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    Sweet & Spicy Southern Chili Recipe

    Cooking, Main Dishes, Slow Cooker, Soups & Salads Jump to Recipe

    tortilla chips with a bowl of homemade chili
    tortilla chips with a bowl of homemade chili
    tortilla chips with a bowl of homemade chili
    tortilla chips with a bowl of homemade chili
    two bowls of chili with beans and cheese
    two bowls of chili with beans and cheese
    chili cooking on the stove and a bowl of homemade chili
    bowl of spicy sweet chili with tortilla chips
    two bowls of spicy sweet chili with sour cream, cheese and cilantro
    bowl of chili with tortilla chips
    bowl of chili topped with sour cream and cheese

    With just a hint of sweetness to counter the heat, this homemade sweet and spicy Southern Chili Recipe is bursting with flavor. It’s thick and hearty, packed with beans, tomatoes, peppers, onions, ground beef and Italian sausage.

    I’ve been making this spicy and sweet chili recipe for close to 20 years, and it’s one of our favorite year-round comfort foods.

    beef and sausage southern chili in a bowl with sour cream, shredded cheese and tortilla chips

    It’s especially good on a cold winter day or when you’re watching football. You’ll definitely want to add this homemade chili recipe to your Super Bowl party food menu. Serve with Homemade Tortilla Chips or Cheesy Green Chile Cornbread for a complete comfort food meal.

    This spicy-sweet chili is one of my signature dishes that everybody loves. (Be sure you try my Pork Fried Wontons, easy homemade Hot Dog Chili and Mandarin Orange Salad, too!)

    This post may contain affiliate links. AttaGirlSays.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. Read my full disclosure policy here.

    Jump to:
    • ❤️ Why You’ll Love This Recipe
    • 🥘 Ingredients for Spicy and Sweet Chili
    • 🌶 How to Make Southern Chili
    • Slow Cooker Method
    • 📖 Variations & Substitutions
    • Storage & Freezing
    • How Do You Add Sweetness to Chili?
    • What Can I Add to Chili to Make It Spicy
    • How Do You Cut the Spicy in Chili?
    • More Chili, Soups & Stew Recipes
    • 🎥 Recipe Card & Video
    • Sweet and Spicy Homemade Chili
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    ❤️ Why You’ll Love This Recipe

    I adapted this dish from an award-winning chili recipe I clipped from my hometown newspaper decades ago. But I’ve made it even better, amping up the flavor and heat with more spices, fresh garlic and a hint of sugar to balance things out.

    This hearty Southern chili recipe uses ground beef and a blend of Italian sausage, along with three types of pepper, tomatoes and protein-rich kidney beans.

    Need a hands off meal? This Spicy and Sweet Chili recipe can be prepared in a slow cooker. Or try this Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili recipe instead!

    The chili recipe makes 8 servings, so it’s good to make for a crowd or when you need leftovers. In fact, it might even be better on the second day, after the flavors have had more chance to meld.

    bowl of spicy sweet chili with beans, sour cream, cheddar cheese and cilantro

    The easy recipe makes enough for my my husband and I to have chili for dinner two nights and for lunch on the third day. Sometimes, we use the leftovers as a topping for nachos, taco salad, baked potatoes or macaroni noodles.

    Want to see a brief overview of the process before diving into the recipe? Watch my web story on how to make this Southern Chili Recipe.

    🥘 Ingredients for Spicy and Sweet Chili

    To make this homemade chili, you will need:

    • Ground Beef – I usually use lean ground beef, but you can substitute ground chuck.
    • Italian Sausage – Sausage adds more flavor than ground pork to chili. For a spicy kick, use spicy Italian sausage or a blend of mild, sweet and hot sausage. I usually use half mild or sweet sausage and half spicy sausage.
    • Chili Powder – Different varieties of chili powder are spicier than others. The chili powder you find at most grocery stores is relatively mild, but you can find spicier versions made with hotter peppers at specialty stores or online.
    • Sugar – A little bit of white granulated sugar helps offset some of the heat and gives the chili a nice flavor.
    • Kidney Beans – You can use dark or light red kidney beans. The skins on the light red beans aren’t as tough as the skins on their dark red counterparts.
    • Peppers – I use a mix of red, green and yellow bell peppers. You can also add a diced jalapeño for more spice.
    • Onion – This recipe uses a diced white or yellow onion, plus optional green onions for garnish.
    • Tomatoes – You’ll need two cans of diced tomatoes. You can substitute whole, canned tomatoes or use diced tomatoes with green chiles.
    • Tomato sauce – Use canned tomato sauce without added seasonings, not tomato pasta sauce in a jar.
    • Spice Blend – In addition to fresh garlic, you’ll need garlic powder, ground cayenne pepper, cumin, salt and pepper to season the meat and the chili.
    • Vinegar – Finish the recipe with an optional splash of white vinegar for acidity.

