Beef and Bean Chipotle Chili

It was a cool day, and we were expecting friends over for dinner, so I made this easy beef and bean chipotle chili recipe from Cook’s Illustrated ~ The New Best Recipe Revised Edition. I adapted their recipe by adding less chili powder (my family doesn’t care for it too much) and adding chipotle peppers & adobo sauce. The chili simmered all afternoon long and made my house smell incredible. It was spicy, smoky, and delicious! We all thought it was fantastic, although it was a little too spicy for the three youngest kids. I served this easy chili recipe with cornbread and a loaded garden salad.

Beef and Bean Chipotle Chili

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 2½ tbsp chili powder
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 6 medium cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 chipotle peppers, diced
• 1-2 tbsp adobo sauce  ***sauce from the chipotle peppers
• 2 lbs 85 percent lean ground beef
• 2 (15-oz) cans red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 (14-oz) cans of tomato sauce
• 1 (14-oz) can diced tomatoes, with juice
• Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste

Serving:

• Saltine crackers
• Sour cream
• Sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• Yellow onion, diced
• Green onions, sliced

How to Make Beef and Bean Chipotle Chili

Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, red bell pepper, chili powder, cumin, coriander, crushed red pepper flakes, and oregano and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes.

Add the minced garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.

Add the chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, and half the ground beef. Cook, stirring occasionally until beef is starting to brown, about 4-5 minutes; add the rest of the beef and cook until beginning to brown, about 4-5 minutes.

Add the kidney beans, tomato sauce, and diced tomatoes.

Cover with a lid and let the chili simmer for 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally. Taste and season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste.

Serve with saltine crackers, sour cream, sharp cheddar cheese, diced onion, and green onions, if desired. Enjoy.