If there is one recipe I insist you make every fall, it’s this Halloween Chili. It’s thick, hearty, packed with bold flavor—and it has developed quite the reputation over the years. Friends and followers have entered this recipe in chili cook-offs, and somehow, they just keep winning.
Although we call it Halloween Chili because it’s part of our family’s favorite October traditions, this is the recipe you’ll want on repeat all season long. Make it for a football Saturday, a cozy night at home, a Halloween party, or your next chili competition. Load it up with your favorite toppings, serve it with plenty of cornbread or chips, and don’t forget to come back and tell me when it wins!
8-10 servings
1 lb ground beef
1 lb ground bison
1 lb ground chorizo
4 slices of bacon
2 tbsp butter
2 onions – chopped
Kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper
3 Poblano peppers – seeded and chopped
1 jalapeno pepper – seeded and chopped
1 green bell pepper - seeded and chopped
1 red bell pepper - seeded and chopped
6 cloves garlic – minced
¼ cup brown sugar
4 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp oregano
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp cumin
2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp cayenne
2 chilis in adobo sauce - chopped, plus two tbsp. of the sauce
2 (32 oz) cans whole San Marzano tomatoes – broken up
1/3 cup tomato paste
3/4 cup chili sauce
2 (15 oz) cans kidney beans
2 (15 oz) cans mild chili beans
2 cups chicken stock, plus more for thinner chili
In a large skillet, cook and drain the ground beef, ground bison, and chorizo. You can do these one at a time. Set all the cooked meat aside. Wipe the pan out and fry the bacon. Set bacon aside. Heat half of the bacon grease and 2 tbsp of butter over medium high heat. Add the chopped onions with a dash of salt and sauté for about 5 minutes or until they start to brown. Add the Poblano peppers, jalapeno pepper, green bell pepper, and red bell pepper with a dash of salt and sauté until peppers are soft. Add the chopped garlic and sauté one more minute, stirring everything together well. Add the brown sugar, chili powder, Kosher salt, oregano, garlic powder, cumin, smoked paprika, and cayenne to the pot. Stir spices together and let cook for about 3-4 minutes.
Add the chopped chilis and adobo sauce, San Marzano tomatoes (continuing to break the whole tomatoes up into pieces), tomato paste, chili sauce, kidney beans, chili beans, and chicken stock. Stir together and let come to a slight bubble. Lower the heat and let simmer on the stove. Add the meat back into the pot and give it one final stir. Serve with cooked noodle shells, tortilla chips, sour cream, cheese, avocado, chopped onions, and whatever your heart desires!
