I have some very picky eaters at my house, so imagine my surprise when I made this Chipotle Chocolate Chili for the first time last year and everyone ate it right up! This is no ordinary chili– the super-secret ingredient? Unsweetened chocolate. Wait! Come back! Have we led you astray yet? I didn’t think so. Hear me out…
The bones of this recipe come from Cooking Light. However, the consensus of the online reviews were that there was waaaay too much chocolate in the chili–they felt it tasted muddy and bitter. So when I made it, I kept that in mind. And then I started tasting and adding and simmering and adding some more. Until I got it right. And it’s so, so right.
I’m betting there are some chili cook offs in your future, so give this twist on an old classic a shot! And don’t be afraid to change things according to your personal tastes–that’s part of the magic of chili!
Ingredients Needed
This is just a preview of ingredients and method, keep scrolling for full printable recipe.
- Lean ground turkey – I’d recommend 93/7, meaning 93% lean and 7% fat. 99% lean is 100% breast meat and can lack moisture and flavor. A blend of light and dark meat provide a nice, flavorful turkey that doesn’t dry out.
- Onion
- Bell pepper – The recipe calls for red, but feel free to use up whatever you have on hand!
- Fresh garlic
- Canned diced or crushed tomatoes
- Canned kidney beans
- Beef broth
- Brown sugar
- Chili powder
- Ground cumin
- Unsweetened cocoa powder
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Kosher salt
- Canned chipotle chilies in Adobo sauce – These canned chilies can be found in the Mexican/ Hispanic Foods aisle of your grocery store. They provide a smoky heat to the finished chili.
- Unsweetened baking chocolate – Grated or chopped. Find this in the baking aisle near the cocoa powder.
- Red wine vinegar
- Toppings as desired – Sour cream, chopped green onions, shredded cheese, Fritos, etc.
How to Make Chipotle Chocolate Chili
- Heat 1-2 tablespoons olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Sauté onion, garlic, bell pepper, and ground turkey until meat is cooked through.
- Add salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder, brown sugar, and unsweetened cocoa powder. Add the tomatoes, beans, and beef broth. Add all of the chipotle sauce from a small can of chipotle chilies.
- Heat to boiling and then reduce to a simmer (uncovered), stirring occasionally, until thickened as desired (I like it about 30-40 minutes). If desired, add some chopped chipotle chilies. Add 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar. Chop or grate 1/2 ounce of unsweetened baking chocolate and add a little at a time until desired richness is reached. If necessary, add more red wine vinegar to cut the sweetness of the chili. This is where you can play around a little with the flavors.
- When thickened and seasoned as desired, serve with chopped onions or green onions, sour cream, and shredded cheddar cheese.
Storing and Other Tips
- Store finished chili in an airtight container in the refrigerator and enjoy within 4-5 days for best results.
- This chili freezes well. Freeze individual portions for a quick meal on busy days! Reheat gently over medium heat. You can always add a splash of broth or water if it seems too thick.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! Chili is great reheated, so feel free to make it a day in advance and heat up gently over medium heat when you’re ready to eat.
I mean, you CAN, but I highly suggest giving it a try as written!
Sure! As written it’s not too incredibly spicy, but you could always cut back on the chilies in Adobo sauce. You could also use smoked paprika in place of the chilies to achieve a smoky flavor without the spice. If you’d like it spicier, feel free to add more chilies or some chipotle powder.
Chipotle Chocolate Chili
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground turkey lean
- 1 onion, large chopped
- 1 red bell pepper seeded and chopped
- 2-3 cloves garlic minced or pressed
- 2 15-oz. cans diced or crushed tomatoes
- 2 14.5-oz. cans kidney beans drained
- 1 15-oz. can beef broth
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 can chipotle chilies in Adobo sauce
- ½ oz. unsweetened baking chocolate grated or chopped
- 3-4 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- Toppings: sour cream, chopped green onions, and shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Heat 1-2 tablespoons olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Saute onion, garlic, bell pepper, and ground turkey until meat is cooked through.
- Add salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder, brown sugar, and unsweetened cocoa powder. Add the tomatoes, beans, and beef broth.
- Add all of the chipotle sauce from a small can of chipotle chilies, straining out any seeds. Heat to boiling and then reduce to a simmer (uncovered), stirring occasionally, until thickened as desired (I like it about 30-40 minutes). If desired, add some chopped chipotle chilies, but be aware they are very spicy. Add 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar.
- Chop or grate ½ ounce of unsweetened baking chocolate and add a little at a time until desired richness is reached. If necessary, add more red wine vinegar to cut the sweetness of the chili. This is where you can play around a little with the flavors.
- When thickened and seasoned as desired, serve with chopped onions or green onions, sour cream, and shredded cheddar cheese.
Notes
- The nutritional information was calculated without the use of toppings.
- Store finished chili in an airtight container in the refrigerator and enjoy within 4-5 days for best results.
- This chili freezes well. Freeze individual portions for a quick meal on busy days! Reheat gently over medium heat. You can always add a splash of broth or water if it seems too thick.
Questions & Reviews
can you use chipotle powder or do you need the salsa/sauce?
Yes, I also could not find Chipotle Chilis and didn't know that you could use the sauce from chipotle peppers until I came home and read the comments to this recipe. I live in Utah and went to FIVE stores before I found a small can of chipotle sauce (at Smiths). I am excited to make this tonight!!
I'll admit, I was skeptical…Chocolate? Chipotle?And I was proven wrong. This recipe was so amazing, I don't know what else to say, other than YES! YES! Perfect. Can't wait to have the one and only cup of leftover chili for lunch tomorrow!
Oh My Gosh!! Delicious! I would definitely make this for a cook off. I used ground beef (because that's what I had on hand.) I also couldn't find same chipotle salsa showed in photo. I used chipotle in adobe sauce. It was pretty thick but I got as much sauce as I could to come out. Everyone loved it. I served it in bread bowls and a green salad on the side! My only complaint is that I didn't make a double batch!! THANK YOU!! THANK YOU!! for this site.
So i made this halloween night for dinner and i so dont know what i did wrong but mine came out way spicy hot. our mouths were on fire. any suggestions? also the only change i made is switchin out the ground turkey for ground beef instead. and i also was only able to get the chipotles in adobo. (do you think that did it?) Thanks!!
Can this recipe be made in the crock pot? If so, what adaptions do I need to make? I want to make it tonight for dinner, but won't actually have time at dinner time!
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Thanks!
Vanessa–I normally can't find that brand, either–I just got lucky that time! The peppers in adobo sauce works great, you just want the sauce that's surrounding the peppers.
I went looking for the Chipotle salsa you pictured here and only could find Chipotle peppers in Adobo. I'm guessing this is not the same thing. What aisle are you finding your sauce on? I looked in the Mexican Food section.
This is the chili I have been waiting for too. I love chipotle stuff and everyone loved it. THanks!
Just made this tonight and it was really good! My husband said it’s a keeper. It will definitely have to replace my usual chili recipe. Thanks!