This is a super easy Clean Eating chili recipe. You can be eating it 30 minutes after you start making it - that's how easy it is!
You literally just throw everything into a pot and cook it for 20 minutes until the flavors meld together. It ends up with a surprisingly complex flavor from the homemade chili seasoning (which is awesome to make ahead of time).
What makes this super easy to make? All you do is open a bunch of cans, dump them in a pan, stir and eat. It really couldn't be any easier, especially if you brown your ground beef ahead of time and freeze it in one-pound portions.
In fact, this entire recipe freezes really well. And if you don't have any ground beef on hand, you can still make it in 30 minutes.
Just get the ground beef started cooking while you put all the other ingredients in the pot. By the time the ground beef is done, the rest of your chili will be ready for the ground beef.
The main thing I use this for is on Navajo tacos. I get this easy chili started and then it's finished by the time the fry bread is done. You can get my healthy fry bread recipe here.
When I grew up, we never had chili. I think it's because my Dad doesn't like beans at all. I remember when I first started dating my husband in college, a meal similar to this was one of the main foods he ate. Side note, another recipe popular in our apartment complex was canned chili and spam.
Have you ever tried it or heard of it? It's actually surprisingly good - at least for college food. Of course, that was back in the day when I thought a frozen burrito fried in a little oil in a pan was delicious too.
Anyway, back to my husband's chili. The main difference was that he cooked it in the crockpot on low all day. It really does get some good flavor that way and you could totally cook this recipe in the slow cooker.
Cook it on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours. It's not any harder, but it ends up tasting really good since the flavors get really melded together.
Another thing you can do to speed things up is to get your ground beef started cooking (if it's not pre-cooked or frozen) and by the time you get the rest of the ingredients in the pan, your ground beef will be close to being done and you will have a head start on the 20 minutes of simmering the main part of the chili.
You can also change up the recipe by using different combinations of beans or by putting it in the crockpot or simmering it longer on the stovetop. Or, you can totally cook this in a pressure cooker. In the pressure cooker, just push the chili button.
This Chili was Practically Made for Freezer Meal Prep
Like many soups, stews, and chilis this works great for freezer meal prep. There aren't even any special instructions you need. Just cook up a HUGE batch of it (I usually do 5 recipes worth at a time) either on the stovetop, slow cooker, or Instant Pot *.
When it is done, enjoy it for a day (or two) then freeze the rest in individual (or larger) freezer containers. When you are in the mood for chili, just pull a container out of the freezer, heat it up either in the microwave or on the stovetop and you have an instant meal.
Perfect for lunch or dinner. One of the great things about freezing small portions of it is you can use it for things that usually too big of a pain to made chili for, like a little on a hot dog, nachos or Frito Taco Salad. Yum!
Just think how much money you will save shopping around and finding good deals on these ingredients. Buying 5 pounds of ground beef at a time is pretty much always cheaper than one pound and shopping around to find it on a really good sale is worth it when you are buying so much at once. You could easily save $10-20 just on one trip of the meat. The same goes for all the canned goods.
Tips and Tricks
Since I've made this so many times, I have some tips and tricks for you:
- The bean types I have listed are just suggestions. You are welcome to use your favorite chili beans. My favorite thing to do lately is to just get a couple of cans of chili beans. I believe they are the Westbrae brand that I usually get, but there are probably other brands that do this. Anyway, it has like 3 types of beans all in one can. So it's really easy, especially if you want to make smaller batches or go light on the beans.
- Sometimes I make this with fresh tomatoes from my garden. So. Good. When I do that, all I do is take the stem out of the tomato and throw the whole thing in my Vitamix *. Blend it for half a minute or so. Usually, this has more water than the canned tomatoes and tomato sauce, so put a little less chicken broth in your chili - or just let it cook down a little longer.
- If you don't want to use the homemade chili seasoning I have, you can totally buy those packets at the store with chili seasoning. We used to do that all the time until we discovered how easy it was to "make" our own chili seasoning.
- You are welcome to add a few of your favorite chili ingredients to the pot if you want. Fresh jalapeno or chili peppers are good. I almost always add onions. I'm sure there are other things I just can't think of right now. Please comment below if you have some suggestions for myself and others to try.
- You can totally substitute ground turkey for the ground beef. Or ground pork or sausage. Or - the best is to make a huge batch with ground turkey, beef and pork. Yum!
