Classic Chili Recipe With A Twist Recipe

Once upon a time, you could only enjoy some of your favorite recipes at certain times of year. After all, how can you justify cooking chili when it's 95 degrees outside?

Thanks to your Instant Pot, that's a problem no more. Using the Instant Pot has helped many chefs make some of their wintertime favorites in the warm weather months, and in a fraction of the time. Take this interesting twist on classic chili by Melissa Olivieri of The Olive Blogger using chorizo sausage.

"The use of the chorizo is what really sets this chili apart from any other — it has a really nice smoky flavor with a hint of heat," she explains of her take on the filling family meal. "That paired with the sweet potato makes this a winning combination that isn't typically found in a traditional chili recipe. It is also a nice change to your usual beef chili!"

Chances are, you've already got a lot of what you need to make this delicious chili in your home pantry. You'll need 18-ounces of chorizo sausage with the casing removed. Then, you'll need a large sweet potato, three cloves of garlic, a bell pepper, an onion, and a jalapeño.

You'll also need two cups of cooked beans. Canned and drained beans or home-cooked beans are both fine. Olivieri says that her family's favorites are red kidney beans, navy beans, and black turtle beans. Don't forget a 23-fluid ounce jar of strained tomatoes.

Next, grab the kosher salt, ground black pepper, chili powder, and chipotle powder. Now you're all set to make this delicious, easy treat.

Begin by setting your Instant Pot to sauté. As it warms up, you can remove the chorizo from its casing. To do this, simply use a sharp knife to pierce the length of it and pull out the filling. The casing should slip right off.

When the Instant Pot is ready, add the chorizo and break it up with a fork. Continue to mix it, breaking it up more as it cooks for about five minutes.

Next, you want to add your diced onion in with the chorizo, stirring occasionally to allow the onion to soften for two minutes.

Once the onion is tender, you're ready to add the garlic and jalapeño. Depending on who you're cooking for, you might be questioning whether adding jalapeño is a good idea.

"You can always leave the jalapeño out," Olivieri advises. "If you want to replace it with something, I would suggest just a green bell pepper for the texture. Those who like less spice will want to remove the seeds and membrane to have just a hint of spice from the jalapeño, but it can definitely be omitted altogether." 

Time to add even more flavor to this yummy dish! Add in the kosher salt, ground black pepper, chili powder, and chipotle powder. With the chipotle, a little goes a long way. Just a little will add a smoky aroma and depth of flavor.

Once those are added to your Instant Pot, stir everything together well. You want to make sure the entire chorizo mixture is coated in the spices as you cook.

Next, you'll get to add the delicious sweet potato and your diced bell pepper. Once you've added them in, give the pot a stir and continue to sauté for two minutes so the sweet potatoes can soften a little. If you don't think they've come too far in two minutes, don't worry. By the time this recipe is done, they'll be just right.

After the two minutes are through, it's time to turn off the sauté function on your Instant Pot. Now, you're ready to add the sauce to this chili.

Once the sauté function has been turned off, add the strained tomatoes and water into the chorizo mix. Stir well to combine all of your ingredients. Lastly, add in your choice of beans. 

Then you're ready to kick back and relax while all the wonders of chili happen. Set your Instant Pot to the chili setting (or high pressure if there isn't a chili setting) for 15 minutes and get ready to enjoy it.

You'll want to use the natural release function to release the pressure from the Instant Pot before opening it. When you do, there before your eyes will be some seriously delicious chili.

"When you open the Instant Pot, your chili will look watery on top — this is normal!" Olivieri emphasizes. "You will want to leave the lid off for 10 minutes (give or take) while you prepare your salad to serve alongside it. This will thicken it perfectly."

While a salad is not mandatory, it's a great idea to freshen up your meal. Besides a salad, think crusty bread when it comes time for serving. Those two sides and a bowl of chili make a wonderfully balanced meal in next to no time!