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.
Frank Loates
Tried this recipe but I switched out the meat for chicken and beef broth for chicken broth and kept the rest the same delicious!
Kathy Doman
I needed a new Chili recipe and thought I’d try this … my only deviation from recipe was not using the can of fire roasted chilis as I didn’t have any on hand. The chili is delicious and I will definitly make this again. Thx for sharing : )
Erin
this chili is WAY TOO SWEET. it also doesn’t have enough chili pepper and cayenne in it. it is so sweet that I can’t fix it. I even put less than 1/3 brown sugar in it. if you like sweet chili then this is for you. but if you like a savory chili that is warming on a cold day, then this isn’t for you. I would not recommend, nor will I make this again. I am not sure hownit is award winning, and why it has so many stars. eek.
Sam
Hi Erin, are you saying that you used 1/3 cup of brown sugar? That would be over 5 times the amount of sugar called for, as this recipe uses just 1 Tablespoon. I’ve never had anyone comment (in over 1400 comments) that it’s too sweet. If you used that much sugar it would certainly dominate the other flavors and would seem like it doesn’t have enough of the ingredients.
Mary
I have made this chili recipe 4x and my family says it’s the best they’ve ever had. I agree! There is no going wrong with these directions. Except, for my gang, I put in 10x the garlic.
What surprised me most is that this didn’t have to sit in the crockpot for hours. It is truly tasty right after it’s done. That’s a winner!
Many thanks for sharing this recipe. I am making some more right now!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Thanks so much for the review, Mary! Enjoy ❤️
Ashley S
Great recipe for my first time making chili. The only thing I did differently was add a can of crushed tomato and added a bit more of the seasonings because of the additional tomato. It was delicious.
Julie
I couldn’t help myself and added a couple dashes of cinnamon, as it’s something I like to do to give that hint of…what is it that I taste?! This recipe is incredible! I don’t think I’ll ever try another, and at 53, I’ve tried and created quite a few!
Leslie
Just made this and it is amazing exactly as is!
Mindi
So I made this with and without bacon, and I prefer with the bacon, I also added chopped celery , I use chili beans, black beans, pinto beans, dark red kidney beans, and fire roasted tomatoes, but put them in a blender because my grandson says he can’t eat tomatoes, lol or onions, but k chop them so small he don’t know tomatoes or onions are in it, but he loves the chili! Thanks so much for the recipe we love it!
Suzanna
I won second place at the office’s First Annual Chili Cookoff today!
The changes I made since the judges were the owners that like heat:
Added a fresh poblano pepper to the double batch.
Used regular roasted (not fire roasted) chili in the can.
Cooked dried kidney beans and black beans.
Refrigerated overnight
Reheated on the stove
Transferred to crockpot.
.
Dave A
HI. Is the beef broth salted, or no?
Sam
Yes, salted. If you use unsalted definitely taste-test and add salt as needed. Enjoy!
Ted B
What if I want to make the chili for 10 people??? Wish more cooks could share how to increase the recipe????
Sam
Hi Ted! I share the suggested serving size and the amount the recipe makes in the recipe card and you are free to scale up or scale down from there. I suggest the recipe feeds six people, so doubling it would probably be your best bet. I hope that helps!
Suzanna
I doubled the recipe and ended up with 20 ladles of chili. A 7 quart crockpot had a couple inches of headroom.
Gail
Double the recipe and you will be fine.
Brandon
Perfect in every way every time I make it!
I follow the recipe exactly and have not been let down!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Thanks so much for the review, Brandon! We’re so happy you like the chili 🥰
Joanne Wheeler
I just made this today, exactly as written, except I’ll do step number 7 in my slow cooker all day tomorrow. My husband is hosting a poker game tomorrow night. I’ve made chili many times but I’m pretty sure this is going to be the very best ever! Thank you, Sam!
June
If I omit the beans, should I adjust anything in this recipe for extra flavor? I’m taking this to a friend for dinner and she doesn’t like beans in her chili.
Thanks!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi June! That will be fine, no other changes needed. Enjoy!
Lori
I do not like beans but I feel like the chili is off w/o them. I add the water from 2 can and add 1/2 can.
doug
didn’t have chili powder or cayenne pepper…put in a few red pepper flakes.- its good. best chili i have ever made.!!!thank you!
Cody Boutwell
I’ve tried multiple recipes that I’ve found online and this is, by far, my favorite recipe!
I have the luxury of living in Texas and close to the no. 1 bbq restaurant in TX. So I substituted the ground beef for some award winning smoked brisket and the bacon for some award winning smoked pork belly while still using this recipe. And let me tell you, it was THE BEST chilli I’ve ever had! I’m sure it would win an award itself (if I entered it into a competition lol).
Ralphy D.
This 50 year old newbie decided to learn to make a good batch of chili. Sam’s was the first recipe I found on the net. I’ve made 4 batches so far and I’m still tweaking the recipe a bit. The best additions I’ve found so far are adding 1 heaping Tbsp of Hershey’s Cocoa (100% Cacao) Power and 3/4’s of a can of dark lager beer. For my 5th batch, I’m going to try doubling the ground beef only. VERY awesome recipe though. Thanks Sam!
Tip: DO NOT serve immediately. Prepare the chili the day before and let it sit in the fridge overnight to let the flavors develop. An hour before dinner, simmer low to heat back up and enjoy!
Sam
I’m so thrilled you’ve enjoyed the recipe so much, Ralphy. Thank you for sharing your feedback and tweaks!