This really is the world’s best chili recipe. I’ve made and refined this chili over the years until it hit that perfect balance of hearty texture and rich flavor. It comes together with simple ingredients you probably already have on hand, but the result tastes like so much more. If you’ve been searching for a no-fail chili recipe that people will ask for again and again, this is it. Thousands of readers have made this and it gets rave reviews every time.
Original post: April 2018 | Updated: May 2026
Why This Chili Recipe Works
You just found the best chili recipe. Bold claim, I know but this one delivers every single time.
This is the chili my husband and I have made and refined for years, tweaking it until it hit that perfect balance of flavor, texture and comfort.
Here is why it stands out:
- Rich and flavorful with the perfect hearty texture
- Made with simple ingredients you probably already have
- Perfect for game day, weeknights or feeding a crowd
- Always gets completely devoured no leftovers, ever
- Easy to adapt with ground turkey or even venison
It’s slightly thinner than ultra-thick chili recipes, which makes it extra flavorful and perfect for soaking up with cornbread or chips.
It is cozy, reliable and the kind of recipe people ask for after one bite. If you love cozy comfort food, you’ll also want to try my mac and cheese.
More Ground Beef Recipes You’ll Love
If this easy chili recipe hit the spot, here are a few more cozy, easy dinners made with ground beef:
- Classic Meatloaf
- Hamburger Wild Rice Casserole
- Ground Beef Casserole with Egg Noodles
- Instant Pot Sloppy Joes
Chili Ingredients
Ground beef
Use lean ground beef, or swap for ground turkey or chicken. For extra flavor, replace 1 pound with ground sausage.
Bell peppers
Any color works great.. green, red, yellow or orange.
Jalapeño peppers
Adds subtle heat without making the chili spicy. Omit along with cayenne for a mild version. This is my secret ingredient for winning chili cook-offs.
Use fresh jalapeños when possible, but canned work in a pinch.
Tomato juice
Controls the thickness. Use less for a thicker chili.
Beans
Kidney and pinto beans are classic, but any variety works or omit entirely for a no-bean version.
Spices and seasonings
Chili powder, cumin, oregano, sugar, salt, pepper and cayenne create the perfect balance. Optional additions include garlic powder or paprika.
Favorite toppings
Shredded cheese, sour cream, green onions, cilantro, lime wedges, red onion or crushed chips all work beautifully.
Equipment You’ll Need
Slow cooker
Use an 8-quart or larger to accommodate this big batch.
Large sauté pan or Dutch oven
You’ll need plenty of space to cook the ingredients before transferring.
Ladle and sturdy spoon
This chili is thick and hearty, so a heavy-duty ladle and strong spoon make serving easier.
How To Make Chili
- Brown the beef
Cook ground beef in a large sauté pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until no longer pink. Transfer to a bowl and drain excess fat.
- Sauté the vegetables
Add olive oil to the same pan and reduce heat to medium. Add onion, bell pepper, garlic, parsley and jalapeño. Cook for about 5 minutes, until softened and fragrant. - Add spices
Remove pan from heat. Stir in chili powder, cumin, sugar, oregano, salt, pepper and cayenne until evenly combined.
- Combine ingredients
Return beef to the pan or transfer everything to a slow cooker.
- Add remaining ingredients
Stir in tomato juice, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce and beans. For extra flavor, replace some tomato juice with beef broth if desired. - Simmer
On the stovetop, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally. In a slow cooker, cook on low for 7 to 8 hours.
- Serve and store
Serve warm. Let leftovers cool, then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Key Tips for the Best Chili
- Brown the meat well to build deep flavor
- Let the chili simmer longer for a richer taste
- Adjust seasoning at the end for the best balance
- Chili tastes even better the next day
Recipe Notes and Tips
Serving ideas
Serve homemade chili warm with shredded cheddar cheese and sour cream. Other great toppings include green onions, avocado, crushed tortilla chips or jalapeños for a little kick.
Want thicker chili?
This recipe is slightly brothy. For a thicker consistency, use crushed tomatoes instead of diced and reduce the tomato juice by half.
Add a touch of sweetness
Stir in up to 1 tablespoon brown sugar to balance the flavors.
