Easy Chili Recipe

This easy chili recipe comes together so simply and with easy-to-find ingredients. You will love the subtle spice and smokey flavor of this delicious and hearty soup.

Chili is one of my favorite recipes to make for the family! It is like the holy grail of nutritious and easy dinners. Made with meat, beans, vegetables, and tomatoes, this simple recipe gives your family a complete dinner that you can feel great about. Not only that, but it is so flavorful and delicious! Your family will love this easy chili recipe.

Easy Chili Ingredients

Below are notes regarding the simple and flavorful ingredients that combine to make the best chili recipe. Be sure to scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for the full recipe, including all ingredients and their measurements.

Ground beef: You could also use ground turkey or chicken if your family prefers that.
Veggies: Diced green pepper, onion, and freshly minced garlic add great flavor to this chili, and cook right with the ground beef.
Spices and seasonings: Chili powder, cumin, ground chipotle, and cayenne pepper.
Beans: Kidney beans add flavor, texture, and protein to this recipe. Be sure to rinse them before adding them to your chili to remove the liquid that they sit in in the can.
Tomatoes: We use a combination of diced tomatoes and tomato sauce to make up the base, adding some texture but keeping it smooth.

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How to Make Chili

Here is a brief overview of how this classic chili recipe comes together. For the full recipe including all measurements, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

Cook the Ground Beef

Break up the meat as it cooks in a large pot. I love that this recipe comes together in one dish!

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Sauté the Vegetables

Add the onion, bell pepper, and garlic to the ground beef and cook until the onions are tender, about five to seven minutes.

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Add the Seasonings

Season the meat with chili powder, cumin, ground chipotle, and cayenne pepper. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, liquid smoke , and kidney beans. Bring the mixture to a roaring boil.

Let the Soup Simmer

Let the chili simmer for about 30 minutes. Taste it and add more salt and pepper as needed. Enjoy as is or with your favorite toppings.

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Tips and Tricks

Cooking with liquid smoke: This is exactly what it sounds like, the smoke that comes off of burning wood in a concentrated liquid form. It is a great way to add a unique and subtle smoky flavor to recipes. You can find it at most grocery stores near the condiments or order it here .
Making chili in the crockpot: If you want to make this beef chili recipe in the slow cooker, I recommend following the recipe through adding the seasonings to the meat. Then add the meat mixture to your slow cooker with the rest of the ingredients. Cook on low for eight hours or on high for four hours. You can also follow my recipe for Crockpot Chili .
Adjusting the spice level of chili: If you are sensitive to spice, I would suggest cutting the cayenne pepper and black pepper in half or eliminating them completely. If you make this recipe and it does end up being too spicy for you, add a teaspoon or two of brown sugar to your bowl. It will take down the heat without making it sweet.
To make chili more spicy: Add more cayenne pepper along with some hot diced green chilies.
Making gluten free chili: While this recipe doesn’t contain any gluten, I always recommend double-checking your ingredients to make sure they are safe for someone who can’t have gluten.

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Variations and Substitutions

Use ground turkey. If your family prefers ground turkey to ground beef, you can totally use that in this recipe.
Double the batch. Serving a crowd or want to guarantee leftovers? Make a double or triple batch. Just be sure to double or triple all of the ingredients evenly. Read more on freezing chili below.
Change out the tomatoes. If your family doesn’t like tomato chunks, use a can of crushed tomatoes instead.
Add more or less beans. If you don’t like kidney beans, swap them out for a can of black beans or pinto beans, or add them in addition to the kidney beans. Be sure to thoroughly drain and rinse your beans to control the salt going into the chili.

Storing and Reheating Leftovers

Store any leftover chili in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. You can reheat the whole pot over low heat on the stovetop, stirring often, or just an individual portion in the microwave. Be sure to never reheat leftovers more than once. Always use your best discretion with leftovers.

Another great way to use leftover chili is to make Chili Dogs !

Freezing Chili

I love to make a double batch of soups in the colder months to freeze half for busy weeknights and lunches. Prepare the chili according to the recipe card and allow it to cool completely. Transfer the cooled chili to a freezer-safe bag or container, leaving some room at the top for it to expand. I like to freeze it in individual portions that are perfect for grabbing for lunch. Lay them flat in the freezer and freeze for up to three months.

When you are ready to eat your frozen chili, allow it to thaw in the refrigerator, then heat in a saucepan on the stovetop over low heat, stirring often, until heated through.

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What to Serve with Chili

Homemade Cornbread
Arugula Salad Recipe
Potato Skins

If you make this homemade chili recipe or any of my other recipes, I’d love to hear what you think and would appreciate it so much if you came back and told me.

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Ingredients

1 pound ground beef (453.6 grams)
1 yellow onion diced
1 green bell pepper diced
2 cloves garlic minced
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper see note
1/4 teaspoon black pepper see note
28 ounces diced tomatoes undrained (794 grams)
15 ounces tomato sauce (425 grams)
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon liquid smoke
15.5 ounces kidney beans drained and rinsed (439 grams)

Instructions

Preheat a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add in the ground beef, breaking it up as it begins to cook. Once broken up, add the onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Cook until the onions are tender, about 5 to 7 minutes. Drain off any excess grease. 1 pound ground beef, 1 yellow onion, 1 green bell pepper, 2 cloves garlic
Season the meat with chili powder, cumin, ground chipotle, and cayenne pepper. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, liquid smoke , and kidney beans. Bring to a roaring boil. 2 tablespoons chili powder, 1 tablespoon cumin, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, 28 ounces diced tomatoes, 15 ounces tomato sauce, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon liquid smoke, 15.5 ounces kidney beans
As soon as the chili comes to a boil, turn down the heat to a simmer. Continue cooking, uncovered, for 30 minutes. You should only see small intermittent bubbles.
Taste the soup and add more salt and pepper to taste. Top with sour cream, red onions, and cheddar cheese.

Recipe Video

Notes

two bowls of chili topped with sour cream, diced red onion, and fresh parsley. Corn chips siting beside - 12

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