If like us, chilli happens to be one of your favourite comfort foods, then you’re in for a treat! Here are our ultimate chilli tips and tricks, topping and serving suggestions, along with three of our favourite recipe variations.

Feel like you’ve mastered our basic chilli con carne recipe? Go ahead and try one of these delicious twists for a chilli-licious night in!

Cowboy chilli

Cowboy_Chilli Easy Food

Brown 1kg chopped chuck beef in batches, then transfer to a plate and set aside. Continue with the Best Basic Chilli recipe, omitting the beef mince. Cook 6 chopped streaky bacon rashers along with the onions. Replace the wine with dark beer, and add 100ml coffee along with the stock. Return the beef chunks to the pan when adding the beans and simmer over a low heat for 3-4 hours.
Delicious with: grated Cheddar and jalapeños

Chilli sin carneChilli_Sin_Carne Easy Food

Cook 2 deseeded and chopped peppers along with the onions. Omit the beef, swap the stock to vegetable and add 2 extra 400g tins of black, pinto or mixed beans along with the kidney beans. Grate ½ a head of cauliflower and add to the chilli for the final 15 minutes of simmering.
Delicious with: pico de gallo and crushed tortilla chips

TOP TIP: Instead of adding the extra beans, you could alternatively replace the beef mince with Quorn.

Pulled pork chilliPulled_Pork_Chilli Easy Food

Chop 1kg pork shoulder into chunks and brown in batches, then transfer to a plate and set aside. Continue with the Best Basic Chilli recipe, omitting the beef. Swap the stock to chicken and the wine to cider. Return the pork to the pan when adding the beans and simmer over a low heat for 3-4 hours. Remove the pork, shred using two forks and return to the pan.
Delicious with: pickled onions and coriander

TOP TIP: Creating a chilli bar is a fantastic way to serve food at a casual gathering. Simply place a pot of chilli at one end, along with serving dishes, and follow with a spread of your favourite toppings for guests to build their own bowls.

Serving suggestions

• Accompany your chilli with short-grain rice flavoured with a squeeze of lime juice and some chopped coriander
• Ladle chilli over fresh, hot chips or potato wedges to make amazing homemade chilli fries
• Use chilli as a topping for baked potatoes
• Serve in burger buns or soft baps for chilli sloppy Joes
• Spoon some over sausage dogs to make American-style chilli dogs
• Reduce your chilli until very thick, then serve in wraps with lettuce and cheese

Top it off! Why not try…
  • Grated Cheddar
  • Sour cream
  • Pico de gallo
  • Crushed tortilla chips
    Chopped avocado or guacamole
  • Pickled jalapeños
  • Pickled red onion
  • Chopped coriander
  • Sliced olives
    Chopped spring onions
  • Hot sauce(s!)
  • Crumbled fried chorizo
  • Fried peppers and onions
  • Lime wedges, for squeezing
  • Crunchy croutons
  • Queso sauce
  • Sliced radishes
  • Crispy crumbled bacon
  • Shredded lettuce (crunchy varieties like Little Gem or Iceberg work best)

TOP TIP: Chilli tastes better the day after being cooked as the flavours have had time to develop.