My Cozy Bison Chili Recipe
By: Merritt
Chili is a recipe that usually makes an appearance during chili months. For me, nothing gets cozier than a large bowl of tomato roasted beans, flavorful bison, and a huge amount of toppings and sides. Chili is also great if you want to experience high levels of cozy but with minimal effort put in.
This bison chili recipe is such an easy dinner that can be made in 30 minutes. It can also be made during the day and left on your stove until you are ready to serve it. It is also once of those dishes that actually gets better as a leftover, which is mostly because the flavors have had a chance to meld together.
This post will walk you through making an easy bison chili recipe that is perfect for a weeknight dinner, a cozy weekend in, or in preparation for your meal prep!
Notes and Tips For Bison and Bean Chili
This chili uses bison, kidney beans, and pinto beans as the main ingredients. You can switch these ingredients out for your favorite type of ground beef and beans.
I have made this with fire roasted crushed tomatoes and regular crushed tomatoes. Both turn out great, though the fire roasted does give an extra bit of flavor.
I highly recommend making a double batch and storing the leftovers in the freezer. Chili the perfect dinner to defrost on a cold day and serve with your favorite toppings.
Common Questions For Bison Chili
What Kind of Meat to use for Chili?
This chili uses ground bison. Though still a red meat, bison is a lot leaner than ground beef. This helps your chili not feel overly filling but still gives the cozy bite that ground beef does.
You can use other types of ground meat for chili. Ground turkey and ground chicken will work but I highly recommend you stick with bison or use ground beef! Ground pork has a very high fat percentage and may create a rather heavy feeling chili, so I do not recommend for this recipe.
What will deepen the chili flavor?
Adding spices to your chili really helps deepen the flavor. We use cumin, smoked paprika, garlic, chili powder, salt and pepper to help add flavor. To balance the flavors and to further deepen the chili flavor, I like to add dark brown sugar and chocolate. You can use maple syrup or honey too.
Letting your chili simmer or rest will also help deepen the flavor. When all the components have a chance to mingle, they will meld really well together and create a more cohesive flavor.
Does Ground Bison taste different than ground beef?
Ground bison does taste somewhat different than ground beef. Due to be much leaner than ground beef, ground bison has a more mild red meat flavor. The texture of the two meats is the same and for most recipes, ground bison can always been exchanged for ground beef unless specified.
How Long Does Chili Last?
Cooked and cooled bison chili will last about one week in the fridge. You can freeze and have it last about 3 months in the freezer. If you freeze you chili, allow about 24 hours to defrost. You can toss it in the microwave and use your defrost function if you need to speed up the process.
What Else Can I add to Bison Chili?
There is a lot you can add to chili. You can always add extra beans, which will make the dish heartier and very filling. You can also add whole chilis to make your dish a lot spicier. A jalepeno, some chili paste, or a single Thai chili will definitely change your chili flavor.
A lot of add ons can happen once you chili is served. Homemade cornbread is a classic pairing but so are tortilla chips, crusty bread, any type of shredded cheese or sour cream. To add brightness and even out the savory nature of chili, you can top this bison chili recipe with green onion, fresh cilantro, or a nice squeeze of lemon.
What Goes with this Bison Chili Recipe?
Bison chili is hearty and savory, it goes well not only with carbohydrates but also with a crisp green salad. Try serving this bison chili recipe with my miso caesar salad. It is bright and a great balance to chili. You could also try pairing this dish with a green cabbage slaw with ginger and lime dressing. I love serving salad alongside chili to help add extra fiber and nutrients to my meal.
If I am feeling extra cozy, I will not only serve my chili with lots of toppings but also with a little dessert. Let me know what your favorite pairing is!
Ingredients for Bison Chili
Recipe: Serves 6
- 1.5 Lb Ground Bison see notes above for other ground meat options.
- 1 cup white onion yellow onion works well too.
- 1 Can (28 oz) Crushed Tomatoes fire roasted or normal
- (2) Cans Beans I ise pinto and kidney but any type will do.
- 1.5 cups vegetable stock beef stock works too
- 1 tsp garlic powder sub for 2 garlic cloves if desired. Toss in with the onions.
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp chili powder any type will do
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 Tbs dark brown sugar
- 1 Tbs chocolate chips you can use honey or maple syrup too.
- Salt and pepper to taste
Toppings
- cheese
- cilantro
- chips
- cornbread
- green onion
- sour cream
How To Make Bison Chili
Brown the Bison
Over medium to high heat, add the bison to a large skillet with a little salt and pepper.
Flatten the bison and allow the bottom side to brown (about 4 minutes)
Mix the bison around and allow to finish cooking (about 3 minutes).
Cook the Onions
While the bison is cooking, dice up one white or yellow onion.
Separate out one heaping cup, saving the rest for your meal prep or veggie stock.
Add the onions over medium heat to a large stock pot with 1 Tbs of salted butter.
Allow the onions to cook until almost fully translucent.
Add the browned bison, crushed tomatoes, cans of beans, and vegetable stock to your pot. Stir to combine.
Add all the spices, including the sugar and chocolate chips. Stir to combine
Adjust Seasoning and Simmer
Turn the heat to low and taste the chili. Adjust the seasoning as needed here.
Allow your chili to simmer for about 10 minutes to slightly reduce and to bring all the flavors out.
Serve with your favorite toppings.
Bison Chili Recipe with Beans
Ingredients
- 1.5 Lb Ground Bison see notes above for other ground meat options.
- 1 cup white onion yellow onion works well too.
- 1 Can (28 oz) Crushed Tomatoes fire roasted or normal
- (2) Cans Beans I ise pinto and kidney but any type will do.
- 1.5 cups vegetable stock beef stock works too
- 1 tsp garlic powder sub for 2 garlic cloves if desired. Toss in with the onions.
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp chili powder any type will do
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 Tbs dark brown sugar
- 1 Tbs chocolate chips you can use honey or maple syrup too.
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Notes
Simmering the chili is optional if you want dinner on the table faster!
Nutrition Facts
Calories
240Fat
9 gCarbs
15 gProtein
25 gCholesterol
62 mgNote: Nutritional information is an estimate only. Exact values will vary based on specific ingredients used.