The Best Spicy Beef and Chorizo Chili Recipe

Well, temperatures have officially dropped out here in Calgary, so it’s time to make a big batch of this chorizo chili recipe. This recipe is perfect for the whole family, and this hearty chorizo and beef chili is perfect for the football season and a crowd-pleaser for game day! Find the full recipe and directions in the recipe card at the bottom of this page!

Making a big pot of chili is the best way to get a few easy meals ready in no time during a busy week. One of my favorite things about this recipe is that I used Bush’s Chili Beans. They are the perfect way to add tons of flavor to your chili since they are already in a delicious sauce that will enhance your chili recipe.

If you want to try other delicious chili recipes, this Black Bean Vegetarian Chili with Dark Chocolate or this Taco Chili are my absolute favourites.

A little more about Bush’s Baked Beans…

Bush’s® Chili Beans are made with quality beans, simmered to perfection​ in a rich
chili sauce with superior flavour and a unique blend of spices​ infused in every bean. These beans are so easy to use since no draining or rinsing is needed, just add everything from the can. Their flavorful sauce is the best way to elevate a basic recipe, from casseroles to soup recipes. It easily adds that cooked-all-day flavour to your hearty chilis, without having to simmer it all day. Makes it perfect for any weeknight easy meals

Bush’s Chili Beans come in three different flavors,  Mild Red Kidney Chili Beans, Mild Black Beans and Spicy Red Kidney Chili Beans. For this meatless chili recipe, I used both Mild Black Chili Beans and Spicy Red Kidney Chili Beans, and the end result was the perfect balance of spice.

Why you should make this Mexican Chili Recipe (with spicy Chorizo and Beef)

• This delicious Mexican Chorizo recipe is so easy to make and only requires a few simple ingredients that are easily found at the grocery store.
• It can be prepared in advance and to be honest, it tastes way better the next day once all the flavors have had time to infuse! This is perfect for meal prepping too and an easy dinner or lunch idea during a busy week.
• This recipe can also be made in the slow cooker or Instant pot.
• If you don’t want this recipe to be spicy and prefer not to use Spanish chorizo, you can easily substitute it for ground chicken. I don’t often eat spicy food, but this recipe is milder than spicy.
• This recipe can be made vegetarian or made a plant base recipe by simply swapping out the chorizo with soy chorizo and the ground beef with a vegetarian ground beef alternative.

How to Properly Freeze Chili: All you Need to Know

What kind of Chorizo should I use?

I made this recipe with Mexican-style chorizo, but you can use beef chorizo if you do not eat pork. This recipe is also just as delicious with plant-based alternatives for beef and chorizo. Chorizo isn’t always available everywhere, so you can also use spicy or mild sausages. Just remove them from their casings and crumble.

I also love to store frozen chorizo in the freezer for later use! If you want to know how to freeze it the right way, check out this post: Can You Freeze Chorizo? Here’s How!

Can I make this Chorizo Chili recipe ahead of time?

Yes, absolutely. This is what makes this the best chili recipe. It can be made up to 2-3 days in advance. Once the beef chorizo chili has come to room temperature, transfer to glass jars or an air-tight container. You can also freeze for up to 3 months.

One Important Tip For Making Good Chili

The easiest tip for making the best chili is to cook your recipe low and slow. It’s the best way to achieve a great flavor. This allows for the vegetables and meat to be tender. It also gives a chance for all of the ingredients and spices to work together and infuse.

Ingredients to make this Spicy Chorizo and Beef Chili

• 1 tbsp of olive oil
• 1 lb of ground beef
• 1 lb of chorizo sausage
• 1 can of Bush’s Red Kidney Beans in a Spicy Chili Sauce
• 1 can of Bush’s Black Beans in a Mild Chili Sauce
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 2 bell peppers, I used red and yellow
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 796 ml can of crushed tomatoes, about 3 cups of tomato sauce
• 2 cups of ginger ale or beer
• 2 tbsp of chili powder
• 1 tsp of cumin
• 1 tsp of salt
• 1/2 tsp of black pepper
• 1 tbps of sugar
• 1/2 tsp of red pepper flakes

Optional toppings to add to your chili

• sour cream
• Greek Yogurt
• green onions, roughly chopped
• fresh lime juice
• medium ripe avocado, sliced
• grated sharp cheddar cheese
• fresh cilantro

How to make Chorizo Chilli with Beef

1. Add 1 tbsp of olive oil to a large dutch oven or pot on medium heat.
2. Add the chopped onions and let cook for at least 5 minutes, or until soft. If your onions are sticking to the bottom of your large pot, reduce to medium low heat add a splash of white wine or beef broth to your large pot and using a wooden spoon, deglaze before the next step.
3. Next, add the beef and chorizo to the saucepan and cook until browned. Do not drain excess grease.
4. Add the chopped yellow and red bell peppers, and garlic. Cook for about 3-4 minutes, just to soften the peppers and cook the garlic.
5. Add in the remaining ingredients: beans, crushed tomatoes, chili powder, cumin, salt, pepper, sugar and red pepper flakes. Stir to combine.
6. Pour in Ginger ale. Stir to get everything well incorporated.
7. Bring to a boil on medium-high heat and then reduce to low. Simmer for 60 minutes, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon.

Serve with your favourite toppings and enjoy! Store and leftover chili in an airtight container or glass jar.

If you make this recipe, please let me know if the comment section and tag me on social media so I can see how it turned out! If you to stay up to date on new recipes, follow me here on Instagram and make sure to say Hi! I’d love to connect with you!