Chilis Original Chili Recipe from CopyKat.com (2024)

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by Stephanie Manley, Last Updated 68 Comments

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Did you know Chili’s chili recipe was the foundation for this famous restaurant chain a time ago? Their recipe changed, but this was the recipe they used to pass out as their original recipe.

Chilis Original Chili Recipe from CopyKat.com (1)

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Chili’s Chili

I was recently researching recipes for my column at Parade Community Table, when I came across for a couple of blog posts about someone who loved Chili’s original chili, and he was upset that they changed their recipe.

I know that Chili’s used to make most everything in the restaurant, and now it is made in a central location and sent out to restaurants. Yes, they still cook some things there like hamburgers, steaks, and other items. Many restaurants follow this practice, so you always get food that is consistent across their restaurants.

I remember going to Chili’s many years ago and getting a hearty thick bowl of chili that tastes amazing. I don’t go there as much any longer, but I know that while I loved their endless soup and salad lunch combo, it wasn’t quite the same as it used to be. Drewcipher knew why and received a copy of their old recipe.

For my fellow Texans’, you will love this chili, it has no beans. Chili’s chili is a thick, rich chili that is very hearty. If you wanted to thin this chili out, I would add more water. This chili may be too thick and too spicy for some. I think it is perfect, and wouldn’t touch a thing.

Chilis Original Chili Recipe from CopyKat.com (2)

I love that this recipe has you cook the onions in a different pan than the chili. I think this adds a nice layer of flavor to the onions. It also keeps their texture much more defined. I am a fan of cooking the onions separately, and I will do this going forward now.

Now this recipe isn’t to copycat their current version, but an older one. And one that I think is much more flavorful than their current version. I hope you enjoy it.

Ingredients

Here’s a list of what you need:

  • Chili powder
  • Salt
  • Ground cumin
  • Paprika
  • Ground black pepper
  • Garlic powder
  • Cayenne pepper
  • Ground chuck
  • Water
  • Tomato sauce
  • Yellow onions
  • Cooking oil
  • Masa harina
Chilis Original Chili Recipe from CopyKat.com (3)

How to Make Chili’s Chili

  1. In a small bowl, combine chili powder, salt, cumin, paprika, pepper, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper.
  2. Heat a 6-quart stockpot over medium heat.
  3. Place ground beef into the stockpot and cook until the meat is browned. Drain if desired.
  4. While the meat is browning, combine chili spice mix, water, and tomato sauce in a bowl. Stir until well blended.
  5. Add chili seasoning liquid to the browned meat. Stir well and bring to a boil.
  6. Sauté onions in cooking oil over medium heat in a skillet until the onions are translucent.
  7. Add the onions to the chili.
  8. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for one hour stirring every 15 minutes.
  9. In a separate bowl, mix water with masa harina.
  10. Add the masa harina mixture to the chili stockpot and cook for an additional 10 minutes.
Chilis Original Chili Recipe from CopyKat.com (4)

Do you love Chili’s food and drinks? Check out my copycat recipes!

  • Prezidente Margarita – The perfect co*cktail to get your weekend going.
  • Chili’s Southwestern Egg Rolls – Great for game day.
  • Chili’s Awesome Blossom Petals – Crispy appetizer for any party.
  • Chili’s Salsa – Seriously good and incredibly delicious.
  • Chili’s Black Beans – A great way to make black beans.
  • Chili’s Queso Dip – Perfect for tailgating
  • Southwest Soup – Deeply flavored Tex-Mex chicken soup.
  • Chili’s Chicken Crispers – Crunchy on the outside and tender on the inside.
  • Chili’s Monterey Chicken – This is a great way to update your ordinary chicken breast.
  • Chili’s Margarita Grilled Chicken – Have some margarita mix? Try this on chicken

Popular Chili Recipes

  • Wendy’s Chili – Made with beans and tomato sauce.
  • Two Alarm Chili – Copycat of the Wick Fowler mix.
  • Chili Verde – Deeply flavored Mexican pork, tomatillo, and roasted pepper chili.

Be sure to check out more of my easy chili recipes and the best Chili’s copycat recipes.

Chilis Original Chili Recipe

Here is the chili recipe that Chilis started serving in their restaurants. This is the no bean chili recipe that put them on the map.

4.97 from 27 votes

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Course: Soup

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Chilis Recipes, Keto, Low Carb

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes

Servings: 8

Calories: 626kcal

Ingredients

Chili Spice Blend

  • 1/2 cup chili powder
  • 1/8 cup salt you can use less if desired
  • 1/8 cup ground cumin
  • 1 tablespoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper add more if desired

Chili ingredients

  • 4 pounds ground chuck – ground for chili
  • 3 1/4 cups water
  • 16 ounces tomato sauce
  • 1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onions
  • 1 tablespoon cooking oil
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 tablespoon masa harina

Instructions

  • In a small bowl combine the chili spice ingredients, mix thoroughly. Heat

  • a 6-quart stock pot over medium heat. Place meat into the stock pot and cook until the meat is browned. Drain if desired. While meat is browning combine chili spice mix, 3 1/4 cups of water, and tomato sauce in the bowl. Stir until well blended.

