Chile Colorado is a rich, bold, aromatic stew made of tender chunks of beef simmered in a dynamic red chile sauce made from dried Mexican chilies. It is one for the recipe binder!
This Chile Colorado recipe is warm and comforting, hearty, savory, make ahead and freezer friendly and most importantly, layered with complex flavor but is easier to make than you think! It begins with a red chile sauce made of dried ancho chile peppers, guajillo peppers and chiles de arbol that impart an intense, earthy, smoky, complex, authentic flavor profile laced with sweet berry undertones that’s practically hypnotic (with customizable heat!). If you’re intimidated by working with dried chilies, don’t be! They are super easy to use and this Chile Colorado recipe is the perfect place to start with step-by-step photos and instructions to create an authentic chile sauce unparalleled in flavor. The Chile Colorado sauce is combined with sautéed onions, garlic, beef broth and seasonings then simmered with chunks of beef until fall apart tender. You can serve the Chile Colorado with Mexican rice, beans and warm tortillas, or topped with cilantro, chips, and cheese. It is also makes a fabulous filling for tacos, burritos and enchiladas. No matter how you serve this Chile Colorado recipe, one thing is for certain – it will be a repeat favorite forever and ever!
If you love Mexican recipes as much as us, try these favorites: smothered chicken burritos, slow cooker carnitas, chicken enchiladas, chicken enchilada soup and carne asada street tacos.
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What is Chile Colorado?
If you’ve never experienced Chili Colorado before, prepare for your taste buds to swoon! Chile Colorado is a traditional Mexican recipe, a stew of sorts, made of either beef or pork cooked low and slow in a rich red chili sauce made of dried red chilies. The chilies are softened in hot water then blended to create the iconic sauce that simmers with the tender beef, sauteed onions and garlic, beef broth, ground cumin, oregano, and bay leaves building a rich, complex, smokey, enticing flavor profile with every passing minute.
Once the beef is fall apart tender, the Chile Colorado can be simmered for longer to create a thicker sauce or for less time for a thinner sauce. The stew is then served with Mexican rice, beans and warmed tortillas along with desired garnishes such as radishes and Cotija cheese. Chile Colorado also makes a tasty filling for burritos, tacos or enchiladas and can be even be shredded. No matter how you choose to devour this Chile Colorado recipe, I guarantee it will become a new family favorite for years to come.
Why is it called Chili Colorado?
No, this yummy dish didn’t come from the state of Colorado. It’s actually a Mexican dish made with beef or pork that’s been cooked in a red chile sauce. The word “colorado” translates to “colored red” in Spanish, hence why this stew is called chile colorado! Chile Colorado is indeed colored red, or more mahogany, depending on which chilies you use.
Where is Chile Colorado from?
Now that we know Chile Colorado isn’t from Colorado, where is it from? Chile Colorado can be traced back to Chihuahua, Mexico. In this region, they add vinegar to the stew at the end of cooking, which you may or may not want to try. I add one teaspoon in my enchilada sauce and it really awakens the rest of the flavors.
Chili Colorado Recipe ingredients
In addition to the beef and chilies, this slightly spicy, smoky stew comes together with surprisingly few ingredients. The rest of the ingredients are probably in your pantry right now! Here’s what you’ll need:
What beef is best for this Chile Colorado Recipe?
Boneless chuck roast is the best cut of beef for Chile Colorado. It boasts a succulent, beefy flavor and melt-in-your mouth texture due to its rich marbling. It is guaranteed to become fall apart tender when cooked long enough.
You can purchase beef chuck from your butcher (I like Costco) and chop it yourself. This ensures every bite is the same cut of beef (imagine that!) and is (roughly) the same size so they cook evenly.
CAN I USE STEW MEAT?
I do not recommend stew meat for this Chile Colorado recipe but it may be used in in a bind. Stew meat is a hodgepodge of different cuts of meat all packed together. This creates a problem because not all cuts of meat cook the same due to their meat to fat ratio so you are left with tender bites, tough bites and rubbery bites – all in the same stew!
What Chile Peppers Are Best for Chile Colorado?
Authentic Chile Colorado is made with Mexican dried chile peppers, namely ancho peppers, guajillo peppers, and chiles de arbol. The dried chile peppers are the star and namesake of this dish, so please don’t attempt to use chile powder and expect the same authentic, rich, complex result. Here’s the breakdown of the chilies you’ll need:
• Ancho chiles: are dried poblano chiles with mild heat and sweet, earthy, rich flavor. They measure between 1,000 – 2,000 Scoville Heat Units (SHU) compared with the jalapeño peppers which can reach 8,000 SHU.
