You have to try my Dad's easy chili recipe. It's a simple recipe for a classic stove-top chili with a surprising secret ingredient that takes it to the next level!
Serve this with some 3 ingredient cornbread for a complete meal. Or use leftover chili to make these chili stuffed sweet potatoes! Perfect for game day or parties.
Dad's Secrets to The Best Chili Recipe
- Make Ahead - Make the chili the day BEFORE you serve it. Cool and refrigerate overnight so the flavors have time to meld and intensify. This is what some restaurants do with soups because it's always better the next day!
- Hershey's Syrup - YES! This is my Dad's secret ingredient and it's what makes this chili so special!
- Meat to Beans Ratio - You'll use a pound of ground beef (or whatever meat you like) per can of beans, a nice balance for a bean chili.
Ingredients You'll Need
- Ground Beef - lean ground beef, fatty ground beef, or ground turkey, bison, ground chicken, or ground pork. Any type of ground meat works well here, so adjust to your taste. I used lean beef for this recipe.
- Red Kidney beans (chili beans) - or pinto beans, white beans, or even black beans. Again, customize this to your taste preferences.
- Green Bell Pepper
- White Onion - or yellow onion
- Chili Powder
- Cumin - ground
- Canned Diced Tomatoes
- Tomato Sauce - Canned tomato sauce.
- Hershey's Syrup - DAD'S SECRET INGREDIENT! The sweet chocolate brings out the flavors in the chili and adds a subtle complexity.
- Salt
- Black Pepper
- Olive Oil
🍅 TOMATO TIP: Replace the diced tomatoes and tomato sauce with homemade crushed tomatoes for an extra homemade flavor.
How to Make Dad's Classic Stove Top Chili
- Saute the veggies: Add olive oil to a large, heavy-bottomed pot (dutch oven) over medium heat. Add the onion and green bell pepper and saute until lightly brown, about 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the meat and seasonings: Add the ground beef and brown, breaking it up into chunks. Stir in chili powder and cumin. You can add a little water if it looks dry. (especially with the leaner meats) Get that to coat and crumble.
- Add the tomatoes and simmer: Then, stir in the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and ½ cup water. Bring to a simmer, then reduce to medium-low and simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring every few minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add more chili powder or cumin to taste if need be.
- Add the beans and chocolate: Stir in your favorite beans and 1-2 teaspoon of Hershey’s syrup (Not too much it could get too sweet) and let simmer on low for another 15-20 minutes. Taste again and adjust any seasoning if needed.
- Cool and refrigerate overnight to let the flavors fully develop. (optional but recommended)
- Reheat the next day and serve!
Chili Topping Ideas
Cuddle up with a warm bowl of chili and top it with all kinds of goodies! Here are a few ideas:
- Tortilla chips or Fritos
- Cheddar Cheese
- Diced Onions - red, white or yellow
- Green onions
- Sour Cream or Plain Greek Yogurt
- Hot Sauce
- Jalapenos or green chiles
- Avocado
- Fried onions or fried jalapenos
What to Serve with Chili
- Heated French bread with butter (Dad's favorite)
- Cornbread
What to Make with Leftover Chili
Double or triple this recipe to make a big pot of chili for parties AND so that you can make fun things with the leftovers.
- Nothing! Just keep reheating it and serve it with cornbread. Chili is always better the next day so it's the perfect leftover.
- Chili Nachos
- Chili Cheese Fries
- Slather it on hot dogs and burgers.
More Game Day Recipes
- Pretzel Dip Recipes
- Chicken Wings with Blue Cheese Dressing or Ranch Dressing
- Cauliflower Wings
- 30+ Game Day Snacks
- BBQ Chicken Pizza
- Chicken Bacon Ranch Sliders
Storage, Freezing and Reheating Instructions
TO STORE: Let the chili cool to room temperature (but don't leave it out for more than 2 hours to avoid bacterial growth). Store the chili in airtight containers. Use shallow containers for quicker cooling.
Chili can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
TO REHEAT:
- Stovetop: Pour the chili into a saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it's heated through (usually about 5-10 minutes).
- Microwave: Transfer a portion of chili to a microwave-safe bowl. Cover the bowl loosely with a microwave-safe lid or plastic wrap.
- Slow Cooker Method (perfect for parties): Place the chili in the slow cooker. Set it on the low setting and heat it until warm, which might take a couple of hours depending on the quantity.
TO FREEZE: Ensure the chili is completely cooled before freezing to prevent ice crystals from forming. Divide the chili into portion-sized amounts if you prefer. Use freezer-safe containers or heavy-duty freezer bags. It can be frozen for 3-4 months.
Recipe
Dad's Easy Homemade Chili
You have to try my Dad's easy chili recipe! It's a simple recipe for a classic chili with a surprising secret ingredient that takes chili to the next level!Serve this with some 3 ingredient cornbread or my crispy cheddar cornbread for a full meal. Perfect for game day or parties!
Click the stars to rate.
*Easily adjust serving size to your liking by clicking the number under servings or with the boxes below in the ingredients section.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound Ground Beef chicken, turkey, pork or bison
- 1 Large Yellow Onion chopped
- ⅓ medium Green Bell Pepper seeded and chopped
- 1 can Kidney Beans or whatever beans you have on hand
- 1 ½ tablespoon ground chili powder or to taste
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin or to taste
- 1 14.5 oz can Diced Tomatoes
- 1 cup Tomato Sauce canned
- 1-2 teaspoon Hershey's Syrup Dad's SECRET ingredient
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- ½ teaspoon Salt or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper or to taste
Topping Ideas
- Cheddar Cheese
- Diced White or Red Onion
- Sour Cream
- Green Onion
- Tortilla Chips
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Instructions
- Saute the veggies: In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, like a dutch oven, over medium heat, add a little olive oil. Add the onion and green bell pepper and saute until lightly brown, about 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the meat and seasonings: Add the ground beef and brown, breaking it up into chunks. Stir in chili powder and cumin. You can add a little water if it looks dry. (especially with the leaner meats) Get that to coat and crumble.
- Add the tomatoes and simmer: Then, stir in the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and ½ cup water. Bring to a simmer, then reduce to medium-low and simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring every few minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add more chili powder or cumin to taste if need be.
- Add the beans and chocolate: Stir in your favorite beans and 1-2 teaspoon of Hershey’s syrup (Not too much it could get too sweet) and let simmer on low for another 15-20 minutes. Taste again and adjust any seasoning if needed.
- Cool and refrigerate overnight to let the flavors fully develop.Reheat the next day and serve!
Notes
Dad's Chili Secrets
- Meat to Beans Ratio - You'll use a pound of ground beef per can of beans, a nice balance for a bean chili.
- Make Ahead - Make the chili the day BEFORE you serve it. Cool and refrigerate overnight so the flavors have time to meld and intensify. This is what some restaurants do with soups because it's always better the next day!
- Hershey's Syrup - YES! This is my Dad's secret ingredient and it's what makes this chili so special!
Nutrition
Serving: 80zCalories: 444kcalCarbohydrates: 24gProtein: 27gFat: 27gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 81mgSodium: 711mgPotassium: 885mgFiber: 8gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 1199IUVitamin C: 16mgCalcium: 72mgIron: 6mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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Dianne Kalil
Simmering on the stove now! We can’t wait to taste!
1/13/2025
Suzie J.
Awesome, Dianne. Enjoy! X Suzie