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You are here: Home / Savory / The Best Chili Recipe

The Best Chili Recipe

October 13, 2020 By Sam 421 Comments

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Chili in a bowl

Congratulations, you’ve found the actual BEST Chili Recipe! It’s won dozens of cook-offs and is about to knock your socks off. Made with bacon (and the option to omit bacon if needed) and ground beef and simmered on the stove for just 30 minutes, this is my family’s go-to cool weather comfort food.

Chili in bowl with toppings

Chili Cook-Off Champion!

Something savory/cozy for you today because believe it or not Fall is here, which means cold weather and hearty comfort foods like baked ziti, my favorite meatball recipe, and this best chili recipe!

This recipe is actually one that I shared last year, and since then I’ve made it probably 50 times. Not only am I completely obsessed with it, as of this writing it’s also won over two dozen Chili Cook-offs! While I’ve never entered it into a cook-off myself, so many of you who have tried this chili recipe have commented or e-mailed me that it’s taken home first place and I don’t even know how to express how happy that makes me!

So, yeah, I do feel a little bit extra proud of this chili cook-off champ recipe right here.

Chili

Not only does it taste amazing, it’s shockingly simple to make. Basic, no-fuss ingredients and just 30 minutes of simmering yield a complex and rich flavor that’s simply unparalleled.

This best chili recipe (alternating weekly with my potato soup) is on regular dinner rotation for me as soon as the weather starts to dip below 70 degrees. It’s easy to make, incredibly filling, and the flavor is out of this world.

Let’s get started.

How to Make the Actual Best Chili Recipe

6 images showing varying stages of chili as described in instructions
  1. Start with bacon! Cook until crisp, remove to a paper-towel lined plate, and reserve a bit of the grease for cooking your veggies. The flavor that develops from this step elevates a great chili recipe to the best chili recipe.
  2. Cook your onion and pepper until soft, add garlic and cook until fragrant.
  3. Add your ground beef, cook until mostly browned (but not all the way cooked through).
  4. Add all your seasonings.
  5. Stir well, cooking beef through.
  6. Add the remaining ingredients (and your bacon from step 1!), give everything a good stir, and allow to simmer for at least 30 minutes and until liquid is reduced.

Tip: Make your chili even better by choosing the right toppings when you serve it! Sour cream is a must, but shredded cheddar, corn chips, sliced jalapeños, avocado, or green onions are all great choices, too!

Chili in pot

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I freeze this chili recipe?

Yes, leftovers can be frozen in an airtight container for at least 3 months.

Can I make this in a crockpot?

Kind of. For best flavor, you will still need to follow steps 1-4 of the recipe as written, then you can transfer everything to the crockpot and heat it there (I don’t add the bacon back in until I’m ready to serve). Cook on low until ready to serve.

Can I leave out the bacon?

The bacon imparts an incredible flavor and is the secret ingredient that makes this chili the best chili recipe and an award winner. If you’re entering a cook-off, use it! However, you can leave it out if you absolutely must. Please see the notes in the recipe for instructions on making this chili bacon-free.

Can I use a different type of meat?

I most often use 90% lean ground beef but any percentage will work just fine (I’ve used all of them, but usually end up draining some grease if I use 80%). Ground turkey or chicken or really any ground meat will work here, but keep in mind the flavor will be slightly altered!

Chili in bowl with toppings

What Goes Well with Chili?

  • Buttermilk Cornbread (a must!)
  • Homemade Biscuits
  • Dinner Rolls
  • Homemade Bread

Obviously, bread is my chili side-dishes of choice. Because this chili is so hearty and filling on its own, a slice of cornbread makes for a sufficient side for chili.

Enjoy, and make sure to check out my other easy dinner recipes!! And make sure you let me know what you think when you try this! I love hearing about the cook-offs it wins and if you really agree that it’s the all-time BEST chili recipe!

Let’s cook together! Make sure to check out the how-to VIDEO in the recipe card! 

the best chili in a blue bowl

The Best Chili Recipe (Award Winning!)

