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With this Quick Chili Recipe, you and your family can enjoy chili in less than 30 minutes!  I love making this recipe for a quick weeknight meal on a chilly Fall or Winter evening.

Bowl of Chili topped with shredded cheese, sour cream and green onions
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We call this the BEST chili recipe because it taste amazing. This easy quick chili recipe is super simple, but we love it. You don’t need any crazy ingredients for an amazing chili and this recipe proves exactly that. All you need is one pot and everything cooks easily in less than 30 minutes.

Chili is the perfect Fall Recipe and a family favorite. You might also like Crockpot Creamy Chicken Taco Soup Recipe for a delicious twist on classic chili recipe! It’s so good! Check out more Easy Chili Recipes.

Table of Contents

Why This Recipe Works

This Chili Recipe is perfect for a weeknight meal or when last minute family show up for dinner. It is quick, easy and taste amazing! Start with our homemade chili seasoning and skip the packets. I promise you will love the flavor and you will be so happy that you can pronounce all the ingredients.

Chili is perfect for all your game day parties for an easy, budget friendly meal idea.

Ingredients

Scroll to the bottom for the full recipe and ingredients in the recipe card.

Variation ideas

  • Veggies – You can sneak in veggies to this chili recipe such as shredded carrot or chopped celery.
  • Seasoning – Feel free to change the spices to what you prefer for a delicious variation. You can add in cumin, chili powder, garlic powder or for a hint of spice add in a tsp of cayenne pepper.

How to Make Easy Chili Recipe

A pot with ground meat surrounded by canned tomatoes, chopped onions, and a small bowl of seasoning and spices sits invitingly on a dark countertop—a perfect setup for an easy chili recipe.

Step 1 – In a large stock pot or Dutch Oven, brown your ground beef or ground turkey over medium high heat until no longer pink.

A pot of browned ground beef sits on a stovetop with a black spatula, hinting at an easy chili recipe in the making. Surrounding the pot are diced onions in a bowl, canned tomatoes, and various small containers of spices, all ready to come together for a hearty dish.

Step 2 – I love to use my Pampered chef mix n chop to break up the meat evenly. We normally do 1 pound of ground beef and one pound of ground turkey. I save money and no one can taste the difference.

A pot filled with browned ground meat topped with chopped onions invites you to try this easy chili recipe. Surrounding the pot are cans of peeled tomatoes, kidney beans, and bowls containing spices. A meat masher is placed nearby on a dark surface, ready for action.

Step 3 – Then add in the ½ onion and continue until they are soft. 

A pot brimming with ingredients for an easy chili recipe, featuring red kidney beans, chopped tomatoes, spices, and a seasoning mix on a dark countertop. A black spoon with a wooden handle rests beside the pot.

Step 4 – Next stir in the remaining ingredients. Then bring to a boil on medium high heat.

  • Step 5 – Next turn to low, add the lid and let simmer (stirring occasionally).

Recipe Tips

  • Cooking Meat – Make this recipe even easier and make the meat ahead of time. Learn How to Freeze Ground beef AFTER you brown it. I like to cook a large amount of meat and freezer for meals like this chili.
  • Vegetables – Learn How to Freeze Onions to prepare them ahead of time so you can quickly add them to this chili recipe.

How Long Should you Cook this Chili

Allow the chili to simmer for 30 minutes up to an hour to let all the flavors combine.  I prefer for a minimum of 30 minutes for the flavors to marinate together. 

It takes amazing and is ready in half an hour!

Black bowl of chili topped with shredded cheese, sour cream and green onions

Serving Suggestions

I love serving this recipe with sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, Fritos, Tortilla Chips, Saltines, or our Homemade cornbread recipe or our Grilled Cheese Sandwich Recipe. We have even made Easy Instant Pot Baked Potatoes to serve the chili over the top.

Check out our What to Serve with Chili post for more ideas.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Type of Beans are Best to Use in Chili?

We use all type of beans when making chili. Our favorite is kidney beans, but chili beans or pinto beans can also be added.

Do you Rinse Beans before Placing in the Chili?

This is a personal preference but we like to drain and rinse the beans before pouring in with the other chili ingredients.

Can I Double the Recipe?

We double and triple it all the time. It is great to make for a crowd and the leftovers freeze great for a quick and easy dinner for your family.

