Award-winning Chili Recipes (2024)

Published: by Terri Gilson · Modified: · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This post may contain affiliate links · 4 Comments

Winter and cold weather have arrived and that means it's time for cozy comfort foods, with chili being the ultimate comfort food! If you're looking for Award-winning Chili Recipes, you've come to the right place. I've rounded up these 11 best chili recipes from my fellow food bloggers and included a variety of chili recipes, such as stovetop chili, instant-pot chili, crock-pot chili, award-winning Texas chili, steak chili and turkey chili. All of these recipes are prize winning chili recipes that have won awards and competitions of some kind, including local and family chili cook-off contests, online chili contests and national competitions!

Award-winning Chili Recipes (1)

Chili is also the perfect game day or tailgating food and it's ideal for whipping up for a large group or a simple family dinner. There's nothing like a hearty bowl of hearty chili to warm you up on a cold day, so get cozy and cook up these tried and true recipes!

Southern Soul Chili

This Award-winning Southern Chili is made with beef, kidney beans and black beans in a rich sauce and is loaded with amazing flavor! Perfect for tailgating, game day, or when you’re feeding a crowd. Simmered for hours, its comfort food at it’s BEST. It won a local Farmer Market Chili Challenge and has won many competitions since then.

Check out this recipe

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Healthy Ground Turkey chili

This award-winningHealthy Ground Turkey Chili recipe has won several family cookoffs,is kid-friendly and makes a great weeknight dinner. Packed with savory ground turkey, beans, veggies and tomato in every spoonful, this is a delicious and comforting dinner that cooks in 30 minutes.

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Award-Winning Texas Chili

This 1st place Texas Chili Cookoff winner is sure to please for a hearty fall or winter meal. Made without tomatoes or beans, this chili focuses on the tender meat and spices.

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Tailgate Chili

This tailgate Chili is a multiple award-winning chili recipe, filled with meat, beans, diced veggies, tomatoes, and spices. It's perfect for making ahead and it freezes well!

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Award Winning Chili with Ground Beef and Pinto Beans

This Award-winning Beef Chili Recipe with Pinto Beans won several cooking contests, including an exclusive contest for the University of Georgia parents. It's a classic one-bowl dinner idea that the whole family will love!

Check out this recipe

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Instant Pot Chili

This Easy Instant Pot Chili(Pressure Cooker Chili) is loaded with layers of umami flavors. It's a rich, flavorful, & tasty beef and beans chili that will satisfy your hearty comfort food cravings. Many readers have won chili competitions & cook-offs with this best instant pot chili!

Check out this recipe

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Crock-pot Crazy Pineapple Chili

A contest-winning chili with an amazing flavor twist that people go crazy over! It's quick and easy to make in the slow cooker – and healthy, too!

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Dad's Secret Ingredient Chili

Dad’s award winning secret ingredient chili is a hearty chili full of big flavors and a couple of unexpected secret ingredients. This one pot chili takes only 15 minutes of active prep time before simmering away on the stove top to create a satisfying bowl of coziness!

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Pickleball Chili

This classic chili has won or at least placed in more than one chili cook-off. Tried and true over the years for good reason!

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Award-winning Chili Recipes (10)

Tri-Tip Steak Chili

You will love how easy it is to make this thick, hearty steak chili with a generous amount of tri-tip steak, three types of beans, fire-roasted tomatoes, and green chiles. It's perfect for feeding a crowd!

Check out this recipe

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Indian Spice Turkey Chili

This Indian-Spiced Turkey Chili recipe will rock your world – and it just might be the most unique chili recipe you’ve ever tasted! It’s an amazing (yet easy!) chili recipe that wins cook-offs … and passes from friend to friend to friend, as everyone asks for the recipe!

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The Ultimate Chili

I am very fussy when it comes to chili and have attended many chili contests and cook-offs in my life (which is just too much fun :)), as well as tasted many-a-chili recipe (although I've only ever had the opportunity to compete in one friendly contest). But as far as my taste buds are concerned, this Pork and Beef Stovetop Chili Recipe has never been beat!

Made with both pork and beef and topped with a dollop of sour cream, it's really good chili. It's the best chili recipe I have ever had (with the best secret ingredient) and by far, my favorite chili recipe! And if I ever have the opportunity to compete in another chili contest or chili cook-off, I will definitely be using this recipe!

Here's what others are saying about this Stovetop Pork and Beef Chili recipe:"This is BY FAR the best chili I have ever made and tasted!! So easy, so yummy and the fresh dill is the deal breaker. I would give it 6 stars if I could! Thank you for sharing Terri!!" ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Pork and Beef Stovetop Chili

This quick and easy homemade stove top chili uses both pork and beef for an incredible depth of flavor. But fresh dill is the magic ingredient! Seasoning mix and canned tomatoes and dark red kidney beans, make for a fast dinner and the perfect chili for feeding a crowd in a hurry! It's also Weight Watchers friendly. Double, triple or quadruple this recipe if you are feeding a larger group!

