Easy chipotle chili is pure comfort food with the a smoky flavor from chipotle in adobo. awith just the right amount of spice from chipotle peppers in adobo, spices, and beans! This is a scrape the bottom of the bowl, what do you mean it's all gone, kind of chili!
The smoky flavor from the chipotle peppers adds an amazing depth of flavor making this one of the easiest and best chili recipes.
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❤️ Why this recipe works
- Chipotle chili is perfect for make ahead and freezer-friendly meals.
- Make a double batch and freeze some for another day.
- Our easy chipotle chili is a mouthwatering one-pot meal.
- Just add your favorite toppings and you have the best chili recipe on the block.
- This chili is great for family parties, potlucks, and game-day eating.
🔪 Ingredients
- ground beef
- onion
- garlic
- can, diced tomatoes
- can, tomato sauce
- can, black beans
- can, kidney beans
- chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
- Mexican chili
- oregano, cumin
- black pepper
- salt
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🍲 Equipment
⭐ How to store, reheat, and freeze
- Leftovers can be kept in a covered, airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in a pot over medium-low heat until warmed through.
- Freezer: store in the freezer using a freezersafe bag or storage container for up to 3-4 months. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator and reheat in a saucepan on the stove over medium heat until warmed through.
💭 Expert Tips
Expert Tip: Be sure to brown the beef and drain the excess fat. Ensures your chili won't be greasy
- Be sure to brown the beef and drain the excess fat. Ensures your chili won't be greasy.
- This recipe calls for low-fat toppings. Full fat can be used, a personal preference.
- Be sure to simmer over low heat and stir occasionally. You do not want a burnt bottom
📋 Frequently Asked Questions
For best results, simmer the chili over low heat for an hour to blend the flavors.
Like a good marinara sauce, many say chili tastes better the next day. If possible, make your chili the day before and reheat it when ready to eat.
If you need to thicken the chili, use a Tablespoon of flour mixed with some of the chili liquid and whisk together. Add back into the chili. DO NOT add the flour directly to the chili, it can clump and not dissolve well
If your chili is too spicy, adding a little honey will lighten the spice. Add a teaspoon at a time, stir, and check the flavors.
📖 Variations
Do you want to change up this recipe? Here are some ways that you increase the flavor of this dish.
- Ground turkey or chicken can be used in lieu of ground beef.
- Any of your favorite canned beans can be used for this recipe.
- Adjust the spices as needed for your taste.
- We have a flavorful chili seasoning that can be used for the spices in this recipe.
- For variety, Taco Seasoning Blend can also be used in lieu of the spices we have in the original recipe.
🥗 Serving Suggestions
- A simple arugula salad would be a tasty easy green salad to go with the chili.
- Tomato cucumber salad is another easy salad that is cool and would pair well with this spicy chili.
🍽 Similar recipes
- Love chili, try our One Pot Chili Mac. It is a one-pot tasty ground beef dinner that is a great weeknight meal.
- Pumpkin Turkey Chili is another hearty chili to enjoy.
- Instant Pot Turkey Chili is another favorite recipe that is so quick to prepare and always a hit.
🔪 Instructions
This is an overview of the recipe. The full instructions are below in the recipe card.
- To a large Dutch oven over medium heat add ground beef, onions, and garlic till browned. Drain off excess fat.
- Add in diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, all the drained beans, and spices.
- Simmer for about an hour, stirring occasionally.
- Taste for seasoning, reseason if needed.
- Serve with toppings.
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Eileen xo
If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need.
If you love this recipe please give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📖 Recipe
Easy Chipotle Chili
Equipment Needed:
- As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
Ingredients
- 2 pounds lean ground beef
- 1 large yellow onion peeled and diced
- 2 cloves garlic peeled and minced
- 28 ounce can, diced tomatoes drained
- 14 ounce can, tomato sauce
- 30 ounces canned black beans drained and rinsed
- 15 ounce can kidney beans drained and rinsed
- 2 chipotle peppers in adobo chopped
- 2 teaspoons Mexican chili powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- olive oil cooking spray
- Toppings:
- low-fat sour cream optional garnish
- low-fat Mexican cheese optional garnish
- jalapenos optional garnish
- chopped freh cilantro optional garnisg
- 1 large avocado, sliced thin optional garnish
Instructions
- In a Dutch Oven or large pot over medium heat, Add the ground beef, diced onion, and minced garlic, saute until meat is browned through, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Drain any excess fat.
- Stir in the drained diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, drained black beans, drained kidney beans, chopped chipotle peppers, Mexican chili powder, dried oregano, and ground cumin. Season to taste with black pepper and salt.
- Reduce heat to low and place the lid on Dutch oven. Simmer for about an hour. Stir occasionally.
- Check seasoning and adjust if needed. Serve in bowls with toppings on the side.
Notes
- The calorie count does not include optional toppings as they can vary.
- Any nutritional data I provide is an approximation. Actual dietary information can vary based on ingredients and portion sizes.
BBR
Easy and delicious. I made 3 changes. I added a can of pinto beans because I only had 1 pound of meat. I used chipotle sauce and added the whole can because I bought the wrong kind and I didn’t drain my tomatoes. This turned out great and the whole family loved it.
