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.
Nikki
The Best Recipe. My Go To Everytime I Make Chilli For My Family. Definitely An Award Winning Recipe
Carrie
Would this be a good make-ahead-and -freeze recipe or just as good the second day?
Sam Merritt
Absolutely! I freeze it regularly for a quick meal. The second day it’s even better as the flavors have more time to develop. 🙂
Danielle W
I have made this Chili many times and always get rave reviews and have won more than one chili cook off!
I have made a few tweaks along the way but mainly keep it as is.
Thanks for creating this award winning recipe!
Mark
Amazing! Just back from office get together in the form of a Chili Cook Off. Made a double batch of this recipe. My colleagues raved about it and it took 1st place. Appropriately advertised as an “award winning recipe!” I’ll definitely be making this again … and again!
Grace
Thank you for this recipe. I made it for the first time tonight and it was easy to make and delicious!
PRISCILLA
LOVED THIS CHILLI RECIPE
Ton
If I wanted to try some chocolate in this recipe would it be 2 teas,
of cocoa powder or something else or would it be too much–your
thoughts. Thank you,
Sam Merritt
I personally prefer it without cocoa powder added. In my leftover turkey chili, I use a tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa so you can use that recipe for some guidance. 🙂
SoonerFan
This chili is full of flavor! It’s my go to!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so happy it’s a hit for you! 🙂
Ashley Sugarman
Hi! For the calories — this is 661kcalories or 661 calories per serving?
Sam Merritt
Hi Ashley! kcal and cal are the same, so it is 661 calories 🙂
Stacy
I’ve been using this recipe for a couple of years now and every time I make it people say my chili is the best, I always say it’s not “my” chili, just a recipe I found online. I typically pass the recipe on to at least 1 person every time I make it for a group. There is just something about it that makes it special, sure the bacon, but I think it’s using beef broth in stead of relying on the juice from canned tomatoes that gives it a richness. Thanks for sharing this recipe with the rest of us!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We love seeing comments like yours, Stacy! So glad our recipe is such a hit for you 🩷
Joe
Brought home the blue ribbon at the church fall festival chili contest. No big deal…but sort of a big deal…definitely a big deal.
Everyone loved it but had some complaints it was a little on the spicy side. I’m going to start with half the spice next time and I think that will be better for most.
Awesome recipe. Thank you.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Congrats, Joe! That’s awesome. Make sure you are using mild chiles and maybe omit the cayenne next time. That should help with the heat 🙂
Kat
Made this for a guy I’m currently seeing and the look in his eyes when he took his first bite!!
” I’ve eaten a lot of chili in my life and this is by farrr the best! ”
This recipe didn’t just nourish our bodies but also our relationship😆
Love the recipe, Thank you so much for sharing!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
😂 Love that, Kat! Enjoy!!
Karen
I just won my churches Fall festival chili cook-off with this recipe. So happy you posted this recipe.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Congrats Karen! We are so happy it was a winner for you 🙂
Krystina E
Sooo good!! Perfect Chili for the whole family.
Carrie
This is fabulous chili! I love the complexity of all the different spices. Best chili recipe, hands down.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Thanks for coming back to leave a review, Carrie! We are so happy it’s a hit for you 🙂
melissa atcheson
LOVE this chili – best I’ve made. Only things I changed was instead of ancho chili powder (which I didn’t have) I added 1 chopped jalapeño pepper, 2 chopped banana peppers and 1 whole chili pepper from our garden. I couldn’t find fire roasted tomatoes, so I just used crushed tomato that I needed to use up and couldn’t find fire roasted green chilies, but added a smaller can of chopped green chilies (which is all our local store carries). oh and my can of black beans was smaller, so I added some frozen corn. I’ve only sampled so far, my family hasn’t tried it yet, but I know they will love it (because it is sooooo good!!) MMMMMMMM
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Sounds tasty! So glad you enjoyed it, Melissa 🙂
rhat
I skipped the bacon because I didn’t have any on hand and then read the note at the end… I’m sure the bacon adds a lot of depth. Mine was super flat at the beginning, but I just added some cooking wine and lemon pepper and it turned out amazing! Thanks for the blueprint. I’m glad I could make it work, even without one of the important ingredients.