I don’t know about you, but as the weather gets colder, the best piece of kitchen equipment I have in my arsenal is my slow cooker! Soups, stews and chilies are the staples around my house. I love them because you can adjust the recipes to make as little or as much as you want. What I love about chili, is that you can also adjust the heat to suit your taste.
“Chili” is defined as a thick stew, typically with meat and chili peppers or other spicy ingredients. That’s what makes it a perfect dish for cold winter weather. The warmth of the stew and the kick of the heat from the chili peppers make it one go-to comfort food that Midwesterners absolutely love. Heck, most towns in the Midwest have some form of chili cook off at least once per year!
The other great thing about chili is that you can put all of your ingredients in a slow cooker and have it done and ready to dive in when you get home from a long day at work or a cold day outdoors.
Below are 5 perfect chili recipes for you to try this winter and don’t forget the crackers!
TRADITIONAL RED CHILI
A red chili is simply that – red. Typically tomato based, this is the type of chili that comes to mind when we hear the word. “To bean or not to bean” is completely up to you on this one.
INGREDIENTS
1 lb Hamburger (80/20) – (Substitute ground chicken or ground turkey as desired)
1 Green Pepper (Chopped)
1 Sweet Onion (Chopped)
2 Cloves Garlic (Chopped)
1 Can Diced Tomatoes (with juice) – 15oz
1 Can Tomato Sauce – 15oz
1 Can Chili Beans – 15 oz
1 Can Diced Green Chiles – 4 oz
2 Tbsp Chili Powder
1 Tbsp Creole Seasoning (no salt) – Click Here for Recipe
1 Tsp Cayenne Pepper (Optional)
2 Tbsp Chopped Jalapeno Peppers (Optional)
Salt & Pepper To Taste
In a large pan, brown ground meat on the stove top until thoroughly cooked. Place browned meat and all residual juices from pan into slow cooker. Add remaining ingredients to slow cooker and set temperature to low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours. Top with shredded cheddar cheese, diced onions, sliced jalapenos and serve with crackers. Serves 6-8.
VERDE CHICKEN CHILI
Any chili that does not consist of a tomato base is considered a “white chili”. This delicious version uses chicken breasts or thighs instead of traditional beef.
INGREDIENTS
4 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts or Chicken Thighs (Personal Preference)
2 Medium Onions (Chopped)
2 Medium Green Peppers (Chopped)
1 Can Diced Green Chiles – 4 oz
2 Jars of Herdez Salsa Verde (16 oz ea)
2 Cans Navy Beans (15 oz ea – rinsed / drained)
1 Cup Sour Cream
½ Cup Fresh Cilantro (minced)
1 Cup Pickled Jalapeno Slices (Optional – can be adjusted according to your preference or omitted completely)
Place chicken pieces, onions, peppers, jalapenos and chiles in slow cooker. Pour salsa over top. Cover and cook on low 5-6 hours or until chicken is tender. Remove chicken and cool slightly for easier handling. Shred chicken pieces and return to slow cooker. Add beans, sour cream and cilantro. Heat through (about 30 minutes). Top with additional sour cream, Monterey Jack cheese or tortilla chips. Serves 6-8.
TRIPLE THREAT CHILI
Red based chili with three times the beans and three times the heat! This one is not for the timid!
INGREDIENTS
1 lb Ground Beef (80/20) – (This is also great using pork!)
1 Green Pepper (Chopped)
3 Roasted Red Peppers (Chopped)
1 Medium Onion (Chopped)
2 Cloves Garlic (Chopped)
1 Can Tomato Sauce – 15oz
1 Can Diced Tomatoes with green chiles (with juice) – 15oz
1 Jar Herdez Casera Salsa (Hot) – 16 oz
¼ Cup Chopped Jalapeno Peppers
1 Can Red Kidney Beans – 15oz (rinsed / drained)
1 Can Chili Beans (with sauce) – 15 oz
1 Can Navy Beans (rinsed / drained) – 15 oz
Juice of one lime
Salt & Pepper To Taste
In a large pan, brown ground meat on the stove top until thoroughly cooked. Place browned meat and all residual juices from pan into slow cooker. Add remaining ingredients to slow cooker and set temperature to low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours. Top with shredded cheddar cheese and diced onions and serve with crackers. Serves 6-8.
CLASSIC WHITE CHILI
This delicious chili can be made with pork, turkey or chicken. You can use ground meat or you can cube up bite-sized pieces of your favorite meat and add them to the base. The great thing about a white chili, is that you can “tune it up” with as little or as much spice as you like. It’s a very basic blank canvas to start with.
INGREDIENTS
4 Chicken Breasts / Thighs OR 2 lb Pork Loin (See Notes Below)
4 Cloves Garlic (Minced)
2 Medium Onions (Chopped)
1 Box Chicken Broth (or 3 – 15 oz cans)
2 Cans Diced Green Chiles (4 oz)
2 Tsp Ground Cumin
2 Tsp Dried Oregano
1 Tsp Cayenne Powder (Optional)
2 Cans White Beans (rinsed / drained) – (Navy, Cannellini or White Chili OR a combination of all three!)
Salt & Pepper To Taste
NOTES: If using whole pork loin, chicken pieces or turkey tenderloins you will want to add all ingredients EXCEPT for the beans into the slow cooker and cook on low for 5-6 hours or until meat is tender and can be shredded with a fork. Remove meat from slow cooker, shred and return to cooker. Add beans and heat through (about 30 minutes).
In a large pan, brown ground meat on the stove top until thoroughly cooked. Place browned meat and all residual juices from pan into slow cooker. Add remaining ingredients to slow cooker and set temperature to low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours. Top with fresh cilantro and queso fresco or any white mild cheese. Serve with tortilla chips. Serves 6-8.
AUTHENTIC NEW MEXICO CHILI VERDE
A staple of New Mexican cuisine, Chili Verde (Green Chili) can be found in just about any restaurant in the state. The bold flavors of the pork, tomatillos and green chilies give this dish a unique flavor that you won’t soon forget.
INGREDIENTS
2 Pounds Pork Butt or Pork Loin
2 Large Onions (Sliced)
4 Cloves Garlic (Minced)
1 lb Tomatillos (peeled, cleaned and chopped) – You can substitute green tomatoes if needed
2 Poblano Peppers (seeded and chopped)*
2 Anaheim Peppers (seeded and chopped)*
1-2 Jalapeno Peppers (seeded and chopped) – use gloves!
1 Bunch Fresh Cilantro (chopped finely)
4 Cups Chicken Broth
1 Tbsp Dried Oregano
1 Tbsp Ground Cumin
1 Tbsp Ground Coriander
2 Bay Leaves
Juice of 1 Lime
(Cornstarch & Water Slurry)
*Poblano and Anaheim Peppers are very mild. You can always kick it up by using Serrano, Korean or Thai Chiles so long as they are GREEN. That’s the whole point of this dish….the greener the better!
Dice pork into bite-sized pieces. (You can also ask your butcher to do a coarse grind through the sausage grinder). Add pork pieces and all remaining ingredients into slow cooker. Cook on low for 8 hours. If your chili seems a little thin, you can use a few tablespoons of cornstarch mixed with cold water (slurry) and stir it into the chili to thicken it without adding any additional flavor to your dish. Serve with lime wedges and fresh cilantro to garnish. Serves 6-8.
We hope that you will give at least one of these recipes a try. There are literally thousands of chili recipes online and that’s what’s so great about a dish like chili. You can completely make it your own.
Got a great chili recipe you’d like to share? Send us your recipe in the comments below!