Chili Beans and Rice Recipe + Handy Tips

This recipe is a heart-warming, flavorful dish that's a Mexican classic. The best part about making chili beans is that it only has two steps, perfect for a mid-week, "I've got no time" meal. This chili con carne has got a bit of heat, but you can leave out the red chili if you want a less spicy option.

The secret to tasty chili is using broth instead of plain old water. Beef, chicken, or vegetable stock all work well; even beer works a treat! Cook it for at least an hour to enhance the flavor and soften the meat nicely.

Recipe

Table of Contents

• Recipe
• How to make chili beans and rice
• Here's another recipe you can watch
• Tips to improve your chili
• Fun facts

How to make chili beans and rice

Serves: 4
Prep: 5 min. Cook: 60 min.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 brown onion, finely diced
• 1 bell pepper, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 lbs ground beef
• 2 fresh red chili, chopped (leave seeds in)
• 1 ½ cups beef broth
• 1 can (14oz) diced tomatoes
• 1 can (14oz) red kidney beans, drained
• 1 can (14oz) corn kernels
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup of rice

Method

1. Heat oil in a saucepan then add onion, capsicum, and garlic and fry for 2 minutes.
2. Add the ground beef and cook until brown.
3. Stir in the chili, broth, tomatoes, kidney beans and corn. Season with salt and pepper and cook on medium-low heat for about 60 minutes. If the meat starts to dry out, add a little extra broth.
4. Add one cup of rice and 2 cups of cold water to a large saucepan and heat until boiling. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until the water evaporates and the rice is tender.
5. Allow the chili beans and rice to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Basmati and jasmine rice are both tasty options for serving with this recipe. Not sure what's the difference between the two? Check out our comparison of the two to decide which is the best option for you.

Here's another recipe you can watch

Tips to improve your chili

• If your chili is runny, you can thicken it by mashing a ¼ cup of beans and stirring into the pot. The starch will soak up the liquid and help to thicken the chili sauce.
• To enhance the depth of flavor, you can broil the fresh chilis. Alternatively, you can place them directly over the flame on your stove top and chargrill them. Once blackened wrap the chili and allow it to sweat for a few minutes. Then you can peel off the black skin revealing a more flavorsome chili.

• Work hard to improve your dicing skills every time you prepare vegetables. Ensure that each piece is uniform in size so that all the ingredients cook at the same speed.
• Add some ground lamb and spicy, smoky sausage such as chorizo for more flavor.
• Canned beans tend to become mushy when cooked too long. If you have the time, consider soaking dried beans overnight. You'll appreciate the improvement in texture.
• Add seasoning at the end of cooking won't cut it. Instead, season consistently throughout the cooking process for improved flavor.
• Add a chunk of dark chocolate to dial up the flavor. Use 70% chocolate or higher chocolate for best results.

Related reading:
Find out how to improve your rice cooking skills.
What do nopales taste like?
Migas Vs Chilaquiles - What is the difference?

Fun facts

• Mexicans cultivated the chili and used it as a seasoning back in 3500BC. Christopher Columbus later discovered it in 1493 during his exploration of the newly discovered Americas.
• On the 4th day of February, National Chili Day gets celebrated in the United States.
• Chili became the official state dish of Texas in 1977. Source

Chili beans provide a hearty meal that’ll satisfy even the hungriest guest or family member. Don’t be afraid to cook up large batches; whatever gets left over, pour into airtight containers and refrigerate for 5-7 days or freeze.