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.
Ann Jensen
I won 1st place in a chili cook-off with this recipe, I absolutely love this recipe, and will continue to cook this recipe from now on, it’s my new favorite chili recipe.
Tina
If I double the recipe, do I double every ingredient? I know sometimes when doubling a recipe, not everything (usually spices) is doubled.
Sam
Hi Tina! Yes, double every ingredient. That is what we do when we double it (and we double it often) Enjoy!
Tricia
The recipe looks delicious, but I’d like to know how many people it serves? I have 14 including myself to feed on Christmas Eve….
Sam
Hi Tricia! It serves 6, see the “Servings” section in the recipe card for more detail. I hope you love it!
Lynn
Is the red pepper called for a red bell pepper, or a hot red pepper? This recipe won at my church chili cook off!
Sam
Hi Lynn! It’s a red bell pepper. 🙂
Lynn
I used a red bell and it was a smash hit tonight !! Thank you
sue
Hi,
Just wodered if you or anyone has tried subbing beer for the beef broth. The beef broth I have in pantry has alot of sodium – so I try to avoid if possible.
Sam
Hi Sue! I have not personally tried it, but if you do, please let me know how it turns out. 🙂
sue
Hi Sam,
Thanks for your quick reply. I tried it and it was very good. Ive made the recipe before with the broth – but I’d have to have them side by side too see which was better – but I liked the fact I was able to reduce the sodium and still maintain a great flavor!
Alicia
Thanks so much for this recipe. It’s been my go to and my family loves it. The bacon is a must. 😊
Ralphy Dee
Personally, I add 3/4 of a can of a darker lager (Von Trapp Octoberfest) and it’s a phenomenal addition!
Craig
when the recipe calls for “chili powder”, is it calling for the spice blend called chili powder, or a Chile powder made from pure ground chiles? I assume the latter because it also calls for cumin and garlic powder which is normally in a chili spice blend, but the amount that is called for would be quite spicy if it is pure chili powder….
Sam
Hi Craig! It calls for chili powder, the spice blend. I’m not sure where you’re located but in the US chili powder is not inherently very hot/spicy. I do not use chile powder made of pure chiles.
Nancy
Great flavorful chili.It is a winner. I made this recipe for our Master Gardeners group chili competition and won first place! I’m going to make it again this weekend so my husband and can have a bowl too.
Natalie
Delicious 😋 this was a big hit for everyone!
Abbi J
Winning recipe!! Followed the recipe exactly, except that when I got to the step of adding beans, chiles, tomatoes, etc, transferred it all to the crockpot. Cooked on high for an hour (my crockpot runs hot, long enough to come to a boil), then simmered on low for an hour or so til time to serve. Sent with my husband to a chili cook off and we won!
Sam
Yay! So happy to hear this, Abbi, thank you so much for trying my recipe!! 🙂
Lex
Been making this Chili for almost two years now. Im a young women learning how to cook, and usually like to add my own little twist to things, but this recipe is perfect!! I havent changed a thing in two years and my household loves this Chili. Thank you for sharing it!
Sam
Love to hear this, thank you so much for trying my recipe, Lex!
Lauren
Can I make this in the slow cooker?
Sam
Hi Lauren! There are lots of steps here so I’m not sure how it would work in a slow cooker. 🙁
Xandi Newell
Nothing short of amazing, Sam! Thank you for making me look good fixing dinner for me and my boyfriend tonight. I’ve never prepared nor have I ever HAD chili this good ever before! Just had to say so.
Marc
We have a chili cookoff at work every year and I just won with this recipe for the first time out of 14 other chilis. This is a very simple, very good recipe.
Barbs
Had a chili cookoff at work. I’m not committed to any chili recipe so I googled “chilis that can win a cookoff” and this recipe came up. I had most ingredients on hand and seemed simple enough. Proud to say that I took first place.
Sam
That’s so great to hear! I’m so glad everyone enjoyed it so much! 🙂
Jerry
Thank you so much! Won first place in our neighborhood Chili cookoff and did the same with your Lazagna!