This delicious chili is easy to make and loaded with flavor. I love the combination of the creamy avocados with the smokiness of the chipotle pepper. Mmmm, this recipe is a winner!

I started with cooking the beef most of the way then added the onions to the pot while the beef finished cooking (therefore eliminating the remove-the-beef-from-the-pot step). I then spooned off as much fat as I could and discarded it. Since my chili was a bit thicker than I wanted it, I added more broth and some beer to thin it out, then added a little more chili powder and cumin. I used beef broth instead of chicken broth to bump up the beef flavor.

The recipe calls for using a food processor to blend some of the beans with the tomatoes and chipotle pepper. If you don’t have a food processor, chop the chipotle pepper and use a potato masher to smash the beans. The mixture will be chunkier than the original recipe but that’s ok…it’s chili. This recipe is easily doubled and is great for entertaining because it can be made the day before and reheated. Garnish each serving with avocado and your favorite chili toppings.

Beef & Black Bean Chili with Chipotle & Avocado
-recipe from finecooking.com

Serves four.

3 15-oz. cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 14-1/2-oz. can diced tomatoes
1 medium chipotle pepper plus 2 Tbs. adobo sauce (from a can of chipotles in adobo sauce)
2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
1 lb. 85% lean ground beef
Kosher salt
1 large red onion, finely diced
1-1/2 Tbs. chili powder
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 lime, juiced
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Freshly ground black pepper
1 ripe avocado, cut in a medium dice

Put one-third of the beans into the bowl of a food processor, along with the tomatoes and their juices, chipotle, and adobo sauce. Process until smooth and set aside.

Heat the oil in a 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven or similar heavy-duty pot over medium-high heat until it’s shimmering hot, about 2 min. Add the beef, season with 1/2 tsp. salt, and cook, using a wooden spoon to break up the meat, until it loses its raw color, about 3 minutes. Transfer the beef to a large plate using a slotted spoon. Add half of the onion and 1/4 tsp. salt, and cook, stirring, until it begins to brown and soften, about 3 min. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the chili powder and cumin and cook for 20 seconds. Add the remaining black beans, the puréed bean mixture, and the beef to the pot and simmer for 10 min., stirring frequently. Add half of the lime juice, half of the cilantro, and salt and pepper to taste. If the chili is thicker than you like, it may be thinned with water.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix the remaining lime juice and onion with the avocado. Season generously with salt and pepper. Serve the chili topped with the avocado mixture and remaining cilantro.

Serving Suggestions:
Coarsely crumble about 3 handfuls of tortilla chips in a zip-top bag, and use them as an additional chili topping.

Tags: black bean, chili, chipotle, ground beef

Chili is a great for entertaining because it can be made ahead of time and reheated, and it’s an easy dish to serve when feeding a crowd. I decided to make this White Bean Chicken Chili recently when I was hankering for chili but wanted to try out something new. 

I pretty much followed the recipe except for omitting the aniseed (didn’t have it), adding more cumin, and substituting more chicken broth for the reserved bean liquid. I think I added a bit too much broth because it was a little soupier than chili normally is (oops). The recipe calls for whipping cream (aka heavy cream…not the sweetened variety) which is something you don’t normally see in chili. The combination of flavors were great…slightly creamy, slightly spicy and a great change from the typical versions made with tomatoes and chili powder. This recipe could easily be doubled or tripled. And, as an added bonus, it’s a cinch to make. What more can you ask for?

White Bean Chicken Chili
- recipe from Bon Appétit

Serves 4 to 6

2 tablespoons corn oil
1 large onion,chopped
4 large garlic cloves, chopped
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon aniseed
1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 15-ounce cans cannellini beans (white kidney beans)
1 cup canned chicken broth
1 7-ounce can diced green chilies
1/2 cup whipping cream
Grated cheddar cheese
Chopped fresh cilantro

Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, cumin, oregano, aniseed and dried red pepper. Sauté 5 minutes. Push onion to 1 side of pan. Season chicken with salt and pepper and add to pan. Sauté chicken approximately 5 minutes.

Drain beans; reserve 1/2 cup bean liquid. Add beans, broth, chilies, cream and reserved bean liquid to chicken. Simmer until chicken is tender and cooked through, about 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Reheat before using.) Ladle chili into bowls. Top with cheese and sprinkle with cilantro.

Tags: beans, Chicken, chili

This chili is always a crowd-pleaser! It’s not uncommon for people to ask for seconds and thirds of this chili. Knowing that, I made an enormous vat of it to feed 75 people for Husband’s birthday last year…now that’s a lot of chili!!! For the beer in this recipe, I like to use a stout (like Murphy’s or Guinness) because it has a rich, chocolaty taste. I substitute beef broth for the chicken broth, and I use a can each of pinto, black and kidney beans instead of the prepared chili beans. When I’m feeling especially saucy then I add some diced green chiles and/or frozen corn at the end of the cooking time (so the corn doesn’t get too mushy). If you like it spicier, add 1 or 2 chopped chipotle chiles. Be sure to serve the chili with plenty of cornbread and the usual chili fixin’s: shredded cheese, chopped onions and sour cream. Beano would make a nice side dish.

Halftime Chili
Bon Appétit | January 1996

A winner in the Bon Appétit Recipes Sweepstakes, a reader poll conducted in honor of their 50th anniversary.

Makes 8 to 10 servings.

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped onions
8 large garlic cloves, chopped
3 pounds ground chuck
5 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes with added puree
1 14 1/2-ounce can low-salt chicken broth
1 12-ounce bottle beer
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
1 15- to 16-ounce can prepared chili beans
 
Heat oil in heavy large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic. Sauté until onions are translucent, about 8 minutes. Add chuck and sauté until brown, breaking up meat with back of spoon, about 5 minutes.
Add chili powder, cumin, basil, oregano and thyme. Stir 2 minutes. Mix in crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, beer and tomato paste. Simmer until thickened to desired consistency, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Mix in beans. Simmer 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 3 days ahead. Refrigerate until cold, then cover. Rewarm over low heat before serving.)

Tags: beans, Beef, beer, chili