Best Damn Chili Ever

This Best Damn Chili is thick, hearty, and full of bold, deep and comforting flavors. Easy to make in the slow cooker and perfect for game day, cold nights, or family dinners. This is a chili recipe everyone comes back for!

Do you want a chili in a hurry? Then try our 30-minute Buffalo Chicken Chili, so full of flavor for so little time! And our Cheesy Bread to go with it!!

What Ingredients go into This Best Damn Chili?

How to Make the Best Damn Chili Ever!

Start by browning the ground beef in a large skillet.

Meanwhile, soak the chipotle peppers in boiling water to rehydrate for 20 min.

Place the red and yellow peppers under a broiler to char. Once charred, place in a bowl and cover with a cloth to steam and cool.

Once the beef is browned, add to a large bowl of a slow cooker. In the same pan, brown the chorizo. Once cooked, dice into small pieces and add to the beef.

Add the onions and garlic now to the pan with a little oil, if needed. Saute until translucent and add to the beef mixture.

Chop the chipotle peppers once rehydrated. Skin and seed the red and yellow peppers and dice. Add all the peppers to the beef mixture.

Add in the green peppers, both kinds of tomatoes, red wine, chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, cinnamon and salt. Cook on low 6-8 hours. In the last hour, add the beans and corn.

Garnish with the jalapenos and cheese if using.

Have leftover chili? Make these amazing Chili Cheese Fries! They will be a great family feast with your leftovers!! 

How Spicy is this Chili?

This is spicy but not blow-your-head-off spicy. I can’t handle that. You can always adjust the heat with the amount of chipotle pepper you add. Pass the hot sauce if someone wants it spicier, or add more fresh jalapenos on top. 

I love the chili powder, cumin combination in this chili, too; it has a great depth of flavor. All the ingredients, including the unusual cinnamon and red wine, make this the best damn chili you will ever have. Trust me, try a bowl; you will want to make this again and again. 

Thick, meaty, stocked full of vegetables, plus it is so easily done in the slow cooker!! You will love making this chili; ENJOY!!!!

Recipe Pro Tips

FAQS

Meat Tips

• Brown it hard – Don’t just cook it, sear it. Deep browning = deeper flavor.
• Use 80/20 ground beef for richness. Adding sausage just adds more flavor.
• Drain excess grease, but leave a little fat for flavor.

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Flavor Base (This Is Everything)

• Always start with onion + garlic + peppers. This is your chili foundation.
• Cook them until soft and fragrant, not rushed.
• Try to get fire-roasted tomatoes if possible. Just adds another depth of flavor.

Spice & Seasoning Tips

• Use layers of spice:
  • Chili powder
  • Cumin
  • Smoked paprika
  • Cinnamon

Bean Strategy

• Rinse canned beans to remove starchy liquid.
• Leave them until the end to add. No one wants mushy beans.
• Mix textures:
  • Kidney beans
  • Black beans
  • Pinto beans

 Pin it HERE!!

Pin it HERE!!

Best Damn Chili Ever

Tara Noland

Best Damn Chili is rich, thick, and packed with bold flavor. Made with ground meat, sausage, peppers, beans, fire-roasted tomatoes, and the perfect blend of spices, this easy homemade chili recipe is cozy, satisfying, and perfect for game day, weeknight dinners, or feeding a crowd.

4.73 from 40 votes

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Prep Time 40 minutes mins

Cook Time 8 hours hrs

Total Time 8 hours hrs 40 minutes mins

Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Servings 10 servings

Calories 278 kcal

Video

Ingredients

 

• 2 lbs. extra-lean ground beef browned
• 3 chorizo sausages cooked and diced
• 2 dried chipotle peppers small or 1 1/2 large
• 2 sweet onions diced
• 5 cloves garlic minced
• 1 red pepper diced
• 1 yellow pepper diced
• 1 green pepper diced
• 1-28 oz. can San Marzano tomatoes
• 2-14 oz. cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes
• 1 cup red wine
• 3 Tbsp. chili powder
• 2 tsp. cumin
• 1 tsp. smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• Salt to taste
• 1-28 oz. kidney beans drained and rinsed
• 1-14 oz. can Adzuki Beans (or other small bean) drained and rinsed (or another bean that is your favorite)
• 1 1/2 cup frozen corn thawed
• Red and green jalapeno peppers sliced for garnish
• Cheddar cheese grated (optional)

Instructions

 

• Start by browning the ground beef in a large skillet.
• Meanwhile, soak the chipotle peppers in boiling water to rehydrate for 20 min.
• Place the red and yellow peppers under a broiler to char. Once charred, place in a bowl and cover with a cloth to steam and cool.
• Once the beef is browned, add to a large bowl of a slow cooker. In the same pan, brown the chorizo. Once cooked, dice into small pieces and add to the beef.
• Add the onions and garlic now to the pan with a little oil, if needed. Saute until translucent and add to the beef mixture.
• Chop the chipotle peppers once rehydrated. Skin and seed the red and yellow peppers and dice. Add all the peppers to the beef mixture.
• Add in the green peppers, both kinds of tomatoes, red wine, chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, cinnamon and salt. Cook on low 6-8 hours. In the last hour, add the beans and corn.
• Garnish with the jalapenos and cheese if using.

Equipment

Soup Ladle, Stainless Steel Soup Spoon, 13.7 Inches

Ceramic Bowl with Handles, 28 oz., Set of 4

Crock-Pot 7 Quart Oval Manual Slow Cooker

Notes

See the post for more information, photos and tips. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1Calories: 278kcalCarbohydrates: 20gProtein: 25gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 76mgSodium: 158mgPotassium: 715mgFiber: 5gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 2184IUVitamin C: 58mgCalcium: 68mgIron: 5mg

Nutrition calculation is an estimation only. If you need nutritional calculations for medical reasons, please use a source that you trust.

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