Deep-Flavour Beef Bean Chili with Beef Chuck
Searing the beef first builds the dark, savory base here. At eight servings, it's the pick for feeding a crowd on a cold night.
seared beef, serves eight
11 Simple Chili Recipes from Beef to White Chicken
Curated by Andre BrooksUpdated November 3, 2026
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Chili is one of the easiest dinners to plan around. Most nights, one pot is enough. This collection gathers 11 simple chili recipes for weeknights, slow cooker days, and any night you're feeding a crowd.
The lineup covers beef, turkey, chicken, and bean pots. Several are written for the slow cooker, so you can start one before work. A homemade chili seasoning blend and two chili noodle dishes round out a full chili night, and the kitchen smells of cumin and browned beef within about twenty minutes of starting.
What Is a Simple Chili?
Chili starts with meat or beans, a pot of tomatoes, and a spice blend that does most of the work. Simple versions skip the long ingredient lists.
The browning step matters more than people expect. Grey, steamed meat makes a flat pot, but a few minutes of hard searing builds a dark, savory base. Some cooks swap in beans, pumpkin, or white beans instead of beef.
How to Choose the Best Chili for Your Night
For a weeknight with no time to spare, the 5- and 10-minute recipes do the job. Chili seasoning takes five minutes, and the chili-flavored noodle dishes come together in one pan.
A slow cooker suits a long workday. The beef, beanless, and turkey pots run six to eight hours in total, so start them in the morning. Cream-based white chicken chili is the one to watch, since it can turn grainy if it boils hard near the end.
For a meatless table, the bean versions carry the pot on their own.
Beef Chili Recipes for Family Dinners
Both beef pots start with browned beef, and both rely on a long simmer to soften the meat. The bean version serves eight and gets its depth from a proper sear, while the beanless pot uses beef collagen to thicken the broth without any legumes.
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Beanless Chili in the Slow Cooker
Beans usually carry a chili, so this pot relies on beef chuck collagen instead. It simmers for about eight hours and suits family dinners.
no-bean beef chili
Chili Recipes with Turkey
Ground turkey cooks faster and leaner than beef, so these pots benefit from a little extra seasoning. The slow cooker turkey chili uses beans for body, while the pumpkin version uses puree to thicken the base and gives a smooth, orange-tinged pot that suits autumn.
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Nourishing Healthy Slow Cooker Turkey Chili
Ground turkey and beans simmer together in this slow cooker pot for about six hours. It's a simple way to get a bean and turkey chili with little hands-on work.
slow cooker turkey -
Slow-Cooked Pumpkin Chili with Turkey
Pumpkin puree sets the base of this turkey chili, so the pot turns out thick and smooth. Six hours total in the slow cooker makes it an autumn option.
pumpkin puree base
Chili Recipes with Chicken
This section splits into two styles: a creamy white chili and a brothy version with a zesty finish. Both use chicken, which needs less browning than beef but holds its shape well after hours in the pot.
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The Ultimate Creamy White Chicken Chili Slow Cooker
Cream cheese and corn give this slow cooker white chicken chili a thick, rich body. Hands-on work is about fifteen minutes, though total time runs over eight hours.
cream cheese base -
White Chicken Chili: Velvety & Zingy
A zesty broth sets this crockpot white chicken chili apart from creamier versions. Plan around four hours total, mostly unattended in the slow cooker.
zesty broth
Vegetarian and Bean Chili Recipes
Beans carry these pots, so drain and rinse canned beans before adding them if you want a cleaner, less starchy broth. The Daniel Fast chili follows that plant-based pattern for lunch or dinner, while the three-bean slow cooker version is built for a meatless weeknight.
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Daniel Fast Recipes: Hearty Autumn Chili
Written around Daniel Fast guidelines, this bean chili suits lunch or dinner. Expect a thick, bean-forward pot with no meat.
