Who doesn’t love a warm and hearty bowl of homemade Chili? Especially when it’s cold outside! Well you are in for a treat! This is by far one of the best recipes I have concocted when it comes to making a Chili. The Chili Recipe is a combination of both my father’s and mother in law’s Chilis, taking what I loved most about each of them and putting it into one dish.
What to Serve With Chili
Do you know what makes a good Chili even better? A variety of toppings! Everyone has their own list of favorite Chili toppings, and it’s a fun topic to debate! Some people like just cheese and sour cream. Others choose to spice it up even further. It’s totally up to you!
The list of my favorite toppings and sides are endless! Sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, chopped chives, red onions, cilantro, jalapeños, avocados, tortilla chips, saltine crackers, corn bread, yellow rice, and even pasta. Of course, it is just as delicious on it’s own!
How to Make Chili
- Cook chopped bell peppers, onion, and garlic in a pot with olive oil.
- Add in ground beef and season when the beef is halfway browned.
- Stir in tomato paste and cook it out.
- Deglaze the pot with beef stock, and let it come to a simmer.
- Stir in diced tomatoes, beans, corn, and cocoa powder.
- Bring to a low simmer, cover, and cook for at least 30 minutes.
- Serve the Chili in a bowl with toppings of your choice, and enjoy!
Common Questions About Chili
If the Chili is a bit too loose for your liking, you can try allowing it to simmer uncovered to thicken up, or stir in corn meal, a tablespoon at a time, until you achieve your desired thickness.
If the Chili is too thick for your liking, simply stir in more beef broth (or water) until you achieve your desired consistency. You may need to add more salt and seasonings if they become too diluted for your taste after adding in more liquid.
When properly stored, Chili made with meat can last 3-4 days in the fridge! Chili made without meat can last a bit longer in the fridge, about 4-5 days.
Simple and Delicious Chili Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 2 bell peppers chopped
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 6 oz can tomato paste
- 2 tsp salt plus more to taste
- 1 tsp black pepper plus more to taste
- 3-4 tbsp chili powder
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper optional
- 1 ¾ cups beef or chicken stock
- 28 oz canned diced tomatoes with juice
- 15 oz canned red kidney beans rinsed and drained
- 15 oz canned black beans rinsed and drained
- 15 oz canned sweet corn
- ½ tbsp cocoa powder
Instructions
- Add olive oil to a pot on medium-high heat. Then stir in chopped onions and peppers and cook until slightly tender. Add in the minced garlic and cook until fragrant, being careful not to burn the garlic.
- Add in the ground beef, and continuously chop the beef as it cooks to crumble it. When the beef is halfway browned, season it with the salt, pepper, chili powder, garlic powder, oregano, and cayenne pepper.
- Make a well in the center of the pot. Scoop the tomato paste into that well and begin to stir with a wooden spoon to cook it out. When the tomato paste begins to cook and thin out, mix it into the ingredients in the pot until evenly distributed. Then pour in the beef broth and allow it to deglaze the pot and come to a low simmer.
- Stir in the diced tomatoes, red kidney beans, black beans, and corn. Once everything is combined, mix in the touch of cocoa powder. You may also want to add in more beef broth at this time to adjust the consistency. It's best to make the consistency a bit more on the thin side as it will thicken when it simmers. Bring the Chili to a very low simmer, and cover with a lid for at least 30 minutes.
- When you are ready to serve, allow the Chili to cool to your desired serving temperature, and serve in a bowl with your toppings of choice! (Sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, and chopped chives go great on Chili!)
I was a little hesitant about the cocoa powder at first but gave it a go and WOW, can’t believe the richness it added! This is what all my old chili recipes have been missing.
I substituted the ground beef with ground turkey since I don’t eat beef and it came out AMAZING. Thank you so much!
Ugh I could probably eat the entire pot!