    See recipe card for quantities.

    🌶 How to Make Southern Chili

    First, measure out the sugar and spices to season the meat. You’ll use two cloves of minced garlic, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1½ teaspoons chili powder, ½ teapoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper. (See the recipe card for more information and a cooking demo video.)

    Use your clean hands or a wooden spoon to combine the ground sausage and ground beef and mix in the spices.

    Italian sausage and ground beef in a bowl

    Brown the seasoned sausage and beef in a large Dutch over or large pan over medium heat. Drain off any excess grease.

    With just a hint of sweetness to counter the heat, this spicy homemade chili recipe is bursting with flavor. It's thick and hearty, too, packed with beans, tomatoes, peppers, onions, beef and ground sausage. Great comfort food on cold days or for football watching. Serve the leftovers over baked potatoes, nachos or macaroni noodles.

    Once the meat has browned, add canned tomatoes, tomato sauce, kidney beans (drained and rinsed), chopped peppers, diced onion and the remaining spices and sugar to the mix.

    chili wih beans and peppers cooking on the stovetop

    Stir well and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low or low, cover and simmer for at least 30 minutes, but preferably longer to let the flavor develop.

    Stir occasionally to make sure the chili doesn’t burn or stick to the bottom of the pan.

    Just before serving, add a ½ teaspoon white vinegar to the pot of chili.

    spoon in a bowl of sweet southern chili

    While the chili will be ready to eat after simmering on the stovetop for 30 minutes, you can allow it to cook on low for several hours for more depth of flavor. Cooking it longer will also allow the peppers and onion to soften more.

    Serve sweet and spicy chili with tortilla chips, shredded cheddar cheese, sliced green onions and fresh jalapeño pepper, if you prefer a spicier chili. Add a dollop of sour cream, if you like.

    This recipe can also be cooked in a Crock-Pot.

    Slow Cooker Method

    To make this recipe in a slow cooker:

    • Brown the seasoned meat mixture using the saute feature on your slow cooker. If yours doesn’t have a saute feature, brown the meat in a skillet on the stovetop.
    • Drain excess fat and transfer the browned sausage and ground beef to an 8-quart slow cooker.
    • Add canned diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, kidney beans, chopped peppers, diced onion and the remaining spices and sugar to the slow cooker.
    • Stir well.
    • Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 7 hours.
    • Just before serving, add a ½ teaspoon of white vinegar to the slow cooker.

    📖 Variations & Substitutions

    • If you don’t like sausage, make this chili with two pounds of ground beef.
    • Add 2 Tablespoons of chopped chipotle peppers in adobo sauce for a spicier, smoky flavor.
    • Use a mix of mild, hot and sweet ground Italian sausage for more complex flavor.
    • Use a poblano pepper in place of the green bell pepper for spicier chili.
    • Add fresh, diced jalapeño pepper or cayenne pepper to add heat.
    • Omit the onions if you don’t like them in chili.
    • Substitute pinto beans or black beans for the kidney beans or use a blend of all three types of beans.
    • Substitute sliced canned tomatoes or whole canned tomatoes for the diced tomatoes. You could also use Mexican-style tomatoes or Ro-Tel tomatoes.
    • To make the chili sweeter, use brown sugar, instead of granulated white sugar.

    Storage & Freezing

    Store leftover sweet and spicy chili in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Reheat leftovers in a pan on the stovetop or in the microwave.

    To freeze: Allow chili to cool before placing in freezer bags or airtight freezer-safe containers. Freeze for 4 to 6 months. Thaw completely in the refrigerator and reheat leftovers on the stovetop or in the microwave.

    The texture of the beans may change slightly after being frozen and thawed.

