Our Favorite Stovetop Chili

Name: Our Favorite Stovetop Chili
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 pound lean ground beef (we recommend 85/15 or 80/20); 15 ounces canned chili beans (or kidney beans); 15 ounces canned diced tomatoes with green chiles ((like Rotel or Del Monte Zesty Diced Tomatoes)); 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon; shredded cheddar cheese; sour cream; jalapenos; diced avocado; corn chips (or tortilla chips, crushed)

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Our favorite stovetop chili recipe is made quickly and easily in a Dutch oven, and it’s perfect for a warm lunch or dinner on a cold or rainy day. Despite only having 4 ingredients, it has a rich, zesty flavor that’s the ultimate in comfort food! Add your favorite toppings and serve the Dutch oven chili with cornbread or in a sourdough bread bowl.

Chili con carne and a spoon in a small bowl with 2 pieces of cornbread.

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Why We Love Stovetop Chili

Perfect for busy weeknights.
Healthy, family-friendly dishes can take a while to make, and we don’t always have a lot of time to cook. Fortunately, this 30 minute recipe fixes that problem!
Only requires a few ingredients.
You’ll be surprised at the rich flavors that just 4 ingredients add to this dish. Plus, we share our “secret” ingredient in the easy chili recipe below!
Feeds a lot of people and can be made ahead.
Make a batch in advance to save yourself some time. It keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Then, invite some friends over for a game day party and set up a chili bar!

Serving of Dutch oven chili in a white bowl, garnished with grated cheddar cheese and chopped green onions.

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

Lean ground beef – We like to use 85/15 or 80/20. But if you don’t have ground beef, you can use ground turkey or ground chicken instead.
Chili beans – A mixture of beans are the best beans for chili. This recipe uses a variety of canned beans for convenience and flavor. If you only have dried beans on hand, check our tutorial on how to cook dried beans.
Diced tomatoes with green chiles – like Rot el or zesty chili style diced tomatoes. They add a spicy and slightly tangy flavor to the recipe. If you don’t have them, use regular diced tomatoes and add a can of diced green chiles.
Secret ingredient: Ground cinnamon – This adds a warm and sweet flavor to the stove top chili recipe. It also helps balance the spiciness of the dish. You can omit it if you don’t have ground cinnamon in hand.

Ingredients for an easy chili recipe on stove; ground beef, canned chili beans, and canned diced tomatoes.

🎯 TFN Pro Tip

This easy chili recipe can be tailored to your liking. We like to include beans, but you can add green peppers, celery, or any other vegetables you like.

How to Make Dutch Oven Chili

Cook the ground beef.

Brown the ground beef, using a wooden spoon to break apart the meat as it cooks. Then, drain the cooked ground beef, leaving about a tablespoon of fat in the pot.
Using just a little bit of fat adds a ton of flavor to the stovetop chili!

Browning ground beef in a pot on stove top.

Stir in the chili beans and diced tomatoes.

Using a a large spoon, stir to combine, then bring mixture to a boil. Be sure to drain the canned beans, unless the beans come in a chili sauce. If so, you’ll want to add the entire contents of the can to the Dutch oven.

Diced tomatoes, kidney beans, and browned ground beef in a large pot with a wooden spoon.

Taste and season as it cooks.

Stir in cinnamon, then let mixture simmer for about 20 minutes. The ground beef chili will taste different at various points in the cooking process, so check as you go, adding extra seasoning to your liking.

Serving Suggestions

Serving of ground beef and kidney bean stew in a white bowl.

Stovetop chili is delicious on its own, but you can add even more flavor with classic toppings. Some of our favorite toppings are:

shredded cheddar cheese
chopped green onions
sour cream
chopped avocado
jalapeno or roasted jalapeno
crushed tortilla chips or corn chips

🎯 TFN Pro Tip

Add chili toppings to small serving bowls, then let your guests help themselves to whatever toppings they like.

To round out this 30 minute meal, consider serving it with a salad and sourdough garlic bread or garlic toast.

Frequently Asked Recipe Questions

How long should chili on the stove simmer?

Cook it with the lid on and set to a simmer for about 20 minutes or up to 2 hours. The longer it simmers, the more depth of flavor you will achieve.

Does chili freeze well?

Yes! If you’re planning to store this meal for longer than a few days, pop it into the freezer. If kept in an airtight container, frozen chili will keep in the freezer for 4 to 6 months.

Should chili be soupy or thick?

The consistency can be thin or thick, whichever you prefer. For a thick consistency, simmer with the lid off. For more of a chili soup, add chicken broth or water, ¼ cup at time, until your perfect consistency is reached.

How do I store and reheat this recipe?

If you’re only storing the Dutch oven chili for a few days, keep it in a sealed container in the fridge. For longer periods of time, freezing is recommended (see above). Let it thaw in the fridge before reheating.

To reheat this easy chili on the stove, place it in a saucepan over medium heat and stir it occasionally, until it reaches a temperature of 165°F. To reheat in a microwave, place it in a heat-safe container and cook on high power for 3-5 minutes.

Chili in a white bowl with tomatoes and green onions.

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If you tried this stovetop chili recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!

This post, first published in July 2022, was last updated with new content in September 2023.