Frijole Charros or “Cowboy Beans” is a chili beans recipe that is a must-have for any party or gathering. These yummy chili beans have weenies, bacon and chorizo. Those are the traditional Mexican ingredients, but not to worry, this recipe is still low fat and delicious. How? Well, I am going to show you how to prepare these scrumptious beans with healthy ingredients and no added fat.
TRADITIONAL MEXICAN FRIJOLES CHARROS
Portions: 8 
Preparation time: 15 MINUTES
Frijoles Charros or Cowboy Beans are a favorite Mexican recipe for chili beans. It is usually prepared for parties and gatherings. A fiesta is not a fiesta without fresh guacamole, yummy cactus salad and a huge pot of these chili beans. Frijoles Charros are from the northern region of Mexico. Although some people like to change the recipe, these are the traditional ingredients: weenies, bacon and chorizo.
How do I make these chili beans healthy? My secret is substituting the fatty ingredients for a healthier version. For example, I start off with turkey weenies and turkey bacon. Using the turkey variety of these ingredients keeps the taste while reducing fat and calories. I also use my own homemade turkey chorizo that is full of flavor and spice. These ingredients take these beans from plain to perfect in just minutes and the best thing is that you don’t have to sacrifice flavor.
Be sure to soak your beans overnight before you make this recipe. Soaking is the best way to make sure your chili beans are plump and soft. The cook time will be greatly reduced as well. Drain the beans and put them in a pot with fresh water and boil them with some garlic, onion and salt to taste. I like to add a chili pepper to my chili beans for the most Mexican flavor. Keep in mind that you will add other ingredients to the beans so you do not over-salt. I like to leave plenty of liquid in the beans so that this becomes like a hearty chili bean soup. Remember, this recipe is completely from scratch, but if you do not have the time to cook the beans ahead of time, you can use canned pinto beans to cut corners.
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CHILI BEANS – MEXICAN STYLE
2 cups of pinto beans
6 turkey weenies
10 slices of turkey bacon
½ pound of turkey chorizo
Salt to taste
5 chopped tomatoes
½ an onion
1 diced jalapeño
1 diced red pepper
3 tbsp of chopped cilantro
- Chop the weenies into bite-size pieces
- Chop the bacon into bite-size pieces
- Put the chorizo in a pan on medium heat and begin to break it up
- Add the weenies and the bacon to the chorizo and mix well
- Once the meats are well mixed and cooked, add all the vegetables and cook for five minutes
- Add the meat and vegetable mixture to the hot beans
- Stir the entire mixture and cook for five minutes
I love to read your comments! Please leave your comments below and share this recipe with your friends. ❤Laura
Laura creates content in Spanish and English for a community of over 3 million followers and has been recognized as one of the most influential Latinas in the US, Latinos 40 under 40 in Chicago.
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