Kitchen notes · a little help before you start
Healthier Beef Chili
A thick bowl of beef chili is especially inviting when smoky chipotle runs through the tomato sauce. Kidney beans add substance, and a little cheddar and sour cream melt into the hot chili, softening the spice as you eat.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 60 min
- Total
- 75 min
- Original yield
- Serves 10
- Ingredients
- 18 listed
Make it part of your week
Recipe categories & planning details
- Meal type
- Dinner · Main course
- Primary protein
- Beef · Beans & lentils
- Cuisine
- American
- Preparation & total time
- Prep: 15 minutes or less · Total: over 60 minutes
A few quick notes
1. Soften the onion
Cook the onion and garlic in olive oil before adding the beef, letting the onion become soft and translucent.
2. Brown before simmering
Cook the beef until browned with no pink remaining, then stir in the spices and sauces.
3. Keep the simmer low
After bringing the chili to a boil, lower the heat for its forty five minute to one hour simmer.
Get to know the ingredients
Kidney beans
Rinse and drain the canned kidney beans before adding them with the crushed tomatoes and water.
Chipotle peppers
Chipotle peppers in adobo join the seasonings after the beef browns, bringing their smoky flavor into the sauce.
Ground beef
Lean ground beef is specified and cooks with the softened onion and garlic before the remaining chili ingredients are added.
Let’s make it
Choose your servings, then check things off as you go.
Original recipe: Serves 10. Original quantities shown.
Check ingredients as you prepare them. These checks stay on this page.
How to make it
0 of 4 steps completeMake room for Healthier Beef Chili
Review ingredients in your pantry before anything is added. Meal plans use your household size; grocery-only additions use the servings selected above.
The last little job
Add the toppings
Garnish the finished chili with parsley and serve with shredded cheddar and sour cream for spooning into each bowl.
A little more help as you go
Stir in the seasonings
Mix the spices and sauces through the browned beef before adding beans, tomatoes and water to the pot.
Bring it to a boil first
Stir the beans and tomatoes into the seasoned beef and bring everything to a boil before the low simmer.
A few questions you might have
Do the kidney beans need draining?
Yes. The listed canned kidney beans should be rinsed and drained before they go into the chili.
When do I add the chipotle peppers?
Stir the chipotle peppers into the browned beef with the spices and sauces, before adding the beans and tomatoes.
How long should the chili simmer?
Once it has come to a boil, simmer the chili over low heat for about forty five minutes to an hour.
What toppings are included?
Finish with parsley and serve the chili with shredded cheddar cheese and sour cream, as directed at the end.
What should the beef look like before adding the beans?
The ground beef should be browned with no pink remaining before you stir in the seasonings, beans and tomatoes.
Storage & reheating safety
For cooked, perishable leftovers, refrigerate within 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F), using shallow containers for prompt cooling. Keep the refrigerator at 40°F or below, use refrigerated leftovers within 3–4 days, and reheat hot leftovers to 165°F, checked with a food thermometer. Follow any shorter package limit.
These are general safety limits, not a tested storage or freezing recommendation for this particular dish. USDA leftovers guidance · Safe cooking temperatures
Recipe source: jocooks.com. Ingredient names and quantities may be adapted for the pantry.
Preparation notes follow the recipe shown here.
