Quick and Easy Chili Recipe
on Oct 26, 2019, Updated Jun 14, 2024
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This is such a flavor-filled quick and easy chili recipe! It’s the perfect meal for Fall and Winter days when you’re craving something hearty and warm!
Chili season is officially upon us, friends! And I couldn’t be happier about it. Chili doesn’t just mean big flavor and a hearty and warming bowl of goodness. It signifies crunchy and colorful leaves, the approach of the holidays, crisp evening air, and time spent huddled around the kitchen table with loved ones.
I love topping a bowl of chili with some cheese, oyster crackers, and sour cream. But you could also add a little hot sauce, crushed tortilla chips, or sliced green onion, and it would be divine. One of my favorite things is to get a slice of homemade cornbread and crumble it on top of my chili.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- This is such an easy chili recipe to make and it packs in the flavor!
- There’s something incredibly comforting about a warm bowl of chili. It’s hearty, filling, and perfect for cold days.
- Chili usually tastes even better the next day! The flavors meld together and it freezes well, making it a convenient option for meal prep.
Recipe Ingredients
- Ground beef
- Onions – yellow, diced
- Jalapenos – finely chopped, optional
- Seasonings – garlic cumin, chili powder, paprika, (about 8 cloves), minced
- Tomatoes – crushed and sauce
- Beans- kidney and pinto
- Beef or Chicken Stock
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Chili
- Brown the ground beef.
- Add onions and other seasonings.
- Then add the tomatoes, beans, and stock.
- Simmer until it thickens and serve with toppings.
Recipe FAQs
You can let the chili simmer for a while to let the flavors continue to mingle. Anything much longer than an hour, though, will make it really thick, so you may need to add more liquid if it’s too thick for your liking. I recommend simmering this recipe for 20 minutes on the stovetop.
Yes, but it won’t contribute the savory flavor that stock does. If you need to add a little liquid to make it a somewhat thinner consistency, mixing in a splash of water would be a great idea.
This is also up to your personal preference! If you like it thick, then let it simmer for longer, but if you prefer a soupier consistency, don’t simmer it for so long, or add a bit more liquid.
Expert Tips
- The best thing about chili is it’s customizable! You can add any other veggies or spices you love, or take out things you don’t like, too. It’s really up to the cook, but common chili ingredients (other than the ones listed in this recipe) include: carrots, celery, corn, black beans, bell pepper, and all kinds of savory spices.
- Chili is also a wonderful freezer meal for you to make and save for a later (preferably chilly) date. You can also easily double the recipe in a giant pot to bring to a party or to serve to a large group! The options are endless.
- This recipe can be made ahead of time and put in the fridge after it cools a bit. It’s excellent as leftovers.
More Beef Recipes to Consider
Beef Recipes
Reverse Sear Steak
From Scratch Recipes
Beef Noodle Soup
1 Hour or Longer Recipes
Beef Bourguignon
Easy Appetizers
Carne Asada Fries
Did you make this recipe? Leave a ⭐️ review and share it on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest!
Quick and Easy Chili Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 2 medium yellow onions, diced
- 1 to 2 jalapenos, finely chopped, optional
- 2 tablespoons garlic, (about 8 cloves), minced
- 2 tablespoons ground cumin
- 2 tablespoons chili powder, or to taste
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 can crushed tomatoes, (15 ounce)
- 1 can tomato sauce, (15 ounce)
- 1 can dark kidney beans, (15 ounce, drained and rinsed)
- 1 can light kidney beans, (15 ounce, drained and rinsed)
- 1 can pinto beans, (15 ounce, drained and rinsed)
- 2 cups beef or chicken stock
- Additional salt and pepper, to taste
Optional toppings:
- Grated cheese
- Sour cream
- Hot sauce
- Oyster crackers
- Cornbread
- Crushed tortilla chips
Instructions
- In a large dutch oven or heavy stock pot, brown the ground beef over medium-high to high heat for 5 minutes. Don’t be afraid to let the beef sit on the bottom of the pot and get really brown. The brown, charred meat is great for this recipe.
- Reduce the heat to medium-high, and add the onions (and jalapenos if using). Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are tender, about 6 minutes.
- Add the garlic, and stir to combine.
- Add the cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, and salt. Stir to combine, and let the spices cook for about 30 seconds.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, all of the beans, and the beef or chicken stock. Stir to combine, scraping up any meat bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Adjust the spices to taste.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, and then reduce the heat to medium so that the mixture simmers. Simmer until the mixture thickens slightly, about 20 minutes.
- Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve hot with toppings of your choice.
Notes
- You can make this recipe ahead of time. Skip the simmering stage, and put it in the fridge after it cools a bit. Just bring it back up to heat and simmer 10 or so minutes before serving. It’s excellent as leftovers.
- This recipe freezes very well.
- Use whatever beans you like in this recipe. I use kidney and pinto but any you have on hand works.
- Double this recipe in a very large pot to feed a crowd.
Hi Melissa,
I live in the heart of red and green chiles but sometimes like to make what I call Gringo Chili. It is a quick and easy dish for potlucks and football Sundays. Thanks for your recipe. It was quick and very delicious. I liked your suggestion to include cornbread with the chili. I made a variation called Memphis Corn pudding. The base of it is a Cornbread Jiffy mix. It is also quick and easy.
I look forward to trying some of your other recipes. Thanks again.
Turned out really delicious !
And so easy too right? This is one of those recipe I can ask a kid to help me on and they can make just about all of it! Thanks for the review Crystal!
This is a Great Recipe, It was Easy to Follow Along, and it was Really good!
Very fun, yummy, and easy! Not too many ingredients, but not too little
Worked really well overall, timing may vary depending on what things you use.
As always, your recipes are easy to follow and delicious! I used 2 cans of 10oz diced tomatoes with habaneros. I also made your delicious cornbread! Thank you for such yummy recipes.
Loved this recipe! I subbed the chicken/beef stock for liquid ready to use vegetable bouillon. I used a red onion and white onion. This was so good, my husband actually admitted he liked it (hard to do) and requested I make him a separate batch for himself so he can doctor it up with his hot sauce. It was a battle for who would be able to eat the leftovers. He’s not one to eat leftovers at all! Definitely a keeper to use in the future!
I typically start with a mix to make chili. Today I didn’t have a mix but had all the ingredients (except beans) for your recipe. WOW is this delicious! It was so flavorful and hard to stop eating. We like spicy so I used Rotel HOT tomatoes. Delish! Can’t wait to make it with beans!
Thank you for leaving a review, I’m so glad you liked it!
Needed a quickie tonight and this was perfect! The leftovers are already in the freezer for a lazy night! Thanks for another keeper recipe!!!!!! PS….I love to eat it with lots of cheese and sour cream plopped on top.
Hooray! I love that you are so diligent about leaving reviews and making recipes. I’ve had a rough morning and you reminded me why I keep at it. Thank you.
I made this with your cornbread recipe and it was super good! I love your recipes.
YAY! I think they are the perfect combo! And I really appreciate that you left a review on BOTH recipes, that’s so helpful to me, thank you.