This 30-minute Stovetop Chili Recipe is hearty, healthy, and easy to make. With a few fresh ingredients and a few canned ingredients, you can have this warming pot of chili on your table in no time!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Hearty, healthy, and delicious, just like my Chunky Chicken Tortilla Soup and my Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup.
- Kid-friendly and fairly inexpensive to make
- Perfect for busy weekdays, lazy weekends, or cold, rainy nights when you need a quick, comforting meal.
- Leftovers are just as good the next day or can be frozen for later, like my Instant Pot Frozen Beef Stew.
- Made with a mix of fresh and canned ingredients, so it's full of flavor without a lot of prep.
- Only one pot needed, which means easy cleanup.
Key Ingredients For Quick and Easy Chili
- Ground beef: Ground beef is one of the classic proteins to use in chili, however, you can substitute it with ground turkey or chicken.
- Kidney beans: Packed with fiber, protein, and various vitamins and minerals, kidney beans add texture and nutritional value to the chili. You can substitute a different canned bean for the kidney beans, like pinto, black, or navy.
- Corn: since this recipe is all about ease, I use canned fiesta corn (has added mild peppers or whole-kernel corn. You could also use fresh corn if you had it on hand.
- Black olives: olives add a briny, savory flavor to the chili, but they are optional in this recipe.
- Canned diced tomatoes: because this is a quick recipe, make sure you use diced tomatoes so no prep is needed except opening the can. You can also use fire-roasted or Italian-style tomatoes for an extra pop of flavor.
- Homemade chili powder (optional): Along with regular ground chili powder, I like to use a homemade version as well. I find that it adds more flavor and a little extra kick to the chili. See below for the steps on how to make it.
*See the recipe card for the complete list of ingredients and quantities.
How to Make 30-Minute Chili
In a large Dutch oven or pot, heat the olive oil and add the diced onions. Cook over medium-high heat for 5 minutes until soft and translucent. While the onions are cooking, open all of the cans and set them aside.
Place the ground beef and garlic into the pot with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook until completely brown then add all of the canned ingredients and stir until well combined.
Add the chili powder and beef broth and continue to stir to combine. Turn down the heat to medium and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
💡Top Tip
For an extra flavor boost, try stirring in ½ teaspoon of unsweetened cocoa powder along with the chili powder. It adds richness and depth without any noticeable sweetness.
How to Serve and Garnish This Recipe
Start by serving this chili in heat-safe bowls right off the stove while it's nice and hot. The great thing about chili is that there are so many toppings you can add to make it even more delicious.
I like to add sour cream and shredded cheddar cheese for a creamy addition, along with chopped green onions if I have them on hand for a pop of freshness. You can also add fresh jalapeno slices, chopped onion, cilantro, or any other topping you like.
Serve this chili alongside a warm slice of cornbread or cornbread muffins for the ultimate comfort food pairing.
💡 Top Tip
This chili tastes even better the next day once the flavors have had time to meld together, so don't be afraid to make a double batch for planned leftovers.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can freeze this homemade chili. Make sure the chili has cooled down completely before adding it to a sealable and freezer-safe container. You can also freeze chili in a sealable plastic bag.
Do not add any extra toppings or garnishes to the chili before freezing. You can freeze this chili for up to 6 months. When you defrost the chili, you may need to add a little liquid before serving. You can add additional broth or water.
You can drain them or not, both work fine in this recipe. Leaving the liquid in adds a little extra volume and can help keep the chili from getting too thick, while draining gives you a slightly heartier, less liquid result. It's really a matter of preference.
If your chili turns out thinner than you'd like, let it simmer uncovered for an extra 10 to 15 minutes to help the liquid reduce. You can also stir in a cornstarch slurry (1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon cold water) for a quick fix.
Yes, to make this in a slow cooker, brown the ground beef, onion, and garlic on the stove first, then transfer everything to the slow cooker and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or high for 3 to 4 hours. For the Instant Pot, use the sauté function to brown the meat, then add the remaining ingredients and pressure cook on high for 10 minutes with a quick release.
Leftover chili is great spooned over baked potatoes, piled onto nachos, used as a topping for hot dogs, or stirred into mac and cheese for a quick chili mac.
Expert Tips for Making the Best Chili Ever
- Store any leftover chili in a covered container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- You can substitute chicken for ground beef or skip the meat altogether and make this a vegetarian chili. Just use vegetable broth instead of beef broth.
- Start with 1 cup of beef broth and add more if you want a more liquid chili. I save the second cup for the leftovers the next day, as the liquid will absorb into the chili when stored in the fridge.
- If you want a spicier chili, add cayenne pepper, a chopped jalapeño, or use a spicy canned tomato like Rotel.
- Canned measurements are based on the cans I purchased at my local grocery store. Some brands will vary in ounces. As long as the measurements are close, the chili will turn out great!
- Fiesta corn has added peppers for extra flavor, but regular whole-kernel canned corn will work as well.
- One reader swapped in ground chicken and a splash of hot sauce for extra kick, and said this chili earned a permanent spot in her family's rotation.
How to Make Chili Powder at Home
You can make your own chili powder using dried peppers for additional flavor. This is optional but highly recommended for extra flavor.
Take dried chili peppers and grind them in a nut/coffee grinder until they are in powder form. This chili powder also makes a delicious garnish sprinkle on top.
Other Easy Dinner Recipes To Check Out
If you get a chance to make this 30-minute Chili Recipe, tag me on Instagram or Facebook and show me, or leave a review below! You can also follow me on Pinterest and sign up for my e-mail list to receive more fun and delicious recipes in your inbox.
