Chili / Chili & Rice Recipe

Prep

Dice the yellow onion into small pieces. Slice the scallions separating white and green parts; mince the white parts with the garlic. Drain and rinse the kidney beans.

Brown beef

Heat a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. When hot, add the ground beef. Break it up with a spoon and cook until no longer pink and starting to brown, about 6–8 minutes. Drain excess fat if desired, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the pot for flavor.

Cook aromatics

Reduce heat to medium. Add the diced yellow onion and the white parts of the sliced scallions to the beef. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are translucent, 4–5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant.

Build the chili

Stir in 2 tablespoons tomato paste and cook 1 minute to deepen flavor. Add the crushed tomatoes, beef broth, drained kidney beans, chili powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, dried oregano, brown sugar (if using), salt, and black pepper. Stir well to combine and bring to a gentle simmer.

Simmer

Lower heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook uncovered or partially covered for 20–25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until flavors meld and chili slightly thickens. If chili becomes too thick, add up to 1/2 cup more broth or water. Taste and adjust seasoning (more salt, chili powder, or hot sauce if desired).

Finish

If you want a smoother/chunkier texture, mash a few beans with the back of a spoon or use an immersion blender for one quick pulse. Stir in sliced scallion greens just before serving to preserve freshness.

Cook rice according to package instructions so that 2 cups finished rice are ready when chili is done (typically 1 cup uncooked white rice yields about 2 cups cooked). Keep warm.

To serve over rice: spoon about 1/2 to 1 cup cooked rice into each bowl (depending on preference and appetite), then ladle 1 to 1.5 cups chili over the rice.

Add toppings: sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese and diced raw onion on top of the chili so the cheese melts slightly from the heat. Garnish with sliced scallion greens and a dash of hot sauce if using.

Serve hot with optional sides such as cornbread or tortilla chips.