It’s time for the one, the only: the Pioneer Woman chili recipe! This chili recipe is the one I recommend to home cooks who are new to the wonders of the chili bean recipe. It’s simple but flavorful, hearty but zesty, and combines all the parts of chili that everyone loves most in a truly satisfying beef chili recipe.
Plus, who do you trust more to make a delicious meal than the ‘ol PW herself? Gotta add this to your chili recipes!
If you’re looking for even more delicious chili recipe, try my Texas chili, white chicken chili, Boilermaker chili, and turkey chili next!!
Let’s make some chili!
What I Love About This Recipe
- One-pot wonder
- Rich, down-home flavor
- Customization friendly
- Easy clean-up!
Pioneer Woman Chili Ingredients
- Ground Beef: I recommend using 80/20 ground beef for this recipe. Why? That number notes the fat-to-meat content and will affect the flavor and cooking of your dish. Want a leaner chili? You can use 90/10 ground beef, but make sure you educate yourself about the differences first!
- Tomatoes: This Pioneer Woman chili with beans calls for tomato sauce as part of its base — not tomato puree! I can’t tell you how many times I grabbed the wrong can at the store, came home, and go “Oh well, I’ll use it anyway.” Wrong!
- Tomato puree is a much more condensed tomato product and will greatly affect your finished dish. Go for the sauce!
- Chili Powder: Chili powder isn’t actually a spice — it’s a combination of spices! So while this recipe also has you add cumin, oregano, and cayenne separately, adding chili powder will punch up all those spices because it contains them plus other goodies. Don’t skimp on the chili powder!
- Masa Harina: Masa Harina is corn flour! For this recipe, it adds a delicious depth of flavor while thickening your chili, reminiscent of the lovely profile you get when you crumble up cornbread into your bowl. Oh, am I the only one who does that?
- Garlic: Fresh garlic is always best. Skip the stuff in the jar.
- Salt: Table salt
- Water
- Cumin + Oregano: The perfect warm herbs for chili.
- Cayenne: This gives the chili a bit of heat.
- Kidney Beans + Pinto Beans: Be sure to rinse the canned beans and drain well.
How To Make Pioneer Woman Chili
- Brown the beef.
- Add the seasonings.
- Simmer for an hour.
- Whisk together the masa harina and water.
- Add the masa harina and beans to the chili.
- Simmer.
- Serve and add toppings.
***See the full instructions below.
Storing + Freezing + Make-Ahead
- How Long Can You Keep This In The Fridge? This Pioneer Woman simple chili will keep in the fridge for 4 days.
- Can You Freeze This? Yes! Chili is very freezer-friendly. But, like with any warm dish, be sure to thoroughly cool your chili before you freeze it — residual heat will lead to condensation, which is the enemy of all freezer foods. Plus, if you store your warm chili in the freezer, it will raise the temp for your other frozen foods, leading to dangerous situations for your raw meats! If safely done, your chili will be good to go in your freezer for up to six months.
- Make-Ahead Tips: Part of what makes this recipe so tasty is the hour of simmering. But if you know you won’t have that kind of time, you can always follow the recipe through Step 2, and store in the fridge (for up to four days) or the freezer (for up to six months). Then thaw it when you’re ready to use, heat it on the stove, and finish it up!
- Food Safety: If you’d like more info on food safety check out this link.
Recipe Variations
- Can I Omit The Beans? Yes! There are so many different types of chili — one big section of the Chili Universe is without beans. Try adding another can of beans to make up for the missing meat.
Serving Recommendations
We love this with a side of Southern cornbread, sweet cake-like Bisquick cornbread, or jalapeno cornbread. A side of cool and crisp KFC coleslaw is a nice contrast and really delicious!
More Chili Recipes
- Hot Dog Chili
- Classic Chili (My Mom’s recipe!)
- Steak Chili
- Alton Brown Chili
- Mole Turkey Chili
- Crockpot Chicken Chili
- Instant Pot Turkey Chili
TRIED THIS RECIPE?
Leave a review, I love hearing your feedback! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Pioneer Woman Chili
This hearty, zesty, one-pot Pioneer Woman Chili is here to warm up your chilly nights! A certified comfort food, you're whole family will love!
Servings: 6 Servings
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground beef, 80/20
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 1/2 cups water, plus more if needed
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne powder
- 1/4 cup masa harina
- 1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans drained and rinsed
Optional Toppings:
- cheddar cheese, shredded
- red onion, diced
- jalapeno, sliced
- lime wedges
Instructions
- In a large pot, brown the ground beef over medium heat. Add the garlic and continue to cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Drain off excess fat.
- Stir in the tomato sauce, salt, water, chili powder, cumin, oregano, cayenne powder until well combined. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour. Add more water if chili begins to dry out.
- Whisk together the masa harina and 1/2 cup water in a small mixing bowl. Pour into chili. Add both beans and simmer another 10 minutes. If chili is too thick, add more water. Adjust seasoning. Ladle into individual bowls and serve with toppings as desired.
Fans Also Made:
Nutrition
Serving: 1/6 of the recipe | Calories: 543kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 107mg | Sodium: 1353mg | Potassium: 807mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 835IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 56mg | Iron: 4.1mg
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What is “masa harina ” and where do you find it ???? recipe sounds good and I would like to try it, but I prefer to do the exact recipe before I grade it !! No point in grading it , if you haven’t tasted it !! LOL !!
EleanorBriggs
Hi, Eleanor. You can find masa harina in the ethnic food section, or try online shopping. I hope you like this! Let us know how it turns out 🙂
Hi! Wondering about the direction to simmer it covered. Non of the water can evaporate if it’s covered, leaving a very watery chili. Is the recipe supposed to say to simmer it uncovered? Thanks!
Ashley
Hi Ashley. Yes, it’s supposed to simmer covered. It’s a very thick chili.
This chili is delicious. I added tomatoes, onions with the ground beef and chili beans in gravy.
Will certainly make again.
?? glad you like it, Beverly!
Is the nutrition information for 6 servings or 1 serving? Is a serving a cup?
Hi, Paul. Yes, the nutrition facts are for 1 bowl. Thank you!
Love this recipe. Have been making for years.
Thank you so much, Rachael! ?
Your recipe is great and delicious! I don’t use tomato sauce though. I use tomato paste, a jar of salsa. and don’t drain my cans of beans. Only very little water needed to thin it out a touch.
Thanks for sharing your experience, Vicki! ?