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25 Best Chili Recipes

Simmering chili in Instant Pots, stovetops, and slow cookers ushers in the cooler weather, and we’ve gathered some of the BEST CHILI RECIPES – there is something on this list for everyone! We have everything from hearty chili recipes with meat, chili with beans, no bean-chili, and vegetarian recipes. When you crave a cozy bowl of chili with all the toppings, you will FALL hard for this list of the 25 best chili recipes!

A cover image for 25 Best Chili Recipes.

What’s the Scoop on Chili?

As soon as the first leaf changes color (usually September 1st), my mind shifts to fall comfort food regardless of the weather. There is something soothing about a piping hot bowl of homemade chili, and it’s the perfect meal for potlucks, get-togethers, game nights, and cook-offs.

What’s the Best Protein for Chili?

Hearty Chili Recipes

1. Chili Con Carne with Beans

Chili in a small bowl garnished with cheddar cheese, onions, and jalapenos.

Warm up with a heaping bowl of this savory, southwest-style chili. Our authentic chili con carne with beans recipe is my take on an old classic with hearty beef chuck, black beans (gasp! I know), and a satisfying combination of chilies.

2. Chocolate Lamb Chili

A Dutch oven of chocolate lamb chili topped with chilies and cilantro.
Photo Credit: Running to the Kitchen

Chocolate lamb chili is made with lamb stew meat, mixed beans, and smoky, rustic spices for a decadent meal you’ll love.

Try karahi gosht, boneless leg of lamb roast, or lamb shoulder chops for more lamb recipes!

3. Dutch Oven Chili

Dutch oven chili in a dutch oven with a spoon in it.

Our easy dutch oven chili is a hearty and delicious dump and go recipe that’s perfect for gatherings, potlucks, or a comforting meal at home – you can also pack up the ingredients to make campfire chili for a cozy outdoor adventure.

4. Best Beef Chili

The best chili topped with sour cream, corn chips, jalapeño, and bacon.
Photo Credit: Sugar Spun Run

Make the best beef chili by combining simple ingredients like bacon and ground beef, like our baked beans with hamburger, and simmer on the stovetop for 30 minutes.

5. Sweet and Spicy Chili

A overhead shot of three bowls of sweet and spicy chili served with saltine crackers and garnished with parsley.
Photo Credit: Salt and Baker

Sweet and spicy chili is loaded with delicious beef and a perfect blend of warm spices to deliver an award-winning chili recipe to impress your family and friends!

6. Turkey Chili

A Dutch oven with turkey chili.
Photo Credit: From Valerie’s Kitchen

Flavorful turkey chili will satisfy even the heartiest of appetites. It’s packed with lean ground turkey, three kinds of beans, and a variety of spices.

Vegetarian Chili Recipes

7. Best Vegan Chili with Beans and Millet

Vegan chili topped with green onion, tomatoes, cheese, and sour cream.
Photo Credit: My Pure Plants

Make the best vegan chili with beans and millet! It’s a hearty and satisfying vegan chili – loaded with vegetables, legumes, and whole grains.

8. Butternut Squash Chickpea Chili

An overhead shot of butternut squash and chickpea chili served with noodles and sour cream.
Photo Credit: The Almond Eater

Prepare the butternut squash and chickpea chili recipe in your slow cooker or stovetop; the chili is full of veggies and protein.

9. Spicy Chickpea Chili

An overhead shot of a bowl of spicy chickpea chili.
Photo Credit: I Heart Vegetables

Spicy chickpea chili comes together in 10 minutes for a healthy, vegan, and gluten-free meal.

Instant Pot Chili Recipes

10. Instant Pot White Chicken Chili

A bowl of Instant Pot white chicken chili topped with sour cream, avocado, and tortilla chips.

Instant Pot white chicken chili is layered with chicken, white beans, corn, and a well-spiced broth to make a hearty and filling chili that’s ready in under an hour!

11. Instant Pot Chili Verde

A side view of instant pot green chili served with lime wedges.
Photo Credit: Pressure Cook Recipes

Make Instant Pot chili verde – the juicy tender chicken cooks in tangy-hot-savory-umami homemade roasted green chili sauce.

