Beefy Chipotle-Cocoa Chili

Submitted by rpgaymer

"It has been so freezing lately, so I've been cooking a lot of stews, curries and chilis. I came up with this one to use up some ingredients. I thought it was tasty, warming and a meal in itself."

 

• Ready In: 3hrs 45mins
• Ingredients: 23
• Serves: 6-8

ingredients

• 1 -2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 1⁄2 lbs lean ground beef
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon paprika
• 1⁄2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1⁄4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1⁄4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 3 teaspoons cumin
• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1⁄8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
• 2 (15 ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
• 2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, with liquid
• 1 (15 ounce) can corn, drained & rinsed
• 2 -3 tomatoes, chopped
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 -3 chipotle peppers, seeded & minced
• 2 cups water
• 1 yellow squash or 1 zucchini, halved & chopped into bite-size pieces
• 1⁄2 bunch cilantro, minced
• 6 -8 epazote leaves, minced (optional)

directions

1. In a large pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef, and cook until browned, about 5-8 minutes. Drain off excess fat.
2. To the pot, add all other ingredients except for last three (squash/zucchini, cilantro and epazote leaves). Be sure to include the can liquid when adding the black beans- it's yummy.
3. Bring mixture to a boil, then decrease heat to very low & simmer uncovered for 2-3 hours. Try to mix the chili every 15-30 minutes, especially near the end of the cooking time. Adjust for seasoning near the end as well.
4. Add the squash/zucchini, stir and cook for a further 15-20 minutes, or until the vegetables are cooked through. When done, remove from heat, then stir in the cilantro and epazote leaves.
5. Serve with tortilla chips and top with yummy things like queso fresco, cotija cheese or Mexican crema.

Reviews

[DailyInspiration]

Great tasting chili - definitely a winner in my book. I love to try different styles of chili and we really enjoyed the addition of the corn and zucchini. I added extra chili powder and I only used the chipotle chili sauce from the can vs. the chili itself. Didn't have the espazote leaves, but I did use cilantro at the end. Served with tortilla strips, Mexican cheese, and sour cream; although I liked it best with just the tortilla strips. Just hope it lasts through the Super Bowl game tonight. Will definitely make this recipe again : ).