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Easy Chipotle Cheddar Beef Chili. My family’s favorite quick and easy chili recipe – perfect for cold fall and winter nights. Ground beef (or use ground chicken or turkey), seasoned with a homemade chili seasoning mix, then mixed with onions, poblano peppers, canned tomatoes, tomato paste, Gochujang chile paste, butter, tamari/soy sauce, and broth. Simmer the chili on the stove, then just before serving, mix in a bit of cheddar and cream cheese to balance the spice and add a touch of creaminess to this delicious, hearty chili! Ladle into bowls and top each with your favorite chili toppings. Make the meal even better with a side of homemade beer bread. Yum!
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I’ve been so excited to share this chili that I actually waited well over a month to share it. Originally, I wanted to share this on Halloween since I often serve my Nonnie’s chili on Halloween night. However, I decided to wait one more week for the snow to arrive.
After just about a full week of snow here in Colorado, I can officially say that it really is chili season!
This is one of the simplest chili recipes, but it’s still so flavorful. To be very honest, it’s not too different from my Nonnie’s beef chili, which I shared in the newest HBH cookbook, Quick & Cozy.
One ingredient sets this chili apart: chile paste. For the longest time, I’ve been using Gochujang chile paste to spice up and add flavor to many dishes that are not Asian-inspired. I always find Gochujang to add just the right amount of spiciness without being too spicy.
It’s SO GOOD.
Last year, I braised short ribs with Gochujang and thought they turned out really great! That recipe made me think that I should use Gochujang in my classic chili recipe in place of the cayenne and hot sauce.
It honestly came out tasting fantastic with the best flavor. This Gochujang really is the secret. It makes the best pot of chili!
These are the details
Ingredients
- ground beef, or try using ground bison, chicken, or turkey
- yellow onions
- poblano peppers
- chili powder, chipotle Chile powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, cumin
- crushed fire-roasted tomatoes
- tomato paste
- diced green chiles
- Gochujang
- salted butter
- tamari/soy sauce, or season the chili with salt
- broth
- cream cheese
- mixed chili beans or black beans
- cilantro and green onions
- plenty of cheddar cheese, avocado, and yogurt for serving
Special Tools
None! All you need is a nice big chili pot. This recipe is basically effortless!
Steps
Step 1: brown the beef
Brown the meat. I love to use ground beef or mix ground beef with ground bison. But as mentioned in the recipe, you can use ground chicken or ground turkey too. Use whatever you and your family enjoy the most!
Once the meat is broken up and browned, almost everything else will go into the pot to simmer!
Step 2: add everything else
Now, mix in the peppers, the onions, and all the seasonings: chili powder, chipotle powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and cumin.
Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste (I use the entire can!), green chilies, and Gochujang. Then add some salted butter and a good splash of tamari or soy sauce (whatever you use at home) to the chili. These two ingredients sound like they might not be necessary, but trust me. Both add a nice depth of flavor while seasoning the meat.
Mix in some broth, I always use bone broth.
Step 3: let the chili cook
At this point, you can cook the chili for 30 minutes, all afternoon, or even all day, then let it sit overnight and serve the following day. I always find chili to be best the longer it has to slow cook.
When you let it sit overnight, the spices meld, making everything even more flavorful.
Step 4: finish it
Just before serving, mix in the cream cheese. This balances the heat from the chili paste so that the chili is still spicy but not SO spicy. It’s perfect.
The Toppings
Over here, you can’t make chili without adding all the best toppings. Chili is only made better with toppings.
How to layer
I layer as follows: shredded sharp cheddar cheese (my mom taught me this growing up, always add cheddar to beef chili), a dollop of plain Greek yogurt, and sliced avocados. Then sprinkle on plenty of fresh cilantro and green onions too.
And no bowl of chili is complete without beer bread. Both are great together!
Looking for other fall dinners with a little kick? Here are a few ideas:
Healthy Slow Cooker Turkey and White Bean Chili
Healthy Slow Cooker Chipotle Bean Chili
One Skillet Saucy Chicken Tortilla Enchilada Rice Bake
Healthy Chipotle Chicken Sweet Potato Skins
Slow Cooker Chipotle Chicken Tortilla Soup with Salty Lime Chips
Crockpot Chipotle Queso Chicken Chili
Lastly, if you make this Easy Chipotle Cheddar Beef Chili. be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. If you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Easy Chipotle Cheddar Beef Chili
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground beef, (or use ground chicken or ground pork)
- 2 yellow onions, chopped
- 2 poblano peppers, seeded and chopped
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons chipotle chile powder
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 can (28 ounce) crushed fire roasted tomatoes
- 1 can (8 ounce) tomato paste
- 1 can (4 ounce) diced green chilies
- 2-3 tablespoons Gochujang chili paste, to your taste
- 3 tablespoons salted butter
- 3 tablespoons tamari/soy sauce
- 2-3 cups chicken or beef broth
- 6 ounces cream cheese (at room temperature)
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 can mixed chili beans, drained
- cilantro, green onion, avocado and Greek yogurt, for serving
Instructions
- 1. In a large dutch oven set over medium-high heat, brown the meat and onions all over, breaking up the meat as you go, about 5 minutes.2. Add the poblanos, chili powder, chipotle powder, garlic powder, paprika, and cumin. Cook for 5 minutes, until fragrant. Mix in the tomatoes, tomato paste, Gochujang, butter, and diced chilies. Pour over 2 cups of broth. Add the tamari. Stir to combine. Partially cover and cook on low for 1-2 hours or up to all day, stirring every hour.3. Towards the end of cooking, stir in the cream cheese, cheddar cheese, and beans. Cook until the cheese melts, 5 minutes.4. Ladle the chili into bowls. Top, as desired. I like Greek yogurt/sour cream, cheese, avocado, cilantro, and green onions. Eat and enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
next time I’d saute the onions first, bc the turkey and onions together just steamed the onions. way too much liquid in the pot. waiting for it to brown now…….
