20 Hearty Chili Recipes to Warm You Up All Winter Long
What could be more comforting?
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Temperatures may begin to drop outside, but not in your kitchen—at least if you're making hearty soup recipes, casseroles, and all the other comfort foods that the fall season calls for! One cozy dish that stands out as a true crowd-pleaser is chili.
Whether you're preparing for a Sunday supper or a game-day gathering, a pot of chili is always a great choice. You can opt for recipes with ground turkey, big beef chunks, or leftover rotisserie chicken. There are even plenty of meatless meals spotlighting hearty ingredients like sweet potato and cauliflower that are just as satisfying! If you're looking for satisfying family meals, these comforting chili recipes are a must-try.
So, how do you know which chili recipe to choose? Some people have strong opinions about their chili. (Say, should chili have beans or no beans?) Meanwhile, others will find that they're willing to try all different kinds of chili depending on the night. For instance, you can go with a meaty Texas-style chili, a spicy buffalo chicken chili, or chili-stuffed zucchini. Rushing to get dinner on the table fast? Try the instant pot chili—it's ready in under an hour! No matter which chili recipe you choose, just be sure to whip up a batch of Ree Drummond's skillet cornbread to serve on the side!
Cauliflower Chili
This chili is just as hearty as you'd expect the dish to be, minus the meat! It's chock full of black beans, kidney beans, pinto beans, and mushrooms stewed in tomato sauce and broth for a warming, nutrient-packed meal.
Get Ree's Cauliflower Chili recipe.
Creamy Chicken and Corn Chili
Cream cheese is the secret to this creamy chicken and corn chili! This recipe also features white beans and tons of crunchy toppings, like scallions, tortilla chips, and sliced jalapeños.
Get Ree's Creamy Chicken and Corn Chili recipe.
Chili Verde
This tangy take on the hearty soup is made with salsa verde, green enchilada sauce, jalapeños, and green chiles that give it its olive-y hue. Pile it high with sour cream, radishes, cilantro, and hot sauce for extra fresh flavor!
Get Ree's Chili Verde recipe.
Slow Cooker Chipotle Beef Chili
Browned bacon, beef, and an onion mixture are added to the slow cooker and simmered to tender perfection over four hours. Then, masa harina (corn flour) slurry is added to the mix for an infusion of subtle corn flavor that pairs perfectly with the crunchy corn chips on top.
Get Ree's Slow Cooker Chipotle Beef Chili recipe.
Sweet Potato Chili
This meatless chili uses sweet potato in place of the usual protein! The seared sweet potatoes add so much flavor and texture to the medley of beans, tomatoes, peppers, and spiced broth.
Get the Sweet Potato Chili recipe.
Beef-and-Bean Chili
To make this chili extra-hearty, Ree uses ground beef, masa harina, and a combination of kidney and pinto beans. Of course, cheese and bacon on top don't hurt either!
Get Ree's Beef-and-Bean Chili recipe.
White Chicken Chili
This chili is like a mash-up between chicken pot pie and game-day chili. It's creamy, comforting, and great for using up extra rotisserie chicken.
Get the White Chicken Chili recipe.
Slow Cooker Chili
This set-it-and-forget-it chili might sound too good to be true, but it really does deliver all those slow-cooked flavors without having to stand around and stir. It'll make dinnertime easy!
Get the Slow Cooker Chili recipe.
Pumpkin Chili
Calling all pumpkin lovers! This fall-inspired chili is made with real pumpkin puree so it has a slightly sweet and earthy flavor that pairs so well with roasted pumpkin seeds for garnish.
Get the Pumpkin Chili recipe.
Instant Pot Chili
Making chili in an Instant Pot is a great way to shorten the cook time. To make up for the fact that it's not simmering all day long, this recipe uses flavor-packed ingredients like chipotles in adobo and fire-roasted tomatoes.
Get the Instant Pot Chili recipe.
Chili-Stuffed Zucchini Boats
The zucchini acts as a kind of edible bowl in this healthy (yet hearty) weeknight dinner. You can still have all your favorite chili toppings, like sour cream, shredded cheese, sliced green onions, or even hot sauce.
Get Ree's Chili-Stuffed Zucchini Boats recipe.
Slow-Cooker Turkey Chili
A turkey chili can be just as flavorful as a beef chili—especially if it has the right mix-ins. This one uses fire-roasted tomatoes, peppers, and corn. Just add avocado and corn chips for topping!
Get the Slow Cooker Turkey Chili recipe.
Black Bean Chili
This recipe comes together in just 45 minutes so it's a no-brainer for weeknight dinners. In fact, this foolproof turkey and bean chili is even easy enough for lunch.
Get the Black Bean Chili recipe.
Texas Chili
In Texas, chili is all about the beef. Which is exactly why this chili is made without any beans. It's just hearty beef chuck roast—and lots of chiles and spices.
Get the Texas Chili recipe.
Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili
This chili is creamy, hearty, and comforting, but the best part is that you can throw everything into the slow cooker, turn it on, and get back to doing whatever else you have on your to-do list.
Get Ree's Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili recipe.
Veggie Chili
Don't tell Ladd but this is one of Ree's favorite meatless dinners. It's chock full of veggies, beans, and lots of spice. Plus, it's delicious with Cotija cheese on top.
Get Ree's Veggie Chili recipe.
Chipotle Chili Dogs
The key to this popular hot dog topping is a really delicious homemade chili. This one is simmered with chipotle peppers, adobe sauce, beer, and brown sugar (to balance out the spice).
Get Ree's Chipotle Chili Dogs recipe.
Frito Chili Pie
This is Ree's basic (very good) chili recipe made even better by piling it into a bag of corn chips and topping it with melted cheese—perfect for a tailgate!
Get Ree's Frito Chili Pie recipe.
Buffalo Chicken Chili
This recipe has all the flavor of buffalo chicken in one hearty bowl of chili! This recipe is perfect for tailgates or just a cozy night in.
Get the Buffalo Chicken Chili recipe at Platings and Pairings.
Butternut Squash Chipotle Chili
This chili relies on hearty beans, seasonal butternut squash, and the bold flavors of chipotle pepper in adobo. It's vegetarian but still filling and comforting.
Get the Butternut Squash Chipotle Chili recipe at Cookie and Kate.
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