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Hearty Mexican Chili

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Submitted by jquesenberry

Hearty Mexican chili with three beans, eggplant, ale, and poached chicken. Slow simmered with cumin, oregano, and red pepper flakes, then finished with goat cheese and fresh cilantro.

YIELD

16 servings

PREP

40 min

COOK

200 min

READY

240 min

This big-batch chili doesn’t follow the rulebook, and that’s the point. Three beans play together, white, black, and red kidney, joined by diced eggplant that melts into the broth and adds an unexpected creamy body. A bottle of ale loosens the pot and brings malty depth that water alone can’t.

The spice work happens upfront. Onions, garlic, chili powder, red pepper flakes, and cumin sweat together for a full 15 minutes under a lid, building a deeply seasoned base before any liquid hits the pan. That patience matters. It’s the difference between chili that tastes layered and chili that tastes like a quick weeknight pot.

A long, low simmer of 2 to 3 hours softens the soaked beans completely while the canned tomatoes break down into the sauce. Poached chicken breast and bell pepper strips go in last so they stay tender, not stringy.

Pro Tips

  • Use a heavy-bottomed pot. Cast iron or enameled Dutch ovens hold heat steady, which keeps the long simmer from scorching.
  • Soak the white and black beans overnight before cooking. Pre-cooked kidney beans go in later so they don’t break down to mush.
  • Keep a second bottle of ale on hand. The chili thickens dramatically over the long simmer and a splash loosens it without diluting flavor.
  • Goat cheese instead of sour cream is the move. Its tang cuts the richness in a way Mexican crema can’t.

Variations

  • Skip the chicken to keep it vegetarian. The eggplant and beans give plenty of body on their own.
  • Add a chipotle in adobo or two for smoky heat.
  • Swap goat cheese for crumbled queso fresco and a squeeze of lime for a brighter finish.

Ingredients

2 30
TABLESPOONS ML OLIVE OIL
1 1
EACH RED ONION
coarsely chopped
1 1
EACH SPANISH ONION
coarsely chopped
4 4
CLOVES EACH GARLIC
finely chopped
2 10
TEASPOONS ML CHILI POWDER
or as much as desired
2 10
TEASPOONS ML RED PEPPER FLAKE
crushed, or as much as desired
1 15
TABLESPOON ML CUMIN
or as much as desired
1 1
SMALL SMALL EGGPLANT
and diced *
1 237
CUP ML WHITE BEANS
soaked
1 237
CUP ML BLACK BEANS
soaked
2 907.2
POUNDS G RED KIDNEY BEANS
cooked, drained and rinsed
12 346.8
OUNCES ML/G BEER
ale, from the bottle
1 15
TABLESPOON ML OREGANO
greek, dried
40 1156
OUNCES ML/G TOMATOES, CANNED
chopped
1 453.6
POUND G CHICKEN BREAST
skinless boneless, poached and sliced
1 1
EACH EACH SWEET RED BELL PEPPER
cored and cut in strips
1 1
EACH EACH GREEN BELL PEPPER
cored and cut in strips
1
X GOAT (CHEVRE) CHEESE
as desired *
1
X CILANTRO
freshly chopped, to taste *

Directions

Heat oil over low flame in a heavy-bottomed stockpot.

Add onion, garlic, and spices and cook, covered, until golden, about 15 minutes.

Add eggplant and cook, covered, for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add beans, beer, oregano, and tomatoes.

Cook, covered, over medium heat for 30 minutes.

Reduce heat to low and cook for 2 to 3 hours (or less if using already cooked beans), partly covered, making sure all beans are completely soft.

Add chicken and peppers and cook until just heated.

Serve with a dollop of (soft) goat cheese and fresh cilantro.

Note: You may want to add a second bottle of ale to the chili when as needed.

* not incl. in nutrient facts Arrow up button

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Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 269g (9.5 oz)
Amount per Serving
Calories 191 17% from fat
 % Daily Value *
Total Fat 4g 6%
Saturated Fat 1g 4%
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 25mg 8%
Sodium 337mg 14%
Total Carbohydrate 8g 8%
Dietary Fiber 7g 28%
Sugars g
Protein 31g
Vitamin A 10% Vitamin C 44%
Calcium 8% Iron 17%
* based on a 2,000 calorie diet How is this calculated?
Low in Saturated Fat, Trans-fat Free, High Fiber
 

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