The best and easiest chili recipe to help you win any chili cook-off! Five ingredients, it cooks in a crock pot, and it’ll warm you right up on cold, winter days!
Up until we moved to Iowa last July, I was not the best cook. Granted, I was still in school until April, but I will confess and say that we ate a lot of boxed pasta (my poor husband).
After we moved to Iowa, I had a lot more free time to develop my cooking abilities. Last year our ward at church decided to have a Chili Cook-Off as part of the annual Trunk-or-Treat for Halloween. My husband and I were still relatively new, and I thought it would be fun to try and bring a chili recipe to share.
I wasn’t anticipating doing well in the cook-off, given my limited cooking skills, but I thought I would give it a try. I searched my cookbooks and eventually settled on one from a cookbook from some ladies at home that I got when I graduated from high school.
I went to the store and bought the ingredients and when I got home, I realized that I had gotten creamed corn instead of whole kernel corn. I was worried it would be a disaster, but I made the recipe like it said, but substituting the creamed corn.
Guess what? My chili tied for first place!!! I beat out so many women who had been cooking for so much longer than me with one little mistake! I’m still sort of surprised I won, but if you are looking for a good recipe to take to a chili cook-off, then this is the one! I’m bringing it to our cook-off again tonight and we’ll see how it goes!
It’s so easy, only has five ingredients, and takes 10 minutes to put together. Plus, it doesn’t get dry like some chilis when they are sitting in a crock pot all day.
Cook-Off Winning Chili
The best and easiest chili to help you win any chili cook-off! I've won twice with this recipe, and it only has five ingredients!
Ingredients
- 1 can diced tomatoes with green chiles
- 1 can black beans
- 1 can creamed corn
- 2 cans tomato soup
- 1 lb. lean ground beef
Instructions
- Brown the ground beef in a pan on the stove. You don't need to add any oil or anything, just brown the meat and break it up in the pan. If you want you can add salt and pepper, but I never do. The rest of the ingredients give it a good flavor.
- Add the beef to the crock pot. Add the rest of the ingredients to the crock pot. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours.
Notes
Sometimes I puree the tomatoes and chiles because we don't love tomatoes in our house. It keeps the flavor but gives the chili a smoother texture.
I told you it was easy! But seriously, try it. You won’t be sorry! Garnish with Fritos or Doritos, sour cream, and cheese and it will be the perfect chili to win a chili cook-off.
laurie russell says
I just had to post a comment and let you know that we had a chili cook off at our church today Oct. 11. I have only made 2 alarm chili so I’m not an expert on chili that’s for sure. I was surprised at how good it was!! I got 1st place!! I was so excited!! I couldn’t believe it!! Thank you for posting this recipe!!! After church was over everyone was wanting to taste it and see what it tasted like and wanted the recipe. It was awesome!
Chelsea Johnson says
That’s so exciting! See, there’s a reason it’s called “Cook-off Winning!” Congrats!!
Laura says
Chelsea. What can I use instead of the tomatos? What makes it taste like chili. Should I use chili powder?
Chelsea Johnson says
With a recipe with only a few ingredients like this, I don’t recommend substituting anything. The Rotel gives it a large amount of the flavor. Sorry!
Sia Lemons says
We just had our chili cook off last night at our church and I made your recipe. I quadruple the recipe and added just a pinch of red pepper flakes. There were so many good chilis that I thought I am never going to win. I won 1st place! Now everyone wants the recipe! Thank you for Sharing.
Chelsea Johnson says
Congratulations! That’s awesome! I’m glad you won and that I was able to help!
Latoya Winfield says
Could you possibly double the rotel and the cream corn??
Chelsea Johnson says
If you double some of it, I would double all of it. You’re going to change the flavor of the chili if you only double the rotel and creamed corn.
Courtney says
Hands down, best, fastest prep chili I ever had or made. Followed recipe exactly and it is amazing!!!!
Chelsea Johnson says
Thanks so much! We had it last week and just like always, it was amazing!
Amanda says
How long would you recommend simmering it for if we don’t have time to do the crockpot thing?
Chelsea Johnson says
As long as possible, but you’ll want to keep it on super low heat and stir it a lot so it doesn’t get stuck to the bottom or get a crust on top. The reason the recipe says to do it in the crock pot is so that you can keep it cooking as long as possible so the flavors blend together!
Heather says
No chili powder?
Chelsea Johnson says
Not in this recipe! You don’t need it!
Nicole Stockton says
I love this recipe! I make it just as it is written and everyone loves it!
Chelsea Johnson says
Thanks! I’m glad to hear it!
Christina says
Best. Chili. Ever. Thanks for sharing. My husband and I have this all the time, and it is so easy!
Chelsea Johnson says
Thanks, Christina! I love when people come back and tell me they love it after they’ve tried it!!
Kate says
Making this I type! I am never satisfied with the chili recipes I’ve used in the past….they’re either too tomato-y, too spicy or just have too many ingredients that I don’t feel like preparing! Just tasted a little and….It. Is. Delicious! Just boiling some macaroni (we like chili-mac) to go with. Can’t wait for dinner!! Thank you!!
Chelsea Johnson says
Oh, that sounds like an amazing addition! Thank you so much! I’m glad you’re trying it and love it so far!!
Alli says
Can you make this on the stove top?
Chelsea Johnson says
Yup! I do it all the time! Just keep it on super low temps otherwise it will burn and stick to the bottom.
Colleen says
Today is the second time I’m making this. So good! My dad is going through chemo right now and wanted chili but can’t stomach anything too spicy. This, substituted with ground turkey, did the trick!
I found it to be not quite thick enough the first time, so this time I drained the turkey and the beans, bit left the liquid from the Rotel. We’ll see!
I’m making my second batch for a family party right now and hoping it’s a hit again!
Chelsea Johnson says
I love hearing that people love this recipe!! Thank you so much! And good luck to your dad! I’ll say a little prayer for him 🙂
Suzanne says
I just made this for the first time today for a chili cookoff fundraiser at my kids’ school. I doubled the recipe and added a large diced white onion and two generous teaspoons of cumin. Delicious! Oh….and I won the mild category at the cookoff, so both my kids’ teachers received money for their classrooms!
Chelsea Johnson says
Awesome! I’m so glad that you won! It really is a winning recipe! I’ll have to try it with the cumin! I have tried onion before, but not cumin!! Congrats!
Tom says
Hello, I know this is an old thread.. Have you tried it with regular corn vs cream corn?
Chelsea Johnson says
I haven’t actually because I love the way it tastes with the creamed corn!
Heather says
Ok, I was skeptical. I made this for my in laws tonight and they loved it. It’s so easy! Thank you for sharing.
Chelsea Johnson says
You’re welcome! I’m glad it was a hit! We had it this week, too!