30-Minute Chili
Equipment
- can opener
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 1 pound ground beef
- 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 can kidney beans (15.5 ounce can)
- 1 can fiesta corn (11 ounce can, can substitute regular corn)
- 1 can sliced olives, drained (2.25 ounce can)
- 1 can diced tomatoes (14.5 ounce can)
- 1 can tomato paste (6 ounce can)
- 2 tablespoon chili powder
- ½ tablespoon homemade chili powder (optional) (*see notes)
- 1-2 cups beef broth (can substitute vegetable or chicken)
- salt and pepper to taste
Optional Toppings
- sour cream
- sliced jalapeno
- green onions
- shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- In a large dutch oven or pot, add the olive oil and add the diced onions. Cook over medium-high heat for 5 minutes until soft and translucent. While the onions are cooking, open all of the cans and set them aside.
- Place the ground beef and garlic into the pot with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook until completely brown, this will take about 5 minutes.
- Add all of the canned ingredients and stir until well combined.
- Add the chili powder and beef broth and continue to stir to combine. Start with 1 cup of beef broth and add more if you want a more liquid chili. I save the second cup for the leftover the next day as the liquid will absorb into the chili when stored in the fridge.
- Turn down the heat to medium and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Taste for salt and pepper before serving in bowls. Add your favorite toppings and enjoy!
Notes
- Store any leftover chili in a covered container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. You can also freeze the chili in a freezer-safe container for up to 6 months.
- You can substitute ground chicken or turkey for the ground beef, or skip the meat altogether and make this a vegetarian chili. Just use vegetable broth instead of beef broth.
- You don't have to drain the beans and corn before adding them, both work fine in this recipe. Leaving the liquid in adds a little extra volume and helps keep the chili from getting too thick, while draining gives a slightly heartier result. It's a matter of preference.
- If your chili turns out thinner than you'd like, let it simmer uncovered for an extra 10 to 15 minutes to help the liquid reduce, or stir in a cornstarch slurry (1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon cold water).
- To make this in a slow cooker, brown the ground beef, onion, and garlic on the stove first, then transfer everything to the slow cooker and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or high for 3 to 4 hours. For the Instant Pot, use the sauté function to brown the meat, then add the remaining ingredients and pressure cook on high for 10 minutes with a quick release.
- Nutrition information is based on chili ingredients only, with no toppings.
- If you want a spicier chili, add cayenne pepper, a chopped jalapeño, a splash of hot sauce, or use a spicy canned tomato like Rotel.
- For an extra flavor boost, try stirring in ½ teaspoon of unsweetened cocoa powder along with the chili powder. It adds richness and depth without any noticeable sweetness.
- Canned measurements are based on the cans I purchased at my local grocery store. Some brands will vary in ounces. As long as the measurements are close, the chili will turn out great.
- Fiesta corn has added peppers for extra flavor, but regular whole-kernel canned corn will work as well.
- You can make your own chili powder using dried peppers for additional flavor. This is optional but highly recommended. Take dried chili peppers and grind them in a nut or coffee grinder until they are in powder form. This chili powder also makes a delicious garnish sprinkled on top.
Nutrition
Any nutrition calculations are only estimates using online calculators. Please verify using your own data.
Leigh says
Not going to lie, I was a little skeptical. I looked up quick chili recipes for a quick dinner. I love chili the way I normally make it (family recipe) but my man and daughter have always just tolerated chili. I have never made chili with corn or olives in it. It just didn’t seem right, but I decided to give this recipe a try since it was a quick meal. Well, they dogged it. So did I. I did add a little hot sauce to mine because I’m used to a little more kick. I also used ground chicken instead of beef and I didn’t do the homemade chili powder. I still love my family’s chili recipe, but this recipe will stay in rotation in my house.
Emily says
Hi Leigh, thanks for your honest review. I'm glad your family ended up loving this version of chili! Sometimes it's nice to mix it up a bit.😁
Julie says
do you drain the beans and corn?
Emily says
You can but you don't have to...I've done it both ways. Enjoy!
Dennis Littley says
your chili bowls were delicious! My family really enjoyed them
Emily says
So happy to hear it, thanks for trying them!
Kalin Williams says
What a perfect meal to make this time of year! I love how quick it is too
Emily says
Quick and easy is the way to go!
Dawn Conklin says
This chili is so delicious and easy to make! Everybody here loved it, will definitely be making it again. This is the perfect comfort food for a cold night, especially after a busy day.
Emily says
I'm so glad you guys all enjoyed this chili. I agree, it's the perfect comfort food for a cold day!
Cindy Mom the Lunch Lady says
Chili is a go to for us here in Canada, during the colder months. It is such a hearty, simple and delicious meal, that can be frozen for a quick dinner at a later date.
Emily says
I believe when you say chili is a staple in Canada! I hope you love this one. 😁
Jean says
This chili recipe is so good and surprise that its quick to make. Perfect dinner recipe.
Emily says
Thanks, Jean. I think sometimes people think a big hearty meal will take forever but it doesn't have to!
Susan says
I can't believe how great this chili tastes, and it only took 30 minutes - so good!
Emily says
Yay, I'm so glad you liked it!
Kayla DiMaggio says
Loving this stovetop chili! It is so delicious and I love all the flavors!
Emily says
I'm so glad you like it. We make this all the time in our house.
Jeri says
I love chili! I ca't wait to try this recipe with homemade chili powder!
Emily says
The homemade chile powder is a game-change, I put it on everything!