Warm Up Those Insides With Some Heat
Food and Drink

Warm Up Those Insides With Some Heat

Nothing’s better in cold weather than a big pot of chili to warm up those insides with some heat. Planning to host a football watching party? How about setting up a chili bar buffet and let your guests serve themselves.

Keep things simple and cook the chili a day or two ahead so flavors can meld. Provide an assortment of toppings such as: sour cream, shredded cheese, avocado, jalapenos, chopped onions, tortilla chips, Fritos and steamed white rice.

Your guests will not be disappointed with Texas-Style Cocoa Chili, Triple Threat Chili or Samual Adams Boston Lager Chili. Check out our top chili recipe picks for easy entertaining or a quick meal with friends and family!

Southwest Chicken Chili

Photo and recipe courtesy of McCormick, McCormick.com

"Hearty chicken chili is minutes away with cooked chicken, McCormick® seasoning, canned white beans, chicken broth and chopped green chiles."

MCCORMICK
Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 25 minutes Serves: 5 Serving Size: 1 cup

 

1 teaspoon McCormick® Garlic Powder

1 teaspoon McCormick® Ground Cumin

1/2 teaspoon McCormick® Oregano Leaves

1/2 teaspoon McCormick® Cilantro Leaves

1/8 teaspoon McCormick® Ground Cayenne Red Pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1/4 cup chopped onion

1 cup chicken broth

1 can (4 1/2 ounces) chopped green chiles

1 can (19 ounces) white kidney beans, (cannellini), undrained

Mix garlic powder, cumin, oregano, cilantro and red pepper in small bowl. Set aside.

Heat oil in large skillet on medium-high heat. Add chicken and onions; cook and stir 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in chicken broth, chiles and spices; bring to boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer 15 minutes.

Stir in beans; simmer, uncovered, 5 minutes.

Merlot Chili

Photo and recipe courtesy of Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi

"Warm things up with up with Merlot Chili at your next gathering!"

Serves: 8 to 10

 

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 large cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 large jalapeño, finely chopped (remove seeds or omit completely if you don’t like spicy chili)

1 large yellow onion, chopped

1/2 pound hot Italian sausage, removed from casing

2 pounds 80% lean ground beef

1 tablespoon salt

1 tablespoon pepper

1 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 bell peppers, chopped

1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes

1 15-ounce can whole kernel corn

1 15-ounce can reduced sodium red kidney beans

1 15-ounce can low sodium black beans

1 cup Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi Merlot

Heat olive oil over medium heat. Add next three ingredients, and stir to coat with oil. Add lid, and let the onions sweat for 3 minutes. Add meat and all spices, and stir frequently until all meat is browned and cooked through, about 10 minutes. This will release a lot of moisture, so continue cooking until most of the moisture evaporates. You may have to ladle some out.

Using your hands, crush the canned tomatoes over the pot. Add the entire can this way. Add the remaining canned goods. Add the Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi Merlot. Simmer with the lid on for at least 30 minutes, but up to two hours. (Like all chili, this is best reheated and served the next day, making it a perfect dish for weeknight meals or easy entertaining!)

Serve with your favorite chili toppings, like sour cream, shredded cheese, chopped green onions, chopped jalapeño, tortilla chips or corn bread.

Texas-Style Cocoa Chili

Photo and recipe courtesy of McCormick, McCormick.com

"Unsweetened cocoa powder and chipotle chile pepper add rich flavor to this hearty Texas-style chili!"

Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 1 hour 45 mins Serves: 5 Serving Size: 1 Cup

 

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon McCormick Gourmet® Organic Garlic Powder

1 teaspoon McCormick Gourmet® Oregano, Mexican

1/2 teaspoon McCormick Gourmet® Chile Pepper, Chipotle

1/2 teaspoon McCormick Gourmet® Organic Cumin, Ground

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons oil, divided

2 pounds boneless beef chuck, cut into 1-inch cubes

1 cup chopped onion

3/4 cup water

1 1/2 cups beef stock

1 6-ounce can tomato paste

Mix cocoa powder and seasonings in small bowl. Set aside. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in large skillet on medium-high heat. Add 1/2 of the beef; brown on all sides. Remove beef from skillet. Repeat with remaining beef, adding additional 1 tablespoon oil as needed.

Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in same skillet on medium heat. Add onion; cook and stir 3 minutes. Add water; stir to loosen browned bits in bottom of skillet.

Stir in beef, beef stock, tomato paste and seasoning mixture. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low. Simmer, uncovered, 1 1/2 hours or until beef is tender, stirring occasionally. Serve over cooked rice with shredded cheese and sliced green onions, if desired.

Triple Threat Chili

excerpted from Red Hot Sriracha, by Melissa Petitto, Race Point Publishing, racepointpub.com. Used with permission. Photo by Bill Milne

"Unlike that crap boxed wine in your fridge, this’ll get even better the next day. Prep it ahead of time, allowing the smoky, slightly sweet adobo pepper enough time to mingle and make friends. "

Melissa Petitto
Serves: 8

 

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced

1 sweet onion, diced, divided

4 garlic cloves, minced

3 tablespoons sriracha

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, chopped

1 tablespoon adobo sauce

1 pound lean ground beef

1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes with juice

2 cups beef broth

1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 15-ounce can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 15-ounce can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

Sea salt, to taste

1 1/2 cups extra-sharp cheddar, grated, for serving

1 cup cilantro, chopped, for serving

1 cup sour cream, for serving

Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the bell pepper and half of the onion, and sauté, stirring occasionally, for 7 to 10 minutes, or until they begin to soften. Add the garlic, sriracha, cumin, chili powder, oregano, chipotle chile and adobo sauce. Stir constantly for 1 minute. Increase the heat to high, and add the ground beef. Cook, breaking up the meat and stirring constantly, for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the meat is no longer pink.

Add the crushed tomatoes and beef broth, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, add the beans, and simmer, partially covered, for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste the chili, and season with salt as needed.

Ladle the chili into bowls, and top with cheddar, the remaining onion, cilantro and sour cream.

Cowboy Beef Samuel Adams Boston Lager Chili

Recipe courtesy of Chef David Burke

"Includes a full bottle of Boston Lager to add some serious flavor! "

Serves: 8

 

4 pounds ground beef
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 yellow bell pepper, diced
1 yellow onion, diced
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon cayenne
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons toasted ground coriander
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 1/2 cups (12 ounces) Samuel Adams Boston Lager
1 cup whole, peeled, canned tomatoes and juices
1/2 cup tomato paste
3/4 cup drained red kidney beans
1/2 cup bottled chili sauce
1 teaspoon hot red pepper sauce, such as Tabasco
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup sour cream
1 cup chopped scallions, white and light green part

In a large, deep pot, brown the meat over medium heat, stirring until no pink remains. Lift from the pot with a slotted spoon, and set aside. Discard the fat in the pot. Add the oil and when hot, add the peppers, onion, chili powder, paprika, cayenne, cumin, coriander and thyme. Cook, stirring, for 4 to 5 minutes or until the spices are fragrant and the onions and peppers begin to soften.

Add the Samuel Adams Boston Lager, tomatoes and their juices and tomato paste, and bring to a simmer. Return the meat to the pot, and add the kidney beans and chili sauce. Stir in the hot pepper sauce, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Let the chili simmer for 45 minutes to an hour until thoroughly cooked and the flavors come together. Stir several times during cooking, and adjust the heat to maintain the simmer. Serve the chili in bowls, with shredded cheese, sour cream and scallions for garnish.

Original All American Chili

Photo and recipe courtesy of McCormick, McCormick.com

"Traditional All-American Chili really delivers a hearty flavor. This one-pot meal tastes great served with corn bread."

MCCORMICK
Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook Time: 25 minutes Serves: 4 Serving Size: 1 cup

 

1 pound lean ground beef

2 tablespoons McCormick® Chili Powder

2 tablespoons McCormick® Onions, Minced

1 teaspoon sugar, (optional)

1/4 teaspoon McCormick® Garlic Salt

1 15-ounce can red kidney beans, undrained

1 8-ounce can tomato sauce

1 tablespoon white vinegar

Cook ground beef and onion in large skillet on medium-high heat until beef is no longer pink, stirring occasionally. Drain fat, if needed. Stir in spices and remaining ingredients. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve with shredded cheese, sour cream and chopped onion, if desired.