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!
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*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
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!