- Obviously, this could easily be turned in to a vegetarian chili by leaving out the meat.
What's your favorite way to eat chili? Do you think it's a college-type food, or is it good for everyone? Do you like chili on hot dogs, cheese fries or by itself? Do your children like it? It always surprises me that my children love it so much, which I can't explain why I'm surprised by that.
Do you have any other tips or tricks to make this chili even better? I would love to hear your ideas! Please comment below and help us all out.
Oh, wait. It could be because generally children don't like things mixed together and they rarely like soup. But, they do love chili and taco soup, which are very similar.
PrintRecipe
Quick, Easy Clean Eating Chili from Scratch
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Clean Eating
Description
I love how easy it is to throw this together. You literally just dump in a bunch of cans of food and add some seasoning. My kids love this chili, especially on Navajo tacos.
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef (browned)
- 15 oz cans dark kidney beans (drained and rinsed)
- 15 oz can of chili beans
- 15 oz can of black beans (drained and rinsed)
- 14.5 oz can of tomato sauce
- 14.5 oz can crushed tomatoes
- 2 cups chicken broth
- homemade chili seasoning (recipe below)
Chili Seasoning
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a large pot
- Stir together
- Heat on medium-high until the chili starts to simmer
- Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes (or longer)
If you would rather make the chili seasoning in bulk, here's a recipe for you:
Ingredients:
- ¾ cup chili powder
- ¼ cup ground cumin
- ¼ cup Real salt *
- 2 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon ground cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon garlic salt
- 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
Instructions:
- Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and mix well
- Store in an airtight container
Melissa
I love this recipe and had it pinned on Pinterest. I guess it stayed up so long it was time to take it down. I went to make chili, and, poof! It was gone! I panicked (just ask my hubby) but was able to find your site. All is good in the world again! Thank you for this recipe!
Laura
This is my FAVORITE chili, The only chili that I have been making for years. The only thing I do is occasionally add corn.
Thanks
Amber A
Quick, easy, healthy and delicious. You can't get better than that..
Julie R
Delish!
Rosemary R
This was good but very thin, I added cornstarch to thicken it. I'd suggest using half the broth amount. I also added 1 cup frozen corn and 1.5 teaspoons of brown sugar.
Brianne
I make this all the time! I like thicker chili, so I half the broth and add extra beans, just whatever I have on hand. I've made this with ground beef, ground turkey, and a vegan version with no meat and vegetable stock, and it is delicious every time.
Elizabeth W
Made the seasoning for this in bulk and it was CLUTCH
Rebecca Baron
That's a great idea Elizabeth! Thanks for the suggestion.
Elizabeth
If making the chili seasoning in bulk, how much seasoning do you use for just the single recipe? Already made the bulk seasoning, but can’t find the instructions for single recipe measurements. Help! 🙂
Rebecca Baron
About 4 tsp.
Maria
I always use 2 Tbsp for each batch.
Paul
I always use this recipe for chili. Only change I made was I use fire roasted tomatoes and Instead of chicken broth I use two cups of Fosters along with two chicken bullion cubes
Tania S
In process. Smells delicious
Kaila W
I added one can of corn, delicious!
Sarah
It was perfect
Jamie B
Turned out Great!
Erica C
Definitely recommend! Super easy and super delicious!!
Amy
I omitted the chicken broth and chili beans (added extra kidney) and DELICIOUS
Elizabeth D
love this recipe! I’ve made it several times and everyone loves it! I do add more seasoning though.
Mercedes
Super easy chili!!
Ivana L
Delicious!
Latrina P
I love this recipe! It is easy to make & delish! I used chilli seasoned canned tomatoes instead if regular tomatoes. It adds extra flavor. I would recommend this recipe to anyone.
Julie C
So delicious even better the next day!
Sasha
This was absolutely delicious! New staple
Ashanti
I used Ground Turkey and didn’t use cumin
Yolanda M
Yum
Jessica W
I add bacon and jalapeño and it’s my favorite recipe every fall
Jennifer Elizabeth
I might be way late to this chili party but I'm so glad I came across it. I made this & it was the best chili I have ever eaten. I ate too much at first, then decided to freeze the rest. Defrosted perfectly.
Rebecca
Good to hear. Thanks for commenting!
