Best Ever Chili Recipe
340 Comments
Updated Dec 15, 2023
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This is the best chili recipe, if I do say so myself! This classic beef chili is the perfect blend of meaty richness simmered with hearty vegetables and warming spices. It’s a delicious, and comforting one-pot meal that will have the whole family begging for seconds.
If it’s cold outside and you’re looking for an answer to that pesky what’s-for-dinner question, I’ve got you covered. The answer is chili! This one-pot wonder is a cinch to make, and it fills your house with enticing aromas as it simmers.
Chili is the perfect chunky mix of ground beef, bacon, vegetables, and beans with a touch of heat. But don’t forget to add your favorite toppings like shredded cheese, sour cream, and a sprinkle of green onions – it really amps it up!
Chili recipes, whether it’s this classic beef chili, a white chicken chili, vegetarian chili, or turkey chili, are also budget friendly since they rely heavily on pantry staples. That makes them a perennial one-pot dinner winner!
Chili Ingredients
A few pantry items, some vegetables, ground beef, and a few strips of bacon are all you need to pull together this amazing chili recipe.
- Ground beef: You can buy ground beef anywhere between 80% and 90% lean. I prefer 90% just so I don’t have to drain any excess fat. But you could purchase 80% and then drain off any residual fat, it’s up to you.
- Bacon: Bacon adds a wonderful smoky flavor to the chili. I’d consider it the secret (or not so secret) ingredient!
- Beef broth: I recommend purchasing a high-quality beef broth for the best flavor.
- Dried spices: Besides the usual suspects of chili powder and cumin, I add smoked paprika for a touch of campfire flavor.
- Tomatoes: Almost any variety of canned tomatoes in their juices will work here. But I love canned fire-roasted tomatoes for extra flavor!
- Beans: I’m using a combination of black beans and red kidney beans which are classics in chili, but you can use any beans you like.
Find the complete recipe with measurements below
How to Make The Best Chili
This recipe is all about slowly adding in layers of flavors. Here’s what you do:
- Cook the bacon. I let my bacon cook until it’s perfectly browned and crispy.
- Saute the vegetables. Saute the diced onion and bell pepper with the bacon for a few minutes.
- Brown the ground beef. Add the ground beef to the pot, cook until browned, then drain off the excess fat.
- Toast the spices. Stir the spices and seasonings with the vegetables and meat to bring out their full flavor.
- Add the tomatoes, broth, and beans. This forms the bulk of the chili. Then give everything a good stir.
- Simmer the chili. Cook this low and slow for about 30 minutes for maximum deliciousness!
Can You Make Chili Ahead of Time?
You sure can! Here are a couple of make-ahead tips.
- Get a jump on your chili prep by chopping the vegetables and mixing your dried spices together in a separate container the day before. Even better, mix your dried chili spices in a larger quantity so you can spoon out just what you need, when you need it.
- Chili always tastes better the day after you make it. Whip up a pot on the weekend and enjoy it as a quick dinner during the week.
- Don’t forget that chili freezes beautifully! And it can be stored in the freezer for several months.
What Do You Put On Top of Chili?
Almost anything tastes great on top of this classic chili. Here are a few of my favorite ideas.
- Cheese. Anything from shredded cheddar to cotija to feta works well.
- Onions: Sliced green onions or diced red onions go perfectly with chili. If the bite of red onion is a little strong for you, run the diced onion under running water and pat dry.
- Jalapeños: If you like spice, diced fresh or pickled jalapeños are delicious here.
- Sour cream. The creamy coolness plays nice with the warm spices.
- Cilantro or parsley: Just a sprinkle of chopped herbs gives a nice pop of freshness and flavor.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
Chili freezes incredibly well, which makes it great for meal prepping.
- To Store: Place cooled chili in an airtight container and store for 4 to 5 days in the fridge.
- To Freeze: Use a freezer-safe bag or airtight container and store it for up to 3 months in the freezer.
- To Reheat: Thaw frozen chili overnight in the fridge. Then reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave, until warmed through. If the chili thickens too much for your taste, add a splash of water or beef broth.
