From coffee and chocolate, to almonds and artichokes... there are chili recipes that include every kind of ingredient you can imagine. While there are Texans who'll avert that true chili doesn't include beans, and Mexicans who think sour cream is chili's poison, the truth is this dish is extremely flexible and can include any and all of the above-mentioned ingredients. If you can stand to be a little more adventurous, the fun can be in trying ingredients that make your chili unique and just as you like it.
As a general rule for making chili, you:
1. Brown meat with onions and peppers of your choice.
2. Add to stock pot with beans and tomatoes as desired.
It really is that easy. Here`s a standard recipe to get you started.
Standard Chili Recipe
- 1 lb. ground beef
- ½ an onion, diced
- one pepper, diced
- 1 can red kidney beans
- 1 can dice tomatoes with some of their juices
- 1 small can of tomato paste for thickening
- a standard chili seasoning (either prepackaged or consisting of 1 tsp chili powder, ½ tsp cumin, 1 teaspoon garlic salt and ½ tsp black pepper)
Directions:
- Brown meat with onions and peppers of your choice.
- Add to stock pot with beans and tomatoes as desired.
- Add the remaining ingredients. Simmer. Serve.
Once you have mastered this basic recipe, the fun begins. What would make chili dance for you? Here are some suggestions that might just get your fun started:
- Blackened Corn - Corn goes so well with all of the ingredients in chili. Blackening the corn before adding gives it a nice, charred, chipotle-type flavor.
- Black Olives - The saltiness in black olives is a great addition to a tomato-y chili. Their texture also fits right in with traditional chili combinations.
- Sausage - Substituting Italian sausage or chorizo for all or half of your ground beef in chili can add exciting and zesty flavors.
- Sweet Potatoes - If you're looking for a vegetarian chili recipe, you don't need a traditional meat substitute for success. The sweetness in these beautiful potatoes makes a great base for the spiciness of this chili recipe.
Sweet Potato Chili Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
- 3 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- 2 cups vegetable broth or water
- 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled, cut into 3/4-inch
- cubes
- 2 14 1/2- to 16-ounce cans diced tomatoes
- 2 15- to 16-ounce can pinto or red kidney beans, drained
- chopped fresh cilantro
- sour cream
Instructions:
- Heat olive oil in heavy medium sauce-pan over medium-high heat.
- Add onion and sauté until golden brown, about 5 minutes.
- Add chili powder, garlic salt and jalapeno; stir 1 minute. Add broth and potato.
- Cover pan; reduce heat to medium and simmer until potato is almost tender, about 10 minutes.
- Add tomatoes with their juices, tomato paste, and beans.
- Simmer uncovered until chili thickens and potato is very tender, about 10 minutes.
Top as desired with cilantro and sour cream. Great with corn bread.
