White Chicken Chili Searches Jumped 150%: 17 Easy Chili Recipes From Grandma’s Red Pot to the Creamy White One Everyone Wants

Easy chili recipes are having a big moment, and Google Trends shows searches for white chicken chili jumping about 150% over the past month while plain old chili recipe searches doubled. It makes sense. The nights are colder, football is on, and nothing feeds a crowd for less than one big pot. We rounded up 17 easy chili recipes that cover every craving, from grandma’s deep red beef and bean chili to the creamy white chicken chili everyone suddenly wants. You will find a no-bean Texas bowl, Cincinnati chili over spaghetti, a cozy pumpkin chili, a skillet batch for two and smart tips for freezing leftovers. Every one comes with a simple shopping list and easy steps, so pick your favorite and get the pot going..

Easy Chili Recipes: Classic Beef and Bean Red Chili

This is the pot most of us grew up with, and it is still the first one people search for every fall. Brown the beef until it gets real color, bloom the chili powder in the fat, and let tomatoes and kidney beans simmer low until the whole kitchen smells like a Friday night football game. Allrecipes keeps hundreds of reader-rated chili versions, but this simple one is the base for nearly every easy chili recipe that follows. Make it once and you will never buy the canned kind again..

You will need: 2 lb ground beef, 1 large onion, 1 green bell pepper, 4 cloves garlic, 3 tbsp chili powder, 1 tbsp cumin, 1 tsp oregano, 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes, 2 tbsp tomato paste, 2 cans kidney beans, 1 cup beef broth, salt and pepper.

How to make it: 1. Brown the beef in a Dutch oven and drain most of the fat. 2. Add onion, pepper and garlic and cook 5 minutes. 3. Stir in chili powder, cumin and oregano for 1 minute. 4. Add tomatoes, paste, beans and broth. 5. Simmer uncovered 45 minutes, stirring now and then, and season to taste.

Creamy White Chicken Chili

Here is the one behind the headline. Google Trends shows searches for white chicken chili climbing sharply this month, and one spoonful explains why it leads all the easy chili recipes this fall. It has all the cozy comfort of red chili with none of the heavy tomato, just tender chicken, buttery white beans and mild green chiles in a broth made silky with cream cheese. It is gentle enough for kids and still warm enough for chili lovers, and it is ready in about 40 minutes. A squeeze of lime at the end wakes up every bite.

You will need: 2 tbsp butter, 1 onion, 3 cloves garlic, 2 cans (4 oz) diced green chiles, 2 tsp cumin, 1 tsp oregano, 4 cups chicken broth, 3 cans great northern beans, 4 cups shredded cooked chicken, 4 oz cream cheese, 1/2 cup sour cream, 1 cup frozen corn, lime, cilantro.

How to make it: 1. Melt butter and soften onion and garlic. 2. Add chiles, cumin and oregano and stir 1 minute. 3. Pour in broth and beans and simmer 15 minutes. 4. Mash a cup of beans against the pot to thicken. 5. Stir in chicken, corn, cream cheese and sour cream until creamy. 6. Finish with lime and cilantro.

Easy Chili Recipes for the Slow Cooker: White Chicken Chili

If the stovetop version sounds like too much on a work night, the slow cooker does nearly all of it for you. Raw chicken breasts go right in with the beans, broth and spices in the morning, and by dinner they shred with two forks. The cream cheese melts in during the last half hour so it never splits. This is one of those easy chili recipes that busy parents pass around in group chats, and it makes enough for lunches the next day too.

You will need: 2 lb boneless chicken breasts, 1 onion, 3 cloves garlic, 2 cans (4 oz) green chiles, 3 cans white beans (drained), 1 cup frozen corn, 4 cups chicken broth, 2 tsp cumin, 1 tsp oregano, 1 tsp salt, 6 oz cream cheese, 1/2 cup heavy cream, pepper jack, avocado.

How to make it: 1. Add chicken, onion, garlic, chiles, beans, corn, broth and spices to the slow cooker. 2. Cook on low 6 to 7 hours or high 3 to 4 hours. 3. Shred the chicken in the pot. 4. Stir in cream cheese and cream and cook 30 minutes more. 5. Serve with pepper jack and avocado.

Hearty Turkey Chili

Ground turkey has a reputation for being bland, but in chili it turns into a sponge for flavor. It is one of the most forgiving easy chili recipes. The trick is to brown it hard and season it more boldly than you would beef, with a little smoked paprika and a spoon of tomato paste for depth. Many families who switched to turkey for a lighter weeknight bowl never switched back. Pinto and kidney beans keep it hearty, and a splash of broth keeps the leaner meat from drying out while it simmers.

