This simple chili with smoked sausage is hearty, perfectly spicy and filled with comforting flavorful smoked andouille sausage. Plus it’s done in under an hour. Make it ahead, freeze it and you can eat this chili for days .
This post is sponsored by al fresco All Natural Chicken Sausage.
I’m a huge fan of a really good chili. This simple chili has been one of my favorites lately. It’s flavorful, tender, thick – but not too thick, spicy- but not too spicy. And it can be made all in one pot in under an hour.
Filled with simple ready-to-cook ingredients, like red kidney beans, al fresco chicken sausage, diced onions, green peppers, tomato paste and spices you’ll love how quick this is to prepare.
On the nights you don’t want to think about any thing complicated for dinner, this is your recipe.
No extra fancy ingredients or prep time.
For this simple chili with smoked sausage recipe I recommend using the al fresco Andouille Chicken Sausage . It has the such deep and spicy flavors that make this chili really pop.
HOW TO MAKE THIS SIMPLE CHILI WITH SMOKED SAUSAGE
- First thing you do is simply thinly slice up your smoked sausage. Add olive oil to a skillet and heat it up.
- Saute the sausage until golden and crispy on both sides.
- Add in diced onions and green peppers, and saute until onions are softened.
- Add in all the spices like chili powder, cumin, paprika, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Then heat until spices become fragrant.
- Add in chicken broth and tomato paste.
- Add in rinsed and drained red kidney beans, stir and simmer until done! Then serve up in bowls and top with whatever you like.
WAYS TO TOP YOUR CHILI
Once your chili is ready to serve, the question becomes of what to serve it with. There are a bunch of toppings out there but my favorites are shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream and diced fresh parsley.
Have some corn chips or tortilla chips around? Use them if you like! If you’re a fan of diced onions or scallions, go for it!
Jalapenos? Absolutely. Hot sauce? Diced avocado? Go crazy!
CAN YOU MAKE THIS EASY CHILI IN ADVANCE?
You can absolutely make this in advance, keep in in your fridge for the week and enjoy it day after day. I honestly think the flavors in this chili just keep getting better and better every day.
All you need to do is add the chili into individual sized portions or in one large container. Keep in the refrigerator for a week (or up to 5 days).
You can then reheat individual servings in the microwave by using a microwave-safe dish, cover with a microwave-safe lid or paper towel. Microwave for 2 minutes, stir, then continue to microwave for 30-second intervals, if needed. Or you can reheat this soup in a pot on the stove over medium-high heat until warmed through and starting to boil.
CAN YOU MAKE AHEAD & FREEZE CHILI WITH SMOKED SAUSAGE?
YES! Chili is one of the easiest meals to make ahead and freeze.
I like to fill my house with the aroma of cooking the meal the day I am eating it, so I like to just prep my freezer meals versus completely cooking them then freezing them. However, you can completely cook this meal all the way first, then cool and package it up for the freezer if you prefer it that way.
HOW TO FREEZE THIS CHILI FREEZER MEAL :
- Cool. Cool the cooked sausage and onion-peppers completely before freezing. Never adding hot food to the freezer is one of the big tips to avoiding freezer burn.
- Package: Use freezer safe containers if freezing individually, or a gallon sized freezer safe bag if freezing the whole meal. After the chicken sausage and onion mixture has cooled, add other ingredients and gently stir. Transfer to labeled gallon size freezer safe bag and seal, removing air. If using individual containers place plastic wrap inside container on top of food and press down, gently squeezing out any excess air, then cover container with lid or foil and label.
- Freeze. Freeze this Simple Chili with Smoked Sausage recipe for up to five months. *After 5 months, you can still eat but chances for freezer burn or taste/flavor changes increase.
- Thaw & Reheat. The easiest way to thaw is to place bag or containers into your refrigerator overnight. Reheat in microwave: Using a microwave-safe dish, cover with a microwave-safe lid or paper towel. Microwave for 2 minutes, stir, then continue to microwave for 30-second intervals, if needed. Reheat on stove: Transfer thawed chili into a large pot or dutch oven on the stove over medium-high heat and cook until just starting to boil.