Hi Amy,
Thanks so much for trying this recipe and sharing your feedback. I hope it tastes great!
Made this tonight, my husband said 10 out of 10. We all loved it!
Hey Kathryn,
Amazing! Thanks for making this recipe and your feedback, love to hear it turned out!
Have a nice week!
Love this chili, I have made it twice and will make it for Super Bowl this weekend. Question..I hadn’t noticed before that in the video you had added a couple of bay leaf’s, but it isn’t listed in the ingredients. I have made it without but was wondering if I am missing out by not adding the bay leaf’s. Thank you!
Hey Donna,
Amazing! Love to hear this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a bunch for making it and taking the time to comment!
You can totally add a bay leaf if you have them on hand:)
Hi Tieghan! Can’t wait to make this for my Dad & Brothers on Boxing Day! Just wondering how spicy it is? Would omitting the poblano’s make it mild? Curious how much spice they contribute? (health reasons for a family member) Thank you !! 🙂
Hey Erin,
Thanks so much! I wouldn’t say this recipe is too spicy, but you could reduce or omit the poblano peppers, that would be perfectly okay.
I hope you love this recipe!
super delicious recipe!
Hey Hallie,
Yay! Love to hear this dish turned out nicely for you, I appreciate you making it! Happy Holidays!
I can’t do a ton of dairy. Is this still good without the cream cheese? Thanks!!
Hi Kristen,
Yes, that is just fine for you to omit:) I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try!
Do you have an easy way to convert this into an InstaPot recipe?!
Hi Gabriela,
So sorry, I’ve not made this as an instant pot recipe, so I do not have those instructions. Please let me know if you have any other questions!
I’ve made this several times, and it is always a hit. Yum!
H Jody,
Awesome! Love to hear this recipe always turns out well for you, thanks for making it and your comment!
Have a great weekend!
This was delish! I couldn’t find diced chiles so I added another can of diced tomatoes with chiles. I added more beef, a chili seasoning packet and an extra can of beans. I didn’t use the chili oil or put the cheddar cheese in it. Definitely a keeper!
Hey Melanie,
Thanks so much! I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe and appreciate the feedback! Happy Tuesday!
Hi! An alternative you would recommend in lieu of the cream cheese to make this a dairy free option?
Hi Erika,
I would use a dairy free cream cheese, your local grocery store should have some nice options! Please let me know if you have any other questions!
This recipe turned out so well! My boyfriend loved the deep flavors and asked me to add it to our weekly rotation of meals. I baked some cornbread to go with it too! We couldn’t find the green chilies at our local grocery store but it still tasted amazing.
Hey Julianne,
Happy Monday! I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed this recipe. Thanks a lot for making it and your comment!
Absolutely fantastic! My family loved it!
Hey Joan,
Happy Sunday! Thanks a lot for making this recipe and your comment. So glad to hear it was enjoyed!
How does this chili do in a crock pot?
Hi Kristy,
I’ve never actually done this recipe in the crockpot, but you could certainly give it a try!
Please let me know if I can help in any other way!
I made this last night in the crock pot and it’s awesome. It doesn’t need to cook for more than 4 hours on low. I added extra broth to make sure it didn’t dry out but I’m in Colorado high altitude. I love half baked harvest!!! Thank you Tieghan
Hey Taryn,
Awesome!! I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe and thanks for sharing what worked well for you! Happy Fall!
Great recipe! Is it possible to freeze the chili to consume at a later date? If so, is it better to freeze it prior or after adding the cream cheese? Thanks!
Hi Nicola,
Fantastic! Thanks a bunch for making this recipe and your feedback, I’m so glad to hear it turned out well!
Yes, you can totally freeze this, I would do so before you add the cream cheese.
Planning to make this. Is it ok if I half this recipe for a smaller batch? Can I just cut all ingredients in half?
Hey there,
You bet, that will work nicely for you! I hope you love this recipe, let me know if you give it a try!
Sorry one more question – if I decide to skip the beans is there anything different I should do during the cooking?
You can keep everything the same:)