Get ready to spice things up with the best pulled pork chili recipe! Packed with tons of flavor and using five different peppers and chiles, this dish is a party for your taste buds.
Find more leftover pulled pork recipes here.
I grew up in Texas, so I do know a thing or two about good barbecue. I also grew up eating chili, and many times it was bad chili.
Needless to say, I learned quickly about how to make good chili. I began cooking at a young age and would help my mom get meals on the table. As I got a little older, I would get dinner started while she was on her way home from work.
I read a lot of my mom’s cookbooks, experimented a lot in the kitchen and learned way, way more. Most of all, I kept at it until I got it right. And whether I succeeded or failed, my family ate whatever I made for them.
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Recipe highlights
- The best chili recipe: This recipe uses 5 chiles and peppers for the base, plus spices and a dash of mesquite powder!
- So simple: This is one of those throw it in the pot and forget about it while it simmers. It’s so easy to whip up! And you get to make it with leftover pulled pork!
- Turn up the heat: … or not! Your chili doesn’t have to be super spicy. You can easily control the heat by adding as much or as little spice as you want. This recipe makes a chili of medium-level heat.
- Flavor: This chili is packed with flavor and is not a watered down recipe like you find everywhere else. And of course, you can pile on more flavor and textures with all the toppings you like.
Ingredients needed
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- Red bell pepper: To balance the spice in this chili, I add some bell pepper. I prefer red bell peppers as they add a touch of sweet, but you can also use green, yellow or orange varieties.
- Anaheim chile: This is a mild chile and not spicy at all. The skin is edible so no pre-roasting is needed. If you can’t find any, use a green bell pepper instead.
- Jalapeño pepper: Use a fresh jalapeño and not the pickled variety. You could use canned if you don’t have fresh, just drain out the liquid unless you like the flavor. This recipe calls for a whole jalapeño, but if you like it less spicy use half.
- Chipotle chile in adobo sauce: This stuff is magic! Yes, it is spicy but it is also smokey and has incredible flavor. Use sparingly if you don’t like spicy, but try not to omit altogether. A can comes in a 7-ounce size and the peppers are whole. I usually take out the peppers and chop them all up first then mix them back with the sauce. You won’t use the whole can, so freeze or refrigerate leftovers. You will use both the chiles and the magical sauce.
- Hatch chiles: Rounding out our chile profile are the fabulous green Hatch chiles. They come in mild, medium and hot varieties. These are chiles grow in Hatch, New Mexico and offer a wonderful smokey heat. If you have fresh chiles, you will need to roast them first, peel them, then seed and chop. You can also find them ready to use in cans at the grocery store.
- Onion: You can use regular brown or white onions.
- Garlic cloves: I prefer the flavor of fresh garlic, but you can use garlic powder instead.
- Chile powder: What, more chilies?! Yes, I still add chile powder. This is NOT chili powder, which is a spice MIX that has other ingredients in it. Chile powder comes in mild, medium and hot varieties and also comes in red or green varieties. Use whichever variety you like.
- Pulled pork: This is a great way to use up leftover pulled pork. If your pork has barbecue sauce on it, you can decide if you want to leave it for extra flavor in your chili, or give it a quick rinse. If you have leftover carnitas, it will be perfect and ready to be added in your chili. I used leftover pulled pork from my oven pulled pork recipe.
- Kidney beans: I love kidney beans in my chili, but you can add any variety of beans you like: pinto, black or even great Northern beans. You can also add a combination of beans to your chili, if you prefer. My family doesn’t like their chili with too many beans, so I only add one can to this recipe. But if you are a bean lover, feel free to add more!
- Fresh cilantro: I finish my chili with a handful of chopped cilantro. You can also use parsley, chives or green onions. Again, fresh herbs add more flavor, but you could use dried herbs.
- Extra virgin olive oil: I cook almost exclusively with olive oil. The oil is used for sautéing the vegetables so any cooking oil will work.
- Mesquite powder: Want to add some more smokiness to your chili? You could use liquid smoke, but I prefer adding a smidge of mesquite powder. A little bit brings tons of flavor and smokiness, plus it doesn’t taste as artificial of the liquid stuff.
- Pantry staples: Canned diced tomatoes, canned tomato sauce, paprika, cumin, salt and pepper.
