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 followed the recipe exactly but left out the beer. My husband absolutely loved this! So Flavorful!
This was delicious! I followed the recipe except nowhere do I see 19 oz cans of kidney beans anywhere. Only 15 oz. I bought 2 cans of them and ended up using the whole 2 cans (wasn’t sure if I’d need them both) and that worked out perfect. I also put in a total of 4 tbs of chili powder. I don’t like super spicy and but 4 tbs was just right for me. I let it simmer for an hour on med/low and it’s was just the perfect thickness.
I made this chili and it turned out excellent. Followed the recipe but cut it back a little. I did add a little cocoa powder and molasses.
Third time I’ve used this recipe! I added 2 jalapeños just because we like ours a bit “warmer”!
Soooo good! I’m usually not a big chili person, but this was amazing. I replaced half a tablespoon of chili powder with chipotle chili powder for a bit of smoky flavor, and added lime, Greek yogurt, cheese, and avocado on top. Even my picky four year old loved it!
Your chili recipe is good but you left out one important ingredient, which I have never seen in a recipe. Its 2 celery stalks. I also add 1/2 apple cut up. My recipe is the best in the world. Just ask my family.
Very enticing! I have never added an apple but I might have to try!
I could not agree more! years ago i wanted to make chili and I had a friend that owned a large local farm. he told me to use the sausages that his farm sold. (yes everything free range , even the kids lol) using 2 flavors or sausage , he said I cant recollect the flavor but something spicy, and the other an apple infused flavor. Just open up the sausage casings and fry it ,it is ground meat. (this has never had the same texture when I try to recreate with commercial varieties unfrotunately but not really surprising.). then just follow any decent chili recipe .It was the very best chili that I have ever had in my life. this is a very close second. but although I do not have any apple to add, I have to wonder if that woild take it to the next level
I prepped this early in the morning and turned the stovetop off to cool and then leave for an appointment. I received a text from husband…
the chile is grrrreat!!!!!
I did not use beer at all.
Extra 2-3 tbsp of chili powder, 4-6 tbsp of ketchup, 1-2 tsp of chili flakes, 5-8 tbsp of cane sugar. Perfecto. So much flavor.
It was not very tasty without these extras. Quite bland
Thanks for sharing your additions, Courtney. They sound delicious! The beer does add a lot of flavor as well.
AWESOME!!!
CAN’T WAIT TO TRY YOUR
AWESOM RECIPES!!!
THANKS, TO YOU!!!
THIS ‘IS,’ “THE SEASON!!!”
This recipe looked amazing so I jumped in and tried it, and I changed a few things and I thought I would share… In the beginning I used 2 tablespoons of bacon fat because bacon makes everything better right? And with the meat I did 1 pound of grass fed and grass finished ground beef ancestral blend, which has the Organ meat included. Then for the other 1 pound of meat I used elk. The only other changes I made was I doubled the bell peppers and I doubled the size of the cans of the diced tomatoes and crushed tomatoes, and I used 3 tablespoons of the chili powder and oh my gosh was it amazing thank you so much for this recipe.
Hi! I am so excited to try this recipe – would this fill up a crock pot or would you recommend making a double recipe?
If making crockpot chili, we follow this recipe here, and it does fill a 6 qt slow cooker nicely.
Absolutely the best chili I’ve ever made. I followed directions only thing I didn’t use was the beer.
Delicious!!! I added carrots and celery, 3 small thai chilis, a can of corn, and used an IPA for the beer and the chili was sooo good!
what’s an alternative to the beer?
You can replace it with additional beef broth if you would like.
Very tasty and so easy to make!
do we think this would work in a slow cooker?
Hi, we have this slow cooker chili recipe that would be great for that.
I really wish people did not rate a recipe as 5 stars when they totally changed it by adding additional items. I followed the recipe except I did not put in the brown sugar. We found it to be almost flavorless. I keep adding spices hoping I can get something out of it. I rated 3 stars since there’s always the possibility that my spices might not have been fresh enough. That would be in me. 😀
Now that’s a great chili. I followed the recipe exactly as posted. yes I added the brown sugar.
I basically used this recipe as a starting point then riffed from there. I have never used beer in a chili before, but man did it add a great flavor. I went with a amber ale for a balance between heartiness and complimenting the spiciness. My biggest additions were: about 6 strips of bacon, which I chopped and added to the ball of beef I had, and second , putting that ball on my smoker for about an hour. The addition of smoke and bacon made this the best chili I, or my wife, have ever had. My other additions based on my personal flavor profile were: worcestershire, Frank’s Hot Sauce, and smoked paprika. I adjusted the other spices to my liking. 5 stars because this a great starting point to make it your own.
So glad you enjoyed it, Jon! Thanks for sharing your alterations, they sound delicious.
I enjoyed your chili recipe. Thank you for posting it online. It was well received by my family. My variations: added 6 T of McCormick chili mix to your original recipe, added some smoked leftover brisket and simmered for 1.5 hours. The chili turned out great.