Check out this recipe

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💭Top Tips

🍲What to do with leftover Chili:

Chili is amazing to eat straight up, but a great way to use leftover chili is as a topping. Use it on:

  • a baked potato
  • French fries
  • a hot dog (chili dog)
  • macaroni and cheese (chili mac)

🌶️Make it Spicy!

If you like your chili on the spicy side, spice up your chili with these add-ins:

  • hot sauce
  • crushed red chili peppers
  • jalapeño peppers

🍽Equipment

You will need a large pot and a skillet for making chili, but you could also use a large Dutch oven, as a Dutch oven (affiliate link) browns your meat and cooks the chili in one pot. It can also go in the oven (if you want to melt cheddar cheese on top). You will also need a cheese grater, a sharp knife and cutting board. For some of these recipes, you'll need a crock pot. (affiliate link)

🌡️Storage

It's best to let your chili cool (uncovered) before putting putting the lid on the container and putting it in the fridge. But do not leave it out at room temperature for more than 2 hours or bacteria will start to grow.

Each recipe will have specific storage instructions, but chili generally lasts 3-4 days in the fridge in an airtight container. Most of these recipes can be frozen, but check the storage instructions for each individual recipe.

So if you're looking for a classic chili recipe or traditional chili recipe or something new and unique, you can't go wrong with any of these award-winning chili recipes!

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And if you're hungry for more award-winning recipes, check out this post: 40 Award-winning Recipes !

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🦺FOOD SAFETY

  • Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
  • Wash hands after touching raw meat
  • Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
  • Never leave cooking food unattended
  • Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
  • Always havegood ventilation when using a gas stove

Seemore guidelines at USDA.gov.

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Award-winning Chili Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to really good chili? ›

Rumi Spice's top tips for making chili:
  • Brown the Meat.
  • Don't Forget Vegetables.
  • Elevate with Extra Flavor.
  • Only Add Flavorful Liquids.
  • Opt for Dried Beans.
  • Season Early and Often.
  • Add Some Acidity at the End.
  • Top It Off.

What can I add to chili to make it amazing? ›

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. Smoky paprika is my own personal favorite.

What is the most important spice in chili? ›

Most Common Chili Spices. Cumin, Chile Powders, and Paprika are the most common spices in chili followed by garlic, onion, coriander, Mexican oregano, and bay leaves. These ingredients can be combined to create a savory and well-balanced pot of top notch comfort food.

How to make the best chili? ›

How to Make The Best Chili
  1. Cook the bacon. I let my bacon cook until it's perfectly browned and crispy.
  2. Saute the vegetables. Saute the diced onion and bell pepper with the bacon for a few minutes.
  3. Brown the ground beef. ...
  4. Toast the spices. ...
  5. Add the tomatoes, broth, and beans. ...
  6. Simmer the chili.
Dec 15, 2023

What secret ingredient will deepen the flavor of your chili? ›

Stir some puréed pumpkin into your chili just after sautéing your aromatics (onions, garlic, etc...) and before adding any liquid. This will deepen and sweeten its flavor, making it a great balance for all the chile peppers and heat.

What not to put in chili? ›

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.

How do you pimp up a chilli? ›

And then my friends, there are the chilli toppings; a topic about which I have so much to say ...
  1. Sliced fresh chillis.
  2. Jalapeno peppers from a jar.
  3. Sliced spring onions.
  4. Pickled Red Onions.
  5. A squeeze of lime from a lime segment.
  6. Avocado - either sliced or made into a guacamole.

What is my chili missing? ›

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.

Is chili better the longer it cooks? ›

Not Cooking It Long Enough

A low and slow cook time—at least an hour total—is key for drawing out the most flavor in a pot of chili.

What makes can chili taste better? ›

Although canned chili will already have some seasonings, fresh herbs and spices will add bolder flavor. You can upgrade your chili using ingredients you likely already have on your spice rack, such as chili powder, ground cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper.

What does cinnamon do for chili? ›

Cinnamon. The beauty of ground cinnamon is that it brings a warmth to your chili, without being spicy. It works well with other flavors commonly found in chili (like tomato, cumin and chile powder) so you only need a little bit to achieve the desired balance.

What does paprika do for chili? ›

Think of paprika as the gentler, sweeter cousin of hot chili peppers. It enlivens your favorite dishes with fruity notes and a toasty red color without ever taking over the show.

What makes the best chili meat? ›

The best chili meat is a combination of meats, often a mix of ground chuck, ground sirloin, brisket, diced tri-tip, and/or some bacon or sausage. Do your best to mix smaller pieces with larger pieces to stack textures and make it your own! Happy cooking!

Why doesn't my chili taste good? ›

Not Cooking It Long Enough

A low and slow cook time—at least an hour total—is key for drawing out the most flavor in a pot of chili.

What makes a good competition chili? ›

It contains NO beans or other “fillers”. Finely cut meat seems to be preferred to ground meat (although some cookoffs advertise as ground meat only). The chili contains very little or no grease. Winning chili must look good, smell good and taste good.

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