Prepare to lose all your chill.
During the chilly months, we're constantly craving warm, comforting meals to warm us up when the weather turns cold. Step aside salads—we're turning to warming winter dinners like casseroles, soups, stews, and of course, chilis. Hearty and versatile, we love switching up this staple dish depending on what we're craving and what we have on hand. Feeling chilly? From classic recipes to creative variations, our 35 best chili recipes will have you cozying up to this hearty dish all winter long.
At its most basic, chili is a type of stew usually made out of beans, ground meat, spices, and tomatoes, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t room for creativity. Our beef chili is our most classic, but you can always change things up. You can make it with other ground meat, like in our white bean chicken chili, our pulled pork chili, our spicy turkey chili, or our braised short rib sweet potato chili. Alternatively, skip the meat and bulk it out with extra beans or veggies, like in our vegan, vegetarian, or pumpkin chilis. Not so into beans? Try our Texas chili or our chili con carne instead. Though chili is often made on the stove, it can be a long process—make it easier on yourself by making it in your slow-cooker or Instant Pot. Our recipes will make it taste like it’s been cooking for hours, but only take about 40 minutes.
Now you’ve got your chili recipes down, it’s time to mix them up with other comfort food classics. is a perfect match, so we’ve included a number of variations on it here, like our one-pot vegetarian chili mac, our , and our . Chili dogs are another fantastic option—check out our chili cheese dog casserole, our vegan chili dogs, our chili cheese dog sliders, or our chili cheese dog bread for variations on the theme.
Want more fall and winter recipes? Check out our top fall dinners, our best slow-cooker recipes, and our favorite Dutch oven recipes too.
1
Creamy Gochujang White Chicken Chili
This creamy, red-tinted spin on white chicken chili incorporates gochujang for a unique spin on a classic winter dinner. Gochujang, an umami-packed Korean red chili paste that is both sweet and savory, gives lots of chili flavor without adding a ton of heat, meaning this can be enjoyed by everyone in the family (even the spice-averse).
Get the Creamy Gochujang White Chicken Chili recipe.
2
Chili Cheese Sweet Potato Casserole
If you think every bowl of chili should be hidden under mounds of melty cheese and a big dollop of sour cream, this is the casserole for you. With roasted sweet potatoes and black bean chili layered together under a gooey blanket of cheese, this easy vegetarian weeknight dinner is both incredibly comforting and surprisingly hearty.
Get the Chili Cheese Sweet Potato Casserole recipe.
3
White Chicken Chili
The white beans make it heartier than your average chicken noodle soup, the green chiles and jalapeño add just the right amount of spice, and a dollop of sour cream adds a tangy creaminess that keeps you coming back for more. Considering the whole thing comes together in less than an hour, it's a total weeknight dinner winner.
Get the White Chicken Chili recipe.
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4
Beef Chili
Lots of other recipes call for simmering for at least an hour, sometimes even more. But that’s tough when you are looking to get dinner on the table after a long workday. Ours is a chili recipe that you can make in just 40 minutes!
Get the Beef Chili recipe.
5
Slow-Cooker Turkey Chili
Having a big bowl of chili ready at the end of the day is what a perfect winter dinner is all about. This slow-cooker recipe makes serving up dinner as easy as possible, so you can have a warm and cozy bowl with very minimal effort (and dishes).
Get the Slow-Cooker Turkey Chili recipe.
6
Instant Pot Chili
Resist the temptation for a quick release once your Instant Pot timer goes off. Why? Chemical reactions take place while foods cook AND while they cool down. A longer cooling time means more time for those reactions to take place, augmenting flavor for best results.
Get the Instant Pot Chili recipe.
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7
Chili Cheese Dip
With just a little more cooking time than the average recipe, our version of chili cheese dip uses the added flavors of caramelized onion and jalapeño to spice up the classic creamy queso.
Get the Chili Cheese Dip recipe.
8
Vegan Chili
Sweet potato, black beans, pinto beans, and a whole bottle of beer (like Modelo) come together to make a super-hearty meatless chili.
