Quick and Easy Hearty Fall Chili Recipe

Pot of chili ©WagonPilot

Quick and Easy Hearty Chili Recipe

Chili has long been one of my go to dishes. Back in college it was cheap and filling for several days and now it serves as a healthy meal for my family. The beauty of chili is the simplicity of making it your own recipe. I have several variations depending on my mood and what type of meal or time of year. The recipe I’m sharing below is my basic Fall football game mix. It’s great as a standalone meal or for tailgating. Feel free to add or subtract items to suit your tastes and post your favorite chili variations in the comments section.

Chili cans ©WagonPilot

Ingredients

2 pounds ground chuck

1 medium yellow onion, diced

1 green or red pepper, diced

3-4 15oz cans mild chili beans (kidney beans with chili spice mix) *I use the mild mix so I can adjust the heat level myself.

2 ~15oz cans diced tomatoes with chilies

1/4 cup ketchup

1/4 cup brown sugar

3-6 TBS quality chili powder (adjust to your heat level, start with 2-3 tablespoons for flavor)

Hot sauce, jalapeno slices, or diced green chilies can be added for extra heat.

Chili mix ©WagonPilot

Directions

Brown and drain ground beef in skillet, then add to large pot.
Cook diced onions and peppers with a good pinch of salt in skillet over med heat until onions are softened and translucent; do not brown. The salt will help pull out moisture.
Add onion & pepper mix, beans, and tomatoes to pot and cook over medium heat until slowly simmering.
Add chili powder, brown sugar, and ketchup.
Taste then add more chili powder or other items to bump up the heat to your liking.
Cover and simmer over low heat for an hour to blend the flavors and help break down the beans.

Serve straight or garnish with shredded cheese, mustard, sour cream, fresh diced onion, chopped cilantro, rice, etc. Chili leftovers freeze well too.

I hope you enjoy this recipe and experiment with different spices and ingredients to make it your own. Post your favorite, or not so favorite, chili add-ins in the comments below. Thanks for stopping by!