  • Add chili seasoning liquid to the browned meat. Stir well, and bring to a boil. Saute onions in 1 tablespoon of cooking oil over medium heat in a skillet until the onions are translucent. Add the onions to the chili. Reduce the chili to low and simmer for one hour stirring every 15 minutes. In a separate bowl, mix 1 cup water with masa harina. Mix well. Add to chili stock pot, and cook for an additional 10 minutes.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 626kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 40g | Fat: 47g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Cholesterol: 161mg | Sodium: 2226mg | Potassium: 873mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 780IU | Vitamin C: 6.4mg | Calcium: 62mg | Iron: 5.3mg

About Stephanie Manley

I recreate your favorite restaurant recipes, so you can prepare these dishes at home. I help you cook dinner, and serve up dishes you know your family will love. You can find most of the ingredients for all of the recipes in your local grocery store.

Stephanie is the author of CopyKat.com's Dining Out in the Home, and CopyKat.com's Dining Out in the Home 2.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Lys

    WOW, this is a great recipe, Easy enough and my family loved it. I did add a can of pinto beans because my husband loves them. We ate what we could and I froze the rest Yummy

    Reply

  2. Phil Ruffin

    Chilis Original Chili Recipe from CopyKat.com (6)
    Maybe I’m the only jerk who loves the current recipe Chili’s uses. Do you have that recipe?

    Reply

    • Stephanie Manley

      I do not have this recipe, I appreciate your suggestion.

      Reply

  3. Greg Zoller

    Chilis Original Chili Recipe from CopyKat.com (7)
    This was spot on the flavor of Chili’s chili. I didn’t want to risk this not working, so I halved everything. That was a mistake. Next time I will do the full 4 lbs of meat. Delicious.

    Reply

    • Gregory S Zoller

      Chilis Original Chili Recipe from CopyKat.com (8)
      You have created a monster.

      Reply

  4. Barbara Carson

    I make this for my DIL who has celiac and I use refried beans to thicken it – works great!
    .

    Reply

  5. Tim

    Chilis Original Chili Recipe from CopyKat.com (9)
    This recipe is the exact replica of what I used to eat with my dad back in the day after Soccer Practice. Gonna figure out the thickness next time, substituted corn starch for mass harina, was a little thin. Try this!

    Reply

  6. Chris

    This looks like a pretty much standard chili recipe. I’d like to know how it changed, because I had chili just the other day because the calorie count seemed manageable compared to some of their other menu items.
    The chili tasted just terrible. There was an overpowering taste that was just too much. It wasn’t all that spicy.. but man. What have they done??

    Reply

    • Stephanie Manley

      They now cook their soups in a large industrial kitchen, and then the restaurant warms the soup there. My personal opinion is that you likely had cooks fine-tuning the chili when it is made in the restaurant, that doesn’t happen now.

      Reply

  7. Richard

    Do you know how close it is to the chili from Carroll Shelby Texas Chili Mix that comes pre-mixed? (Not the current one, but the one that came in the little brown bags?)
    I didn’t know about the connection between him and Chili’s, so I’m wondering if the recipe was borrowed from him as well.

    Reply

    • Stephanie

      I am sorry I never had that chili mix before.

      Reply

    • Desiree

      I’ve had the brown box and I think it tastes similar.

      Reply

  8. David Nordling

    Chilis Original Chili Recipe from CopyKat.com (10)
    Love this Chilis Original Chili Recipe!

    Thanks for making it available !

    David

    Reply

  9. Jack

    Thanks for posting this. I used to go to the original (and only one at the time) Chili’s on Greenville Ave. in Dallas. They served chili, Tacos and burgers and not much else and it was fantastic.
    So once again thanks for the recipe.

    Reply

  10. E

    You probably want to leave out the masa harina if you’re trying to stick to a Keto diet.

    Reply

  11. Ceil

    Can fine cornmeal be used in place of the Masa Harina?? that only comes in 5 pound bags, no use for it unless I make tamales~

    Reply

    • Stephanie

      It won’t work quite the same way. I would just omit it, and know the texture will be very light, and not thick.

      Reply

    • Jmc

      Just crush up a big handful of tortilla chips or chop up some corn tortillas. They will dissolve into the chili.

      Reply

    • Jack

      If you want to thicken the chili and you don’t have any masa just mix a heaping tablespoon of corn starch with a 1/4 cup of cold water and add it instead. Works like a charm.

      Reply

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Chilis Original Chili Recipe from CopyKat.com (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to really good chili? ›

Only Add Flavorful Liquids

Instead of adding water to your chili, add some more flavor with chicken or beef broth, red wine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, or even beet or wine. Each one of these options brings out different notes and levels of sweetness that will enhance your culinary creation.

