Chili was one of the first things I learned how to cook without a recipe, so it holds a fond place in my heart. Over the years how I make chili has evolved and the great part is that it was delicious no matter what form it took! It’s one of my favorite go-to meals and my kids love it, so chili is therefore one of my favorites, too! 😉
As much as I love my chili (recipe below!), chili is one of those dishes I know people have recipes they are proud of and want to share. So I think it’s time for a chili cook off, don’t you? Call for Recipes posts are my favorite and I can’t wait to see what you guys have to share in the chili department.
My recipe is not fancy, but it’s good, easy and flexible. And you can use whatever you have lying around. For you chili diehards out there…yes, I’m breaking all kinds of rules. (Beans! Quel horreur!) So, be nice. This is a FRIENDLY chili cook-off…anything goes, there are no rules!
- About ⅓ of an onion, chopped
- Bell pepper (about half of one”¦red tastes better, but green offers a nice color contrast”¦you choose!)
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped or minced”¦if you don’t have fresh garlic, just sprinkle some garlic powder
- ~3/4 lb ground beef (you can easily make this vegetarian by cutting the ground beef and adding an extra can of beans!)
- 1 can kidney beans (14 oz size)
- 1 can of chili beans (usually a mix of black, pinto and white) - I used to do 1 can of baked beans, but now I usually do the chili beans instead)
- 2 cans petite diced tomatoes
- 1 8-ounce can tomato sauce (or salsa/pasta sauce lying around in the fridge)
- ~2 tablespoons chili powder
- ~1/2 – 1 teaspoon cumin
- ~1/2 - 1 teaspoon paprika
- a few shakes of cayenne on the days I want some heat (red pepper flakes and hot sauce also work)
- salt and pepper to taste
- Saute the onion and bell pepper in a about a tablespoon of oil over medium heat until onions are turning clear and vegetables have softened.
- Add the garlic and ground beef. Sprinkle everything with some salt and pepper. Cook, stirring regularly to break up the meat, until ground beef is browned and cooked through. Drain off fat.
- Add everything else, bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce to medium-low and let cook for about 10 minutes.
- Serve with shredded cheese, corn chips, corn bread, sour cream, whatever you like!
Time for you to share your favorite chili recipes! Any kind of chili counts, variety is the spice of life after all! Bring it on! You want to win the blue ribbon, right?
Hi! My name is Jane Maynard and you've landed yourself on my blog, This Week for Dinner™. Every Sunday I share a weekly menu...and count on you to share yours! You'll also find other deliciousness that I hope you'll enjoy!
@Dinnersforayear just sent this link on twitter, so want to make sure everyone sees the link. thanks!
http://dinnersforayear.blogspot.com/2008/10/dinner-141-turkey-chili-with-kidney-and.html
Oh, that looks SO good…I can almost smell it!
Char,On
Killer White Chili
1-48oz jar Great Northern Beans
1 small jar salsa (whatever “temp” you prefer – we go medium)
8oz pepper jack cheese, shredded
2 tsp cumin
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 lb chicken breasts, cooked and chopped
1 can beer (optional)
Dump everything into a crock pot and cook on low ~6 hours. Be sure to keep the leftovers, because it is even better re-heated the next day for lunch!
oh, and serve with tortilla chips and corn bread!
Festive Black Bean Chili (it’s delish and good for leftovers)
2 cups chopped onions
2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1/2 cup water
1 T ground cumin
1 T ground coriander
1 cup prepared Mexican-style red salsa
2 red and/or green bell peppers, chopped
3 cups black beans (two 15-ounce cans, drained and rinsed)
3 cups canned whole tomatoes, with juice (28-ounce can)
2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels (11-ounce package)
salt to taste
Tabasco or other hot pepper sauce to taste
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, or to taste (optional)
In a covered soup pot, cook the onions and garlic in the water on high heat, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes. Add the cumin and coriander and stir on high heat for a minute. Stir in the salsa and bell peppers, lower the heat, cover, and simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the black beans and tomatoes; simmer for 10 minutes. Add the corn and continue to cook for 10 minutes. Add salt and Tabasco to taste. Stir in the cilantro, if desired.
Serves 4 to 6
Total time: 35 minutes
Here’s my chili recipe. I like to add lots of veggies to this, whatever I have in my fridge.
1-2 large onions
2-3 garlic cloves
1 lb ground beef
2-3 t cumin (at least)
2 T chili powder
2 c beef broth
8 oz tomato sauce
corn and other veggies
pinch oregano
2-3 jalapenos or other green chilis
various beans (canned-I like black, kidney and pinto)
Cut up onion and brown with meat. Drain after the meat is all cooked. Add garlic, cumin, chili powder and oregano. Add beef broth and tomato sauce, cook until slightly reduced. Add veggies, chilis and beans. Cook until thick and top with cheese.
Not traditional but easy and we love it.
We start with a base of sauteed, onion, garlic, cabbage (yes, indeed), jalapeno and anaheim peppers to taste. We saute ground beef or ground turkey – if I use turkey, I also use some kitchen bouquet for a little more flavor and color. We use pinto beans, crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, green chilies, cumin, chili powder, molasses, unsweetened cocoa, salt and pepper. I also put in a jar of my homemade salsa, but bottled works too.
