Chill out with a hot bowl of hearty, healthy chili!
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Maybe it was just me, but I was always puzzled as to why chili was never served cold. As a child, I thought it was called chili because it was meant to be “chilly.” So imagine my surprise when I tried my first bowl and discovered it was not only hot but spicy!
Of course, “chili” is so called because of the spices that go into the dish, namely chili peppers like cayenne and jalapeno. It has nothing to do with the temperature of the dish. Today’s recipe brims with beefy flavor, dashed with delicious spices and served like a warm welcome. It makes for an amazing meal on a cold day, which might be an even better reason for the name—it’s chili for when you’re chilly! Try your hand at this old favorite, which so nutritious and easy to make that you’ll be chilling with a wholesome bowl of chili in no time!
Is Chili Healthy?
This chili is packed with protein, thanks to the beef and beans. Also, onions and tomatoes are rich in vitamin C. Even better, the catalog of spices is full of enriching antioxidants, so this chili is all kinds of healthy for you!
If you’d like to make the chili paleo-friendly, substitute the kidney beans for green beans and bell peppers! And if meats are not your thing, swap out our suggested ground beef for a vegan ground protein of your choice, and you’ve got yourself a splendidly guilt-free, plant-based chili!
Do you chill with the chilis?
Chilis typically refers to the peppers that can make you sweat just by looking at them, but it’s important to understand the heat each variety of chili pepper brings to a dish. Each chili pepper has unique flavors and heat levels, contributing to the complexity of your homemade chilis and sauces.
Choricero – Sweet, earthy, and cherry in color while often appearing like a raisin. These peppers are a nice, mild accent for sweet heat! (~175-300 SHU)
Pasilla Negro – Tangy and slightly pungent, characterized by its signature black coloration when dried. This should give your chili a little kick. (~1,000-1,500 SHU)
Chipotle Meco – Smokey and broad, these peppers almost look mummified when dry. They bring a pleasant heat to any dish, but be wary of its wide ranging Scoville! (~2,500-10,000 SHU)
De Arbol – A thin, grassy pepper that brings a bit of acidity to a dish. Perfect for cutting through lots of fat with some tongue-stinging tastiness! (~15,000-30,000 SHU)
Habanero – A classic pepper with berry and tropical fruit accents, identifiable by its short, stout, and orangish coloration. Now you’re bringing the heat! (~100,000-350,000 SHU)
Scorpion – Deceivingly small and adorable while packing a sharp punch, like a clean shot of pure heat! These will melt your mouth and wet your eyes for sure! (~500,000-1,400,000 SHU)
Most chilis you’ll find come dried, which is perfect for stews and chilis like today’s! If you happen to find fresh chili peppers, try frying them in oil for a minute to get their flavor to coat your pan. You can also drop them whole or cut them up for your next soup. Just remember, you can always add more spice, but you can’t take it back out!
INGREDIENTS
- 2 pounds lean ground beef
- 1 large onion, diced
- 1 jalapeno, seeded and finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
- 1 can (14.5 ounces) crushed tomatoes
- 1 can (19 ounces) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes with juice
- 1 1/2 cups beef broth
- 1 cup water (as a substitute for beer)
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- Salt and pepper to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
Brown
Brown the beef and cook with onions, jalapeno, and spices.
Simmer
Add remaining ingredients and simmer to blend flavors.
Serve
Enjoy the chili hot with your favorite toppings.
Devour!
FAQs & Tips
Chili is so easy to make and store for later. I recommend portioning your finished chili into microwave-safe containers and topping with cold shredded cheese before sealing. Then, when you microwave your leftovers, do so with the top off of your container, and get that cheddar to melt right on top!
A Scoville Heat Unit, or SHU, measures the parts per million to dilute the capsaicin in a pepper. More generalized, it’s a measure of just how watered down a pepper has to be before the spice is neutralized! For some context, bell peppers have no capsaicin, so they have an SHU of 0. Meanwhile, newer ghost pepper hybrids can reach over a million SHU!
If you’re going with a keto-friendly version, beer might just change the dietary accessibility of your pot. That said, it’s not uncommon to make chili with beer! We recommend IPAs for sharper chilis and stouts for heavier flavors.
Serving Suggestions
Chili like this makes the perfect lunch all on its own, but if want to serve it up alongside something or pair a hot bowl with the perfect side, we’ve got you covered! Chili tastes wonderful with milder sides like brussels sprout chips or sautéed zucchini, but it’s also delicious with some bacon-wrapped baked potatoes for that hearty and wholesome finish! If your chili plays more of a supporting role in your dinner, why not serve it up with some classic braised short ribs for even more beefy goodness?
Ingredients
- 2 pounds lean ground beef
- 1 large onion diced
- 1 jalapeno seeded and finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 green bell pepper seeded and diced
- 1 can 14.5 ounces crushed tomatoes
- 1 can 19 ounces kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can 14.5 ounces diced tomatoes with juice
- 1 1/2 cups beef broth
- 1 cup water as a substitute for beer
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large pot, cook the ground beef over medium heat until browned. Drain excess fat if necessary.
- Add the diced onion, jalapeno, minced garlic, chili powder, and cumin to the pot with the beef. Cook for about 5 minutes until the vegetables are softened.
- Stir in the diced green bell pepper, crushed tomatoes, kidney beans, diced tomatoes with juice, beef broth, water, and tomato paste. Season with salt and pepper.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chili thickens to your liking.
Nutrition Info:
Recipes written and produced on Food Faith Fitness are for informational purposes only.
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