Chili is a funny thing. Everybody’s got a recipe and no two are alike. Some focus on the chilies. Some on the meat. Some have beans. Some don’t. Some are closer to Mex. Some are definitely Tex. Some taste like spaghetti sauce with a bit of grocery store pre-fab mystery chili powder thrown in. Some I get. Some I don’t. This black bean chili is one I get. I hope you get it too.

Pork, beef, new mexican red chili powder and fire roasted tomatoes all star in this black bean chili. This chili is for lovers of big flavours! - 1 Pork, beef, new mexican red chili powder and fire roasted tomatoes all star in this black bean chili. This chili is for lovers of big flavours! - 2 Pork, beef, new mexican red chili powder and fire roasted tomatoes all star in this black bean chili. This chili is for lovers of big flavours! - 3

black bean chili

Ingredients

  • 1 lb dried black beans or 3 15 oz cans of black beans
  • 1 lb lean ground beef
  • 1 lb ground pork
  • 1 large onion diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 large jalapeños finely diced - about 1/4 cup (optional)
  • 1 28 oz plus 1 15 oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes - I like Muir Glen
  • 1-2 Tbsp chipotle puree or minced chipotle in adobo
  • 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
  • salt
  • chicken stock as needed to keep the chili from drying out

Dry spice mix

  • 4 Tbsp mild New Mexican Red or other mild good quality chili powder
  • 1 Tbsp Ancho chili powder
  • 2 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp Mexican oregano

Instructions

  • Cook the black beans if using dried. Drain and rinse the black beans if using canned.
  • Heat the oil in a dutch oven and brown the beef and pork. When browned remove meat to a stainer or colander and drain and reserve the fat.
  • Add 3 Tbsp of the reserved fat into the dutch oven. Sweat the onions and jalapeños if using over low heat until the onions are translucent. Add the garlic and cook another minute.
  • Add the dry spice mix and cook over low heat for 2-3 minutes. Don’t let it burn. If you cook Indian you’ll recognize this as cooking the masala.
  • Return the meat mixture to the dutch oven. Add the tomatoes and chipotle puree and stir. Simmer, loosely covered, over low heat for about 45 minutes.
  • Add the beans and cook, loosely covered, for another 60-90 minutes. Add a bit of stock from time to time to keep the chili from drying out.
  • Add salt. The amount will depend on whether you are cooking them from dry (more salt) or canned (less salt). With dry beans it takes a surprising amount of salt so add a tsp at a time until you get to where you like it.
  • Serve garnished with any of pico de gallo, sliced green onions, avacado slices, fried tortilla strips or sour cream. Whatever you feel like really.

Nutrition

Lemon coriander chicken curry is one of the very first curries I ever learned to cook. I cook dozens of curries now but this one is special to me.

It’s different. Not a run of the mill curry. The sauce is on the runny side. No onion at all. Not what you’d expect. But so good.

Lemon coriander chicken curry is Indian comfort food

It’s homestyle Indian cooking. Like somebody’s mom used to make. It makes me smile every time I make it.

This recipe is a spin on Madhur Jaffrey’s lemon coriander chicken curry. More green chili and a heavier hand on the spices are the big differences.

I’ve also added a bit of cinnamon stick – adds a nice haunting background flavour. This recipe definitely works better with dark meat. And it’s best with chicken on the bone.

This is an easy and absolutely delicious Indian chicken loaded with lemon and cilantro flavours! - 4

The spices are straight forward. Coriander and cumin powder, turmeric and chili powder. I use Kashmiri mild chili powder. It’s well worth seeking out if you cook a lot of Indian.

You can substitute cayenne but be sure to use half as much. Cayenne is a lot hotter than Kashmiri mild.

Lemon coriander chicken curry is a bright tasting Indian curry that's big on flavour. - 5 Lemon coriander chicken curry is a bright tasting Indian curry that's big on flavour. - 6