The Best Chili Recipe

4.32 from 120 votes

Amazing classic Chili made with bacon, ground beef, vegetables, beans, and tasty combination of spices to make chili seasoning.

Prep Time10

Cook Time2 30

Total Time2 40

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free

Servings: (Makes about 2 quarts)

Calories: 555kcal

Prepare ingredients ahead of time by dicing bacon, onion, tomatoes, and peppers. Measure the stock and seasoning, drain the beans, and mince garlic
Preheat a 2.5-3 quart pot over medium heat and add a little bit of oil.
Add diced bacon and cook until browned and most of the fat is rendered.
Add ground beef, season with some salt, and cook, breaking up all the clumps of meat as much as possible. Continue to cook until the meat is mostly brown. Take meats out of the pot and set aside.
Add diced onion, jalapenos, and bell peppers to the pot and sauté until softened.
Make some room in the middle and add minced garlic. Sauté until garlic is fragrant and mix it into the veggies.
Add meats back to the pot, stir, and add diced tomatoes, tomato paste, beans, and seasoning. Stir everything well and pour in beef stock.
Bring the chili mixture to a low boil and then lower the heat to low. Cover with a lid but leave a crack for the steam to escape.
Cook for about 1.5-2 hours and make sure to stir from time to time. Take the lid off half way through and cook the rest of the time uncovered.

Storing: store cooled leftover chili in an air-tight food storage container, in the refrigerator. Remember to use a clean ladle each time to take some out. Properly stored, homemade chili will last 3-4 days.
More or less spicy: Love it spicy? Use spicier peppers like serrano or habanero. Your chili will also be spicier if you keep the seeds in the chili peppers.
If you just want to use jalapeno peppers, you can control the spice level on them as well. If you want spicier result, use jalapenos that have some veins in the skin and keep the seeds. Choose smooth, firm jalapenos for less heat and discard the seeds.
Additional veggies: Feel free to load your chili with veggies like carrots, celery, more bell peppers, zucchini, yellow squash, corn, winter squash, and avocado for topping.