Easy Chili Recipe! Only 1 Pan Required! (2024)

This Easy Chili Recipe is the perfect meal to warm you up on a cold day! You only need one pan and takes less than 15 minutes of prep time! Ground Beef, beans, spaghetti sauce, and chili seasoning and you will have a great meal in just about an hour!

But wait…. are you ready to take your chili to the next level! Learn how to make 5-way chili! It will change the way your family eats chili!

Simple Chili Recipe

As soon as the cold weather hits I am ready for some warm comfort food. Nothing says comfort like a warm and delicious chili!

If you are anything like me, the weeknights are hectic and I am throwing something together for dinner as the kids are coming and going from activity to activity.

That is why I LOVE this homemade Chili Recipe that my sister-in-law, Jodie, shared with me a few years ago. It is super easy to make and I can leave it simmering on the stove and the kids can grab it whenever.

What is great about this Chili, is that it doesn’t require a ton of ingredients. These are things you can have on hand all of the time.

We love to go Cincinnati style chili and serve it over spaghetti noodles! Have you ever had Skyline Chili? It is super yummy and really turns this into a full meal.

What is Cincinnati Chili?

Cincinnati Chili is often a sweeter chili and adds a little bit of cumin, cinnamon and sometimes cocoa. The chili is more of a sauce than a stew.

If you want to make this into more of a Cincinnati type of chili, use a (affiliate link) Cincinnati chili seasoning mix.

Want to take your chili to the next level? Try it 5-Ways!

What is Cincinnati 5-Way Chili?

Chili by itself is delicious, but 5-way chili is simply epic!

1-Way Chili – The chili all alone

2-Way Chili – Chili on top of spaghetti

3-Way Chili – Add shredded cheese

4-Way Chili – Add beans OR chopped onions

5-Way Chili – Add beans AND chopped onions

OH, I forgot the best part! You make it in ONE POT! That’s right – an Easy One Pot Chili Recipe!!

Easy Chili Recipe Ingredients

• 1 lb. ground sirloin or lean ground beef (you can also useground turkey breast if you’re looking for a healthier option, but I think beef is tastier)
• 1 package chili seasoning
• 1 medium sweet onion, chopped
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 1 jar of your favorite sauce ( I like Classico)
• 1 can mild chili beans
• 1 can black beans (rinsed & drained)
• 1 bay leaf
• Spaghetti noodles (optional)

How to Make Chili in One Pan

As I said, this is a super easy and quick to prepare dinner recipe!

First, in a large pan, saute the onion and pepper until they are soft then set them aside in a bowl.

Then, in that same large pan, brown the meat & drain.

Add the onion and peppers, seasoning, beans, sauce, and bay leaf and let simmer on low-medium heat for at least 1 hour. You will want to stir it occasionally.

Remove the bay leaf and serve with favorite toppings or over spaghetti noodles!