You can never have too many chili recipes, right? And this one has a secret ingredient—something you wouldn’t typically think of adding to chili! This Secret Ingrecient Chili makes a great meal for lunch or dinner—serve it with crusty bread, cornbread, or even garlic bread, and a salad, too, for a well-rounded meal!
This chili cooks up in one pot, so the cleanup is easy! You can dish it up right from the pot, or for a fancier presentation, place the chili in a covered dish like the Grace & Gratitude Deep Dish Baker from maryandmartha.com. This baker is really handy because it not only comes with a lid, it also has its own trivet! How great is that?
So…what’s the secret ingredient? It’s unsweetened cocoa powder! The cocoa powder gives the chili a rich flavor. You don’t need a lot—just 1 Tablespoon will do it! And if you like toppings on your chili, like sour cream, cheddar cheese, and chopped green onion, have the toppings in small bowls on your table so everyone can top their chili the way they like it!
Secret Ingredient Chili
SECRET INGREDIENT CHILI by NancyC
Makes 6 servings
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
2 (15-ounce) cans red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
3 Tablespoons chili powder
1/2 Tablespoon ground cumin
1 Tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cloves minced garlic
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional: toppings for chili—sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, and chopped green onion
In a large saucepan, cook the ground beef and chopped onion over medium heat until the beef is no longer pink; drain the fat.
Add the beans, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, chili powder, cumin, unsweetened cocoa powder, minced garlic, and salt and pepper, if desired.
Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
Top the chili with any or all of the following: sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, and chopped green onion.
NOTE: For a spicier chili, use a 28-ounce can of diced tomatoes with green chilies instead of regular diced tomatoes.
Recipe from NancyC | nancy-c.com
This chili is not very spicy, so if you want a spicier flavor, use a 28-ounce can of diced tomatoes with green chilies instead of regular diced tomatoes—this is noted in the recipe above!
Do you have a favorite chili recipe? Have you ever used unsweetened cocoa powder in any chili you’ve made?
Sharing at Meal Plan Sunday, Weekend Potluck, Weekend Potluck, Farmhouse Friday, Fiesta Friday, Full Plate Thursday, Thursday Favorite Things, Grace at Home, Homestead Blog Hop, LouLou Girls, Happiness is Homemade.
NancyC 
Tasty looking chili!
I always add a bit of Mexican chocolate to mine, so I’m definitely for the secret ingredient. It adds such nice deep color and flavor to the dish. 🙂
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I’ll have to try it with your idea of adding Mexican chocolate! Sounds great! 🙂
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It does add such interesting flavor.
If interested, check the link to my version: https://ronitpenso.wordpress.com/2016/12/11/chili-con-carne/
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Thanks—I’ll check it out! 🙂
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I think the unsweetened cocoa powder it really makes this dish super special and flavorsome 😋 It looks mouthwatering 😋
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Thanks so much! 🙂
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I will definitely try the cocoa powder next time I make my chili. I’ve used dark chocolate before, but I can see that the unsweetened powder would be much better without adding sweetness.
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Yes, it doesn’t add sweetness, just a richer taste and it also gives the chili a nice rich color!
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💕
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Secret ingredients always intrigue me and this did not disappoint. I’m not a fan of chili normally, but this recipe hit the spot!
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I’m so glad to hear you liked the chili, Beth—thanks for letting me know! 🙂
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