This Spicy Chili recipe is bold, smoky, and deeply satisfying. Ground beef, pork sausage, and chorizo simmer with roasted peppers and tomatillos, fire-roasted tomatoes, and beans for layered, smoky flavor, brightened by fresh cilantro and a hint of lime. It’s hearty, warming, and perfect for feeding a crowd.

Close-up of a spoonful of spicy chili in a bowl with ground meat, pinto and black beans, tomatoes, and chopped peppers in a thick, red broth.

Before You Start Cooking

This recipe comes to us from Friend of Striped Spatula, Melinda Reddehase, who’s especially good at building bold flavor and heat. I’ve added my own cooking notes throughout the post and recipe card.

Roast the vegetables. Taking the extra step to roast the peppers and tomatillos adds subtle char and deeper flavor that carries through the entire pot of chili.
Sausage. This recipe uses bulk pork sausage and fresh pork chorizo. If you’re working with sausage links, remove and discard the casings before cooking.
Chicken Broth. Even though this is a meat-forward chili, it uses chicken broth instead of beef broth. It provides body and savoriness without competing with the flavor of the beef, pork, chorizo, and spices. Be sure to use low-sodium broth so you can season the chili to taste.
Make-ahead friendly. This chili gets even better after an overnight rest in the fridge, when the flavors have time to meld. It’s great for make-ahead entertaining!

How to Make This Spicy Chili Recipe

Overhead view of labeled chili ingredients in bowls and on the counter, including three types of beans, ground meats, chopped onions, bell peppers, tomatoes, garlic, tomatillos, and fresh herbs.

Overhead view of labeled chili seasonings in small glass bowls, including chili powder, chipotle powder, smoked paprika, cumin, black pepper, salt, oil, lime juice, and liquid smoke.

Step 1: Roast the Peppers and Tomatillos

Cut the poblano peppers, red bell pepper, and jalapenos into large pieces for roasting. You can leave smaller jalapenos halved, cut the poblanos into quarters, and chop the bell pepper into large chunks.

We remove the seeds from the milder poblanos and bell pepper, and both the seeds and ribs from the jalapenos. For a spicier chili, you can leave some of the jalapeno seeds in.

Raw sliced red bell peppers, poblanos, and jalapeños arranged on a parchment-lined baking sheet, drizzled with oil and ready for roasting.

Spread the peppers on a rimmed, parchment-lined sheet pan along with the whole tomatillos, removing the papery husks first. After husking, I like to give the tomatillos a quick rinse to remove their sticky residue, which can add bitterness to the chili.

Drizzle everything with a little avocado oil and toss until coated. Roast at 425°F for 15–20 minutes, until the vegetables are tender and starting to char in spots.

Close-up of roasted peppers and tomatillos on a parchment-lined sheet pan, including blistered red bell peppers, poblanos, jalapeños, and softened tomatillos glistening with oil.

Let the vegetables cool slightly until you can comfortably handle them, then roughly chop the tomatillos and peppers. You can be a bit rustic here, but aim for ½- to 1-inch pieces of pepper, so they meld into the chili as it simmers.

As you chop the tomatillos, you’ll notice they release a good bit of pulp and juice—be sure to scrape it all in. That liquid adds body and bright acidity to the chili.

Step 2: Brown the Meats

Place a large Dutch oven (or a heavy-bottomed pot) over medium heat on the stove, and add your trio of meats—no additional oil needed. As the meat heats up, it will render its own fat, which prevents sticking and helps everything brown evenly.

Chorizo. Use fresh Mexican pork chorizo, not cured Spanish chorizo. (The batch pictured here uses the Cacique brand.)
Pork Sausage. We use regular bulk pork sausage, such as Jimmy Dean.
Ground Beef. 80/20 ground chuck (80% lean, 20% fat) adds the right balance of fat and beefy flavor to the chili. If you want to grind your own, check out my How to Grind Meat in Your Home Kitchen tutorial.

Overhead view of browned ground beef, sausage, and chorizo in a white Dutch oven, coated in a rich red spice blend with rendered fat pooling on the surface.

Cook the meats, breaking them up into bite-sized crumbles, until they’re well browned. Any browned bits in the pan (the fond) will dissolve into the chili later, adding great flavor.

