Chill-Defying Chili Con Carne
Anyone fancy a comforting, hot bowl of chili? We do! Comfort food doesn’t have to be fattening or time consuming. This quick and easy chili recipe is great if you’re expecting guests as you can whip up a big batch in a large pan and let people help themselves. The best thing about chili is that you can be creative. Here’s a good solid recipe you can rely on but we suggest you experiment and make it your own! Make it as hot/mild as you like and throw in extra ingredients until you’ve found your dream recipe. How you serve your chili also makes it unique.
This time we’re opting for a steaming bowl with a slight garnish – no rice necessary. Serve with a large plate of crust bread/pitas or nachos to dip.
Start creating your signature Chill-Defying Chili Con Carne today…
Dish facts
Serves: 4
Costs: £8 (approx)
Prep time: 10
Cooking time: 20 mins
Healthy switch: swop the steak mince for lean turkey mince and garnish with low fat sour cream
How fattening is this? (1 low, 3 high): *
Difficulty (1 low, 3 high): *
WOW factor (1 low, 3 high): **
You’ll need: 1 large saucepan/stock pot
Ingredients
500g lean steak mince
500g passata
1 x large onion
1 x tin of chopped tomatoes
1 x tin of baked beans
1 ½ fresh chillies (or change to taste)
1 x large clove of garlic (finely chopped/grated)
1 x tin of sweetcorn (optional)
1 x large, finely chopped pepper (of your choice or a combination of colours)
Optional
- Experiment with your onions! Try using red, spring or a mixture of, along with chives.
- Pick you preferred beans – there’s plenty to choose from.
- Try using fresh, organic tomatoes blended for a really impressive taste.
- Add some mushrooms of your choice – they’re packed with protein.
- Dress with a generous handful of Monterery Jack/Cheddar cheese.
- Serve on a bed of nachos and pop under the grill until the cheese melts (for a naughty treat!)
- Add a bought in/home-made salsa.
- Throw a splash of Tequila into the mix for an extra ‘adult’ kick!
Method
1. Brown the meat in its own juices (no oil required) and add the chopped onion.
2. When the meat is brown add the tomatoes, passata and baked beans.
3. Finely chop or grate a large clove of garlic and add to the mix.
4. De-seed and finely chop the chilies. You can slice any remaining chilies and use for a garnish on top of the soured cream.
5. Add the sweetcorn, chopped peppers and any ingredients of your choice.
6. Leave to simmer for 20 mins to let the flavours develop, stirring regularly so it doesn’t stick to the pan.
7. Ladle into bowls and garnish a dollop of soured cream and the chopped chilies. Serve with a plate of crusty bread/bowl of nachos for mopping up the delicious concoction.
Delicious!
Everyone’s Chill-Defying Chili Con Carne tastes different; what’s your top tip for our readers?