Best Chili Recipe

My Best Chili Recipe is a thick ground beef and kidney bean chili with a perfect blend of spices, a touch of smokey heat and a little bit of brown sugar to mellow everything out. Serve over hot dogs, crisp steak fries or just piled high with your favorite chili fixins.

Course main meal beef

Cuisine American

Keyword easy chili recipe, homemade chili, how to make chili

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1 10

Servings servings

Calories 345kcal

Author Beth Pierce

Ingredients

2 lbs ground beef
1 medium sweet onion chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
3 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 cup low sodium beef broth
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes (do not drain)
1 15 ounce can kidney beans or pinto beans drained and rinsed
1 7 ounce can diced green chiles drained
1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce finely chopped
1 tablespoon adobo sauce from the can of chipotle peppers
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

In a dutch oven or large stock pot brown the ground beef over medium-high heat. About halfway through the browning process add the onion. Drain any excess grease. Reduce heat to low and add garlic, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, onion powder, and dried oregano. Cook for 1 minute; stirring constantly.
Stir in the brown sugar, beef broth, tomato paste, diced tomatoes, kidney beans, green chiles, chopped chipotle pepper and adobo sauce.
Simmer for 45-60 minutes; stirring frequently. Salt and pepper to taste.

Notes

Use ground beef that is about 80% lean as it is more flavorful and juicier than leaner grinds.
Some grocery stores and butcher shops have a chili grind. I have only been able to find it with beef. It is a coarse grind and it produces a chunky moist texture in your chili. If you get a chance try it.
Protip - after browning the ground beef lean the pot slightly to one side and use a paper towel to soak up any excess grease.
Rinse your canned beans to remove the excess salt.
Adjust the amount of heat to suit your taste. Some people have a very low tolerance while others like to feel the sweat dripping off their forehead. With most of my recipes unless specified I try to find the middle of the road.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze in heavy duty freezer bags for up to 3 months. Lay the freezer bags flat on a baking sheet and freeze. Then store in the freezer stacked.
To reheat defrost in the refrigerator overnight. Then add the contents to a saucepan and heat on low on the stovetop. Or place in a microwaveable bowl and heat in the microwave at 50% power for 1 minute increments until hot.

Nutrition