Step 3: Add the Aromatics and Spices

Add the diced yellow onion and minced garlic cloves to the pot with the browned meats and cook for 3–4 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onion softens and the garlic is fragrant.

Overhead view of a white Dutch oven filled with browned chili meat, topped with a mound of freshly chopped yellow onions before stirring into the mixture.

Now, it’s time to build that smoky, bold, spicy chili flavor with seasonings. Sprinkle in chili powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, chipotle powder, freshly ground black pepper, and a splash of liquid smoke.

Overhead view of a Dutch oven filled with sautéed ground meat and onions, with a mound of chili spices including paprika, cumin, and chipotle powder added to the center before stirring.

This recipe was developed with Colgin hickory or mesquite liquid smoke {affiliate links}. Both add a subtle smokiness that mimics fire-cooked chili without overpowering the pot. If you’re using a more concentrated brand (like Wright’s), reduce the amount slightly so the smoke flavor doesn’t take over.

Stir well so the spices coat the meat evenly. This quick bloom wakes up the spices and deepens the chili’s flavor before the liquid ingredients are added.

Step 4: Build the Chili

Add the chopped roasted peppers and tomatillos to the pot, making sure to scrape in all of the tomatillo pulp and juices. Then, stir in the remaining ingredients that form the body of this Spicy Chili recipe:

Tomato sauce. Use a canned or boxed smooth tomato sauce, such as Hunt’s or Pomi, not marinara or spaghetti sauce.
Fire-roasted diced tomatoes. Add them, along with their juices, to give the chili extra smoky depth.
Canned beans. A mix of dark red kidney beans, pinto beans, and black beans. Drain and rinse them before adding them to the pot.
Low-sodium chicken broth.
Apple cider vinegar. Just a splash adds brightness and balances the richness of the meats.
Chopped cilantro. Add about half now for background flavor and save the rest for finishing the chili later.

Overhead photo of a pot of chili with visible layers of black beans, pinto beans, kidney beans, and chopped fresh cilantro just added to a vibrant red broth, ready to be stirred together.

Bring the chili to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat and let it cook uncovered for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it thickens and the flavors come together.

Step 5: Finish and Season

Once the chili has thickened, stir in the remaining chopped cilantro. Taste and season with salt as needed—how much you’ll need depends on the saltiness of your chorizo, broth, canned tomatoes, and beans.

Just before serving, finish the chili with a squeeze of fresh lime juice to brighten all of the smoky, savory flavors.

A wooden spoon lifts a scoop of spicy chili from a white Dutch oven, highlighting the beans, ground meat, and chunks of tomato in a vibrant, spiced broth.

Serving Tips

This chili is hearty enough to stand on its own, but it’s even better with a few classic toppings to balance the heat and richness.

We like to serve it hot with shredded cheese, sour cream, or sliced avocado to cool things down, plus a sprinkle of extra cilantro if you have it.

For a little crunch, tortilla chips or a handful of corn chips (like Fritos) are always a fun addition—especially for game day.

Cornbread is a natural match for this chili, whether you like it slightly sweet (my Buttermilk Skillet Cornbread is a favorite) or more savory. Flaky buttermilk biscuits or beer bread are also great for dunking and soaking up the sauce.

And if you want to change things up, try spooning the chili over a baked potato for a hearty, comforting meal.

This is a great chili for game day or casual cold-weather entertaining! Set out the pot with a simple toppings bar and let everyone build their own Spicy Chili bowl.

Overhead view of a white Dutch oven filled with hearty chili, surrounded by fresh ingredients including tomatoes, jalapeño, cilantro, garlic, and a halved lime, styled on a striped cloth and wood cutting boards.

Make-Ahead, Storage, and Reheating

If you’re making this chili ahead for entertaining, hold off on adding the lime juice and second addition of fresh cilantro until after reheating, just before serving. It keeps the flavors tasting fresh and bright.

Refrigerator Storage: This chili keeps well in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days, stored in an airtight container.

Freezing: This recipe freezes well. Let the chili cool completely, then transfer it to freezer-safe containers. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Reheating: Reheat the chili on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until warmed through. If it thickens too much after chilling, add a splash of chicken broth to loosen it. Before serving, taste the chili and adjust any seasonings, if needed.