The best chili recipe doesn’t have to be hard to make or contain a lot of difficult ingredients! This classic chili recipe is so delicious and even easier to make. It contains many ingredients that you already have in you pantry, and it can be substituted to make it mild or spicy. Also, if you are serving chili for a crowd, check out my blog post on how to make a chili charcuterie board.
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Ingredients for Chili
- Ground Beef – I have made this recipe with ground venison before and it was good too. I just prefer ground beef
- Chili Seasoning – McCormick brand original seasoning is my favorite chili seasoning.
- Pace Medium Salsa – Some people like to cut up peppers and onions to put in chili, but I like to use Salsa instead. Salsa has peppers and onions in it so they will still be in the chili but it requires less work. Medium salsa adds a little bit of kick. If you want your salsa more mild and less spicy, I recommend going with mild salsa instead.
- Original Rotel Tomatoes – I use 2 cans of original Rotel, but if you want it to be hotter, try Mild or Hot Rotel
- Kidney Beans – This can be dark or light red kidney beans, that all just depends on preference.
- Spicy Hot V8 or Tomato Sauce – I’ve always loved Spicy Hot V8, so I usually have it on hand. One time when I was making chili, I realized I didn’t have any tomato sauce, so I substituted with Spicy Hot V8. It added so much flavor and such a fresh flavor that I doubt I will ever go back to ordinary tomato sauce again!
How To Make the Best Chili Recipe
1. Brown Ground Beef
Heat about 2 Tbs of oil in a large pot or Dutch oven on the stovetop. Once oil is heated, brown your ground beef breaking it apart as it cooks.
2. Add Chili Seasoning Packet and Salsa
Once the ground beef is browned, drain off any grease if there is any. I use a locally sourced homegrown beef and thankfully it doesn’t have much grease. Now it is time to add the chili seasoning packet. Pour the whole packet into the pot and stir it in. Once the ground beef is seasoned evenly, add the salsa.
3. Add the Rotel, Beans, and V8 or Tomato Sauce
Once the salsa is stirred in, simply add the rest of the ingredients to the pot and stir it together. Once all the ingredients are stirred together, let the chili simmer for at least 1 hour. If it is in a Dutch oven on the stove keep an eye on it and stir it often so that it doesn’t scorch. If you are cooking chili in a crock pot, turn it on low and let it simmer all day.
Enjoy!
This is the perfect chili recipe for a cool fall or cold winter night. It is so easy to prep and requires little to no mess. I always get compliments on this recipe when I take it to a family or church event. Also, if you haven’t already, check out my blog post on how to make a chili charcuterie board! I hope you enjoy!
Best Easy Chili Recipe
This chili recipe is so easy to make and is the perfect dish for fall. Simply throw all the ingredients in a pot and let simmer all day for a classic, hassle free Autumn dish everyone will love!
Ingredients
- 1 Tbs oil
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 packet chili seasoning
- 1 jar medium salsa
- 2 cans original rotel
- 1 can kidney beans
- 1 can spicy hot V8 or tomato sauce
Instructions
- Heat oil in a cast iron dutch oven or crock pot
- Brown ground beef
- Add chili seasoning, salsa, rotel, kidney beans, V8 or tomato sauce
- Stir ingredients and let simmer for up to 8 hours, stirring occasionally
Notes
I use Pace brand Medium salsa
The Spicy Hot V8 will give the chili a fresh and spicy flavor. If you do not want your chili to be spicy, use tomato sauce instead
Serve with corn chips, cheese toast, cheddar biscuits, cornbread, oyster crackers or saltines, sour cream, cheddar cheese, and jalapenos!
Recommended Products
- Le Creuset 5.5 Qt Dutch Oven – this is my favorite pot. I have it in the color Sea Salt, and I use it for various recipes all year around.
- Ground Beef Chopper