Chipotle Powder Recipes

Slofoodgroup Team December 20, 2023

Chipotle powder is truly a transformative ingredient but it is under-explored when it comes to culinary artistry. Quite often, it is reserved for little more than tacos and hot wings, but it is capable of enhancing everything from cocktails and desserts to soups and vegetable dishes. In this article, we'll provide a list of some of our favorite uses for chipotle chile powder so it can become a standout ingredient in your culinary escapades.

What To Do With Chipotle Powder

Chipotle Old and Smokey

When it comes to specialty cocktails, chile powders aren’t the first ingredient that comes to mind. However, the earthy and spicy flavors found in ground chiles contrast beautifully with the acidity and sweetness often found in cocktails. Check out this blog post for some great peppery cocktails, including a spicy spin on an Old Fashioned, the Chipotle Old and Smokey.

Easy Birria Tacos

We couldn’t create a round-up of chipotle powder recipes without including at least one taco recipe, and when it comes to tacos, birria tacos might just be our favorite. This recipe for birria tacos can be made with or without cheese and incorporates 2 separate types of ground chile powders—chipotle and pasilla. Despite multiple chile varieties, the heat level of the tacos isn’t over-the-top. Instead, the flavors perfectly meld together creating a comforting and mind-blowing flavor!

Albondigas Soup

Albondiga translates to “meatball”. So essentially, albondigas soup is a meatball soup. It is incredibly popular in Mexico. Typically, the meatballs are loaded with rice and fresh mint, but this version of albondigas soup has been partially deconstructed to allow each ingredient to shine on its own.

Zucchini Agrodolce

Agrodolce is a sweet, sour, and somewhat spicy condiment that can be served alongside a wide variety of dishes. For our Zucchini Agrodolce, we poured it directly over fried zucchini. It can be enjoyed atop a bed of greens or rice, as a simple side, or even a no-fuss appetizer.

The Best Chipotle Chili Recipe

We couldn’t deliver a list of chipotle recipes without mentioning one of our favorites—chipotle chili. This isn’t your ordinary chili, and once you try it, it will likely become one of your favorite crock pot recipes to make time and time again. Obviously, chipotle powder is a key ingredient in this dish. It adds a smokey element and a bit of a spicy zing. Another important ingredient that might surprise you is the addition of squash (we used kabocha but butternut, acorn, and other sweet winter varieties also work well). The sweetness pairs phenomenally with the smokey, spicy chipotle and the fragrant cinnamon. Now, this wouldn’t be the best chipotle chili recipe if it didn’t have a secret ingredient in it, so of course it does. Ready for it? We added a bit of peanut butter, which adds a touch more sweetness and loads of earthy, nutty flavor. You’re going to love it!

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ pound lean ground beef
• 1 pound sweet Italian Sausage
• 1 bell pepper, diced
• 1 cup chopped white onions
• 3 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
• 1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
• ¼ cup secret ingredient (read the commentary above to find out what the secret ingredient is)
• 1 teaspoon chipotle chile powder
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground Ceylon cinnamon
• 2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 ½ teaspoons Mexican oregano
• 1 16-ounce can kidney beans, with juices
• 1 16-ounce can kidney beans, with juices
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Procedure

1. Remove the skin from the squash and cut into cubes. Add it to the bottom of the crock pot.
2. In a skillet, brown the italian sausage and hamburger. Remove and add to the crock pot.
3. Without cleaning the skillet, add the onions and turn the heat to low. Generously salt the onions and sweat until they are soft and nearly translucent. Add them to the crock pot.
4. Stir in the remainder of the ingredients and cook on high for 4-6 hours.
5. Top with onions, cilantro, cheese, sour cream, or any of your other favorite chile toppings.

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