The Decadent Addition Your Chili Needs For Unmatched Flavor

One of the best things about making a big pot of chili is how easily you can customize the flavor. If you're in the mood for chili that packs a punch, you can easily add more spicy ingredients (like canned peppers in adobo sauce). In the mood for something on the sweeter side? Toss in some brown sugar. Chef and Food Network star Aarón Sánchez spoke with Chowhound at the New York Wine & Food Festival about another ingredient you should consider throwing into the mix: chocolate. This creates a mole-inspired spin (mole sauce is considered the national dish of Mexico by many, just FYI) that can seriously elevate the flavor of chili.

Sánchez told us that you'll need three components to successfully add chocolate to chili. "I would take a good beef broth and then I would melt the chocolate into that with some good New Mexico chili spice," Sánchez said. He added that unsweetened baking chocolate is the way to go when you're putting a mole spin on your chili. It makes sense, as this allows the actual flavor of the cacao to shine without adding unnecessary sweetness. "I think it's important because cacao is something that's inherently from the New World," he explained. Let's take a look at what you need to know to create absolutely decadent chili with a bit of unsweetened chocolate.

When you're adding unsweetened chocolate to chili, it's important to take it slow and taste as you go. You're aiming to give the meal a certain je ne sais quoi that'll have people wondering about the secret ingredients you're using in your chili, rather than create a dish that offers chocolate as the star of the show. Half an ounce or so is plenty (assuming you're making a pot of chili that uses about a pound of meat) — just use a sharp kitchen knife to cut about half an ounce from a bar of unsweetened baking chocolate. Chop it into smaller pieces before you add it to the pot so that it melts more easily. 

When you add the chocolate can also make a difference. If you add it early (like right after you cook the onions and add a bit of liquid), you'll give the chocolate plenty of time to meld with the other flavors in the pot. One more thing: if you don't happen to have baking chocolate on hand but still want to try this Aarón Sánchez-approved tip, you can try adding a little bit of cocoa powder to your chili (about a tablespoon will get the job done). Just like when adding baking chocolate, take your time and taste along the way.