You will need: 2 lb ground turkey, 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 onion, 1 red bell pepper, 3 cloves garlic, 3 tbsp chili powder, 2 tsp cumin, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 2 tbsp tomato paste, 1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes, 1 can pinto beans, 1 can kidney beans, 1 1/2 cups chicken broth.

How to make it: 1. Heat oil and brown the turkey well, breaking it up. 2. Add onion, pepper and garlic and cook 5 minutes. 3. Stir in spices and tomato paste for 1 minute. 4. Add tomatoes, beans and broth. 5. Simmer 35 minutes until thick. 6. Season with salt and a pinch of sugar if tangy.

Texas Red No-Bean Chili

In Texas, beans in chili can start an argument. Chili con carne is the official state dish there, and the classic Texas red is nothing but chunks of beef chuck in a deep, brick-colored sauce made from dried chiles. No ground meat, no beans and no apologies. It takes a few hours, but almost all of that is quiet simmering. Toasting and blending whole dried chiles is what gives it that smoky, layered taste that powder alone never quite reaches. Serve it with saltines and a cold glass of tea.

You will need: 3 lb beef chuck in 1 inch cubes, 6 dried ancho chiles, 3 dried guajillo chiles, 2 tbsp oil, 1 onion, 5 cloves garlic, 1 tbsp cumin, 1 tsp oregano, 3 cups beef broth, 2 tbsp masa harina, salt.

How to make it: 1. Toast seeded chiles in a dry pan 1 minute, soak in hot water 20 minutes and blend smooth. 2. Brown beef in batches in oil. 3. Cook onion and garlic, then add cumin and oregano. 4. Add beef, chile puree and broth. 5. Simmer covered 2 1/2 hours. 6. Stir in masa mixed with water to thicken.

Cincinnati Chili Over Spaghetti

Cincinnati chili surprises everyone the first time. Macedonian immigrant brothers made it famous in the 1920s, and it is seasoned like a Mediterranean meat sauce, with cinnamon, allspice, cloves and a little cocoa. Locals order it by the “way”: three-way is spaghetti, chili and a mountain of fine cheddar, four-way adds onions or beans, and five-way adds both. The meat is simmered in water instead of browned, which gives it that fine, smooth texture that clings to every noodle. Oyster crackers on the side are a must.

You will need: 2 lb ground beef, 4 cups water, 1 onion (grated), 1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce, 2 tbsp chili powder, 1 tbsp cocoa powder, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp allspice, 1/4 tsp ground cloves, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tbsp vinegar, 1 lb spaghetti, finely shredded cheddar.

How to make it: 1. Break raw beef into the cold water in a pot until smooth. 2. Add onion, tomato sauce, spices and vinegar. 3. Bring to a boil, then simmer uncovered 2 hours. 4. Chill overnight if you can and skim the fat. 5. Reheat and spoon over spaghetti. 6. Top with a pile of cheddar.

Easy Chili Recipes Without Meat: Three-Bean Vegetarian Chili

Even devoted meat eaters go back for seconds of this one. Three kinds of beans give it a chewy, meaty body, and a handful of bulgur makes it thick enough to stand a spoon in. Peppers, corn and a little smoked paprika bring the sweetness and smoke you usually get from beef. It is one of the cheapest easy chili recipes you can make, it freezes perfectly, and diets rich in beans and vegetables have been linked to better heart health. Make a big pot on Sunday and eat well all week.

You will need: 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 onion, 2 bell peppers, 2 carrots, 4 cloves garlic, 3 tbsp chili powder, 2 tsp cumin, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 can each black beans, kidney beans and pinto beans, 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes, 1/2 cup bulgur, 3 cups vegetable broth, 1 cup corn.

How to make it: 1. Saute onion, peppers, carrots and garlic in oil 8 minutes. 2. Add spices and stir 1 minute. 3. Add beans, tomatoes, bulgur and broth. 4. Simmer 30 minutes until the bulgur is tender. 5. Stir in corn for 5 minutes and season well.

Pumpkin Chili

This fall favorite sounds like a dare, but the pumpkin works quietly in the background. A can of pure pumpkin puree melts into the sauce and makes it velvety, slightly sweet and deeply orange, while cinnamon and cumin play off each other. Ground turkey or beef both work, and cubes of fresh pumpkin or butternut squash add little soft bites. Serve it in a hollowed small pumpkin for a party and everyone will ask for the recipe. Toasted pepitas on top give it crunch.

You will need: 1 1/2 lb ground turkey or beef, 1 onion, 1 red bell pepper, 3 cloves garlic, 2 tbsp chili powder, 1 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1 can (15 oz) pure pumpkin puree, 1 can diced tomatoes, 1 can black beans, 1 can kidney beans, 2 cups broth, 2 cups pumpkin cubes, pepitas.

