If you're looking for a simple and crowd-pleasing weeknight family meal or a centerpiece to your game day menu, you've got to whip up a big pot of chili. There are so many delicious varieties of chili to make: veggie chili, chicken chili, good ol' beef chili, and even pumpkin chili.
Chili is so versatile and can easily be made on the stove top, in an Instant Pot, or in the slow cooker. Plus, leftovers heat up so beautifully! If you've ever made chili recipes on a cold day, then you know sometimes it might look a little bit too soupy and wonder the best way to thicken it up.
Well, the good news is that while there are many reasons why your chili is thin, there's plenty of easy ways to thicken chili, too. Most of the methods use ingredients you likely already have in your pantry, along with some good old extra simmering time. Read on for some tips on how to thicken chili so you get the right consistency every time.
Why Is My Chili Thin?
A thin chili typically means you have too much liquid. The less liquid you have to start with, the less you will have to mess with the chili later to thicken it up. With that said, there are some other contributors that may factor in. If you put frozen vegetables like corn into your chili without defrosting them first, they will add extra moisture. Also, if you typically use canned tomatoes and swap them out for fresh, you'll most likely have more liquid to contend with. Or maybe you just haven't simmered it long enough!
How to Thicken Chili
If you do end up with a chili that is too soupy though there are a few easy fixes:
Simmer the chili longer.
The longer you simmer chili with the lid off of the pot, the thicker it will get. The excess liquid will turn into steam and help reduce the chili down to a nice, thick consistency. Bonus: It helps concentrate the flavor, too.
Add a thickening agent.
Ree Drummond's favorite is to use some masa harina, which gives the chili a nice corn flavor and texture (her chipotle chicken chili is a perfect example). If you don't have masa harina on hand, use cornstarch or a cornstarch substitute like flour or cornmeal. Just start with a tablespoon of the thickener of your choice whisked with a little water, add to your chili, and simmer ten more minutes or so. If it isn't as thick as you'd like, repeat and simmer ten more minutes.
Add pureed beans.
Pureed beans will act similarly to a thickening agent. Simply puree a cup of cooked or canned beans, then stir into the chili and continue simmering uncovered for 15 minutes.
Add crushed corn chips.
If you like crushing corn chips on the top of your chili, then you'll love the fact that they also double as a thickener. As they soften, they'll absorb some of the excess liquid. And of course, they'll add more flavor, too.