More Warming Winter Recipes
Want a few more delicious dinner ideas? These one-pot or one-pan recipes sure come in hand during the busy weekdays. And let’s not forget, chili in particular is great for parties, gatherings, and of course Super Bowl!
This big pot of chili will surely satisfy all your comfort food cravings. If you make this, I’d love to hear what you think in a comment below. You review will help the community!
Best Ever Chili Recipe
Description
Video
Equipment
- Dutch Oven My favorite large pot for making chili!
Ingredients
- 4 strips bacon, sliced ½-inch thick
- 1 ½ pounds ground beef
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoon paprika, or smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 (28-ounce can) fire-roasted diced tomatoes, you can use diced or crushed tomatoes
- 1 (15-ounce can) black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15-ounce can) red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 bay leaf
- Optional garnish: avocado, red onion, shredded cheese or sour cream
Instructions
- Heat a large pot on medium heat, add the sliced bacon and cook until crispy, stirring occasionally and scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat if bacon is browning too quickly.
- Add the onion, and bell pepper to the pot, stirring frequently. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until vegetables have softened. Add the garlic and stir for another 30 seconds.
- Add the ground beef, breaking into small pieces with a spatula, until cooked through. Strain off any accumulated liquid and fat from the pot.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low. Stir in the tomato paste, and dried spices, and cook until they are fragrant, about 2 minutes.
- Add the canned tomatoes with juices, drained beans, beef broth, and bay leaf. Give it a stir.
- Increase the heat to high until the chili comes to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 30 minutes uncovered, stirring occasionally.
- To serve, remove bay leaf. Ladle servings into individual bowls. Garnish with avocado, red onion, cheese, cilantro or any other toppings.
Lisa’s Tips
- Serving Size: This recipe makes 9 cups, enough for 6 good-sized servings.
- To Store: Place cooled chili in an airtight container and store for 4 to 5 days in the fridge.
- To Freeze: Use a freezer-safe bag or airtight container and store for up to 3 months in the freezer.
- To Reheat: Thaw frozen chili overnight in the fridge. Then reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave, until warmed through. If the chili thickens too much for your taste, add a splash of water or beef broth.
- To control the amount of salt in your chili, choose unsalted beef broth, beans, canned tomatoes, and tomato paste.
- Bacon can be tricky to slice. To make it easier, place your bacon in the freezer for at least 30 minutes to firm it up.
- Want to spice this up even more? Add 1¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper!
- Make sure to use a large pot, to accomodate all these ingredients. My favorite is the beautiful Le Creuset dutch oven you see pictured.
Nutrition
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Recipe originally published September 2020, but updated to include new information.
It’s cold and grey here so I decided to try this chili recipe. I don’t have large Dutch oven but was able to use my Instapot. It was delicious and the perfect meal for today.
Hi Crissa – I’m glad this chili recipe turned out great in your Instapot!
Great classic chili,
We really enjoyed this chili look no further this is the best classic chili. Didn’t have fire roasted tomatoes, just used diced tomatoes came out great thank you so much for the recipie.
Hi Ann – I’m glad you love this chili recipe!
This chili was DELICIOUS. Make it! I have not always been the biggest fan of fire roasted tomatoes, but I said, well, I will trust Lisa, and boy am I glad I did! My husband and I really enjoyed this. Grated my own Colby/jack cheese to put on top with some sour cream. Thank you, Lisa, for your wonderful recipes! You have inspired and helped me eat healthier and lose weight.
Hi Jean – I’m happy to hear you love this chili recipe!
Very good recipe. I added a couple pinches of cayenne for a kick. An hour on slow simmer in my Griswold Dutch oven and some cornbread, good eats
A little extra cayenne is always a great idea for more kick! Happy you enjoyed the recipe, Ron!
We love Chili and this is a winner… don’t skip the step of making the bacon crisp! I am glad that I doubled the recipe so that I can freeze some for later.
Yes, making the bacon crispy is key. So happy you loved this chili recipe, Sandi!
Delicious chili! That’s all I have to say about that!
Hi Alice – I’m happy to hear you love this chili recipe!
