• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
CaliGirl Cooking
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Kids & Baby
  • Meal Planning Services
  • Shop My Amazon Store
  • Contact
×

Home » Soups » Dad’s Sweet ‘n’ Spicy Chili

Dad’s Sweet ‘n’ Spicy Chili

Published October 21, 2015 | Updated Jun 17, 2020 by Robin Deem 4 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure.

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

My favorite chili recipe that’s the perfect balance between sweet and spicy. It’s comfort food in its finest form and a great cold weather weeknight meal.

This easy recipe for my Dad's Sweet 'n' Spicy Chili makes the perfect cold weather meal, the ultimate comfort food!

Today, we’re celebrating. We’re celebrating the fact that it is October and it has finally started to consistently fall below 70  (even 60!) degrees during the night here in Santa Barbara. We’re celebrating the fact that we are in the throes of football season (the ‘Niners even pulled out a win last weekend…..heyyyaaa!) and we are celebrating that maybe, MAYBE  in the next week it may feel”fall-ish” enough to head out to a pumpkin patch (I know, I know, I’m totally behind in this department this year.)

I thought that the perfect way to celebrate this turning of the season would be to put a big pot of my Dad’s Sweet ‘n’ Spicy Chili on the stove to simmer, after a long weekend of traveling and eating hasty meals every night, I have been waiting and waiting to tell you guys about my Dad’s chili and the moment is finally here.

This easy recipe for my Dad's Sweet 'n' Spicy Chili makes the perfect cold weather meal, the ultimate comfort food!

This chili is not just your average chili. It’s bean-less (yay for happy tummies!) and has the perfect balance of heat and sweet (I’m noticing this is a theme in my recent recipes here and here). And, as with most of my recipes, it’s easy to adapt for specific taste and dietary preferences.
When I was younger, I went through a period of a year or two of not eating red meat (I had some crazy nutritional notions that I thankfully grew out of but that’s for a whole different post.) Previous to this phase of mine, my dad had made his chili with ground beef, but to be so kind as to accommodate my crazy dietary preferences, he started making it with ground turkey. Although I’m back to eating red meat on occasion, I still find myself preferring the ground turkey version of this dish. If you want something heartier, feel free to go with the beef. Or for a more sustainable hearty option, why not try ground bison? For vegetarians, ground tofu would work just fine. There is so much flavor in this chili that it really doesn’t matter what type of protein you use.
This easy recipe for my Dad's Sweet 'n' Spicy Chili makes the perfect cold weather meal, the ultimate comfort food!
Speaking of the flavor in this chili….let’s just say “wowza.” I’m not too sure how my dad was graced with a palate that can come up with these amazing combinations of the most random ingredients, but I like to think I inherited just a little bit of this. We combine tomatoes, brown sugar, red wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar, ground cinnamon and Tapatio to create a wonderful burst of flavor in your mouth. And, as with most of my sweet and spicy recipes, you can totally adjust the spice as needed. It’s also REALLY easy to make up for mistakes with this recipe. If you add too much Tapatio, balance it out with some more balsamic or brown sugar. If it’s too sweet, add more Tapatio. The opportunities really are endless.
So, without further ado, let’s get this recipe going so you can get a pot of Dad’s Sweet ‘n’ Spicy Chili simmering on the stove in our favorite Dutch oven and cuddle up with a warm bowl in front of the TV watching The Blacklist on Netflix (I know that’s what I’ll be doing.) Happy Fall!
This easy recipe for my Dad's Sweet 'n' Spicy Chili makes the perfect cold weather meal, the ultimate comfort food!

That’s a big bowl of comfort right there!

This easy recipe for my Dad's Sweet 'n' Spicy Chili makes the perfect cold weather meal, the ultimate comfort food!

Dad's Sweet 'n' Spicy Chili

My favorite chili recipe that's the perfect balance between sweet and spicy. It's comfort food in its finest form and a great cold weather weeknight meal.
No ratings yet
Print Pin Rate
Course: Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 471kcal
Author: CaliGirl Cooking

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 1/2 pounds ground turkey
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder (I like Gebhardt's)
  • 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
  • 1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons Tapatio

Instructions

  • Heat olive oil in large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add garlic and onions, saute until fragrant. Add ground meat. Stir until meat begins to brown.
  • Add chili powder; stir to coat.
  • Add diced tomatoes and tomato sauce. Bring to a simmer.
  • Add brown sugar, red wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar, cinnamon and Tapatio.
  • Let simmer on the stove for at least 30 minutes or up to 3-4 hours (as long as you're home to keep an eye on it!)
  • Taste and re-season as necessary (this will be your time to add more sweetness if it is too spicy or add more spice if it is too sweet.)

Nutrition

Calories: 471kcal
Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @CaliGirlCooking or tag #CaliGirlCooking!
« Summer Rolls with Red Curry-Peanut-Pumpkin Dipping Sauce
Lychee Lightnings »

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Hi, I'm Robin! I'm a busy mom, food blogger and online educator empowering other mamas to find their very own recipe for a balanced life through meal planning, easy recipes and organizational techniques. I look forward to getting to know you and teaching you my tried and true tricks!

Popular Recipes

Three jars of Oat Milk Chia Pudding topped with Blueberry Orange Compote on a wooden serving plank.

Oat Milk Chia Pudding with Blueberry Orange Compote

A mug of Sleepytime Lavender Milk is the perfect bedtime treat for a good night's sleep.

Sleepytime Lavender Milk

Three-Ingredient Calabrian Chili Spread | CaliGirlCooking.com

The Easiest Three-Ingredient Calabrian Chili Sauce

Spicy Poke Bowls | CaliGirlCooking.com

Spicy Poke Bowls

BEST MEMORIAL DAY RECIPES

Ginger Peach Cobbler

Easy Mango Salsa

Honey, Peach & Basil Two-Cheese Grilled Cheese | CaliGirl Cooking

Honey, Peach & Basil Two-Cheese Grilled Cheese

A big bowl of refreshing Watermelon Caprese Salad with Prosciutto. The perfect summer salad!

Watermelon Caprese Salad with Prosciutto

Copyright © 2020 CaliGirl Cooking · Privacy Policy | Accessibility Statement

59 shares
  • 30
59 shares
  • 30