Mild Chili Recipe – a chili loaded with flavor without the overwhelming spice! It’s super easy, rich & thick. This is seriously the best chili recipe!
This mild chili recipe is for all my chili lovers who don’t love ~spicy foods~
Chili is one of my favorite things to eat in the fall. My mom always made chili with the William’s Sonoma chili starter. And it’s amazing. But it’s so spicy.
I used to drown my chili in sour cream to help take the spice level down.
Now that I make chili myself… I realized I can make it mild from the get go.
This recipe doesn’t have a super long ingredient list
It proves all other chili recipes wrong that you need a million ingredients for deep, rich flavor.
Can this mild chili recipe be made ahead of time?
Yes 100%. Chili is one of those recipes that gets better as it sits. You can make it a couple days ahead of time. Then reheat it on the stove or the microwave when you’re ready to eat it.
I love taking it to football parties, family gatherings, or the river in the fall. I make it ahead of time. Then keep it warm in a crockpot.
Can you freeze it?
Yep! I almost always make a double batch and freeze the extra for a night when I don’t feel like cooking.
Portion the cooked chili into your desired serving size in airtight containers. Transfer to the freezer and store for up to 3 months. When ready to eat, thaw chili in the fridge or briefly under warm water to help loosen it from the containers. From there you can also reheat on the stove or in the slow cooker! Or you can reheat from frozen in the microwave.
What to serve with the chili?
This cornbread is my favorite!! I also love fritos, shredded cheese, sour cream, and/or rice in my chili!
Mild Chili Recipe
It's super easy, not spicy, rich & thick. This is seriously the best chili recipe!
Heat a dutch oven or large pot over medium high heat. Add the olive oil, onions, peppers, salt, and pepper. Cook for about 3 minutes, or until peppers and onions have softened.
Add in the ground meat. Break it apart with a spatula or meat masher. Add the chili powder, paprika, oregano, and cumin. Stir and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Add in the tomatoes, beans, chicken stock and maple syrup. Bring the mixture to a boil.
Simmer uncovered for 20-30 minutes (or more if you prefer!), until thickened.
Turn heat off and let it cool for 5-10 minutes to thicken a little more. You can add a little water if it gets too thick for you.
Serve with crushed fritos, shredded cheese sour cream, cornbread, and/or green onions!