How to make it: 1. Brown the meat with onion, pepper and garlic. 2. Stir in spices for 1 minute. 3. Add pumpkin puree, tomatoes, beans, broth and pumpkin cubes. 4. Simmer 30 minutes until the cubes are tender. 5. Top with sour cream and toasted pepitas.

Fast-Food Style Copycat Chili

Everybody has a favorite drive-through chili, that thick, mild, slightly sweet bowl that comes with a sleeve of crackers. Easy chili recipes like this one let you make it at home for a fraction of the price. The secret many copycat cooks swear by is using leftover crumbled burger patties, which gives it that familiar grilled flavor, plus diced celery and a little sugar to round out the tomato. Keep the spice gentle and let it simmer long enough to get thick. It is pure comfort on a cold day.

You will need: 2 lb ground beef (or cooked crumbled patties), 1 onion, 2 celery stalks, 1 green pepper, 1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes, 1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce, 1 can kidney beans, 1 can pinto beans, 2 tbsp chili powder, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tbsp sugar, 1 cup water.

How to make it: 1. Brown and crumble the beef finely. 2. Add onion, celery and pepper and cook 5 minutes. 3. Stir in everything else. 4. Simmer covered 1 1/2 hours, stirring often. 5. Mash a few beans to thicken and season with salt.

Chili Dog Casserole

This is what happens when chili night meets ballpark night. Hot dogs tucked into buns get lined up in a baking dish, smothered with leftover chili and buried under cheddar, then baked until the edges of the buns turn crisp. Kids go wild for it and grownups secretly do too. If you love chili on your franks, our guide to regional hot dogs from across America has a dozen more ways to dress them. Set out mustard and onions and let everyone finish their own.

You will need: 8 hot dogs, 8 hot dog buns, 4 cups beef chili, 2 cups shredded cheddar, 1/2 cup diced white onion, 2 green onions, yellow mustard for serving.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 375 F and grease a 9×13 dish. 2. Put a hot dog in each bun and line them up snugly in the dish. 3. Spoon chili over everything. 4. Cover with cheddar. 5. Bake 20 to 25 minutes until bubbly. 6. Top with onions and serve with mustard.

Chile Verde With Pork or Chicken

Chile verde is the green cousin of red chili, and it is all about tomatillos and roasted green chiles. Tart, bright and herby, the sauce slowly turns tough pork shoulder into spoon-tender bites, though chicken thighs work beautifully for a faster version. Broiling the tomatillos, peppers and onion first adds a sweet, charred depth. It is wonderful in a bowl, but just as good spooned over rice, rolled into burritos or piled onto tortillas with a squeeze of lime. Leftovers taste even better.

You will need: 3 lb pork shoulder or chicken thighs in cubes, 1 1/2 lb tomatillos (husked), 2 poblano peppers, 2 jalapenos, 1 onion, 5 cloves garlic, 1 bunch cilantro, 2 tsp cumin, 1 tsp oregano, 2 cups chicken broth, 2 tbsp oil, salt.

How to make it: 1. Broil tomatillos, peppers, onion and garlic until spotted, 8 to 10 minutes. 2. Blend with cilantro and spices. 3. Brown the meat in oil in batches. 4. Add the green sauce and broth. 5. Simmer 2 hours for pork or 45 minutes for chicken. 6. Season and serve with rice.

Easy Chili Recipes for Plant Lovers: Black Bean Sweet Potato Chili

Sweet potatoes and black beans were made for each other. The potatoes soften into sweet, creamy cubes that balance a smoky chipotle heat, and the black beans make it hearty enough that nobody misses the meat. It comes together in about 40 minutes in one pot, and it is naturally free of dairy until you add the toppings. Sweet potatoes are rich in fiber and vitamin A, which have been linked to good digestion and eye health. Pile on avocado, pickled onions and a crumble of queso fresco.

You will need: 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 onion, 1 red bell pepper, 3 cloves garlic, 2 medium sweet potatoes (cubed), 2 tbsp chili powder, 2 tsp cumin, 1 chipotle in adobo (minced), 2 cans black beans, 1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes, 3 cups vegetable broth, lime, avocado.

How to make it: 1. Saute onion, pepper and garlic in oil 5 minutes. 2. Add sweet potatoes, spices and chipotle and stir 2 minutes. 3. Add beans, tomatoes and broth. 4. Simmer 25 to 30 minutes until the potatoes are tender. 5. Finish with lime juice and toppings.

Pressure Cooker 30-Minute Chili

This is the fastest of our easy chili recipes, made for nights when you forgot to plan dinner. A pressure cooker gives you that simmered-all-day flavor in about 30 minutes, start to finish. Brown the beef right in the pot using the saute setting, then scrape up every brown bit with a splash of broth so nothing sticks. Canned beans go in at the start because they are already cooked. Always follow your cooker manual for safe pressure release. A short natural release keeps the beans whole and the chili thick.

