40 Classic & Creative Chili Recipes To Keep You Warm All Winter Long
Prepare to lose all your chill over these recipes.
As soon as the weather even thinks about turning colder, we start 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 40 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 or our turkey chili. Alternatively, skip the meat and bulk it out with extra beans or veggies, like in our vegan white bean chili, vegetarian, or pumpkin chilis. Not so into beans? Try our Texas chili, our Outback Steakhouse Tasmanian 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. Macaroni & cheese is a perfect match, so we’ve included a number of variations on it here, like our one-pot vegetarian chili mac, our chili mac, and our mac & chili stew. 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.
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.
Chorizo Breakfast Chili
Are you looking to shake up your current breakfast repertoire? Tired of the same old eggs and toast? Give your mornings a spicy twist with chorizo breakfast chili. It’s a delicious way to turn the classic comfort food into a satisfying breakfast packed with flavor.
Get the Chorizo Breakfast Chili recipe.
Classic Chili
If you’re looking for the most classic chili to come home to after a long day, then this is the recipe for you. While many chili recipes call for simmering for at least an hour (sometimes even more), our best-ever beef chili can be made in just 40 minutes.
Get the Classic Chili recipe.
Chili-Stuffed Cornbread
Cheesy chili-stuffed cornbread is what happens when cornbread gets tired of being a sidekick and decides to break into a leading role. It’s hearty, a little messy, and unapologetically extra, the kind of dish that makes you wonder why you ever settled for plain in the first place.
Get the Chili-Stuffed Cornbread recipe.
One-Pot Greek Chicken Chili
Featuring tender pieces of dark meat chicken, creamy white beans, and tender veggies, this cozy Greek-inspired chili is the perfect filling-but-not-too-heavy dinner for those extra-chilly nights. Flavored with a bouquet of hearty herbs, this stew is easy to throw together in one pot for minimal mess and maximum flavor.
Get the One-Pot Greek Chicken Chili recipe.
Cincinnati Chili
From the classic Texas red to the New Mexican chile verde, there are nearly infinite varieties of classic American chili, but few are as unique as Cincinnati chili. If you’ve never heard of this classic variation, then get ready: With a tweaked sauce, spaghetti, and beans (on TOP of the chili), this recipe is anything but boring.
Get the Cincinnati Chili recipe.
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.
Vegan White Bean Chili
Whether you’re full-time vegan or just love a plant-based moment, vegan chili is where it’s at. This flavor-packed vegan spin on our white chicken chili has so much goodness going on and all of the fresh, crunchy toppings too
Get the Vegan White Bean Chili recipe.
Outback Steakhouse Tasmanian Chili
While we have tons of great chili recipes—white chicken, vegetarian, Instant Pot—this copycat Outback Steakhouse Tasmanian Chili stands out as one of the best. This Texas-style chili is loaded with tender pieces of steak, plenty of spices, and a thick tomato-chili base.
Turkey Chili
Wintertime means chili-time, and there is absolutely no reason why a turkey chili needs to be second to a more classic beef chili. This easy chili is full of warm spices and double the amount of beans for a thick, meaty chili that’s every bit as filling. Plus it’s more heart healthy!
Get the Turkey Chili recipe.
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.
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.
Slow-Cooker Quinoa Chili
Chili is a hearty, flavorful, and easy-to-make meal. This version will fit any vegan and gluten-free lifestyle while also having meat-eaters coming back for seconds. It’s perfect for using up leftover veggies from your fridge too, making it a great fridge cleanout meal.
Get the Slow-Cooker Quinoa Chili recipe.
Skillet Chili & Meatballs
Rather than crumbling the ground meat as in classic chili, you'll form those same elements into perfect meatballs. Bathed in a tasty chili sauce, the dish becomes a dip and an app all in one! Thanks to two cans of beans—one black and one kidney—this filling, hearty meal is perfect for a laid-back dinner too.
Get the Skillet Chili & Meatballs recipe.
Chili Cheese Dog Sliders
Pull-apart sliders are the best way to feed a hungry crowd, especially these inspired by chili dogs! We particularly love this recipe because you don't need to cook anything beforehand, and the whole process takes less than a half hour.
Get the Chili Cheese Dog Sliders recipe.
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.
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.
Instant Pot Chili
No more sweating over a hot stove, forever standing and stirring and standing and stirring…. okay, one thing you definitely want to do is to first sauté the veggies; that is a crucial step. After that, though, it's all set-it-and-forget-it ease.
Get the Instant Pot Chili recipe.
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.