    How Do You Add Sweetness to Chili?

    Add a touch of sugar to add sweetness to chili to balance the heat. This recipe calls for a total of ¼ cup of granulated sugar. For an even sweeter chili, you could use brown sugar instead.

    What Can I Add to Chili to Make It Spicy

    You have a lot of different options for adding spice to a pot of chili.

    bowl of spicy sweet chili with tortilla chips

    Chili powder will add some heat or spice. Most chili powder sold at the grocery store is fairly mild, because it is made from a blend of spices and mild ground peppers.

    But you can find specific varieties of chili powder that pack more heat:

    • Look for chipotle chili powder for a smoky, spicy flavor. New Mexico hatch chili powder is a flavorful and spicy.
    • Chili powder made from habanero, Scotch bonnet or ghost peppers will make your chili much spicier. Use these super-hot chili powders in small amounts.

    You can also add fresh hot peppers, to taste, to make chili spicier. Using hot Italian sausage will also make chili spicier.

    You can also add hot sauce or red pepper flakes to make chili spicier.

    How Do You Cut the Spicy in Chili?

    If you prefer your chili less spicy, reduce the amount of chili powder in the recipe and omit any spicy fresh peppers, such as jalapeños .

    In this sweet spicy chili recipe, you can substitute mild or sweet ground sausage for the hot sausage.

    If you find that the chili is too spicy after you’ve made it, there are a few things you can do:

    • Add sour cream to cut the spice.
    • Add another can of tomatoes or tomato sauce to dilute the spice.
    • Serve spicy chili over noodles, rice or potatoes.
    • Increase the amount of vinegar or sugar to counteract the spiciness.

    More Chili, Soups & Stew Recipes

    Try these other delicious comfort food meals:

    • Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili
    • Hearty Sweet Potato & Shrimp Soup
    • Easy Chicken Noodle Soup with Egg Noodles
    • Slow Cooker Brunswick Stew
    • Quick & Easy Tortellini Soup
    • Hearty Beef Stew
    • Black Eye Pea Soup with Collards & Ham
    • Hearty Minestrone Soup

    Pin This! Spicy & Sweet Chili Recipe

    tortilla chips with a bowl of spicy sweet chili with cheese, sour cream and cilantro

    🎥 Recipe Card & Video

    bowl of spicy sweet chili with beans, sour cream, cheddar cheese and cilantro

    Sweet and Spicy Homemade Chili

    A hearty homemade chili made with sausage, ground beef and packed with vegetables. It has a touch of sweetness to balance out the spicy heat.
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    Prep Time 20 minutes mins
    Cook Time 40 minutes mins
    Total Time 1 hour hr
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine American
    Servings 8 servings
    Calories 531 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    For the Seasoned Meat Mixture

    • 1 lb ground beef
    • 1 lb Italian ground sausage hot, mild or sweet, your choice
    • 2 cloves garlic minced or pressed
    • 1½ teaspoons chili powder
    • 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
    • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • ½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper

    For the Chili

    • 2 14-ounce cans diced tomatoes
    • 1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
    • 3½ Tablespoons chili powder
    • 2 Tablesoons granulated sugar
    • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
    • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
    • ½ teaspoon cumin
    • 2 14-ounce cans kidney beans drained and rinsed
    • 1 yellow bell pepper chopped
    • 1 red bell pepper chopped
    • 1 green bell pepper chopped
    • 1 medium yellow onion diced
    • ½ teaspoon vinegar
    • 1 bunch fresh green onions, sliced (optional)

    Instructions
     

    • Combine the ground beef and Italian sausage in a bowl. Add 2 cloves of minced garlic, 1½ teaspoons chili powder, 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper.
    • Using your clean hands or a wooden spoon, mix the spices into the meat until fully incorporated.
    • Brown the seasoned hamburger and sausage mixture over medium heat in a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot.
    • Once meat is browned, drain any excess fat.
    • Add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, drained and rinsed kidney beans, peppers, onion and remaining spices and sugar. Stir well to combine.
    • Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer covered, stirring occasionally, for at least 30 minutes, but preferably longer to let the flavor develop. 
    • Just before serving, add ½ teaspoon vinegar, and stir.
    • Garnish with green onions, sour cream, shredded cheese and jalapeño peppers, if preferred. Serve with tortilla chips.