• Guajillo chiles: are dried chiles from the mirasol chili and boast a sweet berry-toned heat (think cranberries) and mild smokiness. They are considered medium heat with a heat rating of 2,500 to 5,000 on the Scoville scale. Both the guajillo chiles add ancho chiles will add wonderfully complex flavor to your Chili Colorado but will not make the stew spicy, simply flavorful.
• Arbol chiles: also known as bird’s beak chili and rat’s tail chili are very spicy and should not be used plain, but as an enhancer to either guajillo chiles or ancho chiles. Arbol chiles have a heat rating between 15,000 – 30,000 SHU.
Where Can I Find Dried Chiles?
If you’ve never purchased or cooked with dried chiles before, don’t be intimidated! Dried chiles can be found at any Mexican market as well as many grocery stores (and many super Walmart’s depending on your location) in either the Mexican aisle or produce section. Many produce stores such as Sprouts and Whole Foods also carry packages of dried chiles. If you can’t find them or simply want a one-click option, then you can purchase them on Amazon here: ancho chiles, Guajillo chile, Arbol chiles.
Each package of chile peppers contains quite a few and they last for at least a year, so don’t worry about them going to waste. You can use them in this Chile Colorado recipe, my pozole rojo recipe or chile sauce.
IS CHILE COLORADO GLUTEN FREE?
All of the Chile Colorado ingredients are gluten free except the flour which you can substitute for a gluten free flour. The flour insulates the beef to keep it juicy and creates a flavorful crust, but it’s not the end of the world if you skip it.
Chile Colorado Recipe variations
Authentic Chile Colorado is as written with just tender meat stewed in chile sauce without additional vegetables, rice, etc. However, you can use this recipe as a springboard to make all sorts of recipes of your own. Here are a few ideas:
How to Make Chile Colorado
I know this Chile Colorado recipe uses some ingredients you may be unfamiliar with, but trust me with I say this is such an EASY stew to make and requires far less chopping than most! Here’s an overview of the cooking process:
Step 1: Remove seeds from the Chiles
- The chiles will need to be stripped of seeds and softened before blending into a sauce. It takes a few steps, but is relatively quick and easy.
- First, cut the tops off of all the chilies with kitchen shears. Next, cut the chilies along one edge to open them like a book to expose the seeds inside.
- Scrape out all of the seeds. The seeds contain most of the heat in the peppers – if you leave them in, your mouth will be on fire!
Step 2: Soak the Chiles and Prep the Beef
- Next, briefly toast the chilis in a large Dutch oven until fragrant, then cover with water and bring to a simmer for 5 minutes, then set aside to soak and soften while you prep the beef.
- Prep beef by chopping into 1-inch pieces and tossing with flour, salt and pepper.
Step 3: Blend the chili Sauce
- Now, we get to transform the beautiful, fragrant chilies into a sauce. Transfer the chilies along with 1 cup of the soaking liquid and 1 can fire roasted tomatoes to a blender. Process until smooth.
Step 4: Sear beef and Sauté the Onion
- Heat vegetable oil a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Wait until it’s very hot before adding the beef.
- Add half of the beef in an even layer and sear; flip the beef over and sear the other side, then stir to evenly brown all sides; remove to a plate. Repeat with remaining beef.
- Add the onions and cook until softened, scraping up the brown bits, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and ground cumin and sauté 30 seconds.
Step 5: Cook the Stew
- Add the browned beef back to the pot followed by the rest of the ingredients (oregano, coriander, smoked paprika, bouillon, cocoa powder, sugar, cinnamon, bay leaves and broth).
- Cover and bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer over LOW for 45 minutes or until the beef is tender. Uncover, increase heat to medium and simmer an additional 15 minutes (uncovered), or until the sauce has thickened to desired consistency. Taste and season with additional salt if desired or some reserved chili seeds or cayenne pepper for heat.
- Discard bay leaves and serve with Mexican rice, beans, tortillas and desired toppings.
How to make Chili Colorado in the crockpot
This Chile Colorado recipe can be adapted to the slower cooker by first searing the pork and sauteing the onions on the stove then letting the crockpot do the rest of the work.
- Toast and soak chile peppers according to recipe directions.
- Sear pork and sauté onions according to recipe directions.
- Spray a 6 quart (or larger) slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray.
- Add the beef, chile sauce and rest of the ingredients. Only use 2 ½ cups beef broth because less liquid is evaporated in the slow cooker.
- Cook on HIGH for 4-6 hours or on LOW for 8-10 hours or until beef is very tender.
More tips for this Chili with Colorado Sauce
What to serve with Chili Colorado
Authentic Chile Colorado is typically served with rice and tortillas for scooping up the stew. It can also be shredded and served in tacos, burritos, enchiladas, etc. Here are some additional serving ideas:
Can I prep Chile Colorado in advance?
Some of the steps in this Chile Colorado recipe can be accomplished ahead of time to save you time later.
