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.

Author: Lauren McDuffie
Yield: Serves 4

Ingredients

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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

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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!

Find it online: https://mykitchenlittle.com/2024/01/07/amazing-pantry-chili/