What does original chili have in it? ›

The original chili, according to Valdez, “was made with meat of horses or deer, chile peppers, and cornmeal from ears of stalks that grew only to the knee.” Tellingly, he adds, “No beans.” Most food historians—among them chili expert Frank X.

What adds the most flavor to chili? ›

If you want more of a smoky flavor, add cumin, Spanish paprika, ancho chili powder, or a combination. If you are looking for more heat, add cayenne, crushed red pepper, or Hungarian paprika. If it's too spicy add a little brown sugar and some sweet paprika.

What not to put in chili? ›

Beans and non-vegetable fillers such as rice and pasta are not allowed." If that sounds a bit uptight, the ICS's Homestyle Chili competition defines chili as: "any kind of meat, or combination of meats, and/or vegetables cooked with beans, chili peppers, various spices, and other ingredients.

What makes chili taste better? ›

Try adding spices like paprika, chili powder, cumin, coriander, Mexican oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, cinnamon, cayenne, or even chipotle.

What ingredient makes chili taste like chili? ›

Most Common Chili Spices. Cumin, Chile Powders, and Paprika are the most common spices in chili followed by garlic, onion, coriander, Mexican oregano, and bay leaves. These ingredients can be combined to create a savory and well-balanced pot of top notch comfort food.

What is classic chili made of? ›

Ingredients
  1. 1 pound ground beef.
  2. 1 onion, chopped.
  3. 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce.
  4. 1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans.
  5. 1 (14.5 ounce) can stewed tomatoes.
  6. 1 ½ cups water, or as needed (Optional)
  7. 1 pinch chili powder, or more to taste.
  8. 1 pinch garlic powder.
Jan 17, 2024

What are the best beans for chili? ›

The best beans for chili are pinto, kidney, and black beans, like in this easy and tasty recipe. This 3-bean chili freezes great for meals later in the week. If you prefer thinner chili, add an extra can of tomato sauce. The green chiles are not hot and add a wonderful flavor, so don't be afraid to use them.

Does Wendy's put sugar in their chili? ›

Chili Concentrate: Chili Sauce (Water, Tomato Juice, Tomatoes, Calcium Chloride, Seasoning (Sugar, Salt, Corn Starch, Dried Chilies, Spices, Flavor Enhancer [Dextrose, Salt, Yeast Extract, Silicon Dioxide, Modified Corn Starch], Citric Acid, Disodium Inosinate, Disodium Guanylate, Xanthan gum), Beans (Pink Beans, Red ...

Why do you put butter in chili? ›

Butter smooths out the bitterness and adds its unique richness, making you take another bite without quite knowing why. A dash of sugar and vinegar gives a sweet-sour flavor that also makes the sauce rounder and more satisfying.

What is chili magic? ›

Bush's Chili Magic Campfire Style chili starter brings tender pinto beans together with smoky chipotle and green bell peppers for quick, unforgettable chili any night of the week.

Why do you put cinnamon in chili? ›

Cinnamon. The beauty of ground cinnamon is that it brings a warmth to your chili, without being spicy. It works well with other flavors commonly found in chili (like tomato, cumin and chile powder) so you only need a little bit to achieve the desired balance.

Do you cook onions or meat first for chili? ›

In a large pot over medium heat, heat the oil. Add the onions, garlic, and red pepper; cook, stirring frequently, until softened, 4 to 6 minutes. Add the beef and increase the heat to high; cook, stirring with wooden spoon to break the meat into ¼-inch pieces, until the beef is browned, 10 to 12 minutes.

Does chili taste better the longer you simmer it? ›

A low and slow cook time—at least an hour total—is key for drawing out the most flavor in a pot of chili. Yes, a quick chili is most welcome on weeknights, but it won't have quite the same results. A slow cooker works wonders, but if you're short on time, try a pressure cooker.

Does sugar make chili taste better? ›

Now for the piece de resistance: 1-2 heaping Tablespoons brown sugar. The chili tastes completely different without the brown sugar so if you like a subtle sweetness in your chili then you've just got to go for it! Trust me, it will not make your chili taste like candy.

Why add vinegar to chilli? ›

With only about 1 tablespoon per pot added toward the end of the cooking process, the vinegar will make the flavors more vibrant without overwhelming the dish with its biting tang. Through just a splash, everything becomes a little brighter, and the chili's flavors are more balanced.

How do you make chili taste more meaty? ›

Ground Beef: Provides the hearty meaty base for the chili. Opt for 85% lean; the fat enriches the meat, enhancing the dish's overall flavor and texture. And don't stress about the fat—post-cooking, it's easy to skim off any excess. Baking Soda: Helps tenderize the beef by locking in moisture, making it more succulent.

Is chili better the longer it cooks? ›

A low and slow cook time—at least an hour total—is key for drawing out the most flavor in a pot of chili. Yes, a quick chili is most welcome on weeknights, but it won't have quite the same results. A slow cooker works wonders, but if you're short on time, try a pressure cooker.

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