The Best Chili Ever

This is the absolute best homemade chili recipe! It’s rich, hearty and so full of flavor! Perfect for a chilly fall evening or cold winter’s night. I know you and your family will love this recipe!

I’m so excited to share this chili recipe with you! I have been working on this recipe for quite a while and I think I nailed it! This chili is very rich and hearty. (I put ½ pound of extra beef in this recipe. It was perfect! ) It is full of flavor from all the variety of great spices and it has just the right amount of spicy heat to give it a nice kick. I think you will love it!! Let’s dive into the recipe so we can get you a pot of this delicious chili simmering on the stove. Please don’t let the long recipe ingredients scare you. There are a lot of spices in the recipe but you probably have most of them on hand.

Before we get started, I do want to mention a secret ingredient that’s in the chili that you might wonder about. It is cocoa powder. No, I haven’t lost my mind! Lol! Yes we are going to add a little chocolate to the chili. You gotta trust me on this. Cocoa powder adds richness to the chili and it really enhances the flavors of all the spices. Plus it helps to thicken the chili. It’s truly amazing. I promise your chili will not taste like chocolate and no one will ever know there is cocoa powder in the chili. It’s our little secret.

Ingredients that you will need ( Be sure to see the full printable recipe below this post.)

• Ground beef
• Red bell pepper
• Yellow (sweet) onion
• Fresh garlic cloves
• Jalapeño pepper
• Spices: chili powder, cocoa powder, brown sugar, garlic powder, cumin, smoked paprika, dried oregano, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper.
• Diced tomatoes
• Tomato sauce
• Tomato paste
• Beef broth
• Worcestershire sauce
• Pinto beans
• Black beans or you can use dark kidney beans
• Chili beans

Toppings for Chili

Don’t forget the toppings. Delicious toppings just complete the whole chili-eating experience! (That’s my opinion)

Here are some of my favorite toppings

Sour cream

Shredded Cheddar cheese, freshly shredded is the best!

Fresh diced tomatoes

Fresh diced green onions or yellow onions

Frito or tortilla chips

What to serve alongside chili

• a hot pan of cornbread is so delicious with chili! Check out my recipes here for cornbread. One is a southern buttermilk cornbread and a Mexican cornbread. Either one would be great with this chili.Southern Buttermild Cornbread Cheesy Mexican Cornbread
• A grilled cheese sandwich goes perfectly with chili
• Saltine crackers, Oyster crackers, or Ritz Crackers.
• You just can’t beat lots of Frito or tortilla chips with chili! Yum!

How to make The Best Chili Ever

1. In a large heavy-duty soup pot, brown the ground beef. When the meat is slightly brown, add the bell pepper, onions, garlic and jalapeño pepper. Brown the meat until all the pink is gone and the vegetables are tender.

1. Drain the excess fat from the meat. Add all the spices to the meat and vegetables and mix well.

1. Next add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, beef broth, and Worcheshire sauce. Simmer uncovered for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the chili from sticking or scorching.
2. After 40 minutes of simmering, add the pinto beans, black beans, and chili beans.

Continue simmering for another 20 minutes. By now your house is smelling so good!!

1. Serve hot with all the delicious toppings and hot cornbread or grilled cheese sandwiches. Enjoy!

Can you cook chili in a crockpot?

Yes, you most certainly can. Just brown your ground beef and sauté the vegetables on top of the stove. After draining the excess fat off the meat, place the meat, vegetables, and all the other ingredients in the crockpot or slow cooker. Stir well and cook on medium heat for three to four hours, stirring occasionally. Cook on low heat if you have plenty of time or going to cook it while you go to work. 7 to 8 hours on low should be fine. I would add ¾ cup more beef broth if you are going to cook it on low for a longer period of time so it doesn’t dry out.

Can you freeze chili?

Absolutely! This chili freezes very well. You can freeze it in small containers for individual lunches or in large freezer Ziplock bags for another meal.

Great times to make a pot of chili

• Chili is always great on chilly fall evenings or on a cold winter night.
• Christmas Eve. I love chili on Christmas Eve!
• Game night or for a Super Bowl Party!
• Anytime you need to feed a crowd. Everyone will be begging for this recipe.

Other recipes that you will love!

Homemade Vegetable Beef Soup Southern Buttermilk Cornbread Cheesy Mexican Cornbread Easy Chili Cheese Dip

• Be sure to check out my cookbook Deliciously Southern for a wonderful collection of tried and true Southern recipes. [caption id="attachment_9223" align="alignnone" width="539"]

A perfect gift to yourself or to someone you love![/caption]

Also, please subscribe to my email list so you won’t miss a thing, and follow me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. If you have any questions or comments about the recipe, please leave a comment below. I would love to hear from you and if you make my recipe, use #deliciouslysouthern. Show me your pictures!😄 Thank you so much for stopping by. I’ll be back soon with more delicious recipes! Enjoy! Aletia