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Homemade Chili Recipe

4.5 from 140 reviews

A hearty and flavorful homemade chili recipe featuring ground beef or turkey, fresh vegetables, beans, and a blend of spices. Perfect for a cozy meal, this chili is cooked on the stovetop and includes tips for reducing tomato acidity and achieving rich, well-developed flavors.

Ingredients

Scale

Meat

  • 2 pounds ground beef or turkey

Vegetables

  • 2 small green peppers, about 2 cups diced
  • 1 small yellow onion, about 1 ½ cups diced

Canned Goods & Liquids

  • 2 cans diced tomatoes (15-ounce cans)
  • 15-ounce can tomato sauce
  • 6-ounce can tomato paste
  • 15 ounces water
  • 2 cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed (15-ounce cans)

Spices & Seasonings

  • 3 tablespoons chili powder
  • 2 tablespoons garlic powder
  • 2 tablespoons onion powder
  • 3 tablespoons cumin
  • 1 tablespoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon chipotle powder
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • ½ tablespoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon white pepper
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda (optional)

Instructions

  1. Sauté Vegetables: In a large dutch oven, sauté the diced green peppers and yellow onions until they become translucent and start to caramelize, which enhances their natural sweetness and flavor.
  2. Add Spices: Add all the seasonings except the baking soda, and cook them for 1 to 2 minutes while stirring continuously to release their aromas and develop depth in the chili. Take care to avoid burning the spices.
  3. Brown the Meat: Add the ground beef or turkey and cook until it is mostly browned but may still have some pink. This ensures it finishes cooking thoroughly with the other ingredients and stays tender.
  4. Add Tomato Ingredients and Water: Pour in the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, water, and tomato paste into the pot. Stir to combine all ingredients.
  5. Simmer and Add Beans: Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-low heat and cook uncovered for about 15 minutes to meld the flavors. Then, stir in the drained kidney beans.
  6. Incorporate Baking Soda: Stir in the baking soda, which will cause the sauce to bubble up as it reacts to reduce tomato acidity. Continue stirring over medium heat until the bubbling subsides.
  7. Finish and Serve: Remove the chili from the heat and serve hot, ready to enjoy a rich and comforting meal.

Notes

  • Keep stirring constantly when cooking the spices and vegetables to prevent burning.
  • Ground beef can be prepared ahead of time in large batches and frozen for convenience. Pre-cooked ground beef can also be used.
  • Adding baking soda helps to neutralize the acidity of the tomatoes, making the chili smoother in flavor.

Keywords: homemade chili, ground beef chili, turkey chili, stovetop chili, easy chili recipe, kidney beans chili, spicy chili