Description
Hearty Cheesy Enchilada Chili blends Mexican comfort with southwestern spice. Robust flavors merge seamlessly, delivering a rich culinary experience you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
- 1 lb (450 g) ground beef (or ground turkey for a lighter option)
- 1 can (15 oz/425 g) black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can (15 oz/425 g) pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can (14.5 oz/400 g) diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 can (10 oz/300 ml) red enchilada sauce
- 2 cups (475 ml) chicken or beef broth
- 1 cup (120 g) shredded cheddar cheese (or a Mexican cheese blend)
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp chili powder
- ½ tsp cumin
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro (for garnish)
- Sour cream (optional)
- Sliced jalapenos (optional)
- Diced avocado (optional)
- Tortilla chips or strips (optional)
Instructions
- Preparation: Heat a large pot over medium, adding oil to create a flavorful foundation for the chili.
- Meat Development: Brown ground beef thoroughly, breaking it down and draining excess fat to ensure a robust base with rich, caramelized textures.
- Aromatic Infusion: Sauté onions and garlic until they transform into a fragrant, translucent mixture, releasing deep, savory notes throughout the pot.
- Liquid Ensemble: Combine black beans, pinto beans, diced tomatoes, enchilada sauce, and broth, creating a complex liquid landscape that builds remarkable depth and moisture.
- Spice Integration: Introduce chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper, stirring energetically to distribute seasonings uniformly and activate their intricate flavor profiles.
- Simmering Transformation: Bring the mixture to a vigorous boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer, allowing ingredients to meld and develop intense, harmonious flavors for 20-25 minutes.
- Cheese Fusion: Incorporate three-quarters of shredded cheese, stirring until the mixture becomes creamy and the cheese seamlessly integrates with the chili’s robust character.
- Final Refinement: Taste and adjust seasonings, ensuring a perfectly balanced flavor profile that celebrates each ingredient’s unique contribution.
- Presentation: Ladle chili into serving bowls, garnishing with remaining cheese and optional toppings like cilantro, sour cream, avocado, or tortilla chips to enhance visual appeal and textural contrast.
Notes
Manage Meat Browning: Ensure ground beef is completely browned without moisture to develop rich, deep flavors and prevent watery chili texture.
Control Spice Intensity: Adjust chili powder and cumin levels based on personal heat preference, starting conservatively and tasting gradually during cooking process.
Optimize Cheese Melting: Add cheese gradually and off direct heat to prevent separation, creating smooth, creamy consistency without graininess.
Enhance Dietary Flexibility: Substitute ground beef with plant-based alternatives like lentils or black beans for vegetarian version, maintaining robust flavor profile and protein content.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 7
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 36 g
- Fiber: 10 g
- Protein: 24 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg