Infrared　nonlinear　optical　(IR-NLO)　crystals　have　attracted　many　attentions　due　to　the　frequency-conversion　capability　to　generate　coherent　tunable　IR　laser　output　for　military　and　civil　applications.　Chalcogenides　as　a　most　popular　branch　of　IR-NLO　materials　are　the　competitive　candidates　owing　to　their　large　second-harmonic　generation　(SHG)　coefficient　(deff)　and　broad　transmission　regions.　Currently,　how　to　obtain　the　non-centrosymmetric　(NCS)　structure　and　realize　the　coexistence　of　wide　energy　gap　(Eg　≥　3.0　eV),　sufficient　deff　(≥　1.0　×　AgGaS2),　and　beneficial　phase-matching　(PM)　feature　are　the　two　major　challenges　faced　in　this　field.　The　former　can　be　effectively　solved　through　the　combination　of　local　asymmetric　units　and　chemical　substitution　strategy,　while　for　the　latter,　there　is　no　systematic　survey　and　lack　of　universally　applicable　methodology.　In　this　review,　40　IR-NLO　chalcogendides　are　selected　based　on　the　aforementioned　two　challenges　and　divided　into　7　types　according　to　the　different　chemical　components.　The　composition-structure-performance　relationships　and　the　theoretical　origin　of　their　IR-NLO　properties　are　summarized　systematically.　At　length,　some　useful　information　and　development　prospects　were　briefly　discussed,　which　may　offer　new　ideas　and　promote　the　discovery　of　IR-NLO　materials　with　the　ideal　comprehensive　performance.　©　2023　Elsevier　Ltd