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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!
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:Â
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
Servings: 8
Calories Per Serving: 610 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
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!
So much flavor. I used diced chicken thighs and omitted the cheddar. It didn’t need it but the cream cheese is a must. Makes it so creamy! Addictive too. We couldn’t stop eating it.
Love your recipes! I you continue to amaze me with your flavor combinations.
Thanks so much, Laura:) I’m so glad to hear this recipe turned out nicely and appreciate you making it! XxT
I made this last night with some of our local beef. It was wonderful and makes a huge batch! I froze half, and will eat the other half over the next couple days. It was spicier than I thought it would be – I would rate it a moderate spice level. It was perfect for my husband and I, but if you prefer more mild food (I’m looking at you midwesterners) it might be too spicy. I omitted the butter and swapped the poblano pepper for half an Anaheim pepper as that’s what I had. I added English coastal cheddar for the cheese and a combination of cream cheese and mascarpone to use up some ingredients in the fridge. We topped it with Greek yogurt, cilantro, and a bit more shredded cheddar and served it with freshly baked sourdough beer bread. **chef’s kiss**
Hey Kristin,
Happy Tuesday!! I appreciate you trying this recipe and sharing all of your notes! I’m so glad to hear the chili turned out well for you! xT
I don’t have the Gochujang chili paste, so I used a bit of harissa instead. We used ground turkey, cooked in olive oil. That beer for the beer bread? We put in the chili instead, with the broth! 🙂 The cream cheese stirred in at the end really does make it. Cheddar grated on top was divine. Thank you, Tieghan!
Hey Holly,
Love this!! Thanks so much for trying this chili and sharing what worked well for you, so glad it was a hit! xT
Hi do you have recommendations for adjusting to make in an Instant Pot?
Hi there,
So sorry, I have not tested this recipe in the instant pot, I would probably try 15 minutes on high pressure. I hope you love this recipe! xx
This recipe is perfect for warming up on chilly days! I love how easy it is to make in one pot, and the addition of chipotle—one of my favorite seasonings—adds such a smoky depth. I can’t wait to try it out, especially with all those delicious toppings like Greek yogurt, avocado, and green onions. Thank you for sharing this comforting dish! https://justfoodandlife.com/
Thanks so much, Mia!! I hope you love this recipe! xT
I wasn’t sure about the gochujang and butter, so just used 2T of each. Made with turkey and left the shredded cheese to be a topper instead of mixing it in. LOVED IT!! Thanks, Tieghan.
Love to hear this, Amy! Thank you so much for trying this chili and your feedback! Have the best Sunday! xx
Made this tonight and family loved it! Like some others, made with turkey and it was excellent. Such a great combination of flavors. This will be a go-to chili recipe.
Yay!! So glad to hear this, Emily! Thanks so much for making this recipe and your comment! xx
I made it with ground chicken. DELISH! This will be my forever go-to chili recipe. Thank you!
Hey Doreen! Happy Sunday!ðŸ‚ðŸ Thanks a lot for trying this recipe and your comment, love to hear it turned out well! x
I made this recipe last night and absolutely love it. Very rich and satisfying. Easy to make. Will put on regular rotation.
Thanks so much, Pam! Love to hear this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for making it! Have the best weekend! xx
Looks pretty good.
BUT PLEASE. NO BEANS IN THE CHILI.
NOPUTTADABEANSINDACHILI!
Thanks so much, Pat! Feel free to omit the beans to your liking:) xx
Genuine question, do you just say recipes are your families favorite for SEO? All of these recipes cannot be family favorites especially when you have just developed them, it just seems unauthentic at this point.
Kelly. You need to find something else to do with yourself. My family has tons of favorite dishes and there has never been a bad recipe that I have made from Tieghan. Everyone has loved them and wanted the recipe to try with their family and friends. If you have nothing nice to say, don’t say it.
Never said this recipe or any of her recipes weren’t good, was asking a question about SEO wording vs if these are actually family favorites. This was not a mean comment. She has said in the past she words things for SEO, which to me seems unauthentic
OMG I saw my name and my heart stopped. I just came here to add that Tieghan gets a lot of rude and picky comments. And I agree, I love everything I have tried!!! If it didn’t come out as expected.. then it was because I made a silly mistake somewhere. I think some people don’t know the fundamentals of cooking and that is why they have such hard times making her recipes. (at least from what I noticed). Be nicer people.
I made this for dinner tonight. It was delicious! After making chili for 40+ plus years, my husband said “ Good Chili, is this a new recipe?â€He always appreciates my cooking. Been pkanning my Thanksgiving dinner menu from your recipes. I have all of your cookbooks so far and can’t wait for new one to arrivelster this month
Hey Karen,
Awesome!! Thanks a bunch for making this recipe and your comment, so glad to hear it was enjoyed! Thanks for your support, I hope you love the new cookbook as much as I do:) Happy Friday! XxT
I am a huge Half-Baked Harvest fan. I have made this comment before, and I am going to share it again. I print your recipes to an Adobe pdf file that I store on my computer. Since you switched to the Jupiter Shop Printing System, there is no banner, footnote or any information in the printed recipe file that identifies it as a Half-Baked Harvest recipe. I believe you should be receiving credit for every printed recipe from your website, but you are not.
Hi Earline,
Thanks so much for making so many recipes and your kind message! We appreciate you sharing this feedback and will look into getting the HBH logo added again. xT