WHAT ARE THE BEST CONTAINERS FOR FREEZING INDIVIDUAL SERVINGS?
For making individual sized serving bowls you’ll want containers that are freezer and microwave safe. I love the color of this 5-pack of 34 ounce glass meal prep containers set. But I also love these simple & nice looking 8-pack Razab 30 oz. meal prep containers.
MORE MAKE AHEAD & FREEZE CHILI RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE:
- Italian Turkey & Spinach Chili
- Darn Good Chili Recipe
- Red & White Chili
- Easy Creamy White Chicken Chili
This chili is amazing year round – it’s comforting and cozy for chilly fall/winter nights. This simple chili with smoked sausage is satisfying and hearty, easy to make, and is absolutely delicious!
SIMPLE CHILI WITH SMOKED SAUSAGE RECIPE VIDEO
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Simple Easy Chili with Sausage
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 12 oz package of al fresco Andouille Chicken Sausage thinly sliced
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 2 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 3 14 oz cans Red Kidney Beans, drained and rinsed
Instructions
- Add 2 tbsp olive oil to a large pot or dutch oven. Heat over medium-high heat. Add sliced sausage and cook, turning often until golden brown and lightly crispy on each side of sausage slices.
- Add onion and green pepper. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until onions are softened.
- Add in 2 tbsp chili powder, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp paprika, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Cook, stirring often for one minute or until fragrant.
MAKE IT NOW
- Add tomato paste, chicken broth and kidney beans to pot. Bring to boil, stirring often then cover and reduce heat to simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes. Then remove lid and continue to simmer for an additional 20 minutes or until liquids have slightly reduced. Serve warm, topped with fresh parsley, cheddar cheese or cilantro.
MAKE IT A FREEZER MEAL
- Allow sausage-onion-pepper mixture to cool completely. Add Add tomato paste, chicken broth and kidney beans and stir to combine. Transfer to a labeled gallon sized freezer safe bag. Seal bag, removing as much air as possible and freeze.
THAW & COOK
- Place bag in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours or up to 24 hours to thaw. Pour contents of chili mixture into a large pot or dutch oven. Bring to boil, stirring often then cover and reduce heat to simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes. Then remove lid and continue to simmer for an additional 20 minutes or until liquids have slightly reduced. Serve warm, topped with fresh parsley, cheddar cheese or cilantro.
Notes
- Cool. Cool the cooked sausage and onion-peppers completely before freezing. Never adding hot food to the freezer is one of the big tips to avoiding freezer burn.
- Package: Use freezer safe containers if freezing individually, or a gallon sized freezer safe bag if freezing the whole meal. After the chicken sausage and onion mixture has cooled, add other ingredients and gently stir. Transfer to labeled gallon size freezer safe bag and seal, removing air. If using individual containers place plastic wrap inside container on top of food and press down, gently squeezing out any excess air, then cover container with lid or foil and label.
- Freeze. Freeze this Simple Chili with Smoked Sausage recipe for up to five months. *After 5 months, you can still eat but chances for freezer burn or taste/flavor changes increase.
- Thaw & Reheat. The easiest way to thaw is to place bag or containers into your refrigerator overnight. Reheat in microwave: Using a microwave-safe dish, cover with a microwave-safe lid or paper towel. Microwave for 2 minutes, stir, then continue to microwave for 30-second intervals, if needed. Reheat on stove: Transfer thawed chili into a large pot or dutch oven on the stove over medium-high heat and cook until just starting to boil.
Nutrition
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About Karrie
Food is my love language. But so is saving money. So I like to combine the two a lot and make thrifty make ahead and freeze meals to save time. Because life is busy, and freezer meals can come to the rescue for all of us. And yes, they actually CAN taste good. Read more...
Comments & Reviews
Alison says
Can you guide me in how to turn this into a crockpot recipe? I’d be ever so grateful! TIA!
Riley says
It sounds so yummy, Karrie! I need to plan our meals better, we always end up eating the same dishes on repeat and it’s getting boring already. This would be the ideal comfort dinner, especially that now that’s getting colder and colder outside.