Buffalo, otherwise known as bison, is a meat similar to beef. It’s often mistaken for the more popular meat due to its appearance and how it cooks.
However, buffalo is more tender and delicate than beef, with a taste that a lot of people find more enjoyable.
Buffalo is not gamey meat and it is high in iron, making it a great substitute for a lot of beef recipes. Today I’ll be looking at the best 20 buffalo chile recipes that once you taste for yourself, you’ll never go back to plain beef chile!
1. Colorado Buffalo Chili by All Recipes
The first recipe is a popular one with lots of happy reviews raving about the taste of this chili. Using ground buffalo is the only real constant with this recipe – you have free rein to add your own spices and vegetables to make it your own.
If you have any leftovers, use them at a later date with cheese and crackers!
2. Spicy Buffalo Chili with a Twist by The Spruce Eats
Spoiler alert – the twist in this recipe is that you’re using buffalo instead of beef. Buffalo is healthier than beef thanks to the lower fat content and number of calories.
If you’re looking for a healthier alternative to enjoy even more than the traditional beef chili, look no further than this recipe. Make it and see if your guests can work out the twist on this American classic!
3. Bison Chili Recipe by Taste of Home
A reviewer stated that this recipe is so meaty that you could almost eat it with a fork instead of a spoon. Looking at images of people’s dishes who have followed along with this recipe, it is an incredibly thick and chunky chili.
You can adjust the recipe if this isn’t up to your taste, simply by cutting out some of the vegetables or chopping them into smaller pieces.
4. Buffalo & Black Bean Chili Recipe by Eating Well
Another healthy recipe, this chili is made up of black beans, sweet red bell peppers, buffalo, and much more. However, where this recipe really excels is the spices that you’re using within it.
There are two types of chili powder, as well as espresso powder and cocoa powder, adding intense flavors that will make you sure to remember this recipe for a while.
5. Buffalo Chili by Kelly LeVeque
One place where buffalo chili will always be loved and accepted is at a tailgate or a game watch party.
Make this sophisticated version of buffalo chili and wow all of your friends before gametime, serving with sour cream, spring onions, and avocado chunks.
It makes up to 10 servings at one cup of chili each, which is the perfect amount for a sports fan gathering.
6. Spicy Buffalo Chili Recipe by My Recipes
Chili is meant to be spicy – the clue is in the name! This recipe really takes this and runs with it, ensuring that all of the ingredients work together to enhance the flavor of the ancho chiles.
You’ll also add an entire bottle of dark beer to this chili, giving it a deeper flavor that many chili recipes don’t manage to feature. You’ll need a buffalo steak for this chili!
7. Buffalo Chili by Umami
Differing from a lot of the other chili recipes that I have looked at so far, this recipe features fewer vegetables and focuses more on meat and spices.
There are still a few vegetables within this recipe, but they are chopped into smaller pieces and hardly noticeable within the texture. This makes it ideal for vegetable haters or younger children.
8. Bison Chili by The Woks of Life
This sophisticated chili recipe is the perfect blend of spicy, peppery, and hearty. It uses ground bison with chopped vegetables and spices, making a bold red color that promises a spice like no other.
Top with shredded cheese, avocado chunks, and herbs. This is another recipe that doesn’t offer too many vegetables, so feel free to add your own if you don’t mind a chunkier texture.
9. Buffalo Green Chile by Big Oven
This is an incredibly simple recipe to follow, with only ten ingredients to cook together. Ground buffalo is the protein used, with the only vegetables used being onion and green chiles.
All of the rest are spices, enhancing the flavor as much as possible! Green chiles are sometimes more popular than red chiles, but they’re rarely used in chili recipes. So, if you prefer green chiles, this recipe is for you!
10. Buffalo Chili by Whole Foods Market
Whole Foods Market is a popular grocery store in America, specializing in produce free of hydrogenated fats, artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives.
They are one of the leading organic grocery stores in the USA, and now they have also started publishing their own recipes on their website. Try this healthy buffalo chili recipe today, without artificial ingredients and flavors.
11. Buffalo Chile Con Carne by SparkRecipes
Another incredibly easy recipe to make, this recipe only calls for seven ingredients. There is only one fresh vegetable in this recipe, which is an onion (although you can also add garlic if you’d like to).
The only other vegetable found is diced tomatoes, canned. This simple recipe is not only quick to prepare but also very inexpensive.
12. Beef and Buffalo Chili by The Speckled Plate
Why choose only one protein when you can use two? Buffalo is more delectable meat and therefore is often more expensive than beef, making buffalo chili quite expensive for one meal.
To keep costs low while still using as many amazing ingredients, you can use half buffalo meat and half beef! This recipe offers a slightly spicy and very comforting meal for your entire family to enjoy.
13. Buffalo Chili by Dr. Axe
You can make this buffalo chili recipe either on the stove or in a crockpot, so you can choose what is most convenient for you. The recipe calls for either buffalo meat or beef, so you can still make it with whatever you have in the house.
The added celery offers a nice crunch to the chili, making a nice change from an otherwise soft dish.
14. The Best Ever Bison Chili Recipe by Uncle Jerry’s Kitchen
Instead of using ground bison like a lot of the other recipes that I have seen above, this recipe calls for cubes of meat instead. These will take slightly longer to cook, but it is well worth the wait for people who prefer a chunkier dinner.
All of the other ingredients are also cut into chunks to give a more textured chili. Once the meat is cooked, you can determine how crunchy your chili is by altering the cooking time to make the vegetables more or less cooked.
15. Buffalo Chili by Macheesmo
This chili recipe is sure to be a fan favorite at any football game of the season. It’s not the easiest to make, and you will be doing some trickier aspects such as making your own chili powder.
However, the results are unmatched and you’ll be sure to taste the difference. The addition of honey also takes this chili to another level, adding in a sweetness that cannot be mimicked with sugar.
16. Buffalo Chili Con Carne by CD Kitchen
If you like chili with plenty of beans and peppers, you’re in luck with this recipe. It calls for two types of beans – red kidney beans and pinto beans.
The latter offers a butteriness that pairs perfectly with the spiciness of the green chiles also found in the recipe. If these peppers weren’t spicy enough, you’ll also be adding in chili powder for an extra kick.
17. Spicy Bison Chili by Simple and Savory
One thing that I love about this recipe is that it can be cooked in either the slow cooker, pressure cooker, or on the stovetop. No matter which is the easiest method for you, this recipe adapts to it.
Plus, using a slow cooker or pressure cooker leaves you with a great place to store the leftovers – if there are any!
18. Buffalo Chili by Make Food Better
There is no denying that this chili is a spicy one, with chipotle chiles and ¼ cup chili powder.
This equates to around 4 tablespoons of chili powder, and the majority of the other recipes I’ve looked at only call for one or two. So, this recipe might be the most accurate to live up to its name!
19. Bison Chili with Black Beans by Boulder Locavore
Using a food processor to whizz up all of the vegetables in this recipe leaves them with a salsa-like consistency, which when cooked almost turns to the exact consistency of the bison.
This is a great recipe for people wanting a healthier meal without knowing that they’re eating vegetables.
20. Bison Three Bean Chili by Healthy Dinner Recipe
Another healthy recipe, this one calls for three types of beans to keep you fuller for longer with lots of beneficial properties.
This comforting chili is perfect for when you’re sick, watching the game, or simply want a bit of spice to warm up those winter evenings.