Description
This is a tasty, basic chili with no fancy surprises or anything, just pure fall comfort. The addition of masa harina at the end thickens it up a bit and since we are eating it over baked potatoes, I wanted a thicker chili as opposed to a soupier chili. It’s not spicy either so that it can please all of the people in the house – the chipotle cream adds heat for those who want it.
Make the chili ahead of time for an easy weeknight dinner. It’s also a great way to use up the leftover chili!
Ingredients
Chili
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 lb ground pork
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 4–5 tbsp chili powder
- 2 tbsp cumin
- 1 sweet red pepper, chopped
- 1 zucchini, chopped
- 1 bottle beer
- 6 cups tomato purée
- 1 can red kidney beans, drained
- 1 can black beans, drained
- Kosher salt and pepper
- Handful cilantro stems, tied with string
- Juice of 2 limes (to taste)
- 1 tbsp masa harina (optional, for thickening)
Chipotle Cream
- ¼ cup Greek yogurt
- 2 tsp mayonnaise
- 2 tsp chipotle in adobo purée (or just sauce for less heat)
- Juice of ½ lime
- Pinch of kosher salt
Garnishes
- Chopped cilantro
- Extra lime juice
- Shredded cheddar, cotija, or feta
Instructions
- Cook the base: Heat oil in a heavy pot over medium heat. Sauté onion and garlic until softened. Add beef and pork; cook until browned, spooning off excess fat if needed.
- Spice it up: Stir in chili powder, cumin, salt, and cook 2–3 minutes. Add red pepper and zucchini; cook 1 minute.
- Build the chili: Pour in beer, tomato purée, and beans. Submerge the tied cilantro stems. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low. Cook gently for 1½–2 hours, stirring occasionally.
- Finish: Remove cilantro stems. Stir in lime juice, adjust salt and pepper. If using masa harina, add during the last 15–20 minutes to thicken.
- Make chipotle cream: Mix yogurt, mayo, chipotle purée, lime juice, and salt until smooth.
- Bake potatoes: Bake large potatoes until tender. Halve them, fluff the insides with a fork.
- Assemble: Place half a potato on a plate, spoon chili over top, add a dollop of chipotle cream, and garnish with cilantro, lime, and cheese.