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This is my favorite hearty, meaty, and easy homemade chili recipe. Packed with ground beef, smoky bacon, and tender beans simmered in a perfectly seasoned tomato base, it’s truly the BEST chili recipe I’ve ever made. Plus, it comes together in just one pot, making it simple enough for busy weeknight dinners, game days, or family gatherings.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Reader Reviews
“BEST chili recipe EVER!! My boys told me never to make other chili recipes again. The bacon is a total game changer!” – Caroline
“One of the best chili’s I’ve cooked!!! Easy steps and flavor was extremely well balanced and flavorful!” – MB
Why You’ll Love This Classic Chili Recipe
Just like my mom’s homemade beef and bean chili, this recipe has all the rich, savory, and tangy flavors you’d expect from a truly great bowl of chili – but better! It’s one of my boys’ most requested meals, right alongside other comfort food classics like meatloaf, chicken soup, American goulash, and my Dutch oven pork roast.
So what’s the secret to making the BEST chili recipe? Bacon, of course! This game-changing ingredient adds subtle smokiness that sets it apart from every other chili recipe out there. I also love that it’s incredibly approachable, budget-friendly, and freezer-friendly. Literally anyone can make this super easy homemade chili. And, since everything comes together in one pot, you’ll have fewer dishes to worry about later on.
Table of Contents
How to Make the Best Chili
For the full printable recipe, jump to the recipe card below.
- Cook the bacon. Cook the bacon in a large pot or Dutch oven until crispy. Use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon from the pot and set aside on a plate lined with paper towels. Drain and reserve the leftover bacon grease.
- Brown the beef. Add about one tablespoon of bacon grease back to the pot set it over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until cooked through. As it cooks, season with about 1 teaspoon of salt. Once cooked, remove from the pot and set it aside.
- Sauté the onion. Cook the onion in the remaining tablespoon of bacon grease until soft, tender, and translucent. If you start to see your onions brown or burn, reduce the heat to medium-low.
- Add the spices. Sprinkle the onions with salt, cumin, garlic powder, chili powder, and sugar. Stir to coat the onions and cook until fragrant, at least 1-2 minutes.
- Return the meat and cook the tomato paste. Return the cooked bacon and ground beef to the pot. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring continuously.
- Add the tomatoes. Stir in the diced tomatoes and tomato sauce. Mix well to combine and bring to a gentle simmer.
- Add the beans and broth. Finally, stir in the kidney beans with 2 to 3 cups of low-sodium beef, chicken, vegetable or bone broth. Bring to a boil.
- Simmer. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for at least 20 to 30 minutes to allow the flavors develop and deepen.
- Season to taste and serve. Add additional salt, to taste, then serve with all your favorite toppings.
How to Add More Flavor to Chili
I’ve been making chili for years, and one thing I’ve learned is that the best chili recipe comes down to building layers of flavor. Here are a few easy ways to do it:
- Cook in stages: Don’t toss everything into the pot at once. Brown the bacon, beef, and onions separately so each ingredient develops its own flavor before being combined.
- Balance the spices: You don’t need a long spice list to make an incredible chili. This recipe uses cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, and salt seasoned in layers so you can control the flavor as it cooks.
- Toast the spices: Add the spices to the onions as they soften. Heating them briefly in the pot releases their natural oils, giving the chili a more aromatic, robust flavor.
- Caramelize the tomato paste: Cooking the tomato paste until it darkens adds a concentrated richness that makes the chili taste deeper and more complex.
- Use the bacon drippings: Instead of olive oil, sauté the beef and onions in the reserved bacon grease. It infuses the chili with smoky, savory depth that makes this version unforgettable.
Chili Recipe Variations
One of the very best things about this simple homemade chili recipe is how easy it is to adapt. Here are some of my favorite variations:
- Change the Meat: Ground beef is the classic choice, but you can swap in ground chicken, turkey, pork, or even sausage for a completely different flavor profile.
- Vegetarian Chili: Skip the meat and double up on beans and vegetables. Bell peppers, zucchini, corn, or mushrooms add great texture and flavor.
