Spicy and smoky with a hint of sweetness, this hearty and flavorful slow cooker chili recipe is guaranteed to warm you up during the winter months.
As you are probably aware, chili is the ultimate comfort food.
On a blistery cold day, nothing satisfies and warms the soul quite like a spicy bowl of chili.
This particular chili recipe uses a combination of ground chorizo, ground venison, and sweet potatoes along with some charred peppers and onions to create a bowl that’s bursting with flavor.
While the sweet potatoes are sure to offend a chili purist out there, I find they actually make an excellent addition to chili.
They pair incredibly well with the spicy and smoky flavors and also make this hearty chili a filling, gluten-free meal.
Best of all, this easy recipe comes together in the slow cooker. It’s great for meal prep and tastes even better the next day.
Ingredients and Equipment
For this recipe you’ll need:
- Ground venison: you can also substitute with lean ground beef.
- Ground chorizo: you want raw, uncooked Mexican chorizo sausage (not smoked). If you can’t find bulk ground chorizo, you can also use links–just remove the casings.
- Sweet potatoes: 1.5 pounds or about 2 large sweet potatoes.
- Sweet onion: aka Vidalia onion. I love the subtle sweetness this onion adds, but yellow onion works fine too.
- Red bell pepper
- Poblano peppers
- Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce: this is a secret ingredient in this recipe that adds a spicy richness. You’ll need one small can which you can find it in the international or hispanic section of the grocery store.
- Garlic cloves or garlic powder
- Beef stock or beef broth. Chicken stock can also be used as a substitute.
- Crushed tomatoes: one large (28-ounce) can of crushed tomatoes
- Chili powder
- Ground cumin
- Dried oregano
- Ground cinnamon
- Smoked paprika
- Fresh lime juice
- Cooking oil or spray: I use avocado oil, but any high heat cooking oil will do
- Kosher salt or sea salt
- Black pepper
For equipment you will need a 7-quart slow cooker, a large skillet, and a baking sheet.
How to Make Slow Cooker Venison and Chorizo Sweet Potato Chili
1. Char the peppers and onions
Adjust an oven rack to the upper middle position and preheat the oven to broil.
Peel and quarter the onion and cut the peppers in half length-wise and remove the stems and seeds.
Spread the vegetables out on a baking sheet and lightly brush or spray with oil.
Transfer the sheet to the oven and broil for 10-15 minutes until everything is nicely charred.
Remove the baking sheet from the oven, then move the peppers to a bowl and cover it with a lid or towel.
2. Brown the meat with the spices
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, then add the chorizo and ground venison.
Cook the meat, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until it starts to brown.
Add the garlic and spices and continue to cook for another few minutes until everything is nice and fragrant.
Remove the skillet from heat, then transfer the meat to a crock pot or slow cooker.
3. Assemble everything in the slow cooker
One the peppers are cool, remove the outer papery skin, roughly chop them and add them to the slow cooker. Dice the onion and add it in as well.
Chop up the chipotle chiles in adobo and add them in along with all the sauce from the can.
Finally, add the cubed sweet potatoes, beef stock, and crushed tomatoes. Sprinkle in a teaspoon of kosher salt, then give everything a good stir.
Cook on low heat for at least 8 hours (or high heat for 5-6) until the sweet potatoes are very tender.
4. Season and serve
Just before serving, stir in some fresh lime juice. This will really brighten up all the flavors.
Season the chili with more salt and black pepper to taste and enjoy.
Serving Suggestions
Toppings are an essential aspect of serving chili.
Some of my favorite toppings include:
- Sliced avocado
- Fresh cilantro
- Diced red onion
- Pickled jalapeños
If you do dairy, some grated cheddar cheese or a dollop of sour cream never hurts either.
While this chili is hearty enough on its own, serving it along with some rice or cauliflower rice will bulk it up even further.
Storing and Reheating
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
Reheat the chili in a pot over medium heat. You may need to add a splash of water or stock to help thin it out a bit as it reheats.
To freeze: allow the chili to completely cool, then transfer it to resealable freezer bags or containers. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw any frozen chili in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
More Chili Recipes
I hope you enjoy this spicy chorizo chili recipe. Let me know how it went in the comments below!
Slow Cooker Venison and Chorizo Sweet Potato Chili
Ingredients
- 1 large sweet onion
- 1 red bell pepper
- 2 poblano peppers
- 1 teaspoon avocado oil or other high heat cooking oil
- 1 pound ground chorizo
- 1 pound ground venison
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 (7-ounce) can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce chopped
- 1.5 pounds sweet potatoes peeled and cubed
- 2 cups low sodium beef stock or chicken stock
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper plus more to taste
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
For serving
- slice avocado
- fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to broil and adjust a rack to the upper middle position.
- Peel and quarter the onion. Cut the peppers in half length-wise and remove the stems and seeds. Place on a baking sheet and lightly brush with avocado oil.
- Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and broil for 10-15 minutes until the peppers are evenly charred. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and transfer the peppers to a bowl. Cover the bowl with a lid or kitchen towel and set aside.
- Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the venison and chorizo to the skillet, breaking it up with a spoon. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat starts to brown, about 7-8 minutes.
- Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, oregano, cinnamon, and smoked paprika to the skillet, stiring well to combine. Cook for another 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Remove the skillet from heat and transfer the meat to a 7-quart slow cooker.
- Once cool, dice the onion. Peel the outer skin from the peppers roughly chop them and add them to the slow cooker. Add the chipotles, sweet potatoes, beef stock, and crushed tomatoes. Season with salt and black pepper and stir well.
- Cook on low for 8 hours or until the sweet potatoes are extremely tender. Stir in the lime juice and season with more salt and pepper to taste before serving.
Nutrition
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