Shortly after our oldest son was born, my friend Nicole brought us some tortilla soup for dinner. We loved the flavor, so I asked for the recipe. As I scanned the list of ingredients she gave me, I had two thoughts:
- This recipe is ridiculously easy.
- If I leave the water out, this will make darn good chili.
And just like that, The Easiest Chili Ever came into our lives. We affectionately call it “Five Can Chili.”
As you can probably guess, this dish gets its name from the fact that nearly everything in it comes from a can. While I typically prefer to use fresh ingredients, sometimes it’s nice to know that if I have the requisite five cans, taco seasoning, and some ground beef in the freezer, I can have a hearty, healthy dinner on the table in less than thirty minutes. This recipe has come to my rescue many times when Dinner Plan A didn’t work out, and I needed a Plan B pronto.
Over the years, I’ve tried a few other chili recipes with fancier ingredients, more steps, and longer cooking times, but every time I serve those more “sophisticated” dishes to my kids, they take one taste and say, “Mom, could you just make normal chili next time?” Given how much faster and easier “normal” chili is, it’s hard to argue with a request that makes my life simpler and my kids happier.
Of course, you can customize this recipe to fit your particular chili tastes. You could toss in some diced bell pepper while you’re browning the beef, add a tablespoon of chipotle pepper in adobo sauce for some rich smokiness, or even stir in a little chocolate and then serve it Cincinnati style (over noodles). Or you could just enjoy the bright, simple flavors of the original recipe.
- ½ pound ground beef
- 1 small green bell pepper, seeded and diced (optional)
- 2 tablespoons low-sodium, mild taco seasoning (half of a 1 ounce packet)
- ½ cup tomato sauce (half of an 8 ounce can)
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 1 (15 ounce) can corn, drained (or 2 cups frozen corn)
- 1 (15 ounce) can chili beans, undrained
- 1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- In a large skillet, cook the beef and optional bell pepper over medium heat until beef is no longer pink; drain.
- Stir in taco seasoning, then add remaining ingredients. Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes, or just until heated through if you’re in a hurry.
Don't want to waste the other half of that can of tomato sauce? I pour it into a small container and freeze it until the next time I make chili. Or you could just pour the whole can into your pot, if you like chili with lots of tomato flavor.
Looking for more dinner recipes to chase the chill away?