Linda M
Mmmmm..mmmm...good! This is my newest favorite chili recipe! The seasonings are spot on! Super easy to make! The only thing I added was onion, celery, and carrots! ( one stalk and one carrot just because we like them! I’m tellin you....try this recipe! You’ll never have to “ search” for another! Thank you kind chili queen or king....for leading us poor bean less servants!
Lynn
I love this recipe, Ive made it at least 3 times in the last two months and have made some slight changes for my husband. I add one pound of ground pork and he adds some hot sauce to his, I have read the full article and all the comments, I am still confused on the nutritional breakdown for the original recipe. Mostly the calories for the full recipe. I’m not a huge calorie counter but as I am pregnant I am trying to get all I need. What is the calorie count for the full original recipe?
Rebecca
To get the calorie count for the full recipe, just take the serving size and multiply it by the number of servings, so 8 * 255 = 2040 calories. I'm glad you like the recipe!
Holly
My partner was a little skeptical because his father makes some award-winning (five years in a row) chili... but we both loved this, and it was so easy! We have a few bottles of dark beer left over from other recipes; if I were to add some dark beer to the chili, should I reduce any of the other ingredients? I'm worried 12 oz of another liquid might make it too watery.
Rebecca
What a nice comment! And a good suggestion too. I don't have any experience adding beer to the chili. Do any readers? My initial thoughts are that it would be fine, as long as you don't mind cooking it longer with the lid off so the liquid cooks out of it but you have the nice, concentrate flavor left.
Kelly
This is a chili recipe that tastes great as written and possibly even better with a little something extra. I've made this recipe several times and like it best with taco seasoned ground turkey in place of ground beef. I add 2 tsp unsweetened coco powder to the spice mix. Simmer recipe for 30-40 minutes with lid ajar for steam to escape until chili thickens.
Kelsey
Made this chili recipe tonight and it's now my new recipe to make chili. I have been looking for a new one different from my grandma's recipe (meat, beans and tomato sauce). My husband loved it, I loved it and so did the kids. I will be using this recipe from now on!! Thank you for posting it!!
Rebecca
You're welcome - and thanks for commenting!
Cat
This is my go to recipe for chili when I get home and I'm tired after work. I also use it to spice up cheese dip and to make chili cheese fries.
Rebecca
Good to hear! I'm glad you like it - and thanks for commenting.
Carolyn
This was so good. We were full, but wanted to continue eating!
Rebecca
I'm so glad you liked it! It's definitely a favorite around here. My 9-year-old daughter especially loves it.
Michele
HI. I made this for the first time a little over a month ago and it wasn't very thick. It was more like soup than chili. I drained the beans as indicated in the recipe. Should I drain the canned tomatoes too?
Rebecca
I usually don't, but you may want to add less chicken broth or cook it longer, since it sounds like you like a thicker chili.
Sandra
Made this and it's so easy to make. It's good too
Rebecca
I'm so glad you like it! It's a staple around here.
Sheri
This was easy and delicious!! Thanks!
Rebecca
You're welcome!
Crissy
This chili was delicious! Added one cup less chicken stock, it was very tasty! Can't wait to make again, perfect for this weather!
Rebecca
Yes. Sometimes I make it thicker, especially depending on how we're using it. I'm glad you like it. Thanks for taking the time to comment too.
Ashli
I’ve just finished making this. It’s very tasty!! I love the boldness. I only added 1/16tsp of cayenne because my daughter hates spiciness, but I think it’s a little light there and will probably go with your suggestion of 1/8tsp next time. Thanks for a quick, easy, flavorful meal!!
Rebecca
I'm so glad you like it. I'm always surprised by how much my children love chili, especially with lots of cheese and sour cream on top.
Taylor Petersen
What is the serving size for the nutrition label?
Rebecca
1/8th of the recipe, which is about a cup or so.
Nicole
How would you do this in the crock pot? I don't know that I have a big enough pot to cook it on the stove. Thanks!
Rebecca
Just brown the ground beef on your stove, throw all the ingredients in your crock pot and cook for as long as you want. Anywhere from about an hour to where it's just heated up, to 8 hours on low when it's really had a chance for all the flavors to meld together.
Jessi
I doubled the meat per my husband's preferences. Added some nonfat greek yogurt on top and some low fat cheese - delicious!
Thanks for the great recipe!
Rebecca
Good to know. Thanks for commenting!
