My favorite soup of them all is chili.  There are so many ways to make it and I love experimenting with new versions, but I always seem to come back to my favorite version called Pantry Chili.

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I gave this recipe the name Pantry Chili because it seemed every time I wanted to make it, which was on the spur of the moment, I never had all the ingredients to make it.  So I would grab this and that from the pantry or freezer as a substitute.  And it always turned out great.  Each time was a little different, but that’s what made it fun and interesting.

I would substitute the ground beef with ground turkey or ground sausage or turkey sausage.  Just whatever I had in the freezer and there were 2 pounds of it.  This recipe is meat-hearty for sure.  The beans I use have been all black beans or red kidney beans and black beans or just plain kidney beans.  The picture above shows I just used black beans.  I also love using my Freezer Green Peppers instead of all the color versions of peppers.  The red and yellow peppers can be very expensive during the wintertime and it really doesn’t change the flavor of your chili.  Just adds a bit of color.

And don’t you just love those mini crackers?  They were on sale at the store last week and I just had to grab a box to try them.  They are called Nabisco Premium Minis and are perfect for soups and little fingers to grab.

I love this recipe for football games, to bring to a gathering and leftovers are great to make Chili Nachos.

Pantry Chili

My favorite soup of them all is chili and this meat hearty recipe is perfect to make with items from your pantry

Course: Soup

Cuisine: American

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Total Time 2 hours hrs

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INGREDIENTS

• 4 cloves garlic finely chopped
• 2 medium onions finely chopped
• 1 red bell pepper chopped
• 1 yellow bell pepper chopped
• 3 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon chipotle chili powder
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound 85 percent lean ground beef
• 1 pound ground pork
• 1 cup water
• 1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 15-ounce can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 24-ounce can crushed tomatoes
• 1 24-ounce can diced tomatoes
• Sour cream, Shredded Cheddar, Sliced scallions for garnish – Optional

INSTRUCTIONS

• In a large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven, add the garlic, onions, bell peppers, chili powder, cumin, chipotle chili powder, oregano, and smoked paprika and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook until the vegetables are tender and seasonings are aromatic.
• Add the beef and break it up with a wooden spoon. Once beef is broken up and beginning to brown, add the pork. Break up with a wooden spoon like the beef, and brown, until no longer pink, roughly 4 minutes. Stir in the water and beans. Toss together, then add the crushed and diced tomatoes. Turn the heat down to low and simmer for 1 1/2 hours or longer or transfer to slow cooker and cook on slow for about 6 hours. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper, if necessary.
• Transfer the chili to serving bowls and garnish with lime wedges, sour cream, shredded cheese, and sliced scallions.

NOTES

Substitute meats with ground turkey, ground turkey sausage mild or hot. Beans could be the same or a variety of kidney beans. Most of the time I just use the green peppers from my freezer instead of the different color ones. It is important to cook the spices first as instructed in the recipe. It seems to make the flavors pop out more.

Like this recipe? Don’t forget to share!Follow me at @tammymylifeabundant

I also have an Instant Pot version of this chili to try also.

What is your favorite chili recipe?

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Tammy

I’m just a country girl loving my geeky life with my wonderful husband, always taking pictures, getting my hands dirty in the garden, being crafty, exploring with travels and enjoying all this on a budget. But above all, living my faith as a child of God!

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