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.
Donna
I just made it for tonights dinner. I’ll get the feedback tonight! I wanted to cook it in the crockpot for a few hours, will that ruin the flavor!?
Sam
Hi Donna! Letting it warm in the crock pot for a few hours will be just fine. 🙂
Angelina
I entered into a chili contest at church so I searched award winning chili and this recipe came up, I am proud to announce out of 5 people I won first place !!!! This recipe is OUTSTANDING and the fairly easy to make I am so thankful to have found this recipe, thank you for sharing !!:)
Mandy Waller
I LOVE this recipe!! This AMAZING Chili for 2 yrs now and it is a staple in our home during the winter months ☺️ A coworker of mine mentioned her neighborhood was having a Chili cook-off so I brought her a bowl & then gave her the recipe to use if she wished… Well .. Her family used the recipe & they ended up Winning 1st Place!! Thank You for sharing this this GREAT recipe!!
Jan
I plan on trying this recipe. Is it best if consumed the same day or refrigerated for a couple of days and reheated?
Sam
Hi Jan! It’s really great either way! I’ll be impressed if you can wait a few days to eat it. 😉 🙂
Jan
Thank you! I will be making it this weekend!
Angela
finished 2nd in a cook off today 🙂
Angela Gaiera
the Worcestershire and brown sugar really deepen the flavor. deliziosa!!!
daphne
this REALLY is the BEST chili!!
I even made it VEGETARIAN and it worked perfectly!!! for anyone looking to sub the beef, just use equal parts Trader Joes Beef-less Grounds (or Beyond or Impossible – TJ’s soy version is my preference ) and it’s INSANELY DELISH!!!! I made mine extra cheesy and it was a true delight. Pair it with a nice warm piece of cornbread and you have the best fall meal possible.
I will use this recipe forever – thank you Sam!!!
eleanor
A great recipe…..made it exactly as written. A very easy and well written recipe. Family loved it!
Heather
I entered this in my neighborhood chili contest. There were 9 chili entries & this one indeed won 1st place! What I loved most about this chili is the kick of heat you get after you eat it. Not too much heat but just enough to have a nice finish to the flavor. The only sub I made was I used chipotle powder instead of ancho chili powder, only because it was what I had. This recipe is a keeper!
Suzanne Brown
Add one more to the tally of this recipe being award-winning. Had a chili cook-off at work today and took first place. I went the crockpot method, so I did steps 1-4 the night before and then in the morning, combined everything together on the stove to bring it up to heat before putting into the crockpot and continuing on low for 4 hours. VERY TASTY!
Sonia Grantham
Really is the best chili I’ve ever made!
Melinda
I made this last night. I added a few things to give it more tang and sweetness. I added a heaping teaspoon of Better Than Bouillon Chili Base and a heaping Tablespoon of Rufus Teague Touch O’ Heat BBQ Sauce. It was perfect! I topped with rough shred chedder cheese and tortilla strips. My husband said it was the best chili he ever had! I am entering it in our chili cookoff at work this week. Win or lose, I found a winner in this recipe. One thing I may do diffrent next time is make the bacon in the oven and transfer the grease to the pot. I have a glasstop stove and its hard to keep the heat consistant which caused the bacon to char a tab bit. So in the oven would be better for me and then I can crumble the strips up before adding back to the pot. Also I could not find fire roasted chiles so I just got 4oz cans of chopped chiles and I added 2 cans…a bit more than this recipe. Thanks again for posting it!
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoy it so much, Melinda! 🙂
Amanda
Wish us luck! We are entering a cool off!! The house smells amazing!! Side note. We had a pig processed and we had smoked thick bacon made. Hope not too over powering with the smoked paprika but the gang we going against all loves smoked meats anyways. Thank you 🧡🤎
Sam
I hope you win! You’ve got a really good shot! 🙂
Jae
Your prep and cook times are way off. Otherwise it is a good chili recipe.
Ayana
I’ve been making this chili for 2 years now and yes it’s seriously the best chili! It’s so darn good. I add jalapenos for more spice and crunch.
Ashley
Made this lastnight for our chili cook-off at work today, I of course taste tested it last night lol sooooo good wish me luck everyone!
Sam
Good luck! I hope you win! 🙂