Eileen xo
I am so happy you enjoyed the chili. Thank you for coming back and letting me know how the recipe worked for you.
Deborah
best ever family loved it will be making only this recipe thanks for sharing
Eileen xo
You made my day, Deborah! Thank you for taking the time to come back and let me know how the recipe worked for you.
Joe S
Best chili recipe I’ve tried - and I had a lot of chili
Eileen xo
Wow Joe, glad you are loving the chili recipe!
Anne Lawton
I will never say no to a spicy bowl of chili and love that this recipe is so easy to follow and thanks for all of the tips !
Eileen xo
Thank you Anne! This is a good chili! My family loves it!
Gina
Wow, we made this for our Sunday March madness game! What a hit, thanks for the recipe! Everyone wants your recipe too! I made it Saturday and the flavors were awesome! We heated it up in the slow cooker and everyone helped themselves.
Eileen xo
Fantastic Gina! Happy you and your family enjoyed the chili! March madness - the games have been awesome! Enjoy! Thank you so much for taking the time to let me know how you enjoyed the chili.
Cindy
Awesome recipe! I’ve never used a Dutch oven to make chili and never used chipotle seasoning. Both were a success! And I’m case anyone is wondering - yes! Totally amazing the next day. Even better:)
Eileen xo
That is great Cindy! I am so glad you enjoyed the chili! Dutch ovens are amazing! Chipotle is my favorite! I thank you so much for taking the time to let me know how the recipe worked for you! I hope you enjoy it again and again! xo
Amy | The Cook Report
you can't beat a comforting bowl of chilli
Eileen xo
I agree amy!
Noelle Simpson
Such a simple recipe and one-pot recipes are my favorites, especially on a busy night! Saving this for dinner next week 🙂
Eileen xo
Enjoy Noelle! This is a keeper!
Dannii
I love a hearty chipotle chilli. Such a lovely smokey flavour to it.
Eileen xo
Awesome Dannii, this chili does have a great smoky flavor!
jordin
I love one pot meals! They make cooking just that much easier, and this recipe has so many greats flavors this chili would be great as a leftover!
Eileen xo
I agree! Love one pot meals! the flavors blend well!
Adriana
Gotta love a good chili your recipe looks very tasty and easy to make now I am carving chili will have to make some.
Eileen xo
Thank you Adriana! I hope you enjoy the recipe often!
Cara Manual
Looks very delicious, especially if the meal in the daytime.
Looks like I should try to make this, thanks for sharing the recipe. I'm very happy.
Eileen xo
Cara, we actually just had this chili again last night. I made it in the Instant Pot, delicious! I hope you make it soon and let me know when you do.
Kim
This has become our go to chili ! I make a big batch and freeze some for another. Day!
Eileen xo
Absolutely, make a double batch and freeze! Always a great idea!
Platt College
This chipotle chili looks tasty. Have to try this recipe.
Eileen xo
I hope you enjoy the recipe! Let me know how the recipe worked for you
Lisa Rios
My husband loves anything that has to deal with chili and my goodness this sounds like a delicious recipe that he would love right away. With beef being our favorite I would love to try this one during my weekends!
Anita Mckaney
I totally pinned this! Thank you very much. My husband loves chili.
Dina Šoštarec
Mmm, looks so jummy!
Think I'll give it a try... if you promise it's an easy recipe! 🙂
Kari Ann
I love anything with peppers! Thanks for the great recipe and instructions 🙂
Eileen xo
I hope you enjoy the recipe
angie
I am with you with so much going on we do try to cut corners when ever possible. I do get worried about the heat in recipes like this though my taste buds are a bit tamer
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Laura
Sounds similar to how I make it at home. It's such a yummy dish and I always make sure I have left overs for stuffed sweet potatoes or burritos later in the week.
Teresa Kunberger
Now that looks so good! I must make it. My chili seems a little boring now!
jill conyers
I made a vegetarian chipotle chili this week. It's awesome! Even my kids like it.
Samantha
MMMM this looks and sounds yummy!
katrinajeancarter
My mouth is watering! This will certainly be made in my kitchen. Thanks for this awesome recipe 🙂
Elizabeth O.
Chili is a classic favorite! We all love spicy food at home and it's good to have a chili recipe that would satisfy our love for spicy food. This recipe is a must try, thanks for sharing it with us.
Gwendolyn Mulholland
My family loves chili and with the cooler weather coming, I can't wait to whip up a big batch. I like that this recipe gets a little kick of heat from the chipotles.
Carol Cassara
Chili is one of my husb's fave dinners. I'm making some for him next week and maybe need to use this recipe. The hotter, the better!
Julie Mason
That looks delicious! We don't eat red meat so I would love to try this with ground chicken or turkey.
Eileen xo
Julie, This works great ground chicken or turkey! Enjoy
Steve
Printed! My family loves chili so we'll most likely be making this in the near future as it starts to cool down and settle into fall! Thanks for the recipe! I'll have to let you know how it turns out!
Eileen xo
I am so glad you enjoy the recipe and printed it. I would love to hear how the recipe worked for you