Black Bean Chipotle Bison Chili with Lime Crema. A delicious riff on a traditional comfort food dish. Hearty, savory and just what you need for a cozy cold evening dinner.
If you enjoy cooking with bison, don’t miss my Bison Recipes category.
First of all, let me tell you, this Bison Chili along side a glass of Mexican Michelada makes for a divine combination. Just sayin’. Now that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s make this Chipotle Pepper Chili Recipe.
How To Make Black Bean Chipotle Bison Chili
Heat a large stock pot over medium high heat. If your ground meat is very lean, add 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil to the pot before adding the ground meat.
Season with a little salt and pepper and cook until meat is just starting to brown, using a spoon to break up meat. Remove cooked meat to a bowl with a slotted spoon.
Add onions and garlic and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add chili powder, broth, tomatoes, beer and chiles. Bring to a boil, reduce to low, cover partially, and cook until very thick, about 1-2 hours.
Stir in cornmeal and add black beans. Let simmer together for 10 minutes before serving.
In the meantime, combine sour cream with lime zest and juice of one lime and serve chili in bowls with a spoonful of lime cream on top.
To serve, ladle a large dollop of Lime Crema, and you know me well enough to know that life isn’t complete with a sprinkling of chopped Cilantro. Sliced green onions and chopped avocado make a beautiful garnish against the deep color of this bison chili.
Lime Crema Recipe
The lime crema is key to the uniqueness of this chili. It’s super easy to make and the creamy texture and citrus tones make this delicious bison chili recipe even more special.
It’s simply one cup of sour cream, and the zest and juice of one lime. Bam! Done! Delicious! Give it a try.
Yes. Substitute equal amounts of Greek Yogurt. It will give you the same creamy results you crave and with an extra bit of tang.
Recipe for Black Bean Chipotle Bison Chile with Lime Crema
I hope you give this bison chile with black beans recipe a try, and if you do, please come back and give the recipe a star rating. And leave a comment about your experience with the recipe. I love hearing from my readers.
And if you have a favorite Bison Chile Recipe, let me know, I’d love to give it a try.
More Chili Recipes
- Anthony Bourdain’s New Mexico Style Beef Chili Recipe
- Award Winning Chili Recipe
- Award Winning White Bean Chili
- Cowboy Chili
- Bourbon Beef and Bean Chili
And if you’re looking for even more soup, stew and chili recipes, don’t miss my soup category. You’ll find lots of recipes, including the most popular on my site for Hatch Green Chili with Pork.
This Bison Chile recipe is a chili cook-off winning recipe from the Leyden Street Chile Cook-off. My friend Michelle was a judge and I received the recipe from her.
And, don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter for more delicious recipes and cooking tips. Make it a delicious day … every day.
If you’ve tried this or any other recipe on my website, please leave a star rating in the recipe card below. And write a review in the comment section. I always appreciate your feedback.
Chipotle Bison Chili with Lime Crema
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground bison
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil optional
- Salt and pepper
- 3 cups chopped onions about 2 medium onions
- 6 garlic cloves finely chopped
- 1/4 cup chili powder
- 32 ounces beef broth
- 28 ounces fire roasted chopped tomatoes canned, undrained
- 1/2 cup stout or dark beer
- 4 canned chipotle chiles veins and seeds removed, chopped
- 3 tablespoons yellow cornmeal
- 30 ounce black beans canned, rinsed and drained
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 lime zested and juiced
- Avocado chopped for garnish
- Cilantro chopped for garnish
- Green onion sliced for garnish
Instructions
- Heat a large stock pot over medium high heat. If your ground meat is very lean, add 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil to the pot before adding the ground meat. Season with a little salt and pepper and cook until meat is almost browned, using a spoon to break up meat.
- Add onions and garlic and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add chili powder, broth, tomatoes, beer and chiles. Bring to a boil, reduce to low, cover partially, and cook until very thick, about 1-2 hours.
- Then stir in cornmeal and add black beans. Let simmer together for 10 minutes before serving. Stir in the vinegar.
- Combine sour cream with lime zest and juice of one lime and serve chili in bowls with a spoonful of lime cream on top.
- To serve, ladle a large dollop of Lime Crema on top of the chili. Garnish with chopped cilantro, chopped avocado and sliced green onion.
Black Bean Chipotle Bison Chili with Lime Crema …It’s what’s for Dinner
Why Trust These Recipes? Lea Ann Brown has lived, worked and played in Colorado for 45 years. She has immersed herself in the Colorado Culinary space, is a Culinary School Graduate and publishes her Colorado food Blog, Cooking On The Ranch.
This is a delicious chilli and I love the lean bison meat instead of beef!
Where does the cider vinegar come into play? I see it listed in the ingredients but not in the instructions?
Hi Brianna, thanks so much for your note. The recipe has been corrected. When adding vinegar to a recipe, think of it as “adjust seasonings” part of the equation. It’s added at the end to brighten and balance the flavors.
YUM! Looks great! Love the lime crema – I’ll have to give this a try on chili night. Thanks for sharing!!
Thanks Steph, and thanks for stopping by
I want this right now. I may have to go rob Ted Turner of a couple pounds of ground bison BUT I SHALL HAVE THIS CHILI.
I love the use of the lime leaves! What a brilliant idea. This sounds like a winner.
Whoa! I’m in!
That looks excellent and since I’m making chili this week, I’ll have to try the secret ingredient in it.
Love the addition of the lime leaves!
A tricks I have picked up over the years when making chili with beer, If you like a bitter kick to your chili, use a stout or any other dark ale. If you like things a little smoother, use a lager. There are some nice dark brown lagers that are almost nutty or even chocolatty that add an interesting depth of flavor.
And now you’ve gone and done it. I ahve a craving and I need to make chili again.
This looks wonderful. I love your idea to use the lime crema with fish tacos! Must try it.
Great ingredients–I have been craving chili lately. Love the lime crema!
Love this recipe and ur info on all that hops in making it fantastic…..
Sounds great! Love your secret ingredient!
Lea Ann this looks so wholesome and good! We can’t get bison here but I have some really nice mince that would be perfect for this and I picked up some fresh limes too! 😀
Chili looks delicious!!! I’ve never thought to add kaffir lime leaves, sounds intriguing!
this is one nice hearty dish and the lime crema is officially part of my repertoire – thanks!
Wow, you start with the crema and end with a secret – perfect! I’m a sucker for lime zest. This looks and sounds delicious and I can’t wait to try it. Beautiful photos, LA!
The chili recipe looks great. Thanks for sharing your secret ingredient with us.
This chili looks unbelievable! I bet the dark beer, chilies along with the leanness of bison really makes this a great chili. And the addition of the lime crema must take it to another level, as well.
Many thanks…
My husband went crazy over it. I’m sure it would have been better with the dark ale, I only had Coors. That Lime Crema is very good. I can see using it on tostadas…fish tacos…. agree? Thanks for stopping by George.