This is the BEST Chili Recipe! Made with bacon (and the option to omit if necessary) and ground beef and  simmered on the stove for just 30 minutes, this is my family's go-to cold weather comfort food. It's even better when paired with a side of buttermilk cornbread!
4.99 from 119 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: best chili recipe, chili, chili recipe, fall recipes
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 6 servings (this recipe makes 10 cups total, so one serving is approx 1 2/3 cup)
Calories: 611kcal
Author: Sam Merritt

Ingredients

  • 5 strips uncooked bacon chopped¹
  • 1 large yellow onion diced (about 1 cup)
  • 1 red pepper diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced (about 1 Tablespoon)
  • 1 lb ground beef 455g (I use 90% but any will work)
  • 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon chili powder²
  • 1 Tablespoon ancho chili powder²
  • 1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 3/4 teaspoons ground black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper³
  • 1 1/4 cup beef broth 295ml
  • 15 oz can dark red kidney beans lightly rinsed and drained (425g)
  • 15 oz can black beans lightly rinsed and drained (425)
  • 14.5 oz can diced fire roasted tomatoes undrained (411g)
  • 7- oz can fire roasted green chilis 198g
  • 1/4 cup tomato paste 66g
  • 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • Preferred toppings particularly sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, and corn chips

Instructions

  • Place chopped (uncooked) bacon in a large pot or Dutch oven and cook over medium heat until crisp and cooked through. Remove bacon to a paper towel lined plate and drain all but 1 1/2 Tablespoons of grease.
  • Add onion and pepper and cook until softened, about 3-5 minutes.
  • Add garlic and cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds).
  • Add beef, breaking apart with a spatula as you cook. Once meat is partially (about 50%) browned, add sugar and all spices (chili powders, paprika, cumin, onion powder, black pepper, salt, cayenne pepper) and stir well.
  • Add all remaining ingredients — beef broth, beans, tomatoes, tomato paste, chilis, and Worcestershire sauce — and your cooked bacon and stir well.
  • Bring to a boil and cook 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently.
  • Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally. Simmer for 30 minutes to allow flavor to really develop. 
  • Serve with preferred toppings (sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, and corn chips are a must!)

Notes

¹For best flavor, DO NOT OMIT THE BACON. However, as someone who spent 23 years not eating bacon I wanted to include tips for those of you who might have the same restrictions. if you wish to make this recipe without bacon you *can* do so by skipping the first step, heating 1 1/2 Tablespoons of oil over medium heat, and then beginning from step 2. On the other hand, if you want additional bacon for garnishing, cook it now and reserve.
²You can substitute one chili powder for the other and use just traditional chili powder or just ancho chili powder, but I personally like the blend of the two.
³This gives the chili a mild spice, if you like more heat increase to 1/4 teaspoon for a moderate spice. Add additional cayenne pepper at your own risk!

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving (not including toppings) | Calories: 611kcal | Carbohydrates: 72g | Protein: 40g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 55mg | Sodium: 1315mg | Potassium: 758mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 30IU | Vitamin C: 72mg | Calcium: 9mg | Iron: 20mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @SugarSpun_Sam or tag #sugarspunrun!
Chili in bowl with tortilla strips

I originally shared this chili recipe 10/05/2018. Post has been updated to include more notes, a video, and more helpful information 09/11/2019. 

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Filed Under: Fall Recipes, Savory

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Comments

  1. Lillian says

    January 21, 2021 at 7:41 pm

    5 stars
    Was REALLY good!! Whole fam loved it! Almost burned it though, LOL.

    Reply
  2. Jim says

    January 17, 2021 at 3:58 pm

    5 stars
    Hands down the best chili I’ve ever made (or eaten)!! Absolutely perfect and I’ve tried at least 20 different online recipes over the years as well as my own experimenting. I doubled the recipe and wish I had made more for leftovers as the small group we had over last night devoured it. I used meatloaf mix as we didn’t have regular ground beef in fridge but next time will go with straight ground beef as per recipe. No more searching for The Best Chili – this is it. Thank you for sharing. PS, I never provide feedback online to anything but just had to share because it was that good.

    Reply
    • Sam says

      January 17, 2021 at 9:32 pm

      I am so glad you enjoyed it so much, Jim! I really appreciate you taking the time to leave your feedback. 🙂

      Reply
  3. Gigi says

    January 8, 2021 at 9:49 pm

    If I’m making for a group, can I double the recipe and still come out just as good?

    Reply
    • Sam says

      January 9, 2021 at 10:35 am

      Hi Gigi! Yes, this chili recipe doubles well. Enjoy 🙂

      Reply
  4. Nicole says

    January 8, 2021 at 7:10 pm

    5 stars
    Easy and delicious

    Reply
  5. Kieara says

    January 6, 2021 at 6:03 pm

    5 stars
    I’ve never made chili and searched around the internet looking for a recipe that looked trustworthy. I found this one, and it is perfection! Seriously some of the best chili I’ve ever had, even reheated a couple days later! The only differences I made to it was I added about twice the smoked paprika, ancho chili and cayenne pepper seasonings and j simmered it for about 2 hours. I’m definitely going to make it again!

