Hi friends! Just wanted to let you know that I’m a participant in the Amazon Affiliate Program and as an Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Some of the links in this post are affiliate links; I have them highlighted. This means that I may earn a small commission from Amazon if you click the link and purchase something; but it doesn’t cost you anything extra! It’s just a way to help support the blog. In no way do the suggestions mean you need to buy anything. I’m just sharing with you the things that I enjoy and if you’re in the market, I hope you’ll consider using my links. Thank you in advance!
Chili is a favorite in our household and we make it fairly often during the cooler months. We also find ourselves looking for a reason to make this chili during the summer…it’s just so good!
Chili is also great because it is a cost effective meal; lending itself to leftovers which is always a good thing! Also, chili is great because you can pack it with a variety of nutritious ingredients.
This chili recipe isn’t anything ground breaking, but, it is a matter of the perfect combination of ingredients. I broke ground on this recipe last fall as I was attempting to update and elevate the otherwise fine chili recipe.
What does this chili have that most others are missing? Three things: bacon, poblano peppers, and cocoa powder. Trust me…they make the astounding difference. The combination of flavors adds such a lovely depth of flavor and smokiness that is especially perfect during the cooler months when you’re looking for a comforting meal to keep you warm.
This chili recipe has a good ratio of liquid to meat/veggie/bean mixture. If you like your chili to have more liquid, you can add an extra cup of beef broth or water. The chili spice blend is adapted from the Magnolia Table cookbook, which I tweaked slightly. As I strive to be a faithful steward in my home, I’m always looking for opportunities; to steward my finances and my resources in a more efficient way. So, I stopped buying prepackaged spices a couple of years ago because I found making my own spice blends to be so much more cost effective! My preferred way of preparing this chili is by using my Instant Pot as it is such a great multi-purpose piece of equipment to have in the kitchen. This has been such a blessing to have as I’ve gotten so many uses out of it. It works great with this chili because I can sauté the meat and veggies and then switch to the slow cook feature when I’m ready to simmer it for several hours.
This recipe is easily adaptable to the Instant Pot, a Slow Cooker, or your typical stove pot.
Prep Time
30 minutes
Cook Time
4 hours
Serves
6
Ingredients
- 1lb ground beef
- 2 slices of bacon, chopped
- chili spice blend
- 2 Tbs chili powder
- 2 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 tsp dried minced onion
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 poblano pepper, chopped
- (1) 8oz can of tomato sauce
- (1) 15 oz can of diced tomatoes
- (1) 15 oz canned pinto beans, drained
- 1 c beef broth; or water
- garnishments
Directions
1
Start by preheating your instant pot/or stove pot over medium high heat.
2
Brown your beef and bacon together. Drain off any excess grease.
- If using a slow cooker, you can switch over to that after you’ve cooked the meat.
3
Add all the chopped veggies to the meat and cook until veggies are soft, about five minutes.
4
Add your spice blend to the meat mixture, stirring frequently, and cook for a minute or two until aromatic.
5
Add the canned tomatoes, tomato sauce/or soup, and the beans and cook on low for 4 hours.
- If you like your chili with more liquid; add an extra cup of beef broth.
Notes:
Garnish with your favorite toppings! Also, this freezes very well in a plastic storage bag so you could double the recipe and put half in the freezer for a rainy day!
Ooo, I can’t wait to try this recipe! Thanks for sharing!
Yay! I hope you enjoy it!!