Erin
I really enjoyed this recipe and so did my family. Is it 365 calories per cup?
Rebecca
The nutrition is calculated for 8 servings for the whole recipe.
Margaret
Here are changes I made. I added only half of the chicken stock. It was plenty watery.
I added only half of the spices as I don't care for spicy foods
I did not use chili beans, substituted pintos
I thought this was very tasty. Comparable to Wendy's which I happen to like.
Thanks for this really simple and fast meal
Rebecca
I'm glad you liked it, with some changes. Yes. I used to love Wendy's chili, even though I'm pretty sure the main reason they make it is to put their old hamburger patties in. I could be wrong and it's been many years since I've eaten at Wendy's.
Margaret
Oh dear! I have been dieting and that is something I can eat at fast food without going way over my calories! We only do it once a month or so. It hasn't killed me yet! . ???
Ashli
I’m pretty sure you’re right about the hamburger patties. I’ve gotten a good flat, squareish chunk of meat in my Wendy’s chili on several occasions, lol. I won’t hold it against them, it’s still delicious!
Rebecca
Yep!
Margaret
I'm not an eater of spicy foods. How would you rate this on a scale of 1-5, 5 being really spicy?
Rebecca
I would give it a 1, but my aunt would give it a 4. She doesn't eat anything spicy at all and I like quite a bit of spice, but I would say this is flavorful way more than spicy. If you are worried about it, just leave out the cayenne pepper and go light on the chili powder.
Dani
Bravo! I have only mad enough chili twice (including this recipe); the first time/recipe was complicated and just ok. This recipe really surprised me with its bold flavor after literally coming together in 30 min. Definitely my new go-to chili recipe. Thank you for sharing!
Rebecca
I'm so glad you liked it. Thanks for commenting!
Dani
I am brand new to cooking gluten free and dairy free, and I'm doing it for a family going through a difficult time. Can you please confirm that this recipe is dairy free? It seems like a silly question, but I want to be super sure that I'm not goofing up on them.
Thank you!
Rebecca
It's dairy-free, as long as you don't top it with sour cream or cheese.
Inna
Hi Rebecca, do you have an Instagram ? Wanted to give you credit on this chili recipe I posted 🙂
Paula
How much of this chili is 1 serving?
Thanks
Rebecca
I generally count 1/4 pound of meat as a serving, but I'm not sure how that translates to cups of chili. Hopefully that helps . . .
Margaret
I calculate that a serving is close to 2 cups. I did this by adding up how many cups of each ingredient I put in. Each can is almost 2 cups. So there were about 14 cups. When I calculated the calories it came out to just over 200 calories per cup. I did not measure the cooked meat so am not sure how many cups of meat were added. But the calorie count comes pretty close to Rebecca's. Just the actual serving size was in question.
Megan
Just tried this chili out tonight and it was really good! I made minimum alterations and the flavor of the chili seasoning was delicious! Will come back to this recipe again for sure
Rebecca
I'm so glad you like it! Thanks for taking the time to comment.
Hayley
I am wondering how this recipe freezes? Have you tried? Thank you!!
Rebecca
I haven't tried, but I would bet it works pretty well. Maybe someone else has tried it?
Jennifer Simon
Yes it freezes well! Just as good reheated. Thanks for the recipe!
Gabrielle
Just made this - great recipe if you don't have a lot of time. Flavorful for sure. Would love the recipe to make the chili seasoning in bulk 🙂
Rebecca
I finally got around to adding that back on the recipe. Thanks for the reminder!
suzanne
Hey, I wonder if your instructions got combined for the chili mix? Would you be able to review and repost as this sounds fantastic! Thanks!
Rebecca
The seasonings are for a homemade chili seasoning that can be pre-made and used for a lot of other recipes and then 2 tbsp of that seasoning mix should be used in the actual chili recipe. Does that make sense? I tried updating the recipe to make that more clear.
Tonja Kendrick
Are these measurements for the chili seasoning correct? For this size of batch I wouldn't think you would use 3/4 cups chili powder, 1/4 cups cumin and 1/4 cups salt. Should these possibly be t or T?
Rebecca
The seasonings are for a homemade chili seasoning that can be pre-made and used for a lot of other recipes and then 2 tbsp of that seasoning mix should be used in the actual chili recipe. Does that make sense? I tried updating the recipe to make that more clear.