25+ Leftover Chili Recipes » LeelaLicious (2024)

FAQs

What adds the most flavor to chili? ›

Spices: While cumin, chile powder, and cayenne pepper tend to be common additions to many chili recipes, there's a broad world of flavor out there to experiment with. Try a little fenugreek, turmeric, garam masala, or sumac to layer in more complex flavors.

Only Add Flavorful Liquids

Instead of adding water to your chili, add some more flavor with chicken or beef broth, red wine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, or even beet or wine. Each one of these options brings out different notes and levels of sweetness that will enhance your culinary creation.

Chili cooks low and slow, so you need enough liquid to tenderize the meat and keep everything from drying out. That liquid should also add flavor to the chili, so use chicken, beef, or vegetable stock, or beer.

The ideal simmer time is typically between one to three hours on a medium-low heat. This allows the flavors to meld and the chili to thicken to the desired consistency. For a deeper flavor, a longer simmer on low heat works wonders, but even a one-hour simmer can yield a delicious result.

When making chili, former Southern Living Test Kitchen Director, Robby Melvin, recommends using a mix of ground chuck and ground sirloin. "It's the best of both worlds," he says. "You get a balanced lean-to-fat ratio from the chuck and the hearty, beefy leanness from the sirloin."

Beans and non-vegetable fillers such as rice and pasta are not allowed." If that sounds a bit uptight, the ICS's Homestyle Chili competition defines chili as: "any kind of meat, or combination of meats, and/or vegetables cooked with beans, chili peppers, various spices, and other ingredients.

Sometimes after a long simmer, your chili will taste wonderful be maybe missing one little thing you can't figure out. Try a tad bit of vinegar or a squeeze of lime! The acidity in vinegar & limes bring a good roundness to the pot and binds all the flavors together.

Acids enhance the salty, umami-rich flavors already present in chili, and round out the sweetness, adding intricacy to the dish. Apple cider vinegar is versatile with a light, fruity flavor, but red wine and balsamic vinegar are both good choices for heavier chilis that need something bolder.

The best beans for chili are pinto, kidney, and black beans, like in this easy and tasty recipe. This 3-bean chili freezes great for meals later in the week. If you prefer thinner chili, add an extra can of tomato sauce. The green chiles are not hot and add a wonderful flavor, so don't be afraid to use them.

Why is leftover chili so good? ›

There's some quick science going on here: Aromatics like onions, garlic, chiles, and spices release their volatile oils as they cook, and while they cool they continue to release. Meats release collagen as they cook, but when they cool down, they gelatinize and trap more of those aromatics.

Tomato paste is a great way to add bonus tomato flavor, and thickness, to a chili recipe. To get the best flavor it needs to be browned. Add a couple tablespoons (or a whole can if you want a thicker soup base) directly to the pan after cooking the meat and onions.

Gives the chili a hint of chocolate flavor as well as the richness from the beer. I have added it many times - in my opinion it should be a very small amount - I don't want to taste it, but I want it to enhance the intended flavors. A tiny bit of cinnamon really brings out the taste of the chilis.

Add garlic, cumin, and probably more salt. Chipotle chili powder is really nice in chili. Just add a little at a time until it tastes the way you want it too.

Ground Beef: Provides the hearty meaty base for the chili. Opt for 85% lean; the fat enriches the meat, enhancing the dish's overall flavor and texture. And don't stress about the fat—post-cooking, it's easy to skim off any excess. Baking Soda: Helps tenderize the beef by locking in moisture, making it more succulent.

Bay leaves, dried basil, and cumin seeds can be added to chili to tone down tomato flavor. You can also use bell peppers and onion cubes to soak up the tomato flavor. Likewise, you can also add something sweet to balance off the tomato, such as dark chocolate or jelly.

Bring on the Heat

Canned tomatoes with green chiles, chili powder, ground black pepper and cayenne all add varying amounts of heat to the chili. If you want to really turn things up, use hot chili powder and the full amount of cayenne pepper. Also, make sure your spices are fresh.