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 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.
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
- 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.
- Cook your onion and pepper until soft, add garlic and cook until fragrant.
- Add your ground beef, cook until mostly browned (but not all the way cooked through).
- Add all your seasonings.
- Stir well, cooking beef through.
- 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!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, leftovers can be frozen in an airtight container for at least 3 months.
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.
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.
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!
What Goes Well with Chili?
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 Recipe (Award Winning!)
Ingredients
- 5 strips uncooked bacon chopped¹
- 1 large yellow onion diced (about 1 cup)
- 1 red bell 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
- ¾ teaspoons ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper³
- 1 ¼ 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)
- ¼ 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 ½ Tablespoons of grease.5 strips uncooked bacon
- Add onion and pepper and cook until softened, about 3-5 minutes.1 large yellow onion, 1 red bell pepper
- Add garlic and cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds).3 cloves garlic
- 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.1 lb ground beef, 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, ¾ teaspoons ground black pepper, ½ teaspoon salt, ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper³
- Add all remaining ingredients — beef broth, beans, tomatoes, tomato paste, chilis, and Worcestershire sauce — and your cooked bacon and stir well.1 ¼ cup beef broth, 15 oz can dark red kidney beans, 15 oz can black beans, 14.5 oz can diced fire roasted tomatoes, 7- oz can fire roasted green chilis, ¼ cup tomato paste, 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 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!)Preferred toppings
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
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.
Andrea
Do you think it would be possible to make this in a crock pot? I would do steps 1-4 and then place in crock pot on low to simmer for a few hours? Thank you for your help!
Sam
Hi Andrea! I think that should work here. Enjoy!
Felicia Thayer
So so good! All that I tweaked, was I let it simmer for an hour.
Delicious!
Sam
I’m so happy you enjoyed, Felicia! 🙂
Brittany J.
I tasted this today and OMG it was truly amazing!!!! The BEST chili I have ever had in my life.
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed it so much, Brittany! 🙂
Jenny
Sorry, but I have another question. How lean is the meat you use?
Sam
Hi Jenny! I switch it up all the time. A lot of the time I end up with 90% but I have used 85% and even 80% once, but that was a little bit greasy. 🙂
DD
Love it and had lots of compliments on it from friends and family. Tell me, what changes should be made if using turkey instead of beef?
Sam
There shouldn’t really be any changes to be made if you use turkey over beef. I’m so glad everyone enjoyed it so much! 🙂
Jenny
I am planning to make this recipe soon… it will be my first Chili and I am excited! Planning to make it for a Halloween party, what is the serving size? You mention it is for 6 servings, but can’t tell the serving size of each. Will appreciate it. Thanks!
Sam
Hi Jenny! Unfortunately I didn’t measure it out in ounces or anything like that. I’m sorry. 🙁
Charlotte
This really is the BEST CHILI EVER!! Thank you for sharing this awesome recipe. Just made
a big pot and it was so delicious I couldn’t stop! I added a small chopped carrot and 1Lg jalapeño (dare I?)at the same time as the green pepper stage. I also used no sodium beef broth. I’m kinda a wimp when it comes to spicy but luckily this is perfection. Made me sweat just the right amount. I recommend being patient and simmering for an hour or more for the stuff to thicken the right amount. Now I have a big ol’ pot of the best chili ever. I will def be digging in again later! Thank you again!!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed it so much, Charlotte! 🙂
Beth
It is a good chili but next time I wouod omit the brown sugar! Too sweet
Sam
I’m glad you enjoyed it overall, Beth! 🙂
Jessie Bumpers
Very nice simple recipe.
Thank you for sharing
Sugar Spun Run
I am glad that you enjoyed it, Jessie! Thank you for trying my recipe and for commenting. 🙂
Mararet Duffy
AWWWWWSOME! I tripled the recipe and made 1 mistake…I added 14oz of tomato paste….It was still the best chili I’ve ever made!
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you loved it, Mararet! Thank you for trying my recipe and for commenting. 🙂
Alexis
We made this for a large gathering of friends (pre-quarantine) and everyone raved about it. I had to share the recipe with some of my friends.
If I’m ever looking for a recipe SugarSpunRun is the first place I check. Between this and your WORST chocolate chip cookies, you can’t go wrong.
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that it was such a hit with your friends, Alexis! I am glad that you have enjoyed my recipes and my blog. Thank you so much for being a fan! I appreciate your feedback. 🙂
Jesse
Just made this fabulously DELISH chilli in your equally fabulous bread bowl! Thank you for both! Big hit in my house! : )
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that it was such a hit, Jesse! Thank you for trying my recipes and for commenting. I appreciate it! 🙂
Serena
Didn’t use bacon and used roasted red peppers instead of tomatoes. Delicious. Thank you
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you enjoyed the recipe, Serena! Thank you for commenting. 🙂
Stephen Gregg
Great recipe! I won a chili cookoff using this recipe…delicious.
Sugar Spun Run
Congrats on your big win, Stephen! I am so happy to hear that everyone enjoyed it. Thanks for using my recipe and for commenting. 🙂
Charles F Kelm
This looks great. Do you think this recipe can be pressure canned so that it is shelf stable?
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Charles! I am sorry but I do not have experience canning so I am not sure how it will do or the process behind it. I have looked back through my comments and no one else has tried to ask. I am sorry that I can’t be of more help to you.
Kathleen
This chili recipe is so delicious! It was so good I made another pot after finishing the first! Had never heard of fire roasted tomatoes or green chili’s. Found both at Walmart! Can’t wait to share it at our next camp out!
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you enjoyed it, Kathleen! Thank you for commenting. 🙂