- Spicy Chili: Like extra heat? Stir in jalapeños, chipotle peppers, or a pinch of cayenne to take things up a notch.
- Bean-Free Chili: For a Texas-style chili, leave out the beans entirely and let the smoky beef and spices take center stage.
- Try Different Beans: Red kidney beans are traditional, but black beans, pinto beans, or cannellini beans can all add variety in both texture and taste.
Favorite Chili Toppings
By far the most fun part about serving chili is adding all your favorite toppings! Here are some of my must-have chili toppings, especially when serving for parties or game day:
- Shredded Cheese: Cheddar, Colby Jack, or Monterey Jack melt beautifully into the hot chili, adding creaminess and extra flavor.
- Sour Cream: A cool dollop balances the heat and richness with tangy creaminess.
- Avocado: Sliced or diced avocado adds buttery freshness and healthy fats.
- Fresh Herbs: Chopped cilantro, parsley, or chives give a bright, fresh contrast.
- Green Onions: A sprinkle of sliced green onions adds crunch and mild onion flavor.
- Tortilla Chips or Corn Chips: Use them as a crunchy topping or for scooping chili straight from the bowl.
- Jalapeños: Fresh or pickled jalapeño slices bring heat and tang.
- Hot Sauce: A splash of Tabasco, Cholula, or your favorite hot sauce amps up the spice.
Serving Ideas
My must-have side dish for any chili recipe is warm, buttery cornbread. Enjoy it with a slice of sweet cornbread, sweet potato cornbread, or even Mexican cornbread. You can also serve it with buttermilk biscuits or soft dinner rolls, but cornbread really is your best bet.
Leftover chili makes a fantastic topping for baked potatoes or crispy oven-baked sweet potato fries, adding a fun and tasty twist on classic chili cheese fries. You can also spoon a little onto hot dogs for classic chili dogs or serve it over spaghetti for a Midwestern-style chili mac.
Storage Tips
- Refrigerator: Store leftover chili in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 or 5 days. The flavors actually deepen over time, making this chili recipe even better the next day.
- Freezer: Chili freezes beautifully. Let it cool completely, then transfer to freezer-safe bags or containers. Freeze in individual portions for easy meals later, or make a large batch and freeze for up to 3 months. To save space, lay freezer bags flat until solid, then stack them.
- Reheating: For best results, reheat the chili on the stovetop over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until warmed through. If it’s too thick, add a splash of broth or water. You can also reheat in the microwave in 1-2 minute intervals, stirring between each. Frozen chili should be thawed in the fridge overnight before reheating.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! In fact, chili often tastes even better the next day as the flavors have more time to meld together. Let it cool, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 to 5 days, and reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave when ready to serve. This makes it one of the best meal prep recipes.
Red kidney beans are classic, but pinto beans, black beans, and cannellini beans are all great options. Mixing different beans gives your chili more variety in flavor and texture.
The easiest way is to let it simmer uncovered until the liquid reduces naturally. You can also mash some of the beans to release their starches or stir in crushed tortilla chips or a spoonful of cornmeal to absorb extra liquid. Each method keeps the chili thick and hearty without changing the flavor.
Absolutely! To make this easy chili recipe in the slow cooker, brown the bacon, beef, and onions first, then transfer everything to the crockpot. Add the remaining ingredients, stir well, and cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6-8 hours. It’s a hands-off way to enjoy the same rich, smoky flavors with less effort.
More Favorite CHili Recipes
The Best Chili Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound bacon, chopped into small pieces
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 2 medium onions, diced
- 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoon sugar
- 3-4 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 1 (28 ounce) can tomato sauce
- 2 (15 ounce) cans red kidney beans, drained (not rinsed)
- 2 cups broth, (beef broth, bone broth, chicken, vegetable) plus more as needed
- Optional Toppings, sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, chopped green onions, Tabasco sauce
Instructions
- Cook the bacon – Add the chopped bacon to a large Dutch oven set over medium-high heat. Once the bacon is hot and sizzling, reduce heat to medium-low and cover with a lid. Cook low and slow, stirring occasionally. Once the bacon pieces are golden, remove the lid and allow your bacon pieces to cook until the desired doneness is reached. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked bacon to a plate lined with paper towels and set aside. Reserve 2 tablespoons of leftover bacon grease.
