Classic Easy Chili Recipe
This quick and Easy Chili is packed with ground meat, chili beans, and bold spices. The best chili recipe for busy weeknights – hearty, warming, and a true family favorite!
Servings: 8
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.2 pounds ground beef
- 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.2 medium yellow onions, 1 to 2 jalapenos
- Add the garlic, and stir to combine.2 tablespoons garlic
- Add the cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, and salt. Stir to combine, and let the spices cook for about 30 seconds.2 tablespoons ground cumin, 2 tablespoons chili powder, 1 tablespoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon salt
- 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.1 can crushed tomatoes, 1 can tomato sauce, 1 can dark kidney beans, 1 can light kidney beans, 1 can pinto beans, 2 cups beef or chicken stock
- 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.Additional salt and pepper
- Serve hot with toppings of your choice.Grated cheese, Sour cream, Hot sauce, Oyster crackers, Cornbread, Crushed tortilla chips
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.
- You can use ground turkey or ground chicken instead of beef.
- 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.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 of 8 servings | Calories: 440kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 81mg | Sodium: 995mg | Potassium: 1211mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1541IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 105mg | Iron: 7mg
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