How to Store Leftover Chili

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The leftovers will last about 3-4 days. We think it taste better the next day.

Can I Freeze Chili?

Freezing Chili is very easy. After the chili has cooled, please in a freezer safe container. Check out Can You Freeze Chili for more tips and tricks.

Chili in a bowl topped with shredded cheese, sour cream and green onions

More Easy Chili Recipe

We love to hear from you. If you make Easy Chili Recipe, please leave us a comment or a star review.

Review Pin Print

Easy Chili Recipe

4.92 from 60 votes
Make this easy quick chili recipe. We call it the amazing chili, because it is that good. Make this easy chili recipe with beans or without beans.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 6
Cuisine American
Course Main Course
Calories 562
Author Carrie Barnard

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds ground beef or turkey
  • 2 cans diced or crushed tomatoes 14 oz cans
  • (1) 14 oz. can tomato sauce
  • 1 can water (might need two if you want it thinner)
  • 4 tablespoons chili seasoning (you can make your own -recipe to come- or use a half of a packet)
  • 1 teaspoon garlic salt
  • 1/2 onion chopped (can be frozen)
  • 2 cans of kidney beans (you can use yours from the freezer -if you use beans from the freezer, you will need to ad salt (canned beans have a ton of salt))
  • shredded cheese or sour cream to serve (optional)
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Instructions

  • In a large stock pot, brown your ground beef or ground turkey. I love to use my Pampered chef mix n chop to break up the meat evenly. We normally do 1 pound of ground beef and one pound of ground turkey. I save money and no one can taste the difference.
  • Add in the ½ onion and continue until they are soft.
  • Stir in the chili seasoning, tomatoes, water, and beans.
  • Bring to a boil.
  • Then turn to low, add the lid and let simmer (stirring occasionally).
  • Simmer for 30 minutes up to an hour to let all the flavors combine.

Recipe Video

Recipe Notes

This recipe is a crowd pleaser! You can easily double or tripe this recipe to feed how many ever you have coming over.

Nutrition Facts

Calories 562kcal, Carbohydrates 34g, Protein 36g, Fat 31g, Saturated Fat 11g, Cholesterol 107mg, Sodium 1421mg, Potassium 1397mg, Fiber 12g, Sugar 9g, Vitamin A 2745IU, Vitamin C 19.2mg, Calcium 135mg, Iron 7.8mg

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About the Author

Hi, I’m Carrie. Welcome to Eating on a Dime!

I’m on a mission to help you cook delicious meals without busting your budget. Together we are going to cook real food… for real families!

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4.92 from 60 votes (54 ratings without comment)

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Comments

  2. Kara says:

    This sounds great. How can this recipe be adapted to the crockpot?

  3. Carrie Barnard says:

    I’m so glad you enjoyed it Sheryl! Thank you so much for sharing!

  4. Sheryl Markstrom says:

    5 stars
    These recipes ate easy and awesome!

  5. Peggy Thomas says:

    5 stars
    This is very good! I will definitely cook this again. I added not only 1 can of kidney beans, I had added 1 can of Mexican pinto beans. And I did not have a tomato sauce but I added a can of tomato paste and added more water and it turned out delicious!

  6. Amber says:

    5 stars
    Everyone loves this chili recipe! We think it’s the best chili ever.

  7. Nedra Alexander says:

    Made this for dinner family loved it and so easy to make will definitely make again

  8. Leslie says:

    5 stars
    Quick and easy to make. Doubled the beans with both black and kidney and it was delicious.

  9. Carrie says:

    I used 14 oz cans for this recipe. Thank you!

  10. Kathy says:

    What size cans of diced or crushed tomatoes? 14 oz or 28 oz?

  11. Wendy says:

    What size cans of diced or crushed tomatoes? 14 oz or 28 oz?

  12. Tami says:

    5 stars
    Very easy and really good!! My 11 and 12 year olds loved it and they don’t like beans and one doesn’t like tomatoes lol. Used Fritos, sour cream and cheese to top it. Making it for the second text tonight per the request of the kids!! Thank you for a great recipe.

  13. Adrianna says:

    5 stars
    Made this for dinner. My children loved it 🙂 Thank you for sharing.

  14. Kristel says:

    So easy and delicious!!!