Thanks for the gratitude updates.
My favorite unconventional and VERY healthy and tasty chili recipe….
Pumpkin Chili
(these are NOT exact measurements, as this is a very forgiving recipe, you add or omit anything you want).
1 can of black beans
2 cans of red kidney beans
1 can of corn
(drain all of the above)
1 large can stewed tomatoes
1 can of tomato paste(or you can use tomato soup or even tomato juice…about 1-2 cups)
1 can packed pumpkin
1 medium chopped onion(yellow or white)
3 cloves minced garlic
1 chopped zucchini squash
1 chopped yellow squash
salt, pepper to taste
2 tbsp pumpkin pie spice mix
2 tbsp brown sugar
Add all ingredients to your slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Granish with shredded cheddar cheese/sour cream and crackers or corn bread on the side.
Note: For a heartier chili, you can also add ground turkey or beef…I prefer mine vegetarian, though.
Turkey chili:
2 lbs of ground turkey either raw or browned)
1 onion
2 cans tomato soup
2 cans petite diced tomatoes
3 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cayene
3 tsp salt
1-2 bay leaves
1/4 tsp garlic powder
Put in crock pot for as long as you like. It doesn’t overcook, but at least 6 hours if the meat is raw.
The chili we make is actually my friend’s chili so I’m going to write to her to post it because it is so damn good. Vegetarian, but meat could be substituted for the veggie beef.
I’m going to enter my blog partner Kate’s recipe- it’s awesome!
Chipotle Chocolate Chili
http://www.ourbestbites.com/2008/10/chipotle-chocolate-chili.html
I am always looking for new ways to make chili. My soon to be hubby loves it any which was we can make it!
Thanks for the recipes!
We L-O-V-E this recipe:
http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/turkey_chili/
It calls for leftover turkey, but using a pound of ground turkey works great too. I love chili, but I think I kind of use it as an excuse to make up my favorite King Arthur recipe cornbread more often! 🙂
Kickin’ Turkey and Bean Chili
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 an onion, diced
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 lbs of ground turkey
2 cans of pinto beans, undrained
2 cans of dark red kidney beans, undrained
2 cans of red beans, undrained
1 can of condensensed tomato soup
1 can of Rotel (medium heat)
1 tbsp of sugar
1 tbsp of white vinegar
2 tsp of cayenne pepper or chili seasoning
Heat olive oil in large stock pan over medium-low heat. Add onion and garlic, saute lightly until onions are translucent. Increase heat to medium-high and add turkey, cook until thoroughly browned. Reduce heat to medium and add undrained beans, tomato soup and Rotel, stirring after each addition. Add sugar, vinegar and spice. Cook for about 30-40 minutes, do not boil, until desired consistency.
Serve with shredded cheddar cheese and crackers.
The vinegar and a bit of brown sugar and cayenne pepper really gives it great flavor. But my must-have ingredient is a can of chili beans which contains lots of great ingredients, including cumin which makes chili taste perfect every time.
great input, poupee!!
Turkey & Corn Chili
This Turkey Chili (serves 6-8) recipe originated from the “Fix-It and Forget-It Cookbook”, by Dawn Day.
My modifications/additions are in ALL CAPS:
1 large chopped onion
2-3 TBSP. oil (I used CANOLA)
1 lb. ground turkey
1/2 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. CHILI POWDER
3 Tbsp. BURRAY BURRAY (Ethiopian spice that I don’t know how to spell…)
6 oz. can tomato paste
3 1-lb. cans small red beans with liquid
1 can sweet white corn
CUMIN TO TASTE
1. Saute onion in oil in skillet until transparent. Add turkey, salt and burre burre and brown lightly in skillet.
2. Combine all ingredients in slow cooker. Mix well.
3. Cover. Cook on Low 8-9 hours.
Note: Ground beef can be used in place of turkey.
Variation Serve over rice, topped with shredded cheddar cheese and sour cream and chopped cilantro.
I never use a recipe but the key ingredient is plenty of minced garlic.
loving the abundance of recipes! keep them coming! I appreciate it and I’m sure anyone else looking for chili recipes does too – thank you!
Three Bean Chicken Chili
1 15oz can of each of the following drained and rinsed
Pinto beans
Black beans
Kidney beans
Corn
16 oz jar of thick and chunky salsa
3 cups shredded chicken(I like to use a cooked chicken from the grocery store)
1 ½ T chili powder
2 14 oz cans chicken broth
8 oz tomato sauce
1 clove garlic pressed
1 t cumin
Combine all ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes. Top with chips, cheese, sour cream, etc.
Here’s our Chili recipe– I blogged about it yesterday. It had 3 kinds of beans, tons of veggies and ground beef or turkey.
http://mbtmom2000.xanga.com/710890927/recipe-zesty-3-bean-chili/
I use this recipe.
