Kel’s Chili Recipe
Kel's Chili Recipe
You have arrived to the page that houses my tried and true chili recipe for the cold months. Whether it’s after a long day of snowboarding or if you want to feed your family and friends a hearty winter meal, this chili recipe doesn’t disappoint. This is the best crockpot recipe that I know and a top 2 one-pot recipe.
I have always loved chili and for some reason just assumed everyone else did too. I grew up in the midwest in Illinois, and we had chili often. When I first brought my boyfriend Brandon home to meet my parents in October a few years ago, my mom made chili for us when we were carving pumpkins. Brandon told me…no CONFESSED TO ME. that he had never had chili before…. WHAT?! I’m sure there was a time that he had it and forgot…right!? Wrong.
After that he was hooked, and I’ve been making it for us ever since. The recipe I use for us is slightly different than the one I had growing up, but that’s intentional. Brandon and I aren’t huge fans of beans. My mom would use two cans of beans, but I only use one and add more veggies instead. This works for me and my family, but you can decide what works best for you and yours.
Generally, I like to add onions, jalapenos, or even green peppers if I happen to have them on hand. Nobody likes a soupy, runny chili, so taking away the meatiness of the beans needs to be substituted with something else. Plus, we like spicy food around here, so we always have jalapenos on hand to toss into any recipe for an extra kick.
You can cook this chili recipe in a couple of different ways. One way is on the stovetop. Using one pan to brown the meat, the other pot will hold the main chili ingredients. Once you add the cooked meat to the chili, let it simmer together for about 30 minutes.
If you decide to use the crockpot, put it on low for about 4 hours. If it cooks longer that’s okay, but 4 hours is the minimum when it’s on low. I like it both ways and haven’t noticed a huge difference in taste.
Once the chili is cooked, top it however you like! You can stick to the classic Frito chips, which add a great crunch! Or you can use oyster crackers for the same reason. I always add sour cream and cheese for some creaminess and because sour cream is my crack. Fresh jalapenos would top nicely too!
Kel’s Chili Recipe
Equipment
- Stovetop OR
- Crockpot
Ingredients
- 2 cans Tomato Sauce
- 1 can Tomato Paste
- 1 can Spicy Chili Beans
- 1 can Fire Roasted Rotel Tomatos
- 1 lb Ground Beef or Turkey
- 2 packet Chili Seasonings
Instructions
- Combine tomato sauce, paste, beans, Rotel, and 1 packet of seasonings all into a large pot on medium heat and let simmer.
- Brown the meat on another pan while the rest of the ingredients simmer.
- Drain the grease from the meat and add in a tablespoon of water with the 2nd and final packet of chili seasonings. Stir to coat the meat.
- Add the meat to the large pot of meatless chili.
- Let simmer for about 30 minutes so that all the flavors can cook together. Stir occasionally.
- Serve hot with your choice of toppings. I like sour cream, fritos or oyster crackers, and shredded cheese. YUM.