- Chili toppings: When you serve your chili use your favorite chili toppings like cornbread, corn chips, sour cream, cheddar cheese, avocado, cilantro and/or green onions.
Step-by-step directions
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- Sauté onions and peppers. Sauté diced onions, bell peppers, Anaheim chile and jalapeño pepper in hot oil and cook until vegetables start to soften.
- Add tomatoes. Add garlic and cook for a minute then season with salt and pepper. Stir in the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes and water, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot.
- Add seasonings. Add the remaining Hatch chiles, chipotle in adobo, chile powder, paprika and cumin. If you are using mesquite powder, add it now.
- Add pulled pork. Stir in the pulled pork then reduce heat to simmer. Allow chili to simmer for at least 1 hour or up to several hours. The longer the chili cooks, the more flavor the chili will have. Add more water as needed.
- Add beans. Add the kidney beans and cook for 30 minutes then add the chopped cilantro.
Expert tips and recipe FAQs
Growing up in Texas in the 80’s, one school lunch that always had us buying was Frito Pie. Fill a bowl up with those delicious corn chips and pour chili on top. Today, I flip it around and fill my bowl up with chili and top with crunchy Fritos, sour cream, cheddar cheese, avocado, cilantro and/or green onions.
You can also serve your pulled pork chili over a baked potato or some cheesy grits. Use less water in the chili and serve it up in buns for a pulled pork sloppy joe. You can also use this recipe to make some pulled pork chili fries!
Bake up some jalapeño cornbread or bacon cornbread pancakes and dunk it in your chili. However you serve it, your friends and family will love this recipe.
This recipe is based on my Campfire Dutch Oven Chili. Want to try more Hatch chile recipes? Try my chicken chile verde, Hatch chile dip, Hatch chile chocolate chip cookies, instant pot pulled pork Chile verde and my hot corn dip.
Storing/Freezing Instructions
TO STORE: Store any leftover chili in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
TO FREEZE: You can also freeze leftovers. Transfer to a resealable bag or freezer safe container and freeze for up to 4 months.
Yes! Chili travels well and can be made ahead of time. In fact, the longer it sits, the better it tastes and the more flavor it has. So you can absolutely make this a day or two before serving it up. Just refrigerate it and reheat it when you are ready to serve.
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Pulled Pork Chili
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 onion diced
- 1 red bell pepper seeded and diced
- 1 Anaheim chile seeded and diced
- 1 jalapeño pepper seeded and diced
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 15 oz canned tomato sauce
- 15 oz canned diced tomatoes
- 2-3 cups water
- 1 pound pulled pork
- 2 oz chipotle chile in adobo sauce diced
- 4 oz canned Hatch chiles drained and diced
- 2 tablespoons chile powder
- 2 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 15 oz canned kidney beans drained
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro or green onions
Instructions
- Add oil to a large pot or Dutch oven and bring to medium heat.
- When oil is hot add diced onions, bell peppers, Anaheim chile and jalapeño pepper. Cook until vegetables start to soften, approximately 5 minutes.
- Add chopped garlic the vegetables and cook for a minute or two, being sure not to burn the garlic. Season with salt and pepper.
- Stir in the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes and 1 cup of water, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot.
- Add the remaining Hatch chiles, chipotle in adobo, chile powder, paprika and cumin. If using mesquite powder, add it now.
- Stir in the pulled pork then reduce heat to simmer. Allow chili to simmer for at least 1 hour or up to several hours. The longer the chili cooks, the more flavor the chili will have. Add more water as needed.
- Add the kidney beans and cook for an additional 30 minutes then add the chopped cilantro.
- Serve with your favorite chili toppings like cornbread, corn chips, sour cream, cheddar cheese, avocado, cilantro and/or green onions.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.
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Written by Laura Bashar
Hi, I’m Laura, a certified professional cook and cookbook author living in San Diego. I have been sharing my family’s favorite recipes inspired from all over the world since 2008. Let’s cook up something fun!
Could you link please your recipe for pulled pork to use on this recipe
Hi Cathie-
In the post in the ingredient section I have it linked. I used my oven pulled pork recipe, but you can use any leftover pulled pork.
https://familyspice.com/oven-pulled-pork/
Laura