Simple Beef Chili

I have been making this chili for so long, I cannot remember where I first got the recipe.  Honestly, its so simple, it could have come from anywhere.  For some reason I want to say I got it from Rachel Ray. Only because when I make it, I do the spices in "palmfuls", which is a very Rachel Ray thing to do.  I may have just gotten that practice from her though.  I tried to google it though, and I don't see this recipe on her website.

Where ever it came from, this dish is on rotation at my house.  It's one of those dishes I always have the ingredients on hand for.  Its easy, its hearty, it makes a ton and its a crowd pleaser.   It's also fairly inexpensive to make - if you are keeping track of your grocery budget.  (Nico will tell you that I am most certainly NOT keeping track of our grocery budget!)

Did I mention this dish was easy?  Nico made it once.  If that doesn't tell you anything, then let me add that when he was single, my husband was the kind of guy who bought pre-made tuna salad.  He does not cook.   But he made this.  So it's reeeally easy.

It's a great make ahead meal.  Make it when the kids are napping, heat it up when your husband comes home.   It makes plenty of leftovers, which freezer well.   It also doubles easily for a crowd.  With some corn muffins and a toppings bar (sour cream, cheese, chilis, Fritos, guacamole, the sky's the limit!) and you've got a party!  Don't forget the beer!

Easy Beef Chili

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

1 small jalapeno, seeded and diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 pound ground beef
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
2 cans red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
2 cans diced tomatoes

Add the olive oil to a medium stock pot over medium heat.  Add the onions and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes.   Add the garlic and jalapeno and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Add the ground beef and cook through, until it is no longer pink.

Strain the fat from the beef mixture, then return to the pot.  Add the spices and stir to combine.  (You can use less, depending on how much heat you like in your chili.  I like a lot of heat, so this may be too much for some.)

Add the beans and tomatoes.  Bring to a simmer.  I let this simmer anywhere from 5 minutes to an hour.   

*right now, because my kids are little, I add the spices last.  I make the whole thing, scoop out some beef, beans and tomatoes for my kids then add the spices at the end.   This is a huge hit with my kids. They like adding their own toppings.   


**In a pinch when I don't have jalapenos in the house, I use canned diced tomatoes with jalapenos added.
Pin It