10 Healthy Chili Recipes (For Fall And Winter)

Beef broth, chicken broth, vegetable broth, or water plus the liquid from canned tomatoes (whether it’s crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, fire roasted tomatoes, tomato sauce, or tomato paste) is often what creates the liquid in a chili recipe. White chili recipes may contain cream, half-and-half, or coconut milk in place of the tomato products.  

Chili is most often made from tomato products, such as crushed, diced, or canned tomatoes. Plus, it features a variety of diced vegetables and spices, such as a few tablespoons chili powder, ground cumin, garlic powder, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper or chipotle pepper (for spice), oregano, salt, and black pepper. The vegetables that are most common in chili include yellow onions, minced garlic, green bell peppers, and red bell peppers. Often chili will contain a cooked protein, such as ground beef, ground turkey, or diced steak. And chili often – but not always – contains beans. 

Pinto beans, black beans, and red kidney beans are the most common bean types in chili. Some recipes include lentils, navy beans, or even garbanzo beans.

Chili is usually thick because of the ratio of vegetables, beans, and protein to liquid. Typically chili has less liquid than soup or stew, which is why chili is associated with being thick. If your chili is not thick enough to your liking, you can add additional ingredients. Such as more beans, or use a thickening agent, such as flour or cornstarch to make a roux that gets stirred into the simmering chili. 

If you’ll be eating the leftovers within 5 days, then you can store chili in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheat individual servings in the microwave or reheat a larger portion in a pot on the stovetop. 
If you want to freeze leftovers for next week, or even next month, transfer leftovers to a freezer-safe bag or container. Then, freeze for up to 3 months. Transfer the frozen chili to the refrigerator to thaw for 24 hours before reheating it on the stovetop.