Sweet and Spicy Chili
Chili ………congers up images of winter, football, and Sunday!
I was going to stun you with my incredible chili knowledge…….you know the history of chili……..yada…..yada……yada. Well, it seems there is quite a controversy as to the origins of chili so, if you are really all that interested, you will have to google it. By the time I wrote all of it down and you read it ……..holy moly.
So, instead, I will amaze you with this Sweet and Spicy Chili. First, let me say that chili is Tim’s thing. There are a few items in the food world that for some reason are beyond my scope…….for reasons unknown………chili is one of them.
As we were planning our next recipe Tim suggested chili. I tried to steer the planning anywhere but there, but he kept coming back to it. The next words out of his mouth were music to my ears…… “I’ll make my chili”……..done!
Only one problem……….he had never written it down into a recipe. So, as he added ingredients I wrote them down. Now let me say that we always have the same spice conversation……
Tim: “ It needs more spice”
Marty :“ Tim, not everyone likes that much spice”
Tim: “Just a little bit more”
Marty: “ No, its fine”…….and then he adds more.
Turns out, in this recipe he was totally right! It was not too spicy……. it was perfect. Chili powder, cumin, red pepper flakes, and two things I have not had in chili before…….cocoa powder and cinnamon.
I had a big ????? with the cocoa and the cinnamon. They are that in the background taste, you can’t quite pick them out, but they make the dish. We also added brown sugar and salsa…….that added that some’m..some’m………and it all came together perfectly.
Just spicy enough, with a touch of sweet. We did not add any toppings to ours but feel free to add whatever you like……. we ate ours with biscuits…….or as Tim calls them skits.
However you top it or whatever you eat with it, Sweet and Spicy Chili will warm you up, make your favorite team win, and let you have a super Sunday.
It makes a small batch, it will serve 4-6, and if its just for two you can have it again and you know how it goes with chili …….even better the next day!
Print
Sweet and Spicy Chili
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
- Category: Soup
- Method: Simmer
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1–4.5 oz. can chopped green chilies
- 1–15 oz. can dark red kidney beans
- 1–28 oz. can diced tomatoes
- 1 cup salsa
- 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
- 3 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoons cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Instructions
- In a large pot over medium heat, brown ground beef, onion, and garlic. Meanwhile mix together brown sugar, chili powder, cocoa powder, cumin, cinnamon, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes in a small bowl. Add to the browning meat mixture. Cook for 2-3 minutes to let the spices release their flavor. Add remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30-45 minutes. Serve with shredded cheese or your favorite chili topper.
Keywords: chili, sweet, spicy, ground beef, kidney beans, tomatoes, soup