I was a little skeptical of the bacon in chili but this recipe was a HIT. My family loved it and this will be my new go to recipe when making chili. The flavors were amazing!
Woot! So happy you and your family loved it. I think the bacon definitely makes the chili the best! ;)
Made this chili as is as well as without the beans. One of my family members doesn’t like beans so I made everything together and separated it out before adding beans. Very good! Amazing comfort food!
Thanks, Shelli! Happy you love the recipe. And yes, it is flexible either with or without beans. Enjoy!
Made this a vegan chili and it is quite good. Made it twice now using my homemade chili powder (guajillo, ancho and Pasilla peppers) de-seeded, heated in a skillet then blended to a powder. Best ever. Great chili recipe.
I’m happy you loved it! And thanks for sharing your tweaks as well.
Love this Chili recipe. Family loves it. Thank you
Wonderful! Happy to hear it!
First time for chili Love it
Thanks, Bill!
This really is the best chili ever! Very hearty, very tasty! I like to add some rice when eating it. Yum!
Happy you love it, Kristy! And rice would be a great addition to make it a bit heartier. Enjoy!
I made this chili and loved it
Love your emails and recipes always look forward to them
Thank you
Aw, thanks so much, Barbara! I’m happy you loved this chili and are enjoying my other recipes as well. :)
This was my first time making chili , EVER! My family absolutely loved the unexpected ingredient of BACON. We made a double batch of this and ate it all week, we were sad when it was gone. Will definitely make this again.
The bacon really does that little something special to this chili recipe. So happy you all loved it!
This is THE BEST chili recipe I’ve ever tried. I make it every year as soon as the weather cools down and several times throughout the fall/winter season. Hearty, delicious, and perfect for the freezer! It’s a hit with everyone. Don’t use regular paprika, use smoked paprika (it really makes a difference). Also highly recommend using fire-roasted tomatoes instead of regular tomatoes for the extra smokiness.
So happy you love this chili recipe, Hasumi! And thanks for sharing your tips as well. :)
I’ve made this 3 times now, and it is so delicious every time. I will keep this as my go-to chili recipe. Thank you so much! 😊
You’re more than welcome, Cheryl! I’m so happy you loved it!
Fresh ingredients make the difference!
We truly enjoyed this on our first cool night. Topped it off with fresh cilantro, cheese and sour cream.
We are definitely into colder weather now, which makes this chili recipe taste all the better. Happy you loved it, Allison!
My husband and I found this to be both very filling and very delicious. The smoky notes are amazing. We did add the cayenne because we are spicy people. Thank you so much for the wonderful recipe.
I’m happy you both loved the recipe! And yes, feel free to add extra spice to your liking. :)
Definitely aptly named “the best ever chili”!! Did a family chili cook off & I won 1st place, of course giving Lisa all the credit! Doubled the the recipe, but didn’t have 2 bell peppers, so I substituted with 1 poblano pepper. Gave it a nice additional kick. Delicious!!! Thanks!
Yay!! Congrats on winning your family chili cook off with my chili recipe – woot! So happy you loved it Tracey. :)
The thick sauce along with the smoky flavor surpasses any chili I’ve ever had.
A winner!!
Woot! So happy you loved the flavor of this chili recipe, Nancy. :)
This was a family hit! I also made a smaller version (halved everything) and used fake ground ‘meat’ and better than bullion veg base to make it vegetarian for my daughter and she loved it!!! The spices are perfection! Recipe is perfect the way it is. Making it tonight for Halloween gathering and I’m sure it’ll be a hit there as well.
Yay, happy to hear the whole family loved it, Megan! Hope you enjoy it again for your Halloween gathering.
If I were to sauté the veggies and bacon first and then add the beans closer to when it’s ready to serve (like 30-45 minutes before eating) do you think this will turn out just as good making it in a slow cooker?
PS – Huge fan of your recipes! Your white chicken chili is a constant in our house hold. 🥰 Thank you!
I haven’t made this in a slow cooker myself yet, but others have had success with it. So, you should be fine!
I made this two years in a row for a chili cook-off with friends. I won first place one year and second place the next year. I love making extra and freezing it for easy dinners.
Yay, love to hear that it’s winning awards!