Bacon Chili

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This bacon chili recipe is easy to make in just 30 minutes on the stovetop. Chili with bacon is a super quick, hearty, family-friendly dinner!

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free, Low Lactose

Servings: Servings

Author: Laura

Cost: $10

Equipment

Ingredients

16 ounces bacon (diced)
1 pound ground beef
½ cup onion (diced)
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
1 bell pepper (diced)
28 ounces diced tomatoes
15 ounces tomato sauce
4 Tablespoons chili seasoning (1.3 ounces)
15 ounces kidney beans (drained and rinsed)
4 ounce green chiles
½ cup corn

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Cook the diced bacon over medium heat in a large pot until it has browned and released fat.
Then, add the ground beef and cook until the meat is just barely still pink stirring often, breaking the meat into small pieces as you go.
Next, add the onion, minced garlic and bell pepper – cover and cook until the meet is no longer pink and vegetables are slightly soft, stirring often .
Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, chilies, chili seasoning, beans and corn and stir.
Bring the chili to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and simmer for at least 15 minutes before serving.
Serve with your favorite chili toppings like sour cream, green onions, cheddar cheese, and crushed tortilla chips.

Video

Notes

Ingredient Substitution Notes

Bacon. Use regular pork bacon (not turkey bacon) for this recipe. You can choose your favorite bacon variety (smoked, etc.)
Ground beef. I’ve used both 85/15% and 93/7% lean ground beef with great results. Or try turkey chili, chicken chili, or vegetarian chili.
Bell pepper. any color variety of bell pepper works well in this recipe. If you like to add some heat, add some spicier peppers.
Chili seasoning. Use a packet or make your own homemade chili seasoning.
Diced tomatoes. regular or fire-roasted both work well.
Tomato sauce. use pure tomato sauce not a pasta sauce.
Kidney Beans. this recipe calls for one can of beans, you can add more (up to 2 cans total).
Green chiles. mild or diced are both great choices.
Corn. Fresh and frozen corn both work well in this chili recipe.

Store

Store leftover bacon chili in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.

Freeze

Let the chili cool to room temperature then transfer it to an airtight, freezer-friendly container and freeze for up to 2 months.

To thaw, remove it from the freezer and let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Or, thaw in a stockpot over the lowest heat - stirring often. You can also thaw in the microwave.

Nutrition