Herbie Creative Recipes

Christian's Chili

Name: Christian's Chili: Cocoa Lime Chili
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: About 8-10 servings
Ingredients: 1 onion, sautéed; 1 cup finely diced carrots, sautéed (optional: peppers, celery, or other vegetables; roasted bell peppers from the air fryer can go in later); 1½ lbs ground beef or meat of choice; ¼ cup water or orange juice; Pinch garlic powder; 1 Tbsp ground cumin; 1 tsp paprika; Tiny pinch of cinnamon (less than you think; it can overpower); Pinch ground cardamom; Pinch ground coriander; 1 tsp thyme (preferably fresh); 1 tsp oregano (Mexican dried oregano or fresh oregano preferred); 2 to 3 tsp salt; Pinch chili powder; Pinch black pepper; Pinch celery salt; Sprinkle of nutmeg; 1 (14.5 oz) can vegetable broth; Juice of 2 whole limes; 8 oz diced roasted green chiles (canned, or fresh seeded and roasted); optional extra fresh diced peppers; 2 (14.5 oz) cans diced or petite diced tomatoes (Mexican style with green chiles or cilantro, if desired); 1 (14.5 oz) can pinto beans, undrained; 1 (14.5 oz) can kidney beans, undrained; 1 (14.5 oz) can black beans, undrained; 8 to 16 oz white sweet corn (as much as you like; fresh, frozen, or canned drained); 2 Tbsp brown sugar, honey, agave, or a combination; 2 Tbsp cocoa powder; ¼ cup crema Mexicana or heavy cream (or ¼ cup sour cream for a tangier chili); Tiny pinch of cinnamon (again, less than you think); 1 tsp oregano (Mexican dried or fresh)

Cocoa Lime Chili

Stovetop cocoa and lime chili with spiced ground beef, three beans, sweet corn, roasted green chiles, and a creamy finish.

Cooking method

Stovetop Slow cooker

Same dish, two methods

Mains Soups Stovetop American Mexican Tex-Mex Latin Clara's favorite About 8-10 servings Prep 25 min Cook 45 min Total 1 hr 10 min

5.0 (1 review)

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Ingredients

Meat preparation

1 onion, sautéed
1 cup finely diced carrots, sautéed (optional: peppers, celery, or other vegetables; roasted bell peppers from the air fryer can go in later)
1½ lbs ground beef or meat of choice
¼ cup water or orange juice
Pinch garlic powder
1 Tbsp ground cumin
1 tsp paprika
Tiny pinch of cinnamon (less than you think; it can overpower)
Pinch ground cardamom
Pinch ground coriander
1 tsp thyme (preferably fresh)
1 tsp oregano (Mexican dried oregano or fresh oregano preferred)
2 to 3 tsp salt
Pinch chili powder
Pinch black pepper
Pinch celery salt
Sprinkle of nutmeg

Chili pot

1 (14.5 oz) can vegetable broth
Juice of 2 whole limes
8 oz diced roasted green chiles (canned, or fresh seeded and roasted); optional extra fresh diced peppers
2 (14.5 oz) cans diced or petite diced tomatoes (Mexican style with green chiles or cilantro, if desired)
1 (14.5 oz) can pinto beans, undrained
1 (14.5 oz) can kidney beans, undrained
1 (14.5 oz) can black beans, undrained
8 to 16 oz white sweet corn (as much as you like; fresh, frozen, or canned drained)
2 Tbsp brown sugar, honey, agave, or a combination
2 Tbsp cocoa powder
¼ cup crema Mexicana or heavy cream (or ¼ cup sour cream for a tangier chili)
Tiny pinch of cinnamon (again, less than you think)
1 tsp oregano (Mexican dried or fresh)
1 tsp ground cumin
Pinch ground cardamom
Pinch ground coriander
1 tsp fresh thyme (or more if desired, optional)
½ cup or more chopped cilantro, optional

Instructions

In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium heat, sauté the onion and finely diced carrots (plus any other vegetables you want) until softened.
Add the ground beef with the water or orange juice and all meat spices. Brown until cooked through and fragrant, breaking up the meat as it cooks.

Prep
Stir in the chili-pot ingredients: vegetable broth, lime juice, roasted green chiles, tomatoes, all three undrained beans, corn, brown sugar/honey/agave, cocoa powder, the second tiny pinch of cinnamon, oregano, cumin, cardamom, coriander, optional thyme, and optional cilantro. Hold the crema (or sour cream/heavy cream) for near the end so it stays smooth.
Optional: lightly caramelize the corn in a skillet with a little honey or a pinch of brown sugar before stirring it into the pot.

Cooking
Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and cook 30 to 45 minutes (longer if you have time), stirring occasionally, until the flavors come together.
Near the end of cooking (or off heat just before serving), stir in the crema Mexicana, heavy cream, or sour cream. Taste and adjust salt, lime, or a tiny pinch more cinnamon if needed.
Serve with fresh cilantro, sour cream, salsa, and tortilla chips as desired.

Notes

Credit: Christian. Cocoa Lime Chili is the descriptive name; Christian's Chili is the house nickname.
Prefer the slow cooker version when you want deeper melded flavor with less babysitting.
Fresh, frozen, or drained canned white sweet corn all work. Do not thaw frozen corn first if you are caramelizing it.
Crema (or sour cream/heavy cream) is best stirred in near the end so it does not separate. Extra lime juice or a little lime zest at the table brightens bowls without cooking the citrus to bitterness.
Optional garden herbs (not required): a small rosemary sprig early then remove, dried oregano at the start, fresh herbs late. Keep cinnamon tiny throughout.

Reviews

5.0

1 review

5 stars 1
4 stars 0
3 stars 0
2 stars 0
1 star 0

Anonymous 2026-08-12

Cocoa and lime in chili. Deep, bright, and hard to stop at one bowl.