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 did this recipe and only changes I made was not draining the fat and served it to bout 20 people so modified the ingredients a bit and it was a hit everyone loved it
I make is really easy thank.you is the the first time . Delicious
Fat is good if it’s from grass fed grass finished ground meat. Bad if it’s from conventional grain fed beef. I hope Holly agrees.
I’m cooking my third pot of this fantastic chili right now.
I can’t wait!
It was great I modified it a little to families taste I added some spicy ground sausage and used turkey meat will definitely add it to the dinner rotation.
Amazing! I love the brown sugar addition. Cooked it in my IP for 12 minutes after browning beef; used water and not beer and a couple of dashes of cayenne. OMG. One of the best recipes I have had and we are big time chili eaters. My family loved it–Highly recommend!!
Thank you Holly! I just made the chili recipe…1st time making chili and it came out great, very easy. The only change I made was adding some chopped beef bacon for added flavor. Will try again
Easy to read and fix, Meals are a breeze.Making Baked Chicken next. Looks yummy!
I never made chili and l love it.
I made this recipe for 4.
Great is how l describe it!
No jalepinos or beer or sugar.
Relaced beer as you said.
Great base chili recipe. I did switch it up a bit by using 1 lb hot sausage and 1 lb ground beef. I added 1/2 C Soy Sauce, of course the 1 c beer and reduces the beef broth to 1 and 1/4 C. Upped chili powder to 4T, added hot pepper flakes and a 6oz can of tomato sauce. After browning the meat with peppers, onions and garlic I threw all the ingredients including some diced celery in the crockpot and cooked on high for 3 hours. It was amazing! Thanks for sharing this recipe!
So we’re not beer drinkers in our household so when I make things with beer I never know what type I should buy. I just want to buy 6 bottles, they’re easier to get through than a bunch of cans. The addition of the beer sounds good, do you have any recommendations?
Any will work just fine! A darker beer will have a bit more flavor than something light. If you’d prefer more flavor from the beer, use a darker beer. If you’d prefer a less pronounced flavor, use something a bit lighter.
I put ingredients together in minutes and watched it reduce with simmering. It is very tasty thank you.
You’re very welcome Lisa!
would love new cheap recipes
Great Site!
Thank you Deborah! Enjoy the recipes!
I’m ready to try this
I’m looking for good receipt for chili
The kids and I loved it!!!
eh. followed the recipe exactly and it was just ok. nothing special. lacked taste.
I make this regularly for my family. I’ve tried it with ground beef, ground turkey and ground elk – they all work well with this recipe. I normally substitute yellow peppers for green (personal preference) & really love the extra flavor adding the beer and brown sugar brings. However, if I’m adding beer I will add less stock.
My very favorite chili recipe is Guy Fieri’s Dragon’s Breath Chili. It is phenomenal! But it’s very labor intensive so I have been looking for an easier recipe for when I just want to make a quick pot of chili. Sadly, this wasn’t it. Even with the jalapeno, it was quite bland. At first I followed the recipe exactly, and after tasting, I added more tomato paste and more chili powder, but that didn’t enhance it at all. The search is still on for a simple chili recipe.
I made this today. I used 2 cans of kidney beans and an extra can of diced tomatoes and left out the beer since I’m apparently out (horror of horrors!). I did add a lot more garlic and chili powder. It was good, not great. But definite had potential. I’m curious to see how it’ll taste on day 2 or 3. I’d make this again, if for no other reason than to see how a beer would change the flavor.