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.
Brittany
Thank you for such a great recipe! It’s delicious and my family loves it!!
Amanda
I made this chili exactly as written, except I substituted the 2 cans of beans for 2 cans of Bush chili beans in mild chili sauce. It was pretty spicy, but delicious! Next time I’ll double and cut the spice down just a bit. Thank you for this recipe!
Nikki
My whole family couldn’t get enough of this chili. I gave some to my parents as well and they fell in love with it too. Thank you very much!
Sam
I’m so glad everyone enjoyed it so much, Nikki! 🙂
Jenna Brown
Amazing! Thank you
Marie
Love all your Recipes/ videos!! I have them filed under, Sam’s stuff or bookmarked sugarspunrun , Lol
Just wanted to let you know you are doing great! I’m sure you know that but …
I don’t know how you do it all with that adorable baby and everything else. Must be superwoman 😃 Thank you for them!!
Sam
Thank you so much, Marie! This comment really made my day. When I read things like this it really helps me keep going. 🙂
Carolina Cox
My husband hate beans in his chili, can I make this without?
Sam
Sure thing! 🙂
Drew458
I love chili, and I like it with plenty of zing. This recipe looked a bit mild, but I tried it tonight. Ok, they were out of canned green chiles at the store, so I made a mix of a mild salsa verde and some canned jalapenos I diced up. Ok, I used a bit more cayenne than you called for as well. But the final result was not scorchingly hot, and the flavors of the beans, bacon, and fire roasted tomatoes came through. Did not use low sodium beef broth or no salt canned tomatoes, and I used the 1/2 tsp salt. It was not salty at all. Rinse the canned beans well and you cut down on a lot of the salt.
Served it with blue corn chips, sour cream, shredded mexi-cheese, and a crispy cold pinot grigio. Definitely a hit. Well done.
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed it so much! 🙂
CG
I made the recipe to a T, minus I used a McCormick chili seasoning packet vs all the seasonings (because I had it on hand). It was great and my family all loved it!
Sam
I am so glad everyone enjoyed it! 🙂
Marianne Vernacchia
Turned out soooo ymmy! At first, I was nervous because it looks watery when you first mix everything, but after simmering for awhile it becomes nice and thick. This recipe served 6 people. Next time I will double and have leftovers. Wonderful!
Sam
I am so glad everyone enjoyed it so much, Marianne! 🙂
Serena
Assuming it’s diced green chilis, drained?
Thanks!
Sam
Hi Serena! Yes use the diced green chilis and you do not have to drain them. 🙂
Frederick DeChirico
Are the diced green chili’s spicy? Unfortunately my wife has a very low tolerance for heat
Sam
I usually buy the can that says “mild” on it and I don’t think they’re spicy at all! I hope that helps!
Scott
Amazing recipe. Thank you so much. Happy family here. Everyone had seconds.
Sam
I am so glad everyone enjoyed it so much, Scott! 🙂
Devin Smith
I have this recipe cooking currently and it smells sooooo good however looks like it mat be a little thicker than my liking… could I add some tomato juice or what would you recommend?
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
That should work just fine! Any kind of broth would work well too. Hope you love it, Devin!
Mel
You are right to call this prize-winning chili! I just used your recipe to win a chili cook-off at my church. Everyone raved about it, and I thought it was so good that I didn’t bother to eat anyone else’s chili!
Thanks for sharing!
Sam
I am so glad everyone enjoyed it so much, Mel! 🙂
Sarah Barrera
Best chili ever and it cooks so fast! Mad with 2 weeks in a row!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoy it so much, Sarah! 🙂
Matthew H.
Any suggestions for making this without beans? Authentic chili doesn’t call for any beans, so I’d like to find something without them.
Sam
You must be from Texas 😉
You can just leave them out!
Melissa Krawcyk
This is the best chili Ive ever had. We took this recipe and tweaked it just a bit. We did meat over the top of the chili, in a cast iron pot, on our smoker. We even won our neighborhood chili contest
Sugar Spun Run
Congrats on your win, Melissa! I am so happy to hear that it was a hit! 🙂