This is the BEST Chili Recipe! Made with bacon (and the option to omit if necessary) and ground beef and simmered on the stove for just 30 minutes, this is my family's go-to cold weather comfort food. It's even better when paired with a side of buttermilk cornbread!
Prep time: PT10M
Cook time: PT20M
Total time: PT30M
Rating
4.97 stars (2125 reviews)
Keywords
best chili recipe, chili, chili recipe, fall recipes
Ingredients
5 strips uncooked bacon (chopped¹)
1 large yellow onion (diced (about 1 cup))
1 red bell pepper (diced)
3 cloves garlic (minced (about 1 Tablespoon))
1 lb ground beef ((455g) (I use 90% but any will work))
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
1 Tablespoon chili powder²
1 Tablespoon ancho chili powder²
1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon onion powder
¾ teaspoons ground black pepper
½ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper³
1 ¼ cup beef broth ((295ml))
15 oz can dark red kidney beans (lightly rinsed and drained (425g))
15 oz can black beans (lightly rinsed and drained (425))
14.5 oz can diced fire roasted tomatoes (undrained (411g))
Place chopped (uncooked) bacon in a large pot or Dutch oven and cook over medium heat until crisp and cooked through. Remove bacon to a paper towel lined plate and drain all but 1 ½ Tablespoons of grease.
Add onion and pepper and cook until softened, about 3-5 minutes.
Add garlic and cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds).
Add beef, breaking apart with a spatula as you cook. Once meat is partially (about 50%) browned, add sugar and all spices (chili powders, paprika, cumin, onion powder, black pepper, salt, cayenne pepper) and stir well.
Add all remaining ingredients -- beef broth, beans, tomatoes, tomato paste, chilis, and Worcestershire sauce -- and your cooked bacon and stir well.
Bring to a boil and cook 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently.
Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally. Simmer for 30 minutes to allow flavor to really develop.
Serve with preferred toppings (sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, and corn chips are a must!)
Nutitrion
Serving Size: 1 serving (not including toppings)
Calories: 611 kcal
Carbohydrates: 72 g
Protein: 40 g
Fat: 19 g
Saturated Fat: 4 g
Cholesterol: 55 mg
Sodium: 1315 mg
Sugar: 14 g
Unsaturated Fat: 1 g
Reviews
Brycen on 2026-03-27 (5 stars): fire
Lydia on 2026-03-26 (5 stars): Great recipe!! Thank you for sharing! My family loves this and asked for it today.
Steve on 2026-03-24 (5 stars): This is indeed award winning. I used this recipe for a chili cook off at my work. I won first place!
Bill Jensen on 2026-03-20 (5 stars): Boom! I won the contest at work for the second time in three years! Last year I substituted sirloin for the hamburger. That turned out to be a mistake. Stick with the recipe exactly as published and you will have a winner. Pro tip: buy the more expensive cans of beans in lieu of the generics. They hold together better.
Rose on 2026-03-19 (5 stars): I found this recipe just searching for an award winning chili recipe, and decided this was a great mix of flavors and I would give it a shot. I won!!!! Everyone raved at how good it was! I added a little bit more of the spices and added a couple dashes of chipotle tobasco hot sauce at the end to give it a little more smoky flavor and wow. This was just SO good. I had no chili leftover much to my husband’s disappointment lol But out of the 8 contestants, I had the only empty crockpot. Also, I made the chili on a Sunday, and the cookoff was on a Tuesday. I wanted to let the flavors to meld more and it truly paid off. This is my go to chili recipe from now on!
Derrick on 2026-03-19 (5 stars): This is absolutely an amazing chili recipe!!! My whole family loves it very much. Thank you for sharing this recipe with the world
