Award winning chili with ground beef, beans and a secret ingredient! Add your favorite toppings for a classic, hearty meal that’s sure to be a winner!

This chili recipe has been in my family for three generations and won multiple awards.

It’s the absolute best chili on a crisp fall night or for a Sunday football meal.

The secret ingredient is a can of Campbell’s condensed tomato soup.

I can’t recommend any other brands for this recipe.

Here are my other ingredient notes:

Chili beans – I prefer Bush’s brand for these.
Chili powder – we always use McCormick or Gebhardt brands.
Onion – you can leave out the other vegetables except this one (unless you’re allergic or adverse).

How to win a chili cookoff

The secret to winning a chili cookoff is to keep the recipe basic – comfort food.

You want to elicit memories of childhood and familiarity.

This is not the time to experiment with white chicken chili, chipotle peppers, chocolate, cinnamon, etc.

If you want to win the “most creative” category then those options could work!

But if you want to win “best over-all” then classic chili is the way to go, especially if it’s voted by popular choice versus a panel of judges.

Want more comfort food ideas? Check out my creamed chipped beef or cream of mushroom pork chops smothered in gravy.

Various ingredients for making award winning chili

How to make award winning chili

The other great thing about chili is how easy it is to make!

Start by softening the vegetables.

2. Then add the beef and brown through.

3. Dump in the rest of the ingredients and cook for 15 minutes until everything comes together.

You can remove the lid and let some of the liquid boil out if you’d like it thicker, or add more water if you want it soupier.

Additions/substitutions/variations

It’s already award winning chili just the way it is, but if you’d like to add a personal touch, here are some ideas.

Substitute one can of black beans for the kidney beans – I won a cookoff with my “Three Bean Chili” with this variation.

Add a can of Rotel or petite diced tomatoes for some extra heartiness and a touch of acidity.

Cayenne or hot sauce – if you like it spicy.

A couple tablespoons of barbecue sauce – this gives it a rich smokehouse flavor.

Toppings/sides

Cheese
Sour cream
White onion
Green onion
Hot sauce
Corn bread
Saltine crackers
Baked potato
Cinnamon rolls?

How does your family eat chili? I’d love to know in the comments below!

Award Winning Chili

Name: Award Winning Chili
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 lb lean ground beef; 1 cup finely diced onion; ½ cup finely diced green bell pepper; ½ cup finely diced celery; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 2 cups water or beef broth; 1 can (11 oz) condensed tomato soup*; 2 cans (16 oz) chili beans in sauce; 2 cans (16 oz) red kidney beans, drained; ¼ cup chili powder; 1 teaspoon garlic powder; Salt and pepper, to taste

Yield: 6 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

This award winning chili recipe has won cookoffs throughout multiple decades and in different states! If nothing else, it will be a winner with your family!

Ingredients

1 lb lean ground beef
1 cup finely diced onion
½ cup finely diced green bell pepper
½ cup finely diced celery
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups water or beef broth
1 can (11 oz) condensed tomato soup*
2 cans (16 oz) chili beans in sauce
2 cans (16 oz) red kidney beans, drained
¼ cup chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

In a large pot over medium-high heat, add oil and sauté onion, bell pepper and celery until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
Add garlic and sauté for one minute more.
Next, add beef and crumble until browned and cooked through.
Add remaining ingredients including water (or beef broth), tomato soup, chili beans, kidney beans, chili powder and garlic powder. Stir everything together and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 15 minutes, or until all the flavors have melded.
If desired, remove lid and cook for an additional 5-10 minutes to thicken.

Notes

*I only recommend Campbell's brand for this recipe

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Nutrition Information:

Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 486Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 68mgSodium: 1173mgCarbohydrates: 53gFiber: 12gSugar: 17gProtein: 36g

Nutritional information provided is an estimate only. Please consult the labels of ingredients you use for more accurate results.