    Video

    Notes

    Storage & Freezing

    • Store leftover chili in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Reheat leftovers in a pan on the stovetop or in the microwave.
    • To freeze: Allow chili to cool before placing in freezer bags or airtight freezer-safe containers. Freeze for 4 to 6 months. Thaw completely in the refrigerator and reheat leftovers on the stovetop or in the microwave.

     

    Slow Cooker Method

    • Brown the seasoned meat mixture using the saute feature on your slow cooker. If yours doesn’t have a saute feature, brown the meat in a skillet on the stovetop.
    • Drain excess fat and transfer the browned sausage and ground beef to an 8-quart slow cooker.
    • Add canned diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, kidney beans, chopped peppers, diced onion and the remaining spices and sugar to the slow cooker.
    • Stir well.
    • Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 7 hours.
    • Just before serving, add a ½ teaspoon of white vinegar to the slow cooker.

     

    Variations & Substitutions

    • If you don’t like sausage, use 2 pounds of ground beef.
    • Add 2 Tablespoons of chopped chipotle peppers in adobo sauce for a spicier, smoky flavor.
    • Use a mix of mild, hot and sweet ground Italian sausage for more complex flavor.
    • Use a poblano pepper in place of the green bell pepper for spicier chili.
    • Add fresh, diced jalapeño pepper or cayenne pepper to add heat.
    • Omit the onions if you don’t like them.
    • Substitute pinto beans or black beans for the kidney beans or use a blend.
    • Substitute sliced canned tomatoes or whole canned tomatoes for the diced tomatoes. Use Mexican-style tomatoes or Ro-Tel tomatoes.
    • To make the chili sweeter, use brown sugar, instead of white granulated sugar. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 531kcalCarbohydrates: 38gProtein: 29gFat: 31gSaturated Fat: 11gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 83mgSodium: 954mgPotassium: 1144mgFiber: 11gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 2003IUVitamin C: 72mgCalcium: 104mgIron: 7mg
    Did You Make This?Mention @AttaGirlSays or tag #attagirlsays!

    collage photo showing bowls of sweet and spicy chili

    Filed Under: Cooking, Main Dishes, Slow Cooker, Soups & Salads Tagged With: entrees, soup

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Melissa

      October 16, 2018 at 6:26 am

      I’m lost and confused. Your ingredients day 4 Tablespoons of chili powder, which seems like way too much but the written instructions says 1 1/2 teaspoons. All of your spices and sugar are either cut in half or nonexistent in the written instructions. How do I follow this?

      Reply
      • Atta Girl Amy

        January 21, 2020 at 3:11 pm

        The 4 Tablespoons of chili is correct; this makes a large pot of chili. You’ll need to divide the spices, adding some directly to the meat and the remainder to the pot of chili after the vegetables, tomato sauce and peppers have been added.

        Reply
    2. DAWN KRAMER

      October 31, 2017 at 2:33 am

      Thanks for the yummy recipe. With the weather getting colder now it would make a comfort food. Though I do eat Chili year around

      Reply
    3. Michelle

      May 01, 2012 at 9:35 pm

      Thanks so much for linking up to Creative Thursday link party. We LOVE homemade chili so I’ll definitely be trying this recipe soon. YUM

      I can’t wait to see what you link up this week. Have a great day.

      Michelle

      Reply
      • Atta Girl Amy

        May 02, 2012 at 10:13 am

        Would love to hear what you think of it when you make it.

        Reply
    4. Bonnie and Trish @ Uncommon

      April 29, 2012 at 8:23 pm

      looks delish!!! love the combo of sweet and spicy!! thank you for sharing at Uncommon!! have a great night!

      Reply
    5. Michelle

      April 26, 2012 at 12:40 pm

      Hi,

      I followed you over from Live Laugh Rowe Link Party and this looks delicious. Perfect for all the rain we’ve had in Calif. in the last couple of days.

      I would love to invite you to share this, and any other posts you would like to, at my Creative Thursday Link Party at http://www.michellestastycreations.blogspot.com.

      Have a great day,
      Michelle

      Reply
      • admin

        April 30, 2012 at 9:18 am

        Haven’t had a chance to link up yet, but we will! Thanks for the invitation.

        Reply

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