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.
Aubrey Tholl
Best chili ever. Everyone loved it. Don’t change anything!
Nancy Riddlebarger
This recipe never ceasing to amaze!! I just used it to make leftover smoked turkey chili, I also looked at your turkey chili recipe but decided to keep to the original. I mostly followed the recipe except no ground beef but smoked turkey instead, I used chicken broth instead of beef and doubled the tomato paste…added a little bit of chipotle pepper in adobo sauce for added smokey flavor. Thank you again and again!! Just one of the best dishes ever. It has brought new life to our turkey leftovers.
Dametria
The best chili recipe ever! I have been a fan of a chocolate chili I found several years ago but this one is so much better!! Definitely do not skip the bacon as it is the magic key to the deliciousness. Used this recipe for a chili cook off and it won first place! Only modification I made was adding a tablespoon of cocoa powder, but I don’t know that that changes much taste wise.
Sam
Thank you so much for the feedback, Dametria, I really appreciate you trying my recipe! 🙂
Terese
Very good recipe! The flavors were a bit strong for us; not the heat, but the amount of spices in general. I mellowed it out by adding an extra can of beans, a bit of heavy cream, and some shredded cheese to melt. But definitely delicious overall.
Shannon
Amazing recipe! I made a double batch and entered a chili cook off today for the Ohio state v Michigan game. I took first place! This will now and forever be my regular chili recipe.
Tiffany Chillers
wow this is absolutely the best chilli my family has ever had!!!! 100/💯! you must try this and take it to the biggest and best get to get togethers !!!! You will be the king / queen and will be talked about for years to come !!!! this double batch was gone in under 5 hours and it’s only 5 of us !!! I’m making more Tom so we can eat on it for days to come . Make this now your taste buds will love you !!!! a little spicy but if you do t want that just go down on the green chilli’s
Brenda
I made this recipe for a chili cook-off at school. There was a total of 16 entries and I got second place!! I’ve never made chili in my life:) Anyway I came home and had to made it again for my boyfriend. I’m Mexican and love spicy so I had to spice the one up at home with jalapeño, Chipotle and cayenne.
Whitney
I haven’t got to sit down and eat yet but I’ve been sneaking bites while it simmers. It is so good! I doubled the recipe and its coming out great. I don’t think I can have chili any other way now.
Matt
I used this recipe for a local Chili cook-off and it is indeed a Cook-Off competitor. I took first place! Thanks for publishing it.
Brenda
I made this with some help from my husband for a chili cook-off and took first place. I tripled the so it took quite a while to make with chopping. It does have a very good flavor! Thanks for sharing!
Max
I am a vegetarian but had my heart set on using this recipe, so I decided to veggie-fy it. I replaced the bacon with soy chorizo, used impossible beef, and used better than bouillon in place of the beef broth. It was SO GOOD!! Hopefully I haven’t strayed too far from the original recipe to leave a review, but I just had to share this for any fellow non-meat eaters who might want to make this! Yes, it works and it is awesome. The seasonings were spot on and the chili was sooo hearty and flavorful. I can only imagine how good it must be with actual bacon lol!
Karen M
I found this chili too sweet. If I make it again, I will omit the brown sugar. I’m afraid to add lemon juice or vinegar as suggested by the internet…
Carolyn Weaver
My 13 year-old son made this for a Chili Cookoff at our church. He did alter & customize some of the ingredients to his liking. He won FIRST place over many adults and more experienced chefs & received a $50 prize! Thank you for sharing this recipe! ❤️
K. Smith
I don’t usually leave reviews but I’m making an exception today. I entered a chili cook-off at work and decided to double this recipe with a few modifications. I used ground turkey instead of ground beef, turkey bacon instead of pork bacon, chicken broth instead of beef broth, and chipotle chili powder instead of ancho chili powder. Long story short, my pot of chili was the only one to be completely eaten and I won 1st place. This is now my favorite chili recipe.
Autumn
Very good recipe! I always add a little bit of what I have and I like spice, so this time I added two chipotle peppers and two jalapeños! Added a smidge more salt because I also added a can of drained chili beans as well as the black beans and kidney beans. Tastes entirely different than the last time I used this recipe, can’t remember what I changed but it’s soooo good! Still has the original base flavors just a little different! Great recipe, and one I could actually complete in like an hour (I’m a slow cook) lol. Thank you for sharing!
Traci
I took first at a Chili Cook off at my church. Thanks for the recipe. I tripled the recipe and it was gone after the potluck and people still kept asking me to try it. Great recipe, thanks so much for sharing.