12. Instant Pot Pozole Rojo

A close up of a spoonful of Instant Pot Pozole Rojo over the bowl.

Instant Pot pozole rojo is a hearty chili made with tender pork and filling hominy, simmered in a flavorful chili broth, and garnished with fresh toppings. 

13. Instant Pot No Bean Turkey Chili

An overhead shot of turkey chili topped with avocado slices.
Photo Credit: Clean Eating Kitchen

Hearty and healthy Instant Pot no bean turkey chili is a super easy meal prep recipe. Plus, it’s gluten-freepaleo, and Whole30-approved.

14. Instant Pot Vegetable Chili with Quinoa

An overhead shot of vegetarian chili garnished with jalapeños, cheddar cheese, and a lime wedge.
Photo Credit: Piping Pot Curry

Instant Pot vegetable chili with quinoa is an easy, comforting weeknight meal made with black beans, quinoa, and veggies – it’s loaded with protein and fiber!

Specialty Diet Chili Recipes

15. Low-Carb Keto Chili

Low Carb keto chili in bowl with cheese, sour cream, avocado, and green onion.
Photo Credit: Wholesome Yum

Make no bean, low-carb keto chili; this recipe cooks in the Crock Pot, Instant Pot, or pressure cooker using common ingredients.

16. Paleo Chili

An overhead shot of paleo chili with a small bowl of chili next to it.
Photo Credit: Laura Fuentes

Paleo chili recipe is right up there with traditional chili; it’s filling and full of delicious flavor from the veggies and meat.

Slow Cooker Chili Recipes

17. Slow Cooker Beef Chili

A bowl of slow cooker chili topped with sour cream and cheddar cheese.
Photo Credit: Belle of the Kitchen

Slow Cooker beef chili is a family favorite that tastes great paired with a big, buttery hunk of cornbread.

18. Slow Cooker Chicken Chili

A hand holding a spoon and scooping out a spoonful of chicken chili topped with cilantro and avocado.
Photo Credit: A Simple Palate

Slow Cooker chicken chili will give you all the cozy feels. It’s filled with zesty flavor and tender shredded chicken; it is a simple and healthy recipe the whole family will love!

Unique Chili Recipes

19. Cincinnati Chili Copycat

An overhead shot of Cincinnati chili topped with cheddar cheese and oyster crackers.
Photo Credit: An Affair from the Heart

If you don’t have skyline chili near you and find yourself craving the comfort of an authentic Cincinnati chili, this recipe has you covered. Eat the chili as is, or serve it over spaghetti noodles.

20. Bacon Cheeseburger Chili

A Dutch oven full of cheeseburger chili.
Photo Credit: 4 Sons ‘R’ Us

Bacon cheeseburger chili combines all the flavors of two classic comfort foods into one tasty dish; the hearty recipe will be an instant favorite for all burgers and chili lovers!

21. Elk Chili

A bowl of elk chili topped with onions, chilies, and cubed cheese.

Warm up with a bowl of homemade chili with ground elk. This hearty chili recipe makes for a healthy, easy, one-pot meal to serve alongside cornbread and all your favorite fixings.  

22. Fall Pumpkin Chili

An overhead shot of turkey pumpkin soup topped with cheddar cheese and sour cream.
Photo Credit: Salt and Lavender

A hearty fall pumpkin chili recipe will help you through the colder months; prepare the chili with roasted and pureed pumpkin, or you can use canned pumpkin too.

23. Five Bean Chili

Five Bean Chili recipe topped with radishes, scallions, and chilies.
Photo Credit: Fuss Free Flavors

Five bean chili is the perfect pantry dish for when you can’t get to the shops, and it’s a great winter dish to feed a crowd. 

24. One Pot Chili Mac

Overhead shot of chili mac in a saute pan.
Photo Credit: iFood Real

This super healthy vegetarian one pot chili mac comes together with beer, beans, pasta, olives, spices, and cheese that’s ready in around 30 minutes.

