinsed
1 15-oz. can Tri-Bean blend*, drained and rinsed
2 tbsp. chili powder
1 15-oz can tomato sauce
1 15-oz can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
1 tbsp. brown sugar
2 tbsp. dark unsweetened cocoa powder

1. In large sauce pan or dutch oven add oil and put on medium-high heat.
2. Add onions and pepper and cook for 4-5 minutes or until onions are translucent. Add  hamburger and cook, stirring constantly until meat is no longer pink.
3. Add drained beans and chili powder. Cook and stir for 2 minutes.
4. Stir in tomato sauce, undrained diced tomatoes, brown sugar and cocoa powder. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 25 minutes.
5. Top each serving with sour cream and green onions of desired. 

Makes 6 servings.

*You can substitute for any beans you have on hand such as garbanzo, kidney, cannellini, etc.