Super Bowl of Chili
Kitchen Tested 
- Yield 8 to 10 servings
- Prep 15 mins
- Cook 120 mins
A perennial favorite for Super Bowl parties, chili is a perfect make-ahead dish.
Mark Boughton/ styling: Teresa Blackburn
Chili is a perennial favorite for Super Bowl parties—and no wonder. It is easily made in advance so the chef doesn’t have to miss a minute of the game. (In fact, it tastes better if made a day early and reheated.) Serve this dish with rice, cornbread, and grated cheddar cheese, or all by itself in bowls for a warm, nourishing meal. If you like, it can be made with pinto beans or black beans instead of kidney beans, or with a mixture of any of the three.
Ingredients
- Canola or olive oil as needed for sautéing
- 4 cups onions, chopped
- 2 cups chopped celery
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 pounds lean ground beef (ground chicken or turkey also can be used; for variety when using beef, try mixing in a little ground pork)
- 3 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 2 (15-ounce) cans kidney beans
- 2 chicken bouillon cubes
- Cayenne pepper to taste (about 2 pinches for a mild chili with a little zing)
Instructions
- Place a small amount of oil (start with a tablespoon or so) in a large Dutch oven. Add onions, celery, and garlic, and sauté until the vegetables are soft, adding a bit more oil if needed.
- In a separate frying pan, brown meat; drain, and add to vegetables. Stir in chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper.
- Then add tomatoes and sauce, and enough water to fill the tomato can.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, turn it down, and simmer, partly covered, for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally to avoid burning. After the first half-hour, drain and rinse beans and add to chili.
- Stir in bouillon cubes as well. After the second half-hour, taste chili and add more salt and pepper if desired, as well as some cayenne if you like a bit more spice.
