Want the simplest quick easy chili ever? This recipe uses few ingredients and is so tasty.

Alright, so the other day I was in the mood for something warm, something easy. You know how it is. Didn’t want to spend hours in the kitchen, so my mind went straight to chili. Not the kind you simmer for a whole weekend, just a quick and easy batch that hits the spot.

What I Grabbed

I poked around the kitchen and pulled out the usual suspects. Nothing fancy, just the basics. Here’s what went into the pot, more or less:

• About a pound of ground beef. Could use turkey, I suppose, but beef is what I had.
• One regular yellow onion, chopped up.
• A green bell pepper, also chopped. Adds a bit of color, you know.
• A can of diced tomatoes. The 14-ounce kind. Undrained, I just dump it all in.
• A can of kidney beans. Rinsed and drained. Sometimes I use pinto, depends on the mood.
• A smaller can of tomato sauce. Helps with the richness.
• Chili powder, of course. I’m pretty generous with this.
• Some cumin. Can’t have chili without cumin.
• A bit of garlic powder and onion powder, ’cause why not.
• Salt and pepper, to taste. That’s always a “your mileage may vary” situation.

See? Pretty straightforward stuff. No secret ingredients here, just honest food.

Getting It Done

First things first, I got out my trusty big pot. A Dutch oven works great if you have one, but any decent-sized pot will do. I tossed the ground beef in there over medium-high heat. Broke it up with a wooden spoon and let it brown. You gotta get that good color on it.

Once the beef was mostly browned, I drained off any excess fat. Don’t need all that swimming around. Then, I threw in the chopped onion and bell pepper. Stirred that all together with the beef and let it cook for a few minutes, until the veggies started to soften up a bit. The kitchen started smelling pretty good right about then.

Next up, the flavor brigade. I sprinkled in a good amount of chili powder – probably a couple of tablespoons, maybe more. Then the cumin, maybe a tablespoon of that. A teaspoon each of garlic powder and onion powder. Stirred it all into the meat and veggie mixture and let it cook for another minute. Toasting the spices a little like that really wakes them up.

Then it was time for the wet ingredients. In went the can of diced tomatoes, juice and all. Then the can of tomato sauce. And finally, the rinsed kidney beans. Gave it all a thorough stir to make sure everything was well combined. It was starting to look like chili, which is always a good sign.

I brought it up to a simmer, then turned the heat down low. Popped a lid on, but left a little gap for steam to escape. And then I just let it bubble away gently. For a “quick” chili, I still like to give it at least 20-30 minutes. Gives all those flavors a chance to get to know each other. If you have more time, an hour is even better, but 20 minutes will do in a pinch.

During that simmer time, I gave it a stir every now and then. Tasted it about halfway through. Added a bit more salt, a crack of black pepper. Sometimes I add a pinch of sugar if the tomatoes are too acidic, but these were fine. Maybe a dash of hot sauce if I’m feeling spicy, but this batch was for general consumption.

How It Turned Out

And that was pretty much it. After about 30 minutes, it was looking thick and smelling fantastic. I ladled some into a bowl. Topped it with a bit of shredded cheddar cheese – because chili needs cheese, in my book. Some folks like sour cream or green onions, but cheese is my go-to.

It was hearty, flavorful, and exactly what I was looking for. Nothing complicated, just good, honest chili made without a lot of fuss. Clean-up wasn’t too bad either, mostly just the one pot. That’s the beauty of a dish like this. Definitely a good one to have in your back pocket for those busy weeknights or when you just need some comfort food, fast.