Chicken Chorizo Chili

This week's menu has been all screwed up from the get-go.  I was supposed to make meatballs from this chicken chorizo sausage that I bought and put them in soup.  But that dish turned into polenta pie, so I still had this sausage that I didn't know what to do with.  But after my mom said she made chili for the Superbowl, I've been wanting to make some.  I guess this week, I've been relying more on comfort food...warm, hearty, filling food.  Probably in reaction to so many salads! Ha!  I haven't made real chili in a long time, though I often make black bean soups.  This time, though, I wanted a chili that was thick and rich...the real stick-to-your-ribs kind of chili.  I figured that the chicken chorizo would go perfectly in this dish as a replacement for ground beef.  Not only does it have the same texture when sauteed, but it lends so much more flavor!  
Now, I have to clarify...the chicken chorizo sausage that I used was in bulk, meaning that it was sausage meat without the casing.  It can be used to make sausage patties or stuff meat or veggies.  I actually like it better than cased sausage because it is so versatile.  Plus, it is actually very easy to make bulk sausage on your own.  I have made a lot of it in school.  I did not make my own here, but I will have to make that a future blog post!  If you cannot find bulk sausage, you can used cased chorizo, which is usually pork.  We don't eat pork in our house, so the chicken sausage worked better.  It is also less fatty than pork sausage.
I realize that most people probably have their own delicious version of chili, but it's always fun to try something new.  I liked using chorizo in this instance because it is so highly seasoned that I didn't have to add in more spices.  The rest of the ingredients are very simple and cheap, so splurging on a little sausage is totally worth it! 

T.E.A Chicken Chorizo Chili
makes about 2 1/2 quarts or 10 cups

olive oil, for sauteing
1 pound bulk chicken chorizo sausage or equivalent of cased pork chorizo, chopped
1 cup onion, medium dice
3 large cloves garlic, minced
1 cup light beer (something cheap, but with good flavor)
2 cup canned tomatoes, crushed or pureed
2-4 cups chicken stock
3 cups black beans, cooked
3 cups chili beans or kidney beans, cooked (canned beans are ok, too!)
salt and pepper to taste

NOTE: If using canned beans, make sure to rinse them well before use.  This rinses a lot of the sodium from them so your dish won't be too salty!

1. In a large pot, heat 2-3 TB olive oil on medium high heat.  Add in sausage and saute until it is cooked through, about 5-7 minutes.  It should be broken in little pieces like ground beef.  Take out the sausage and set aside.

2.  Pour out any extra grease (if there is a lot) from the pan.  Pour in onions.  Add in more fat or oil as necessary.  Saute onions until soft and caramelized, about 8 minutes.  If the onions start to brown too much, or stick to the bottom of the pan, turn down the heat and add in a little beer or chicken stock.  This will release all the yummy "fond" from the bottom of the pan and keep the onions from sticking.

3.  Once onions are soft, add in garlic, cooking for about 1 minute.
4.  Add in beer, tomatoes, beans, and enough chicken stock to cover the whole mixture.  

5.  Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer.  Taste and check salt content (I didn't have to add much more salt into it because the sausage is fairly salty).  Simmer, uncovered, for about 30 minutes or until it has thickened and reduced.

6. Serve hot with toppings: salsa, guacamole, crushed tortilla chips, cheese, or sour cream.  I served mine with chips and "guacosalsa"...salsa with avocado in it!