• Meat: Can be chopped and seasoned. You can even go one step farther and sear the meat. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use.
• Chile sauce: The chiles can be soaked and blended days in advance. Store in the fridge until ready to use.
• Everything: You can make the recipe according to recipe directions up to simmering the soup. Combine all of the ingredients in the soup pot, cover and refrigerate. Expect to add 10 minutes extra simmering time.
How to Store Chile Colorado
This Chile Colorado recipe actually tastes better the next day! It will last up to 5 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator or 3 months in the freezer.
How to freeze this Chile Colorado Recipe
• Cool. Cool completely before freezing.
• Package. Transfer the Chile Colorado to a freezer-safe container. You can use sandwich-size plastic bags for individual portions, quart size bags, or freezer bags. To easily fill these bags, place them in a container that you can wrap the top around the edge of – for example, place a sandwich size bag in a mug then cuff the edges around the mug. This keeps the bag open and prevents it from collapsing when you are pouring in your stew. Final packaging tip, make sure to let out any excess air before you seal.
• Label. Make sure to label your bags so it doesn’t become a freezer mystery. You also want to label so you can be sure to use your stew within 3 months.
• Freeze. Once cooled and labeled, you are ready to freeze your stew. Once the bag is solid you can lay it flat in a single layer so it’s stackable to save space.
• Thaw/Reheat. The easiest way to thaw the Chile Colorado is in your refrigerator overnight, then reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.
How to Reheat Chile Colorado
Stove: Reheat large batches on the stove over medium low heat, stirring occasionally (about 10 minutes).
Microwave: Transfer individual servings to a microwave-safe dish, cover with a microwave-safe lids or paper towel. Microwave for 1 minute, stir, then continue to microwave for 30-second intervals, if needed.
Chile Colorado Recipe FAQs
Chile Colorado is not spicy but can be made spicy if you want it to be! Using both the ancho chile peppers and guajillo peppers will not make the stew spicy, it is the chiles de arbol that add the heat. They are 15 to 30 times spicier than ancho chiles and 6 to 12 times spicier than guajillo chiles. You can omit the chilies de arbol altogether or add 1-3 chilies de arbol; 1 being mild-medium and 3 being very spicy. You can also skip the chiles de arbol and spice up your Chile Colorado recipe with cayenne pepper to taste.
In order for this Chile Colorado recipe to be a success, the beef MUST be tender. This requires the right cut of beef, searing the beef and cooking the beef long enough.
Cut of beef: As previously discussed, boneless chuck roast will deliver fall apart tender results due to its rich marbling. If you choose another cut of beef, be aware it might not deliver as spectacularly tender results.
Sear beef: Searing seals in the juices so the beef doesn’t dry out when cooked for an extended period of time. The caramelized crust achieved by the Maillard reaction also delivers a rich, depth of flavor that can’t be achieved any other way. I brown my beef in my enameled cast iron Dutch oven in order to achieve a deeply golden crust OR you can use a traditional cast iron skillet and transfer it to your soup pot. Take care to work in batches and not to overcrowd your pan or else the beef will steam and not sear.
Cook until tender. If your beef isn’t crazy tender, then cook on! It just means the proteins needs more time to break down and tenderize. Even 15 more minutes can make the world of difference between “okay” and melt-in-your-mouth beef.
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Chile Colorado
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Ingredients
- 8 dried guajillo chile peppers
- 4 dried ancho chile peppers
- 1-3 arbol chile peppers optional if you like heat (3 is very spicy)
- 1 15 oz. can fire roasted diced tomatoes, with juices
- 3 pounds chuck roast
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1/2 tsp EACH salt, pepper
- 2 tablespoons Vegetable oil
- 1 yellow onion chopped
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon beef bouillon or better than bouillon
- 2 tsp EACH ground cumin, dried oregano
- 1 tsp EACH ground coriander, smoked paprika
- 2 tsp EACH unsweetened cocoa powder, sugar optional but recommended for mole flair
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon optional but recommended for mole flair
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 cups reduced sodium beef broth
For serving (pick your favs!)
- Mexican rice
- warmed corn tortillas tostadas or tortilla chips
- beans
- thinly sliced radishes
- chopped cilantro
- chopped avocados
- Cotija cheese
Instructions
- Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add chiles and briefly toast until fragrant, Cover the chilies with enough water so that they aren't touching the bottom of the pan (careful it will steam a lot). Simmer for 5 minutes, then turn off heat and let the chilies soak to soften while you prep the beef.
- Trim the beef of excess fat then chop into 1-inch pieces. Whisk together the flour, ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper in a plastic bag or large bowl. Add the beef and toss to evenly coat; set aside.
