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The best chil ever with sour cream, avocado, and tortillas on top and a spoon in the bowl.
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4.92 from 48 votes

Classic Southern Chili Recipe

This chili recipe is made with Southern flare and slow-cooked in a Dutch oven until just right! Its loaded with meat, peppers, beans, and spices to keep you warm all winter.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
0 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 256kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 lb ground beef or ground chicken or ground turkey
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • ½ onion finely diced
  • ½ bell pepper finely diced
  • 1 tsp jalepeno finely diced (can go up to 2 tsps)
  • 2 tsp minced garlic
  • 15 oz crushed tomatoes 1 can
  • 1 cup diced tomatoes
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • 15.5 oz red kidney beans drained (1 can)
  • 1 cup beef stock or chicken
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tbsp steak sauce
  • 2 tbsp chili powder can go up to 2 1/2 tbsp
  • 2 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp brown sugar
  • 1 ½ tsp garlic powder
  • ½ tsp smoked paprika
  • ½ tsp cumin can go up to 1 tsp
  • ¼ tsp allspice
  • ¼ tsp red pepper flakes can go up to 1/2 tsp

Instructions

  • Add olive oil to a large dutch oven.  Add meat and season with salt and pepper to taste and brown.
  • Next add onions, peppers and jalapenos and saute until tender.
  • Add garlic and stir in and cook for up to 1 minute.
  • Next add crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, kidney beans, and stock and stir together to combine.
  • Stir in worcestershire, steak sauce, chili powder, onion powder, brown sugar, garlic powder, smoked paprika, cumin, allspice and red pepper flakes then add salt and pepper to taste.
  • Bring to a slight boil then reduce heat and continue to simmer uncovered for about 15-25 minutes tasting as you go along (closer to 15 min if you want more liquid and closer to 25 and up to 30 minutes if you want a thicker chili).
  • Taste, adjust seasonings to final tastes and serve.

Notes

Be sure to check the full post above for info on the ingredients, serving suggestions, storage tips, variations, and more!
  • Taste as You Go. This is important as you are cooking your chili since you don't want to overdo it.  It can't be undone once it is added.
  • Cook the Chili to Your Desired Consistency. If you prefer a soupier consistency the chili only needs to cook for about 15 minutes after everything is added to the pot. For a thicker chili, extend the cooking time to 25-30 minutes.
  • Build Layers of Flavor. The cooking process is setup to layer in flavor right from the start with the browning of the meat and sauteeing of the veggies. You also want to do the same with the spices. Add the initial amount but taste as the chili cooks so you can identify if anything is missing and add a bit more spices as it cooks.
  • Use a Variety of Canned Tomatoes. You get a much more varied texture while the tomato paste adds more depth of flavor and thickness.
  • Don't Skip the Umami Flavors. The Worcestershire sauce and steak sauce are what adds an extra layer of depth to your chili.

Nutrition

Calories: 256kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 39mg | Sodium: 281mg | Potassium: 788mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1102IU | Vitamin C: 20mg | Calcium: 72mg | Iron: 5mg