Easy variations
- Swap in black beans for a more Mexican-inspired flavor
- Add diced potatoes or carrots for a heartier chili
- Stir in tomato paste for a richer, deeper flavor
Make it spicy
Add hot sauce, red pepper flakes or extra jalapeños to increase the heat.
Storage
Store cooled leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Chili FAQ
Simmer the chili uncovered longer, reduce the liquid or use crushed tomatoes instead of diced. Adding a small amount of tomato paste also helps thicken and deepen flavor.
Yes. Brown the meat using sauté mode, then add remaining ingredients and cook on high pressure for 10 minutes followed by a natural release.
Store cooled chili in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Yes. Let it cool completely, then store in airtight containers or freezer bags for up to 3 months.
Absolutely. Simply omit the beans or replace them with extra meat or vegetables for a thicker, heartier version.
Use leftovers for chili mac, chili dogs, stuffed baked potatoes or as a topping for nachos.
What To Serve With Chili
This chili is hearty and satisfying on its own, but pairing it with the right sides takes it to the next level. Here are a few favorites to round out your meal:
- Homemade Cornbread – the perfect cozy pairing
- Dinner Rolls – great for soaking up every last bite
- Garlic Bread – buttery and delicious alongside a warm bowl
- Chopped Salad – adds a fresh, crisp contrast
More Chili Recipes You’ll Love
- White Chicken Chili
- Quick and Easy Chili
- Chili Mac (the ultimate comfort combo)
- Hot Dog Chili (perfect for game day)
- No Bean Chili (thick and hearty)
What People Are Saying About This Recipe
“I will NEVER make another chilli recipe in my life again!! This is so good! I absolutely hate cooking and all the prep so the first time I made this I told myself I would never again do it. It was so good that it was worth the chopping up of a few veggies and measuring of a bunch of spices. I make it at least 2-3 times every fall/winter now!“ ~ASHLEY
“This IS THE BEST Chili! This recipe has been on rotation in my home for awhile now. Everyone raves about how it IS the BEST chili they be ever had! Thank you for sharing this with us! “ ~SARA
Best Chili Recipe (Easy, Flavorful and Hearty)
Ingredients
- 2 lbs ground beef
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 1 yellow onion chopped
- 1 green bell pepper chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 cup flat-leaf Italian parsley finely chopped
- 2 jalapeño peppers finely chopped (optional)
- 3 tbsp chili powder
- 2 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 46 oz tomato juice
- 28 oz diced tomatoes
- 15 oz tomato sauce
- 16 oz kidney beans drained and rinsed
- 16 oz pinto beans drained and rinsed
- Shredded cheese and sour cream for topping
Instructions
- In a large skillet, cook ground meat over medium-high heat until no longer pink. Transfer the meat to a bowl. Drain excess grease from skillet, but do not clean.
- Add the olive oil to the skillet. Add the onion, bell pepper, garlic, parsley and jalapeño peppers (if using) and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft and fragrant (about 5 minutes). Remove from heat and add the chili powder, cumin, sugar, oregano, salt, pepper and cayenne pepper. Stir until combined.
- If cooking on the stove top, add the cooked meat back to the skillet. If using a slow cooker, add meat-veggie mixture to the slow cooker. Add the tomato juice, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, kidney beans and pinto beans to either the skillet or slow cooker, depending on which you are using.
- On the stove top, bring to a boil, dial back to medium-low and simmer for 2 hours (stir occasionally). In slow cooker, cook on low for 7 to 8 hours. Serve warm with cheese and sour cream.
Video
Notes
- This chili has a slightly brothy consistency. For a thicker version, use crushed tomatoes and reduce the tomato juice.
- For extra flavor, replace some of the tomato juice with beef broth.
- Adjust spice level by adding more or less jalapeño, cayenne or hot sauce.
- This chili tastes even better the next day after the flavors have developed.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Megan Porta is a comfort food recipe creator who specializes in easy family meals and Instant Pot desserts, and the founder of Pip and Ebby. She has been cooking for three decades and developing recipes for over fifteen years, helping home cooks make reliable, cozy recipes for real life.
I made this receipe on yesterday and I was sure to follow the instructions and I can honestly say that was some of the best chili I’ve had in my entire twenty eight years of living lol. I shocked myself on how the chili came out. Thank you so much for your receipe. It was a big hit on yesterday!!! FYI I’m self teaching myself on how to cook and if I can do it you can too!! Thanks again!
