Simple & Easy Classic Chili
Servings: 8 servings
Equipment
- large sauce pot or dutch oven
Ingredients
- 1 ½ tbs avocado or olive oil
- 2 green bell pepper cut into ½ inch cubes
- 1 large red onion chopped
- 3 garlic clove minced
- 1 tbs tomato paste
- 1 lb 85% ground beef or ground turkey
- 2 ½ tbs chili powder
- 1 ½ tbs ground cumin
- ½ tbs smoked paprika
- 1 tbs garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon chili flake/red pepper flake* more if you like it spicy!
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 28 oz can whole peeled tomatoes*
- 14 oz can crushed tomatoes
- 15 oz can kidney beans
- ½-1 cup beef broth depending on how thin you like it
- 1 tbs salt
Instructions
- Prep & Cook Veggies: First chop pepper, onion & mince your garlic cloves. In a large sauce pot or dutch oven, warm the olive oil on medium heat. Add chopped onion with a pinch of salt & cook about 5 minutes until beginning to soften. Add green pepper and cook another 5 minutes. Next add minced garlic and cook about 1 minute (until fragrant & a little golden). Lower heat if things are browning too quickly. Add tomato paste and mix until everything is coated & smells yummy. if things are sticking to the pan, add a splash of beef broth to lift things & combine all the spices.
- Cook Ground Beef: Break up ground beef or turkey & add into the pot. Cook stirring often until ground beef is mostly cooked through. Add spice mix: 2 ½ tbs chili powder, 1 ½ tbs ground cumin, 1tsp oregano, ½ tbs smoked paprika, 1 tbs garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon chili flake*, ¼ teaspoon black pepper. 3 tsps kosher salt. Stir until well combined.
- Add Liquid: Next add whole peeled tomatoes. Crush with your hands or a wood spoon. Fill the emptied can with ½ cup water and swirl around to clean out can. Add to pot. Add kidney beans & beef broth. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer 25-30 minutes*, stirring occasionally. Taste & adjust seasonings to your liking. If it is very tangy/acidic, add 1-1.5tbs sugar.
- Serve warm with shredded cheddar, sour cream & green onion. (extra sour cream for me!!)
Notes
Home Cook's Notes:
*Spices: you can replace the homemade spice mix with your favorite chili spice mix if for a short cut!
*Canned Whole Peeled Tomatoes: You can also used crushed or diced tomatoes, but I love the rustic/uneven chunks of whole peeled.
*Ground Beef: ground turkey, ground chicken: all work perfectly as meat options. I almost always choose grass-fed ground beef
*Extra Spicy? you can add more chili flake or cayenne (start ¼tsp cayenne).