- Brown the ground beef – over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon of reserved bacon grease back to your Dutch oven, and add the ground beef. Brown the ground beef and season with salt and pepper. Transfer beef to a clean plate and set aside.
- Cook the onions – Add the remaining tablespoon of bacon grease to your pot and set over medium heat. Add the onions and cook for 5-7 minutes, or until soft and translucent. Sprinkle with salt, cumin, garlic powder, chili powder, and sugar. Mix well to combine. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1-2 minutes over medium heat, stirring continuously. Add the diced tomatoes and tomato sauce and bring to a simmer.
- Return the beef and add some beans – As soon as your onion and tomato mixture reaches a simmer, return the bacon and ground beef to the pot. Stir in the kidney beans and add 2-3 cups of low-sodium broth (beef, bone, chicken, or vegetable broth). Mix well to combine.
- Simmer – Allow your chili to simmer for 15-20 minutes before serving. Add additional salt, pepper, or spices, if needed, and add additional broth if your chili is too thick.
- Serve – Serve with all your favorite toppings including sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, chopped green onions, and Tobasco sauce, if desired.
Notes
- Beef: I recommend using 85-90% lean ground beef.
- Bacon: Unless you don’t eat pork, don’t skip the bacon! Such a flavor game-changer. If you prefer not to include it as part of the chili, feel free to serve it on the side as a topping.
- Beans: I added red kidney beans as they are (in my opinion) the classic chili bean. Black beans are another popular bean choice. You will also notice that I drained, but did not rinse my beans – this was intentional as that bean liquid does come with some great flavor. This is completely optional, so feel free to rinse those beans if preferred.
- Seasonings: The chili powder used in this recipe is not spicy. If you want some heat, add 1-2 teaspoons of cayenne pepper. Also, start with just 1 tablespoon of cumin. Cumin easily overwhelms the other flavors. Finally, if preferred, swap the garlic powder for 5-6 cloves of fresh minced garlic.
- Broth: add a low-sodium broth instead of water. Choose your favorite store-bought version or try my homemade chicken stock or bone broth recipe.
- The longer you allow your chili to simmer, the more time the flavors will have to mix with each other. This is a good thing! So unless you’re in a hurry, let your chili simmer a while (note on this- cover your pot and reduce heat to the lowest possible setting).
- As written, this recipe is gluten-free (although, you may want to double-check the packaging on the bacon to be extra safe)
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Best Chili ever! Guests all loved it!
I am happy to hear you and your guests loved it 🙂
This turned out SO good! Even my husband, who voices his chili opinions easily said it was really good. I had to modify it with what I had in my kitchen. No bacon (we ate it all that morning), but I used about 3tbsp of bacon grease with the onions. I doubled the seasonings, and added about 1/4-1/2tsp of chipotle seasoning to give it a depth, as well as a heaping tbsp of beef base. I only had a 14oz can of tomato sauce, so went with that, as well. Sooo with all that said, we loved it. Even my 4yr old who never touches chili, actually tasted it and said, ‘mmm that’s good.’ So that’s a win over here, even if it was just one bite.
Doubled the recipe. WOW. But I am canning it, my husband thinks I have enough stuff canned to last us the rest of our lives. Maybe he’s right( we are both 81) 😊 but it’s something I love to do and it keeps us busy. This was a very tasty Chili I had never used cumin before. It adds to it. Great!!
Thanks for the great feedback, Marg 😀
I made this recipe with a few alterations based on what I had available. I used fresh tomatoes, chili beans in chili sauce, chili beans in hot chili sauce, and a PKG of chili seasoning rather than what was listed in the recipes. I did use a can of kidney beans and did use the sugar. It’s very good!
Thank you, Denis, for the very good feedback and rating 🙂
BEST chili recipe EVER!! My boys told me never to make other chili recipes again. The bacon is a total game changer!
Thanks for the best feedback and rating, Caroline 🙂
I love hearing your boys’ feedback!
Correct about the cummin. Use only 1 tablespoon