Chili Colorado Recipe
Published Nov 02, 2026
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This Chili Colorado recipe is my take on a traditional Mexican stew with juicy chunks of beef slow-braised in a savory, smoky homemade chile sauce.
Easy Mexican Chili Colorado Recipe
There’s something so comforting about a spicy, rich, slow-cooked meal in the wintertime. Lately, you’ll find Buffalo chicken chili in the slow cooker or carne guisada on the stove on any given afternoon.
For something a little different, today I bring you: Chili Colorado.
This Chili Colorado recipe packs tons of flavor into an easy, almost one-pot meal. I make mine with juicy chunks of beef chuck, slowly simmered in a homemade chile sauce until all the flavors meld and the meat practically falls apart. It’s a bit different than your typical American chili, and seriously good!
What Is Chili Colorado?
Chili Colorado is a Mexican recipe with chunks of beef or pork cooked in a rich, savory chile sauce. Here, “Colorado” means “colored red” in Spanish, named for the sauce’s dark red color (not the State of Colorado!).
Like chilorio and beef birria recipes, Chili Colorado recipes traditionally use rehydrated Mexican chili peppers. I’ve used guajillo peppers and ancho peppers, but you’ll find recipes that use other varieties, like chiles de arbol and pasilla peppers.
Chiles play a starring role in this recipe, but if you aren’t a fan of spice, try my classic slow cooker beef chili or this Mexican beef machaca, where you can easily adjust the heat.
Chili Colorado Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this easy Chili Colorado recipe at home. Scroll to the recipe card for the full amounts.
- Dried Ancho and Guajillo Chiles – Guajillo chiles are quintessential in Chili Colorado recipes, bringing heat with a hint of tangy flavor, and are also great for marinades, like in guajillo steak. Ancho chiles are dried red Poblano peppers with an earthy, sweet flavor like you’ll find in mole recipes. You can get them at major supermarkets and local Mexican grocery stores. Remove the stems and seeds before rehydrating. Deseeding helps tame the heat.
- Onion and Garlic – Yellow onion or another cooking onion, roughly chopped. I recommend fresh garlic for the sauce. If you don’t have it, however, you can substitute 1 tablespoon of jarred garlic for each clove.
- Beef Broth – Use store-bought or homemade beef stock, or chicken stock for a milder flavor.
- Spices – Ground cumin, dried oregano, plus salt and freshly ground pepper.
- Beef Chuck – My preferred cut for slow-cooking and braising. Cut the roast into even, 1½-inch chunks. Other good choices include brisket, or you can make this with pork shoulder or another stew meat.
- Olive Oil – Or your choice of oil for searing.
- Bay Leaves – Add depth of flavor as they simmer with the beef.
- Fresh Lime and Cilantro – Optional, but these add a nice, bright finish to the chili when serving.
How to Make Chili Colorado
This recipe starts with the smoky Colorado sauce. You can make the sauce up to 1 week in advance and keep it covered in the fridge until you’re ready to make your chili.
- Toast the chiles. Add your dried peppers to a dry skillet and toast for 20-30 seconds per side, until fragrant.
- Soak the chiles. Next, soak the chiles in 1 cup of beef broth for 20 minutes, until softened. I often do this right in the blender. Let the chiles soak, then discard the liquid before blending.
- Blend. Combine the rehydrated chiles with the onion, garlic, and spices in the blender. Pour in a fresh cup of beef broth and blend until smooth. Afterward, pass the sauce through a sieve. Press with a spoon or spatula to extract as much as you can, leaving the solids behind. You can discard these.
- Brown the beef. Now, dry the beef chunks with paper towels. Season with salt and pepper, and, working in batches, sear the beef in a large Dutch oven with oil for about 2 minutes per side. Transfer the browned beef to a plate.
- Combine. Lower the heat. Add the strained chile sauce to the pot, scraping up any stuck-on bits from the bottom, then pour in the last of the beef broth. Stir, and return the beef to the pot, then add the bay leaves.
- Braise. Bring the chili Colorado to a gentle simmer. Cook over low heat for 1½ to 2 hours, until the beef is tender. It should come apart easily with a fork. If not, continue to simmer until it does. If you notice the red sauce becomes too thick while the beef simmers, add a splash of broth.
- Finish the sauce. Take the lid off in the last 10-15 minutes of cooking, allowing the sauce to thicken. Remove the bay leaves, stir in the lime juice, and adjust for seasonings as needed. When it’s time to serve, dish up and garnish with fresh cilantro. Enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- Don’t burn the chiles. Toast them for 30 seconds or so on each side, but don’t let them darken. Burnt chiles can make the sauce bitter.
