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Quick and Easy Chili

If you’re looking for the best way to serve chili without spending hours in the kitchen, look no further! My Quick and Easy Chili recipe delivers big flavor with minimal effort. Perfect for busy nights when you need something fast and warm.

A serving of chili topped with shredded cheese in a red bowl.

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If you are a true chili connoisseur or a native Texan, please look away now. Just go somewhere else because this Quick and Easy Chili is nowhere near authentic. It takes all the shortcuts and is more beans and veggies than meat.

It’s my “been working all day and need something really fast and warm because it’s cold and nasty outside” go-to recipe. I can throw this together after work without measuring stuff or soaking beans or any of that kind of work.

Chili is always a crowd pleaser, and with its flavorful ingredients, it’s the perfect go-to dish for busy nights. It’s also flexible enough to be customized in a variety of ways.

Even better, it can be whipped up in a flash without sacrificing flavor which is why it’s such a popular weekday dinner option for busy home cooks.

🛒Ingredient Notes


Ingredients needed to make quick and easy chili.

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  • Ground BeefI typically use ground chuck (80/20) for everything, including chili. The slightly higher fat content makes it much more moist and tender than leaner hamburger.
  • Chili Seasoning There are many choices available in the grocery store, but we’ve always enjoyed the French’s brand Chili-O seasoning.
  • Canned Tomatoes and Tomato PasteDiced tomatoes cook more quickly than whole tomatoes and the tomato paste enriches the overall flavor of the chili.
  • Pinto BeansI prefer pinto beans over kidney beans for chili. They’re more tender, cook faster, and are easier to digest in my opinion. If you happen to have leftover homemade pinto beans, feel free to use them here!

You’ll find detailed measurements for all ingredients in the printable version of the recipe at the bottom of this post.

🔪 How to Make Quick and Easy Chili


  1. Heat the olive oil in a large pan. Add the onions, bell pepper, and garlic. Cook until soft and the onion is lightly browned, about 7-8 minutes. Transfer veggies to a plate or bowl and set aside.
  2. Put the ground beef in the pan and cook, stirring to break up the meat, until no pink remains. Drain the ground beef well and return to the pan.
  3. Add back the veggies, the tomatoes, tomato paste, beans, chili seasoning and water. Stir well until all are combined.
  4. Bring to a boil, cover the pan, lower the heat and simmer for 30-40 minutes.
A serving of chili topped with shredded cheese in a red bowl.

🍽️ How to Serve


One of the best things about chili is all the toppings! Offer options that your family enjoys like sour cream, Cheddar cheese, cilantro, red pepper flakes, or pickled jalapenos. And either saltine crackers or cornbread is great on the side!

🍚 Storing and Reheating Leftovers


Leftovers can be kept for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. Reheat individual servings in the microwave or on the stovetop over very low heat.

To freeze, allow the chili to cool completely and then transfer to a freezer-safe container. Keeps for about three months frozen. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before heating and serving.

🧾 More Recipes You’ll Like


Lana Stuart.

More Questions? I’m happy to help!

If you have more questions about the recipe, or if you’ve made it and would like to leave a comment, scroll down to leave your thoughts, questions, and/or rating!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

📖 Recipe

A serving of chili topped with shredded cheese in a red bowl.

Quick and Easy Chili

This Quick and Easy Chili recipe delivers big flavor with minimal effort every single time. No need to spend hours in the kitchen!
5 from 2 votes
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Course: Soups and Stews
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 661kcal
Author: Lana Stuart

Ingredients

  • 1 medium onion chopped
  • 1 medium bell pepper chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 29 ounces canned diced tomatoes (2 cans)
  • 32 ounces canned pinto beans lightly drained
  • 6 ounces canned tomato paste
  • 1.75 ounces packaged chili seasoning (recommend: French's Chili-O)
  • 1 cup water
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • sour cream, cheddar cheese, cilantro, red pepper flakes Optional garnishes

Instructions

  • Heat the olive oil in a large pan. Add the onions, bell pepper and garlic. Cook until soft and the onion is lightly browned, about 7-8 minutes. Transfer veggies to a plate or bowl and set aside.
  • Put the ground beef in the pan and cook, stirring to break up meat, until no pink remains. Drain the ground beef well and return to the pan.
  • Add back the veggies, the tomatoes, tomato paste, beans, chili seasoning and water. Stir well until all combined.
  • Bring to a boil, cover the pan, lower the heat and simmer for 30-40 minutes.

Notes

  • Keep leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat individual servings in the microwave or on the stovetop over very low heat.
  • To freeze, allow the chili to cool completely and then transfer to a freezer-safe container. Keeps for about three months frozen.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1 | Calories 661kcal | Carbohydrates 62g | Protein 36g | Fat 33g | Saturated Fat 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat 3g | Monounsaturated Fat 16g | Trans Fat 1g | Cholesterol 81mg | Sodium 1328mg | Potassium 2134mg | Fiber 20g | Sugar 16g | Vitamin A 7109IU | Vitamin C 57mg | Calcium 250mg | Iron 12mg

Nutrition information is calculated by software based on the ingredients in each recipe. It is an estimate only and is provided for informational purposes. You should consult your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian if precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.

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One Comment

  1. That’s pretty much the recipe around here (after all, we learned from the same source). It would probably offend a true Texan to death. You know, you use the canned “chili beans”, they have nice chili seasoning already in there. Works very well.

    I have some left-over of last week’s batch in my freezer. Just make sure that you let it thaw all the way through in the ‘fridge, otherwise, you will break up the beans. Perfect for a cold, don’t want to cook night. Works pretty good over hot dogs for what some folks call “scramble dogs.”

    Miss P