    Reply
    • Sam says

      January 7, 2021 at 9:45 pm

      I am so glad you enjoyed it so much, Kieara! 🙂

      Reply
  6. Hanna says

    January 1, 2021 at 7:37 pm

    Made this tonight and it’s delicious!! Although, I totally cheated (but it worked so don’t judge) by using a can of rotel w/green chilies instead of the fire roasted tomatoes. I had to add a little more smoked paprika. Hopefully it didn’t change the flavor too much and you’re not sitting there shaking your head as you read this. Ha. Regardless, you had me at bacon with this recipe!! Me and mine loved it. Thank ya ma’am.

    Reply
    • Sam says

      January 2, 2021 at 8:44 pm

      I am so glad you enjoyed it so much, Hanna! 🙂

      Reply
  7. M13 says

    January 1, 2021 at 3:06 pm

    4 stars
    This makes a good chili to be certain however it winning multiple awards maybe is a stretch my family of 6 thought of it as a good homemade chili which did the job 8/10 also easy to follow instructions

    Reply
    • Sam says

      January 2, 2021 at 8:47 pm

      Scroll through the comments and see for yourself. 😉 I’m glad you enjoyed it. 🙂

      Reply
  8. Sheri Widler says

    January 1, 2021 at 11:23 am

    5 stars
    Awesome

    Reply
  9. Katy says

    December 31, 2020 at 3:08 pm

    5 stars
    This is a great chili recipe and I was happy to stumble across it! The only change I made was adding a half pound of ground mild sausage and a half jar of spicy Mina Harissa (moroccan red pepper sauce). It added just enough extra heat and depth. Amazing! Happy New Year!

    Reply
    • Sugar Spun Run says

      December 31, 2020 at 4:26 pm

      I am so happy to hear it, Katy! Thank you so much for trying my recipe and commenting. 🙂

      Reply
  10. Emily K says

    December 29, 2020 at 1:08 pm

    5 stars
    So good! My family loved it and we ate all the leftovers quickly! Good flavor and texture!

    Reply
    • Kyle says

      January 9, 2021 at 7:42 pm

      5 stars
      One question I have after making it, is there no draining of the grease from the ground beef? Our chili tastes good but there is a lot of “oil” floating to the top I’m guessing in the form of fat.

      Reply
      • Sam says

        January 9, 2021 at 10:35 pm

        Hi Kyle! If there is too much grease you can remove some, but personally if there is grease floating on the top that’s how I tell it is good. 😉

  11. Jennifer says

    December 21, 2020 at 6:57 pm

    5 stars
    I’ve made this at least five times so I figured I should finally comment and rate it while it’s finishing on the stove. It’s amazing! Simple and easy to adapt to the ingredients you have or you prefer and the notes for substitutions are super helpful. The only change I generally make is smoked paprika (not a fan). It makes great leftovers and freezes like a dream.

    All of your recipes I’ve tried have been wonderful and the directions and notes make things foolproof!

    Reply
    • Sam says

      December 21, 2020 at 9:50 pm

      Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment, Jennifer! I’m so glad you enjoy it so much! 🙂

      Reply
    • James says

      December 24, 2020 at 10:33 pm

      I’d recommend trying Hungarian paprika instead.

      Reply
  12. Angela R says

    December 21, 2020 at 6:13 pm

    5 stars
    The flavor is amazing! Seriously is THE best chilli recipe!
    Thank you for sharing, I feel so privileged that you made a great cook out of me!

    Reply
  13. David says

    December 21, 2020 at 5:42 pm

    Do you drain the beef fat?

    Reply
    • Sam says

      December 21, 2020 at 9:59 pm

      Hi David! To drain the bacon fat, I just remove the bacon and pour the fat into a container. I like to use 90% ground beef so there isn’t too much grease made from the beef. 🙂

      Reply
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The author (Sam) in blue shirt holding donut Hi, I'm Sam! I'm dedicated to bringing you sweet, simple, and from-scratch dessert recipes. My life may or may not be controlled by my sweet tooth. Send help (or chocolate). Read more about me.

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