Daniel Fast friendly -
Healthy Slow Cooker Bean Chili with Three Beans
Three kinds of beans make this slow cooker chili filling with no meat at all. Total time is around four hours, so it suits a weekend or a long workday.
three-bean vegetarian
Crockpot Chili Recipes for Slow Cooker Dinners
Several recipes here were written for the slow cooker, and total times range from about two hours to over eight. Pick the longer pots for a workday and the shorter ones when you have a free afternoon.
Chili Seasoning and Noodles with Chili
These three recipes aren't bowls of chili, but they fit a chili night. The seasoning blend can be stirred into any pot on this page, and the two noodle dishes make a spicy side for guests who want something without meat.
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Homemade Chili Seasoning
Five minutes and a few pantry spices make this seasoning, with no fillers in the blend. Stir it into any pot on this page in place of a store-bought packet.
ready in 5 minutes -
Chili Oil Noodles
Starchy pasta water helps the chili oil cling to the noodles for a glossy coat. Ready in about ten minutes, this Sichuan-style dish works as a spicy side for chili night.
10 min chili oil -
Chili Garlic Noodles with Toasted Sesame Oil
Skip the long simmer: these garlic noodles come together in about fifteen minutes. Toasted sesame oil adds nutty depth to the spicy sauce.
15 min weeknight
Storage and Food Safety Tips for Chili
Chili with ground beef, turkey, or chicken should be cooled and refrigerated within two hours of cooking. USDA guidance puts the safe internal temperature for poultry at 165°F (74°C). Leftovers generally keep three to four days in the fridge.
White chicken chili is the one to watch. Cream-based pots can separate when reheated, so warm them gently and stir often. Food left out more than two hours is usually best discarded.
Freezing works well for beef, bean, and turkey pots. Cool them in shallow containers before freezing, and aim to use them within about three months.
Quick Comparison
| # | Recipes | Best For | Time | Protein Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Deep-Flavour Beef Bean Chili with Beef Chuck | feeding a crowd | 2 hr 3 min | beef |
| 2 | Beanless Chili in the Slow Cooker | beef chili without beans | 8 hr 20 min | beef |
| 3 | Nourishing Healthy Slow Cooker Turkey Chili | turkey and bean pot for a workday | 6 hr 15 min | turkey |
| 4 | Slow-Cooked Pumpkin Chili with Turkey | autumn turkey chili | 6 hr 15 min | turkey |
| 5 | The Ultimate Creamy White Chicken Chili Slow Cooker | creamy slow cooker dinners | 8 hr 15 min | chicken |
| 6 | White Chicken Chili: Velvety & Zingy | brothy chicken chili with a zesty finish | 4 hr 15 min | chicken |
| 7 | Daniel Fast Recipes: Hearty Autumn Chili | Daniel Fast lunch or dinner | 1 hr 5 min | beans |
| 8 | Healthy Slow Cooker Bean Chili with Three Beans | meatless slow cooker meals | 4 hr 10 min | beans |
| 9 | Homemade Chili Seasoning | seasoning any chili pot | 5 min | none |
| 10 | Chili Oil Noodles | spicy noodle side for chili night | 10 min | none |
| 11 | Chili Garlic Noodles with Toasted Sesame Oil | fast weeknight noodles | 15 min | none |
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make chili in a slow cooker with turkey?
Yes. The turkey pots on this page, including the bean version and the pumpkin chili, are written for the slow cooker and run about six hours total.
What toppings go best on chili?
Shredded cheddar, diced onion, sour cream, and sliced green onions are the usual choices and suit most pots here. Pick two or three so the toppings don't overwhelm the chili.
Should I serve noodles with chili?
Noodles work well as a side. The chili garlic and chili oil noodles on this page are standalone dishes, so serve them beside a bowl rather than mixing them in.
How do I keep white chicken chili from separating?
Keep the heat gentle once cream or cheese goes in. Stir dairy in near the end of cooking instead of letting it simmer hard for hours.
Can I make chili ahead of time?
Most pots here reheat well the next day, and the flavors often settle overnight. Cool them within two hours and refrigerate for three to four days.
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