This is my Pantry Chili, and just like my pantry pasta – it’s my favorite. Why do I call this the “easiest, most laid back chili recipe ever?” Well, I’ve got a few reasons to support this claim. Firstly, it is a one-pan chili recipe that boasts major flavor in less than 30 minutes. Secondly, I’ve written the recipe to encourage you to play around with the ingredients, swapping in whatever things you happen to have around, really love, or just need to use up. You should use things that are on sale, or just sound better to you and your people. This is a very unstrict chili, which I think actually makes it even cozier somehow? Yes, absolutely.
Why is this the easiest chili recipe?
This is the easiest chili because you really call the shots here. I’m just giving you some basic structure, some lines for you to color inside however you like. Look at these things as mere suggestions, ingredients that are ready and waiting to be tapped out for other things, if you like. For example, you could add any manner of spices to this and you’d probably be just fine. A pinch of cinnamon? Sure. Oregano? Don’t see why not.
You don’t even need to use all of the things I’ve listed here, this is just my favorite little collective of ingredients. But honestly? You could leave out the cumin, garlic powder and smoked paprika if you don’t have them or don’t feel like buying them. The Taco seasoning and chili powder will go to work, flavoring things nicely.
What you’ll need to make this Pantry Chili (the easiest chili ever)
Okay, let’s talk here for just a sec. I feel like you need to know that you could literally just use the following six things and wind up with a killer chili:
1. Scallions
2. Ground meat
3. Taco seasoning
4. Chili powder
5. Tomato paste
6. Beans
This simple mix would still make a delicious pot of chili, so long as you season it well with salt and pepper, and you’d be so happy with it, I’m quite confident. But. What makes this chili great, is that it holds space for some other really fun, really delicious additions. For example, I like to sneak vegetables in my chili recipes whenever I can come up because it’s such a great way to really make this much healthier, and to get healthy things inside my family’s faces, Okay? Okay. There’s almost no vegetable you could put in here that would not work, which is lovely. Thus my use of the term “flexible.”
What you’ll need to make my Pantry Chili Recipe
Feel free to play around with this as you like. I know, I’ve said that ad nauseam now, but I just want to make sure you feel good about it.
INGREDIENTS
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil
- ½ yellow onion, diced or 4 scallions, finely chopped (white and green parts separated)
- 2 cups of diced veggies, optional (see note)
- 1 pound ground meat (pork, beef turkey, or chicken or a combo!)
- 1-ounce packet of taco seasoning (low sodium, if possible)
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2.5 teaspoons smoked sweet paprika, divided
- 3 garlic cloves, minced or grated (or less, or more, just use some please)
- 6-ounce can tomato paste
- 3 teaspoons stock concentrate (any kind will work, I like Better Than Bouillon Beef for this)
- Two 14.5 ounce cans of black or kidney beans (not drained or rinsed)
- ¾ cup sour cream
Serving Suggestion: pickled jalapeños, tortilla chips, cilantro, limes
If you like the looks of this Pantry Chili, you might also want to try:
Creamy Southwestern Chipotle Beef Pasta
Cookoff Winning Texas Style Chili
Quick Fix Cookoff Winning Chili
Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili with Honey Crisped Tortillas
Sesame Ginger Chicken Stir Fry
Amazing Spice Rubbed Chicken with Loaded Rice
How to make this Pantry Chili recipe
Add a couple of tablespoons of oil to a large pot over medium heat. When it’s hot, add the onion or chopped scallions, along with the two cups of diced veggies and cook for a few minutes, just until tender. (If you’re using pre-cooked veg here – I’d wait to add them in at the end).
Add the ground meat, taco seasoning, chili powder, cumin, one teaspoon of the garlic powder, and 2 teaspoons of the smoked paprika. Break up the meat and allow it to brown and cook untouched for a couple of minutes, and then stir to finish browning. Add the fresh garlic, and cook for another 30 seconds or so.