Get the Vegan Chili recipe.
9
One-Pot Vegetarian Chili Mac
Looking for a hearty weeknight dinner this fall? Our smoky vegetarian chili mac is here to save the day! It all comes together in one pot, and it's SUPER-versatile. Throw in your favorite bean and pasta shape, melt in your favorite cheese, and top with whatever you like, as long as it's crunchy.
Get the One-Pot Vegetarian Chili Mac recipe.
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10
Chili Cheese Dog Casserole
Canned chili and crescent roll dough makes this recipe ridiculously easy. It can be served as a main course or as a fun addition to any game day party spread. If you've got a little more time on your hands, try it with homemade chili instead.
Get the Chili Cheese Dog Casserole recipe.
11
Copycat Wendy's Chili
Fun fact: Chili was one of the few original menu items that stood loud and proud when Wendy's first opened in 1969. Having it on the menu along with burgers, fries, and milkshakes allowed them to stand out from other fast food spots and helped them to eliminate food waste by using the leftover burger patties. Smart!
Get the Copycat Wendy's Chili recipe.
12
Pumpkin Chili
This "pumpkin" chili recipe actually uses *plot twist* kabocha squash. It eats like a cross between butternut squash and a starchy sweet potato, complex with floral aromas and earthy chestnut notes that makes this chili something extra special.
Get the Pumpkin Chili recipe.
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13
Vegan Chili Dog
We have to be honest, these meatless chili dogs might be better than the meat-full version. Sure it's hard to replicate the snap of a true hot dog with plant-based ingredients, but this complex chili is truly world-changing. You're going to want to put it on way more than just veggie dogs. We see chili mac, tamale pie, and plenty of chili fries in your future.
Get the Vegan Chili Dog recipe.
14
Chili Con Carne
Looking for the best chili of your life? This chili is hefty with a sauce so good you'll want to lick every last drop. The secret is to cut the beef small and to get it nice and crispy before adding it to the chili. The sugar and vinegar will help offset the heat and make it truly irresistible.
Get the Chili Con Carne recipe.
15
Crockpot White Chicken Chili
Our slow-cooker white chicken chili couldn't be easier, and we love the texture it takes on once the beans are partially mashed. It might feel weird to use a potato masher in your slow-cooker, but trust us, it's worth it! This hearty chili will keep you full all winter long.
Get the Crockpot White Chicken Chili recipe.
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16
Vegetarian Chili
This vegetarian chili is still every bit as warm, comforting, and filling as a classic beef chili. Three types of beans do the heavy lifting in the chili and "beef" it up. It's filled with warm spices, and a jalapeño adds a little extra heat. Add a second or keep the seeds in for even more spice!
Get the Vegetarian Chili recipe.
17
Walt Disney's Chili
Yep, this was Walt Disney’s favorite chili recipe, and it’s about to become yours too. It’s gotten a little spicier over the years, but it’s every bit as hearty as Walt’s original.
Get the Walt Disney's Chili recipe.
18
Keto Chili
Most Texans will tell you that beans do NOT belong in chili, so we felt just fine leaving both out of this keto version. Here, a deep savory beef broth base is spiked with chili powder, cumin, and paprika, and filled with beef and vegetables. Topped with fresh green onions, crispy bacon, and creamy avocado, this hearty stew is sure to please any crowd, keto or not.
Get the Keto Chili recipe.
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19
Paleo Chili
Since fruits are tricky ingredients to navigate on a paleo diet, it might come as a surprise that you can eat tomatoes. They're relatively low on the glycemic index, so as long as you don't go overboard, you're good. Fire-roasted tomatoes + lots of chili powder, cumin, and oregano = big chili flavor.
Get the Paleo Chili recipe.
20
Sweet Potato Chili
Loaded with Italian sausage, sweet potatoes, and spices, this is a chili that will definitely warm you up without weighing you down. It might just become your new winter favorite.
Get the Sweet Potato Chili recipe.
