Make this Easy Chili with Meat Recipe Tonight

There is nothing better than an easy chili with meat recipe for a quick dinner.

Chili is a comfort food that my family loves. When we were younger, my mom would serve it over a heap of mashed potatoes. Now, with my own family, I make noodles (as seen above), or we have it in the bowl and omit the carbs all together. No matter how we eat it, it’s always delicious. Some recipes out there have tons of ingredients and it feels like a chore to make, but this one is simple. I think you’re really going to love it.

The rest of this post will describe how to make a chili with meat recipe that’s quick and scrumptious.

Chili Recipe Stovetop is All You Need 

This is a quick recipe to make, and can be served right away, or, even better, the next day. What you’ll love abou this is that you don’t need anything fancy; just grab a pot and get cooking right on the stovetop! It takes no more than thirty minutes to create a fabulous meal your family will love.

Spices for Chili  

If you look up chili recipes, they often call for tons of spices. One of the many best parts about this recipe is that you don’t have to have dozens of spices in your cabinet. McCormick’s Mild Chili packets does the heavy lifting. 

Grab the 30% less sodium for a healthier alternative and no diminished flavor. 

One teaspoon of cayenne pepper is also added at the end if you like a little more spice.

Beans for Chili

Surprisingly, some people are unsure of what beans to put into the chili. A quick search online and you’ll see some suggestions for black beans or even pinto beans. Personally, I like think this recipe is perfect with kidney beans.

The texture of the kidney beans works well and holds up to the heating. Plus, with gram to gram ratios of protein and fiber, they’re a major benefit to your health. With that said, if you like a different type of bean, it’s your meal – make it how you would like!

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What Makes This Chili Recipe Easy?

There is nothing better than having a batch made for the chilly days of winter. Plus, it’s versatile enough to be used to create an amazing “nacho” for any football game or get together.

This recipe is so easy because of two things.

One, the sauce is jarred. It uses two jars of Prego Ragu Simply Sauce. You don’t have to use the Simply, but I try to keep the meal as clean as I can when I can. It is perfectly acceptable to use the regular Prego sauce.

Then, you add a can of crushed tomatoes (which can also be just canned tomato sauce if your family doesn’t like tomato chunks found in a can of crushed tomatoes).

The other reason is that most of the ingredients come together so fast.  I cannot say this enough: it’s really quick to make. 

You don’t need to wait all day for this to cook. It’s done in about a half an hour!

Wondering if You Should Make This Chili with Noodles or Alone? 

Both are delicious, and, as stated above, my mom used to make mashed potatoes with it (another option). But, if you want to make the meal a little heartier or you’re trying to feed more people, go for the noodles.

Ditalini is the perfect size noodle for your base. Penne can be too big, and spaghetti too messy. You will love how it comes together.

Wondering What to Do with Leftover Chili?

A bonus to this recipe is that it makes a lot. That means you’re able to make dinner for a few nights and it doesn’t have to be eaten all at once. Take your chili and freeze half of it. Then, you’ll have a. perfect go to on a stressful night.

If you are planning on freezing some of it, let it cool down before putting it in the freezer. This helps reduce the amount of condensation that mixes into your chili.

How to Make Chili Recipes?

Now, for the good stuff.

First, chop up two onions and put them in a pot with about two tablespoons of butter. Allow them time to cook (about five minutes).

When they’re translucent, you can add your meat and break it up as you brown it. You don’t want any pink undercooked meat.

After you’re sure your chopped meat is fully cooked, drain any fat from cooking the meat. I use 80/20, so there is a lot of fat. If you use leaner meat, you may not need to do this, but fat does add flavor.

Now, add your seasonings, beans, and your sauce. The only thing to leave out is the cayenne pepper. That is only needed at the end.

Let your chili simmer on the stove at medium-low heat for around twenty-five minutes. This allows all of the flavors to come together.

How to Dress Up Your Chili

It may be just me, but the best part of chili is the fixings! The traditional fixings are all you need.

Possible Toppings:

• Sour Cream/Plain Greek Yogurt
• Shredded Cheese
• Avocado
• Scallions
• Hot Sauce
• Side of cornbread
• Tortilla chips or Frito chips

I hope you try this recipe and love it like my family does. It’s easy to keep the ingredients on hand and quick enough to make it on a hectic work night, but it’s also robust enough to feed a crowd for a big Sunday dinner. So, enjoy this scrumptious meal and share with me your favorite topping below!