You will need: 2 lb ground beef, 1 onion, 3 cloves garlic, 3 tbsp chili powder, 2 tsp cumin, 1 tsp oregano, 1 cup beef broth, 2 cans kidney beans (drained), 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes, 2 tbsp tomato paste, salt.

How to make it: 1. Brown beef with onion and garlic on saute. 2. Add spices, then pour in broth and scrape the bottom clean. 3. Add beans, then tomatoes and paste on top without stirring. 4. Cook on high pressure 10 minutes. 5. Natural release 10 minutes, then release the rest and stir.

Easy Chili Recipes From Indiana: Hoosier Chili With Macaroni

In many Indiana kitchens, pasta goes right into the chili pot, and nobody thinks twice about it. Hoosier chili is thinner and more tomato-forward than Texas red, packed with ground beef, kidney beans and tender elbow macaroni or broken spaghetti that soak up the broth. It is the kind of stretch-the-budget supper grandma made on a Saturday, and plenty of Midwestern school lunch rooms served it for decades. Serve it with saltines or a slice of buttered bread like they did back home.

You will need: 1 1/2 lb ground beef, 1 onion, 1 green pepper, 1 can (46 oz) tomato juice, 1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes, 2 cans kidney beans, 2 tbsp chili powder, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp sugar, 2 cups elbow macaroni, salt and pepper.

How to make it: 1. Brown beef with onion and pepper and drain. 2. Add tomato juice, tomatoes, beans and spices. 3. Simmer 30 minutes. 4. Boil macaroni separately until just tender and drain. 5. Stir the macaroni into the chili and simmer 5 minutes more.

Skillet Chili for Two

Not every chili night needs a giant pot, and easy chili recipes can be scaled down too. This small batch version cooks in one 10-inch skillet in about 25 minutes, and it makes exactly two generous bowls with no week of leftovers. Half a pound of beef, one can of beans and a can of tomatoes is all it takes. The wide pan helps it reduce fast, so it tastes like it simmered much longer than it did. It is perfect for empty nesters, couples and quiet date nights at home. Bake a little cornbread alongside.

You will need: 1/2 lb ground beef, 1/2 onion, 1 clove garlic, 1 tbsp chili powder, 1 tsp cumin, 1 can (15 oz) pinto beans, 1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes, 1/2 cup broth, 1/2 cup shredded cheddar, sour cream, green onions.

How to make it: 1. Brown beef with onion and garlic in a skillet. 2. Stir in chili powder and cumin. 3. Add beans, tomatoes and broth. 4. Simmer 15 minutes until thick. 5. Sprinkle with cheddar, cover 2 minutes to melt and top with sour cream and green onions.

Easy Chili Recipes for a Crowd: Build a Toppings Bar

For game day, potlucks or a Halloween open house, a toppings bar turns one big pot into a party. Keep the chili warm in a slow cooker and set out little bowls so everyone builds their own. This idea makes all the easy chili recipes above feel brand new, because one person goes cheesy and loaded while another goes fresh with avocado and lime. Crushed chips and cornbread muffins add crunch. Plan on about 1 1/2 cups of chili per adult and refill toppings often.

You will need: 1 large pot of chili, shredded cheddar, sour cream, diced red onion, green onions, pickled jalapenos, cilantro, avocado, lime wedges, crushed tortilla chips, oyster crackers, black olives, cotija, cornbread muffins, bowls and spoons.

How to make it: 1. Keep the chili on the warm setting in a slow cooker. 2. Chop and portion toppings into small bowls. 3. Set bowls and spoons at one end and toppings in order: cheese, cold toppings, crunchy toppings. 4. Add serving spoons to each bowl. 5. Refill cold toppings from the fridge.

How to Freeze and Reheat Chili

Almost all easy chili recipes freeze beautifully, and many people say it tastes even better a few days later. Let it cool quickly, portion it into containers or zip-top bags laid flat, and it will keep well for about 3 months. Flat bags stack like books and thaw much faster. Leave out creamy add-ins like sour cream or cream cheese until reheating so the texture stays smooth. Reheat until steaming hot all the way through, adding a splash of broth, and dinner is ready in minutes.

You will need: Cooled chili, freezer-safe containers or zip-top freezer bags, a baking sheet, a marker for dates, broth or water for reheating.

How to make it: 1. Cool chili within 2 hours by dividing it into shallow containers. 2. Fill bags, press out the air and freeze flat on a baking sheet. 3. Label with the date and use within 3 months. 4. Thaw overnight in the fridge. 5. Reheat in a pot with a splash of broth until it reaches 165 F.