25. Turkey Pumpkin Chili

A heaping scoop of pumpkin chili.
Photo Credit: Masala Herb

This turkey pumpkin chili recipe is fast, healthy, and easy to make. It’ll warm you right up this fall! 

Serving Suggestions

How to Garnish Chili

  • Sour Cream, Greek Yogurt, Cheddar Cheese
  • Chives
  • Avocado
  • Jalapeños or Serranos
  • Radishes, Lime Wedges
  • White Onion, Green Onion, Pickled Onions, and Sumac Onions
  • Hot Sauce

What to do With the Leftovers

You’ve read through 25 of the best chili recipes, and they make incredible leftovers. Psst… chili almost always tastes better the next day (but that’s my opinion).

  • Refrigerate  Store leftovers in an airtight container; they will keep for 3-4 days, depending on the ingredients.
  • Freeze  Transfer the chili to a freezer-safe container or bag. It will freeze for up to 3-6 months.
  • Thaw – Defrost the leftovers in the refrigerator overnight.
  • Reheat  Warm leftovers on the stovetop or microwave, and enjoy!
  • Repurpose  Make walking nachos, chili and rice casserole, chili cheese fries, chili spaghetti squash casserole, chili dogs, chili and tater tot casserole, Frito chili pie, and chili cornbread casserole.

Frequently Asked Questions

What gives chili the best flavor?

The answer will vary depending on who you ask and what chili you’re making. However, if you follow a few simple rules you will end up with great-tasting chili.

Heat: Add a heating element to the chili apart from traditional American chili powder. Dried chilis, hot sauce, fresh chilies, chili flakes, or chili paste can go a long way in adding flavor.

Acid: Finish the chili with a fresh pop of acidity like vinegar or citrus.

Fat: Oil, cheese, cream, and fatty cuts of meat like chuck and pork lend additional flavor.

Alcohol: Wine, beer, cider, and whiskey enhance the flavor of chili recipes.

Sweetener: A little sugar, honey, or chocolate will balance the natural acidity of tomato-based chilies.

Secret Ingredients: Recipe developers and home cooks usually have one ingredient they use to take their chili to the next level. Maybe it’s coffee or chocolate. Others add warm spices like cinnamon, garam masala, taco seasoning, Slap Ya Mama seasoning, and nutmeg. I love to add fish sauce, Marmite, or Worcestershire.

Tools You Will Need to Make these Recipes

Dutch Oven: You can’t go wrong investing in a high-quality Dutch oven. The one I use is from Lodge, but many prefer Le Creuset.

Slow Cooker: There is something nice and homey about dumping all your ingredients into a Crockpot and leaving it to cook for hours, as the tempting aroma circulates through the house.

Instant Pot: The Instant Pot might be one of the most-used kitchen tools in our home, and helps to prepare meals in no time.

More Soup, Stew, and Chili Recipes:

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Bianca

Saturday 17th of September 2022

I have already tried 3 of these recipes and they're all amazing! Can't wait to try even more from the list!

Tressa Jamil

Saturday 17th of September 2022

Three, oh man! You are quite the achiever. I am glad this list of recipes was helpful to you.

Giangi

Saturday 17th of September 2022

I shared this post with my husband, who is the Chili lover in the family and loves to cook. The only food he will cook is chili. He made Instant Pot Chili Verde, and he was happy to have found a great recipe; we all love it. Thank you for all the suggestions. Each recipe looks amazing.

Tressa Jamil

Saturday 17th of September 2022

I haven't tried that one yet, but it looks so good! Thanks for checking out the post and sharing it with your husband. I hope it passes the chili-lover's test.

fede

Tuesday 13th of September 2022

Your chili con carne was amazing. Can't wait to try more of these recipes you mentioned.

Tressa Jamil

Saturday 17th of September 2022

Chili con carne is one of my most treasured recipes; I am happy you enjoyed it.

Lynne

Monday 12th of September 2022

The chili mac and cheese is my kiddos favorite! I will be referencing this round up all football season!

Tressa Jamil

Saturday 17th of September 2022

Yes, we come back to it almost every Sunday!