- Brown the beef in batches. This ensures the beef sears instead of steams, giving it a nice, brown crust. Don’t skip this step, as browning the beef results in more flavor.
- Season first, then sear. Pat the beef chunks dry and season them before you brown them. Don’t overseason the beef, though, because the sauce gets saltier as it reduces, and you don’t want to overdo it.
- Rest the chili before serving. Just like you’d rest a roast or steak, allowing your chili to sit for 15-20 minutes after cooking lets the beef soak up more flavor.
- Use chili powder. You can make Chili Colorado with chili powder instead. Substitute 1 tablespoon of pure ancho powder for every 1 dried ancho chili, and 1 tablespoon of guajillo powder per 2-4 dried guajillo chiles (or more to taste). As written, that’s 5 tablespoons of ancho powder and 1-2 tablespoons of guajillo chile powder in this recipe.
What to Serve With Chili Colorado
I love serving this Chili Colorado over rice with flour tortillas or flatbread on the side to sop up leftover chile sauce. This sweet potato cornbread also goes well with the bold, spicy flavors.
- Rice: I’ll put on a batch of Instant Pot jasmine rice while the chili finishes cooking, or I’ll make cauliflower rice for a low-carb dinner.
- Corn: Try homemade elote, tortilla chips with creamy corn dip, or juicy corn ribs.
- Dessert: End the meal with a Mexican coffee or a slice of spicy Mexican hot chocolate fudge or tres leches cake.
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Chili Colorado Recipe
Ingredients
Chile Sauce
- 5 dried ancho chiles, stems and seeds removed
- 4 dried guajillo chiles, stems and seeds removed
- 2½ cups low-sodium beef broth, divided
- 1 small yellow onion, roughly chopped
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Beef
- 2 pounds beef chuck, cut into 1½-inch cubes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 bay leaves
To Finish
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
Instructions
Make the Chile Sauce
- Toast the chiles. Heat a dry skillet over medium heat. Add the ancho and guajillo chiles and toast for about 20–30 seconds per side, just until fragrant. Do not let them burn, as they can become bitter.
- Soak the chiles. Transfer the toasted chiles to a bowl and cover with 1 cup of the beef broth. Let them soak for 20 minutes, until softened. Discard the soaking liquid.
- Blend the sauce. Transfer the softened chiles to a blender. Add the onion, garlic, cumin, Mexican oregano, salt, black pepper, and 1 cup of beef broth. Blend until completely smooth.
- Strain the sauce. Pour the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing on the solids with a spoon to extract as much sauce as possible. Discard the remaining solids.
Brown the Beef
- Prepare the beef. Pat the beef dry with paper towels and season it with salt and black pepper.
- Brown the beef. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Working in batches, brown the beef on all sides, about 2–3 minutes per side. Do not overcrowd the pot. Transfer the browned beef to a plate.
Combine and Braise
- Start the braise. Reduce the heat to medium. Pour the strained chile sauce into the Dutch oven, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Add the remaining ½ cup beef broth and stir to combine.
- Return the beef. Return the browned beef and any accumulated juices to the pot. Add the bay leaves. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
- Braise the beef. Cover and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 1½–2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the beef is completely tender. If the sauce becomes too thick before the beef is tender, add a small splash of beef broth and continue cooking.
- Reduce the sauce. Remove the lid and simmer uncovered for 10–15 minutes, until the sauce has thickened enough to coat the beef.
- Let it rest. Remove the chili from the heat and let it rest for 15–20 minutes.
- Finish and serve. Discard the bay leaves and stir in the fresh lime juice. Taste and adjust the salt if needed. Sprinkle with fresh cilantro and serve warm.
Equipment
Notes
- Do not over-toast the dried chiles. Toast them for only 20–30 seconds per side, just until fragrant. If they turn dark or black, they can make the sauce bitter.
- Brown the beef well. Work in batches and give the beef enough space to develop a deep brown crust. This adds a lot of flavor to the finished dish.
- Season the beef before browning, but don’t over-salt the sauce. The broth and sauce will reduce during cooking, concentrating the salt.
- Let the chili rest for 15–20 minutes before serving. This lets the sauce settle and the beef absorb more chile flavor.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
- Refrigerate. Stored in an airtight container, Chili Colorado leftovers last for up to 5 days in the fridge and reheat well.
- Reheat. Warm up servings in a saucepan on the stove, or in the microwave. Stir often and add more broth, if needed, until the chili is hot throughout.
- Freeze. This Chili Colorado freezes like a dream; just store it in a freezer-safe container or Ziploc bag with space for expansion. Freeze for up to 3 months and thaw the chili in the fridge when it’s time to reheat and serve.
