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.
Tasha Calkins
I am a pretty good cook and this is my chili recipe now! Thank you! Everyone I serve it to is impressed, a few said best chili EVER! I am forever a fan of whatever you do!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so happy it’s been a hit for you, Tasha! It’s one of our favorites too. Thanks for trusting our recipes! 🩷
Nikki
I made this tonight! It was AMAZING, seriously the best chili I’ve made by far! This will be my go-to going forward! Thank you so much!
Kristy
So happy to have found this recipe because we need one for our annual camping trip!
My question is: how many days in advance can it be made? I’d rather not freeze it so hoping I can just store in fridge and just reheat on the Coleman.
Thank you!
Sam
Hi Kristy! It will be good in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. I hope everyone loves it! 🙂
Savanna
I absolutely love this recipe! Thank you for sharing. ♥️
Karen
LOVE this receipt, and so does my family. I have probably made it at least 10 times, sometimes I didn’t have bacon and I didn’t notice it, but I typically follow this exact.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so happy it’s a hit for your family! Thanks for the review 🥰
JSI
Love it. Really is award winning. I add a little red wine, tomato sauce and an extra can.of roasted tomatoes, because it like a tomato base chili
Sharese
An amazing chili with a little kick. I didn’t have bacon and it still came out so great!
Julian
This recipe changed my whole perspective on chilli, I used to buy canned chilli but those days are gone.
Thanks!!
Sam
So good! I made this for my adult kids whom are carnivores and used ground turkey. I was bummed because I thought I had lean organic beef. However, it turned out amazing! My go to for my meat lovers!
Tonya
I tried this delicious chilli and my family just couldn’t get enough of this robust, succulent, taste of an amazing chilli!!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so happy it was a hit for your family, Tonya! Enjoy ☺️
Britta
This chili recipe is beyond delicious. I don’t eat bacon so I was going to substitute some beef sausage in it which I know would probably Set It Off even more. I would definitely be making this again for family. right now it’s just me eating many bowls of this delicious
Mary
We had a chili cook off in our Rv Park retirement community. Out of 15 chilies I won first place! I added Double the bacon and omitted the salt. It is so delicious. Thanks for this great recipe!
Sam
This is AWESOME to hear, Mary! Thank you so much for trusting my recipe, and letting me know how it did!! I hope you’ll find some more recipes that you like just as much!
Scott
I’m eating it now. D*** good. Great recipe, thank you!!!
Lise Olivieri
Could I add smoked paprika and avoid bacon vegetarian in my house so wonder if it would work or even adding liquid smoke ?
Sam
Hi Lise! The bacon adds a lot of flavor, but others have omitted it. Smoked paprika will work. You could even try adding liquid smoke, but that will also alter the flavor. It really depends on your tastes. I haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure how much to add. 🙂
John
great receipe. I use it often.
Stephen Wood
A piece of unsolicited advice: the first time you make this, don’t change anything. Just make it as it’s written. It’s about as unfussy and nearly perfect as any I’ve come across. When I tasted it after first putting it on simmer, I thought it was going to lack the bite that I prefer in chili, but I was mistaken. As the low heat reduces the liquid, the bacon and the spices assume their proper role. The bacon’s effect is subtle, but indispensable. I’ll never make chili without bacon again.
A wonderful recipe. Thank you.
Nicole Settle
Man I had to add a few things. It was good but, I added a tsp of espresso powder and a tsp of cinnamon aling with 2 tsp’s of Better Than Bouillon Beef Base. It gave it just the touch I needed.
Jessica
I agree with you, best chili recipe I’ve found
Ercy
I won my chili cook-off with this recipe! The Smokey sweet flavor is genius.I added some adobo by Goya seasoning and it really helped bring out all the flavors! 10\10
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Congrats, Ercy! Thanks so much for using our recipe ❤️