2 lbs. venison, cubed or ground
4 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
4 lg. tomatoes, coarsely chopped
2 med. onions, coarsely chopped
2 c. water
2 tbsp. chili powder
1/2 tbsp. ground cumin
2 tbsp. molasses
1 c. red wine
2 tbsp. jalapeno peppers, chopped and deseeded (may adjust
to make more or less spicy)
1/2 med. green bell pepper, coarsely chopped
4 tbsp. cooking oil
1 tbsp. sweet basil
1/2 tbsp. black pepper, coarsely ground
1 tsp. salt
In a large pot, saute venison in hot oil until slightly
browned. Add garlic, onion, and bell pepper; continue to
saute until onion is translucent. Add water, tomatoes,
jalapeno pepper, chili powder, cumin, molasses, salt,
pepper, and basil; simmer for at least 2 hours. 30 minutes
before serving, add red wine
HI JANE!!! okay so i know how much you love trader joes and i despise the state of utah for not diving into that opportunity….so enough of my pouting….Last weekend i was in vegas for amelias baby blessing….upon arrival at natalies house i went straight to the computer, then the trader joe website, then locations and voila three locations in the vegas valley. Well it took me one hour round trip but well worth it!!!
The sample of the Day was Chili Cornbread. Holy smokes, so so so good. This would be such a festive recipe for fall. Its not a chili recipe exactly but more like a recipe that makes any chili better!
So easy….
2 cans Trader joes turkey chili (or your own homemade chili, any of the above would be great)
and Trader Joes Cornbread Mix (follow specs for an 11 x 13 pan)
Preheat oven to 350
Spray pan with cooking spray
spread chili evenly in pan
make Cornbread Mixture and spread evenly over chili.
bake until golden brown approx. 25 min.
Top with a mexican blend of cheeses and sour cream.
YUM YUM
(I would even add one can of chili…i love chili and i feel the cornbread overpowered it just a little bit)
here’s my chili with beans recipe.
http://delishfood.wordpress.com/2008/01/08/yankee-chili/
i have a fabulous white chicken chili recipe as well that i need to recreate. fabulous stuff!
Hi! I just thought I would let you know that I made chili tonight based on your recipe and it was great! The changes I made were as follows: I used Yves brand vegetarian “ground beef”, and for the beans I used one can S&W Chili Beans and a can of Ranch Style Beans. What I had in the cupboard, basically. And a big splash of Frank’s Red Hot sauce. Thanks for posting this — it inspired me.
you are the second person today who has told me they used the recipe with success – yea! {and this is my breathing a huge sign of relief}
that’s the beauty of this recipe…whatever you have in the cupboard totally works. 🙂
thanks for letting me know your changes, they will in turn inspire me! 🙂
Baked beans and spaghetti sauce in chili I gotta give this a try! Thanks for the recipe and the recipe call. I really needed some new ideas.
Kelsey Kim: I liked your pumpkin chili recipe so I went to check out your blog. I think you may have typed the website wrong in the hyperlink. Is it supposed to be “blogspot”? (you have it as “blogpost”)
I make spectacular chili, false modesty aside – but I haven’t got a blog post in about it yet (I am new to this blogging stuff). But here it is:
1)Brown 1 lb ground beef together with 2 chopped onions and 2 minced garlic cloves, all seasoned with the McCormic Montreal Steak Seasoning
2)Throw in chopped bell peppers – one or two + 1 chopped jalapeno (heat and the variety of hot peppers can be adjusted to individual preference). However, each year I freeze jalapenos from my garden and that’s what I use in my chili instead – no bell peppers. I used to use bell peppers though before we bought the farm. One or the other.
3)Add all of these: 2 cans chili beans, 2 T tomato paste, 1 package of frozen corn (optional), 2 T cumin, 1-2 cans of canned tomatoes (I always use my own home canned from the previous summer so I have no idea how to measure the store-bought ones – so I use 1 or 2 quarts, crushed to uniformity directly in a jar with a hand-held blender), 1-2 C any red wine. The amount varies on whether I expect a large crowd of guests for supper or not – more people, larger proportions.
4)I then simmer everything together until the beef is tender and the chili has thickened considerably and serve with sour cream and a pile of grated cheddar cheese (salt and pepper to taste, etc).
Hey Jane – I really don’t like Chili but today it was cold and rainy down here so I thought I think I’ll make some chili. I went to your website and found this recipe. I love it. And I love the sweetness the baked beans add. Glad I tried it!
that is the kind of feedback I LOVE hearing! so glad it was yummy for you! 🙂
Wow. This recipe was delicious! If it means anything to you, my 2 year old ate it and LIKED it! This recipe is a keeper… thank you for posting it :0)
it does mean something to me – so fun to hear that! I’m delighted it was such a success!
Just made this and it was delicious! Had my in-laws over and they said it was the best they’ve ever had! Tweaked just a few things (not on purpose…just forgot to get the ingredients at the store) and I added a can of green chilis instead of bell pepper…also used the other 1/2 can of corn (left over from the cornbread recipe on here) so it didn’t go to waste. SO DELICIOUS!
great subs – glad you shared!