- Remove chilies to blender along with 1 cup of the soaking liquid and the can of fire roasted diced tomatoes. Process until smooth, leaving a corner of the blender open so steam can escape; set aside. If you don’t have a high-powered blender, then strain the chili sauce through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl, using rubber spatula to push the mixture through and discard the solids.
- Rinse and dry the Dutch oven. Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in the Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add half of the beef in an even layer and sear; flip the beef over and sear the other side then stir to evenly brown all sides; remove to a plate with a slotted spoon. Repeat with remaining beef.
- Add a drizzle of olive oil if needed to the now empty skillet. Cook the onions over medium heat until softened, scraping up the brown bits, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and ground cumin and sauté 30 second
- Add the beef back to the pot followed by the chile sauce and rest of the ingredients (oregano, coriander, smoked paprika, bouillon, cocoa powder, sugar, cinnamon, bay leaves and broth).
- Cover and bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer over LOW for 45 minutes or until the beef is tender, stirring every 10 minutes or so and replacing the lid so the bottom doesn’t burn. Uncover, increase heat to medium and simmer an additional 15 minutes (uncovered), or until the sauce has thickened to desired consistency. Taste and season with additional salt if desired or some reserved chili seeds or cayenne pepper for heat.
- Discard bay leaves and serve with Mexican rice, beans, tortillas and desired toppings.
Notes
Tips and Tricks
- Dried chiles: Can be found at any Mexican market as well as many grocery stores (and many super Walmart’s depending on your location) in either the Mexican aisle or produce section. Many produce stores such as Sprouts and Whole Foods also carry packages of dried chiles. If you can’t find them or simply want a one-click option, then you can purchase them on Amazon here: ancho chiles, guajillo chiles, arbol chiles.
- How spicy? Chile Colorado is not spicy but can be made spicy if you want it to be! Using both the ancho chile peppers and guajillo peppers will not make the stew spicy, it is the chiles de arbol that add the heat. You can omit the chilies de arbol altogether or add 1-3 chilies de arbol; 1 being mild-medium and 3 being very spicy. You can also skip the chiles de arbol and spice up your Chile Colorado recipe with cayenne pepper to taste.
- Beef bouillon: You can use bouillon powder, bouillon cubes or better than bouillon. Add it to the stew without dissolving in liquid first. If using cubes, crush them up and then add directly to the broth then stir to dissolve. You will need three cubes in this recipe.
- Cocoa Powder + sugar + cinnamon: Imitate Mexican chocolate and a subtle yet complex dimension of flavor. I’ve tried this Chile Colorado both with and without the cocoa/sugar/cinnamon combo and HIGHLY preferred it with. You can omit it to start, taste and add at the end if you prefer.
- Chuck roast: Boneless chuck roast will deliver fall apart tender results due to its rich marbling. I do not recommend stew meat because it is a hodgepodge of different cuts that require different cooking at different times.
- Cook until tender. If your beef isn’t crazy tender, then cook on! It just means the proteins needs more time to break down and tenderize. Even 15 more minutes can make the world of difference between “okay” and melt-in-your-mouth beef.
- Don’t touch your eyes! When you are prepping the chile peppers, don’t touch your face, especially your eyes. You may even want to wear gloves if you have sensitive skin. Wash your hands immediately after prepping the chilies.
- Toast the chilies. Take care when you toast the chilies that you toast until fragrant and lightly toasted/browned, about 1 minute on each side. It is better to underdo it than overdo it – you don’t want burnt chilies!
- Don’t burn stew meat. Take care you don’t sear the stew meat at too high of temperature and adjust the heat if needed. We want golden bits left behind in the pan and not black bits, otherwise the stew will taste burnt.
Prep Ahead and Make Ahead
- Meat: Can be chopped and seasoned. You can even go one step farther and sear the meat. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- Chile sauce: The chiles can be soaked and blended days in advance. Store in the fridge until ready to use.
- Everything: You can make the recipe according to recipe directions up to simmering the soup. Combine all of the ingredients in the soup pot, cover and refrigerate. Expect to add 10 minutes extra simmering time.
- Make ahead: You can make the Chile Colorado complete in advance because it tastes even better the next day!
How to Store and Reheat
- Storage: Chile Colorado will last up to 5 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- Freezer: Cool completely before storing in an airtight container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw the stew in the refrigerator overnight, then reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.
- Stove: Reheat large batches on the stove over medium low heat, stirring occasionally (about 10 minutes).
- Microwave: Transfer individual servings to a microwave-safe dish, cover with a microwave-safe lids or paper towel. Microwave for 1 minute, stir, then continue to microwave for 30-second intervals, if needed.
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MELANIE KENNEDY says
I made this tonight for my boyfriend birthday dinner at his request. It was Absolutely amazing! It had the best flavor! We won’t ever order it from a restraint again!!
Jen says
Happy birthday to him! I’m so glad that you both enjoyed!