The Best Chili Recipe is one that is loaded with beef and beans and absolutely full of flavor… just like this one! Chili is hands down one of my husband’s favorite meals (and I love it because it’s easy to make)!
This easy chili recipe cooks on the stovetop and is perfect served alongside Homemade Cornbread, buttered toast or Buttermilk Biscuits. Add in your favorite toppings like cheese and onions for the perfect meal.
How to Make Chili
While I sometimes make crockpot chili, this easy version is great for a weeknight meal!
Seasonings:
- The seasonings in this recipe are chili powder and cumin. Store bought or homemade chili powder work well in this recipe.
- What is in Chili Powder? Sweet paprika, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, onion powder, oregano and cumin.
- Mix Chili Powder into the raw ground beef before cooking to ensure every morsel is seasoned to perfection.
Beans:
- I use canned red kidney beans but pinto beans or black beans work as well.
- Rinse beans (unless using chili beans) before adding to remove excess salt and starches.
- Chili beans add great flavor! What are chili beans? Usually either pinto or kidney beans with added flavors in a chili style sauce.
How to Cook Chili
- Brown the beef, onions, garlic and some of the chili powder.
- Drain any fat.
- Simmer Add remaining ingredients and simmer uncovered.
To Thicken Chili
When making chili on the stove, I simmer it uncovered which allows the chili to naturally thicken without having to add cornstarch or flour. While thickening chili by simmering is the best option, you may not always have time to let it reduce. If you don’t have time to simmer it to thicken you can sprinkle in a little bit of cornmeal or make a cornstarch or flour slurry and add it in.
If you can spare a few extra minutes, just let it simmer uncovered.
Variations
Spice Level This chili is just right for our liking but you can increase or reduce the spice level to your liking. For extra heat, leave the seeds in your jalapenos or add a few dashes of hot sauce or a sprinkle of chili flakes.
Ground Beef Any ground meat will work in this recipe from chicken to turkey. If your meat has a lot of fat, be sure to drain it before simmering.
Beer I love the depth of flavor that a bit of beer adds. Feel free to skip the beer and use extra broth.
Swap the Spices Spice up your chili any way you’d like. To make a tex-mex chili, toss in a packet of taco seasoning.
Can You Freeze Chili?
100% yes!!! Chili freezes and reheats beautifully. We freeze it in single sized portions for lunches or in freezer bags for a quick and easy weeknight meal.
Defrost in the fridge overnight and heat in a saucepan (or the microwave) to serve.
More Chili Recipes You’ll Love
- Instant Pot Chili
- Easy Crock Pot Chili Recipe
- Texas Chili
- Green Chili Recipe
- 15 Bean Slow Cooker Chili
- Slow Cooker Chicken Chili
- Slow Cooker Butternut Squash Chili
Ingredients
- 2 pounds lean ground beef
- 1 onion diced
- 1 jalapeño seeded and finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 ½ tablespoons chili powder divided, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 green bell pepper seeded and diced
- 14.5 ounces crushed tomatoes 1 can
- 19 ounces canned red kidney beans drained and rinsed
- 14.5 ounces canned diced tomatoes with juices
- 1 ½ cups beef broth
- 1 cup beer
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar optional
- salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Combine ground beef and 1 ½ tablespoons chili powder.
- In a large pot, brown ground beef, onion, jalapeno, and garlic. Drain any fat.
- Add in remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered 45-60 minutes or until chili has reached desired thickness.
- Top with cheddar cheese, green onions, cilantro or other favorite toppings.
Video
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Main Course
Cuisine American, Tex Mex© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
Toppings for Chili
My #1 favorite of course is cornbread or just plain ol’ toast with butter. Pretty much any bread to sop up whatever is left in the bottom of my bowl! 30 Minute Dinner Rolls are great with chili too! If you need to stretch out the meal, serve it over white rice.
I always put out a collection of toppings… and while everyone has a different idea as to what goes with chili I have a few staples:
- sour cream
- red or green onion
- cheddar cheese or monterey jack
- jalapenos
- cilantro, avocado & lime wedges
- croutons or tortilla chips
Is Chili Healthy
Yes, it’s lean beef loaded with tomatoes and beans (and veggies if you’d like). Tons of fiber, protein and flavor all in one bowl! Be sure you’re using lean beef and drain any fat (or use ground chicken/turkey if you prefer).
Choose low sodium or low sugar products to reduce the salt and sugar in this recipe.
I love your recipes thank you so much for sharing
Love your chili & I didn’t think it was spicy at all!! ( I don’t like spicy food either!!)
Suggesting to add seeds from peppers fir more spice is incorrect. Seeds are bitter and contain no capsaicin. Capsaicin glands are found within the white membrane that seeds grow in. Seeds=bad for flavor and no spice
Thanks for the tip Marc!
After browning the meat and onions, could this go in the slow cooker?
Hi Christine, that would work. You can follow our crock pot chili recipe here for better directions on how to make this a crockpot meal!
I add a small can pork and beans made with real maple syrup..also dice hot banana peppers for heat.
YUM!
hi! first time trying one of your recipes and I like it!
The only thing is it’s pretty salty, probably because of the chicken stock but it’s a big change from the one I usually make that never tastes anything special!
Any ideas of how to limit the salty taste? maybe I should add some heavy cream?
On your next batch you could try low sodium products (tomatoes, broth, beans etc). That should help reduce the salt content.
I would love to get new recipes
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This was a great easy chili recipe! The only thing that makes it pop is a few tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce. Gives a little Zing that’s always good in chili. Thanks for the recipe.
If I use 4-6 lbs of chili meat do I need to double the rest of the ingredients?
Hi Peggy, to keep the flavors the same it is probably a good idea but I would at least increase the chili powder in step one to flavor the meat!
yes!
Love your recipes and love the fact that you give the nutrition information at the end.
Excellent recipe. I added tomato sauce also.
How many servings does this make or how many can this feed?
Natalie, this chili recipe makes 8 servings. You can find the number of servings for each of our recipes on the recipe card right near the recipe title. Enjoy!
love it, can’t wait to make it
Hope you enjoy it Sherry!
Hi Holly,
I do not usually have beer on hand. but i see here in the comments you dont necessarily need to put beer in the chili!
Renee
Yes Renee, broth will work as well.
I did without the broth and kidney beans (used chili beans)but was the best chili I’ve ever made!
That sounds delicious Sandra, glad you enjoyed it.
This is a great recipe that my boyfriend and I love. I do not add beer and brown sugar to the chili, but it still turns out GREAT!
So glad you have been able to tweak the recipe to your taste and enjoy it Zhariah!
I found this recipe just searching for a good chilli recipe which meat, beans and peppers in it, glad I found yours. My mom used to make the best chilli, with her sudden passing my sister and I are now trying to find food recipes to make for our dad. I will be using this one again. I made some adjustments.. I didn’t use the beer, I just used extra broth, added another can of diced tomatoes and extra kidney beans and the taste is still amazing! Thank you for this great recipe!!
So happy this recipe worked for you Liz!
Just wondering, why do you use beer? I don’t drink beer and I have many health problems so not sure why use beer .
Hi Juanita, we use it for the richness that it gives the recipe, but it can easily be substituted for additional beef broth.
I learned something new this morning…. never heard of beer in chili….and I have never rinsed my beans….I only drain them… I am making this recipe with ground deer meat….I really hope I get to taste the great flavor this recipe says it has with a sub meat….. anything I should know or do differently? It is for a work party for my guys that hunt…. they begged me to cook their deer meat. And this is what I came up with…..?
I hope they loved this chili Sherry! Deer sounds like a great meat to use in it!