Add the tomato paste to the pan, along with these stock concentrate, black beans, and about 2/3 a cup of water. Taste and season with salt and pepper as you like, and add more water as needed to thin it out to your preferred consistency. Cover and simmer for at least 10 minutes so the flavors can develop.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together the sour cream, one teaspoon of the garlic powder, and 1/2 teaspoon of the smoked paprika. Season lightly with salt and pepper and use this to dollop on top of the bowls of pantry chili, along with chips, cilantro, and pickled jalapenos, for serving (only if you want to, of course)
NOTE: For the veggies, you should use what you love or already have here. I always use poblanos and then any fresh veg I’ve got. Pantry Chili is a great way to sneak veggies into your diet, so go for it here. In the version pictured I used 2 sliced carrots, 2 fresh chopped tomatoes, and a cup or so of cubed cooked butternut squash that I needed to use up. Literally anything goes here!
Amazing Pantry Chili (easiest, most flexible chili recipe ever)
A very simple, one-pot chili that encourages you to play around with the ingredients according to what you love, have on hand, or whatever looks great at your store. use whatever ground meat you like, whatever cooking oil you’ve got, as many garlic cloves as you see fit, any kind of bean that suits, and any fresh veggies you want. The meat, chili powder, beans, and tomato paste are the core, but you go from there. Look at this recipe as a set of nice building blocks to springboard you to a very great chili … that is topped with a smoky garlic crema that frankly, I’d eat on a shoe.
- Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil
- 1/2 yellow onion, diced or 4 scallions, finely chopped (white and green parts separated)
- 2 cups of diced veggies, optional (see note)
- 1 pound ground meat (pork, beef, turkey, or chicken or a combo!)
- 1-ounce packet of taco seasoning (low sodium, if possible)
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2.5 teaspoons smoked sweet paprika, divided
- 3 garlic cloves, minced or grated (or less, or more, just use some please)
- 6-ounce can tomato paste
- 3 teaspoons stock concentrate (any kind will work, I like Better Than Bouillon Beef for this)
- Two 14.5 ounce cans of black or kidney beans (not drained or rinsed)
- 3/4 cup sour cream
Serving Suggestion: pickled jalapeños, tortilla chips, cilantro, limes
Instructions
- Add a couple tablespoons of oil to a large pot over medium heat. When it’s hot, add the onion or chopped scallion whites, along with the two cups of diced veggies, if using (see note) and cook for a few minutes, just until tender. (If you’re using pre-cooked veg here – I’d wait to add them in at the end).
- Add the ground meat, taco seasoning, chili powder, cumin, one teaspoon of the garlic powder, and 2 teaspoons of the smoked paprika. Break up the meat and allow it to brown and cook untouched for a couple of minutes, and then stir to finish browning for a couple of minutes (this also toasts and wakes up the spices). Add the fresh garlic, and cook for another 30 seconds or so.
- Add the tomato paste to the pan, along with the stock concentrate, black beans (their liquid included), and about 1.5 cups of water. Taste and season with salt and pepper as you like, and add more water as needed to thin it out to your preferred consistency. Cover and simmer for at least 10 minutes so the flavors can develop.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together the sour cream, one teaspoon of the garlic powder, and 1/2 teaspoon of the smoked paprika. You can add a tiny splash of water if you like, to create more of a drizzling consistency. Use this to dollop on top of the bowls of chili, and serve with chips, cilantro, the reserved scallion greens, and some pickled jalapeños (only if you want to, of course).
Notes
NOTE: For the veggies, you should use what you love or already have here. I always use poblanos and then any fresh veg I’ve got. Chili is a GREAT way to sneak veggies into your diet, so go for it here. In the version pictured I used 2 sliced carrots, 2 fresh chopped tomatoes, and some cubed cooked butternut squash that I needed to use up. But mushrooms would also work, as would any manner of pepper, celery. I’ve even thrown in a chopped red apple to my pork chili and it was delicious. Anything goes!
