Regina’s Prize-Winning Chili Recipe

Try this prize-winning chili recipe packed with hearty beans, fire-roasted tomatoes, rich spices, and surprising ingredients that create unforgettable flavor.

Regina’s Prize-Winning Chili

This prize-winning bean chili might seem to have a peculiar list of ingredients, but I have won chili cook-offs with it, and always get rave reviews and requests for the recipe. This comes together easily and makes enough to feed a large crowd or to put some in the freezer for a quick meal later. Serve with your favorite chili toppings or over cornbread or baked potatoes/sweet potatoes for a hearty meal. It's even better the next day!

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Crock Pot 4 hours hrs

Course: Main Course

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

• 2 medium onion diced
• 2 bell peppers (red and green if you have them) diced
• 5 cloves garlic minced
• 1 jalapeno, diced fine optional
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 6 16 oz cans beans, any/all kinds, rinsed and drained see note
• 2 15 oz cans fireroasted diced tomatoes with juice
• 2 8 oz cans tomato sauce
• 1 12 oz non-alcoholic dark beer (lager/porter) or extra water optional
• 2 Tablespoons worcestershire sauce I use vegan
• 1/3 cup unsulphered molasses OR coconut sugar more to taste
• 3 Tablespoons chili powder good quality
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 Tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• teaspoon salt more or less to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper more or less to taste
• water to make it to your desired consistency

Method

 

For Crockpot

1. Add all the fresh, chopped vegetables to the crockpot, along with the olive oil and give everything a good stir. Add the remaining ingredients. Stir until well incorporated. Cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8 hours, or until the vegetables are tender and flavors have blended. If you end up adding a lot of water, taste test for seasonings. Sometimes it's hard to know until toward the end of the cooking time if you need to adjust anything.

   *Note: You can use all the same kinds of beans, several kinds, or 6 different kinds! In the photo, I used 1 can each of red kidney, pinto, pink, chickpea, cannellini, and lentils.

For Stove Top

1. Use the same method as crockpot, but cook on medium-low simmer for 30 minutes until the vegetables are tender and flavors have blended. Stir occasionally to keep from burning. If you end up adding a lot of water, taste test for seasonings. Sometimes it's hard to know until toward the end of the cooking time if you need to adjust anything.

   *Note: You can use all the same kinds of beans, several kinds, or 6 different kinds! In the photo, I used 1 can each of red kidney, pinto, pink, chickpea, cannellini, and lentils.