I’m so glad you loved it, Dee!
Megan
I’ve had this chili in the crockpot for 1.5 hours on high and it already tastes amazing. i followed the directions exactly. We really like spice so I just added another jalapeño and smokey hot sauce but it’s really good as is. Thanks for a great recipe!
We love this recipe! Its our go to for chilli! We like a thicker chilli so we dont add near as much tomatoe sauce, if any at all; and I add more beans. But the flavor is amazing!! Thank you!
I said sauce, but ment we dont add much tomatoe juice! Oups!
Hi Marie! I’m so glad you love the recipe as much as we do! Thanks for taking the time to comment!
Megan
Question about the tomato juice- the recipe says 46 oz but the picture says 16 oz? 16 sounds more reasonable to me.
Hello! 46 oz. is listed on both and that is correct! If you want to cut that amount in half, it’s not quite as runny and just as tasty. Enjoy!
Megan
This is in the slower cooker right now. Can’t wait to try it. Thanks for sharing your recipe. Will post my opinion later 🙂
I couldn’t wait I had to try it. Delicious. just the right amount of spiciness to it. Leaves a bit of heat on the tongue but not to much. will be my go to chili recipe from now on.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Gloria! I agree about it having just the perfect amount of heat. Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment!
Megan
Great recipe! We added a bit more spice to it by substituting the tomatoe juice with some V8 spicy hot juice!
Thank you for the recipe.
This is my go to Chili recipe!! I have lost count at how many times I have now made it! Thank you for sharing the recipe! The only thing I do differently is double the amount of beans and increase sugar to 1/4 cup to cut down the acidity. If we are serving a slightly less spicy group, we use pickled jalapeños and they add a nice touch without the spice.
Hi Lindsay! I love that this chili recipe is your go-to! Adding pickled jalapenos is a great idea for a less spicy chili. Thanks for taking the time to comment!
Megan
made this to take camping, everyone loved it, made it with my homemade tomato sauce
So glad it was a hit, Sherry!!
Megan
Seems like a lot of ingredients. Will it really all fit in a slow cooker?
It fits in my 6.5-quart crockpot. It’s tight, but it works!
Megan
How would I go about using bagged kidney and pinto beans? Would it be the same?
Hi Mayra! As long as the beans are prepped according to package directions, this would work great!
Megan
This chili is absolutely amazing. I made this multiple times over the past few months. I followed the recipe entirely and it had just the right amount of spice. Loved it THANK YOU
Chelsea, I’m SO glad you love this chili! Thanks so much for the note!
Megan
is it okay if I make all of the stuff and put everything in the crock pot but wait until the morning to turn it on, being that I will be at work all day?
Hi Erin! Yes! You can definitely prepare everything, store in fridge and turn on the crock pot in the am. Hope it turns out great!
Megan
Today is the third time I’m making this chili! It is soooo good! I’m a bit of a baby with spice, so I cut down he cayenne and omit the jalapeños. I add few pinches of brown sugar and cinnamon to give it a little bit of Cincinnati chili type flavor. Thanks so much for the recipe! I’ll never use another!
I added some IPA to it and had to omit the tomatoes and jalapenos because of allergies (my husband) but have learned some subs that lend good flavor. This looks yummy. (Leaving out the tomatoes just kills me.)
Ooo, LOVE the idea of adding IPA! Great idea!
Megan
Red jalapenos ok?
They would be great!!
M
I make good chili but I wanted to try something different so tried this recipe. Didn’t change a thing. Damn good!
I cooked it one day, covered it and put it in the fridge overnight served it the next day. Yes, this is a very good recipe.
Thank you.
Well, I don’t know if it’s the best on earth, but I did win the chili cook-off at our church tonight!
This has become my go-to recipe.
I was thinking about making this and freezing it for a new mom. Do you think she could just defrost in a crock pot? If so how long? Or any advice for freezing and reheating?
Hi Shea! This is the perfect recipe to make for a new mom! Fully cook it in the crockpot and freeze. When she’s ready to prepare it, have her heat on the stove (or crockpot would work, too!) until heated through. I hope this helps!
Megan
Thanks for sharing this recipe. I made it today and it is so delicious!!