Our Favorite Chili Recipes + 6 more!

A pot of chili is the perfect stick-to-your-ribs dinner for a cozy fall or winter evening. Make our Ground Beef Chili recipe to serve on hotdogs at a tailgate. Or try our Easy Chicken Chili to win your next cook-off! Here are 16 of our favorite chili recipes.

What is Chili?

Any chili (or chili con carne) by definition is a stew (thicker than a soup) cooked with chile peppers (either fresh or dried chiles). That’s it! It’s pretty open to interpretation and doesn’t even require meat. Common types of chili that you’ll see are:

Texas Chili– Meat (typically chuck meat), chile peppers (most often dried peppers made into a paste), beer, and then it’s slowly cooked with stock to reduce and thicken. Note – no beans. Tomatoes will depend on where in Texas you are.

White Chicken Chili– Includes white beans like cannellini, mild chiles, chicken broth, cheese or other dairy, and chicken.

Green Chili Turkey– Is sautéed onions, bell peppers, and roasted Anaheim chilies combined with leftover turkey. It’s rich and wholesome and perfect served over rice or as a filling for tacos, burritos or filling for enchiladas. It’s been a family tradition of ours for generations.

Ground Beef Chili- The easiest chili to make and a staple across most of America. This chili has a tomato base and is made with ground beef rather than larger beef cuts. Ground Beef Chili can also include beans and/ or corn.

Vegetarian Chili– Will often sub in lentils, beans, or sweet potatoes in place of animal protein.

Our Favorite Chili Recipes

Chili is a great go-to meal when we’re looking for a quick and easy way to use items around the pantry or leftover smoked meat from the weekend or a big holiday. Try experimenting with the toppings you add. We like avocado, cilantro, crema fresca, jalapeños, and shredded cheese. Try these chili recipes for your next tailgate or chili cook-off. If you win be sure to let us know!  

Smoked Chicken Chili

Chicken Chili recipe made with leftover grilled or smoked chicken is super easy, jam packed with flavor, and isn't too rich to weigh you down.

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My Mama’s Green Chili Turkey

My favorite use for leftover turkey. Green Chili Turkey is great to serve over rice, or as a filling for tacos or burritos.

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Smoked Brisket Chili

Need ideas for leftover smoked brisket? Make this recipe for smoked brisket chili. Not your typical Texas style chili, but it is amazing. Video included.

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Smoked Turkey Chili with Serrano Peppers

Smoked ground turkey, serrano pepper, and beer make for a rich and delicious take on turkey chili.

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Ground Beef Chili with Chipotle

A simple but flavorful ground beef chili recipe with slight heat from chipotle peppers and rich beefy flavor.

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Authentic Texas Chili Recipe – No Beans

Meat, beer, chile. The basics for this authentic and spicy Texas chili recipe.

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What to make with Chili?

Chili is a wonderful meal all on its own, but sometimes you need a little something extra. Try layering chili over spaghetti Skyline style, or serve some chips and queso dip for an added crunch. Plus, you can never go wrong with cornbread!

Skillet Cornbread Recipe on the Grill

Grilled Cornbread in a cast iron skillet with green chilies and cinnamon topped with smoked honey drizzle.

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The best chili dogs start with the best meat. Go for some high-quality hot dogs to really up your tailgating game.

Chili Dog Recipe

Savory ground beef chili with an American Wagyu hot dog topped with diced sweet onions and sharp cheddar cheese.

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Chips and queso provides a nice ‘crunch’ alongside any chili recipe.

Sausage Queso Chipotle Bean Dip Recipe

A jazzed up Queso Bean Dip featuring ground sausage, green chilies, smoky chipotle pinto beans, and real shredded cheese. Smoky Chipotle Bean and Sausage Queso dip is a fantastic dip for summer cookouts, tailgating, or even camping.

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Grilled Sweet Potato Recipe

A grilled sweet potato with savory dry rub. Soft, flavorful, and easy to make on any grill. This is a great alternative cooking method for a baked sweet potato.

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Smoked Tri Tip Mac and Cheese

Smoked Tri Tip Mac and Cheese is made with perfectly smoked and tender tri tip, mixed with an ultra creamy cheese sauce and cooked on the grill.

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Grilled Smashed Potatoes Recipe with Tarragon Herb Sauce

Crispy Smashed Potatoes with soft interior then doused with a tarragon herb sauce for a French fry like experience.

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Chili Recipes from our friends

There are hundreds of chili recipes out there from vegetarian chili to chili made with deer meat. Each chef has their own unique spin. Here are some chili recipes from our friends. Starting with Chef Billy Parisi’s Lentil Chili.

Lentil and Sweet Potato Chili Recipe

Try this healthy Lentil and Sweet Potato Chili Recipe for a delicious change to the classic!

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Short on time but craving flavor? This Instant Pot white bean chicken chili from Mom’s Dinner is for you.

The BEST Instant Pot Chicken Chili – Mom’s Dinner

The BEST Chicken Chili you will have, made right in your Instant Pot! This will be your new go-to chicken chili recipe!

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These fried jalapeño rings from Hey Grill Hey are smokin’ hot!

Smoked Chili – Hey Grill Hey

This Smoked Chili gets a hit of smoky flavor from grill-roasted meat and veggies and the fried jalapeno rings hit you with enough spice to make you sweat.

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If you are into deer hunting, Culinary Hill’s deer chili recipe is a must.

Venison Chili

This easy Venison Chili recipe is perfect for the cold months of hunting season or any time you have ground venison in your freezer.

Full Recipe

Thank you for being part of our community. If you make any of our dishes we’d love to see them on social media using the hashtag #vindulge and give it a 5 star review.

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