Category: Meat Eaters

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Hearty and Spicy Beef Chili

Close up shot of chili in a white bowl

Gotta love a nice, huge bowl of warm beef chili on a chilly day! Yes, that was corny, but you get the point though. It’s the perfect meal for the colder weather!

This easy and fool-proof beef chili recipe takes about an hour to make, with about 15 minutes of hands-on cooking. Chili is perfect for Sunday dinner, and tastes even better as leftovers, as the flavors have more time to mellow.

Overhead shot of a bowl of beef chili with shredded cheese and sour cream

How to make beef chili

Chili is a stew made of ground meat, tomatoes, peppers, beans, and spices. There are many variations of what is in chili. The general cooking process is as follows:

  • First, seared beef is cooked with onions, peppers, and garlic in a large pot.
  • Next, mix the cooked beef with a bit of tomato paste.
  • Then, stir in the crushed tomatoes, beans, and seasonings. 
  • Finally, cover and cook on low for about 45 minutes.

That sounds very simple, right? Well….IT IS!

The best ground beef for chili

Chili is a hearty meal. Using ground beef that is not extra lean is the better option because of this. And fat means flavor. So omitting the fat by using a less fatty ground meat will make a less flavorful pot of chili. So use 70-85% lean ground beef.

Overhead shot of 3 bowls of beef chili with shredded cheese, sour cream, and crackers

Ground beef alternatives for chili

Ground chicken or turkey can replace ground beef if you do not eat red meat. Poultry has a lower fat content, making it a healthier alternative to beef. 

What beans to use for chili

Kidney beans are the best beans for chili.

There are many types of kidney beans available. From canned to dry, and even kidney bean color, it’s your preference. This recipe has canned red and white kidney beans.

Toppings for chili

The wonderful part of eating a big bowl of chili is the plethora of toppings to make your serving unique!

Shredded cheddar cheese is my favorite, and is the most popular. I also love to add a dollop of sour cream, which tames down some spices. The chili is both tangy and creamy, with both toppings.

The chili will have more pizazz if you garnish with fresh herbs like chopped scallions or cilantro.

Additionally, if you’re a fan of spice, top your chili with sliced jalapenos. 

A few crackers or a slice of warm cornbread are great on the side. It can also be crumbled on top of the chili, if you’d like.

This hearty beef chili is a great way to warm up while satisfying your taste buds whether you’re eating it with your family on a cold evening, or saving it for later in the week. 

If you’re looking for another meal for the winter months, check out my Chicken and Dumplings! And don’t forget to share your creations with me on Instagram or Twitter!

Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Hearty and Spicy Beef Chili

Gotta love a nice, huge bowl of warm beef chili on a chilly day!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: beef, beef chili, chili, cold, comfy, soup, stew
Servings: 8 servings
Author: Crystal

Equipment

  • 4 quart pot with lid
  • wooden spoon
  • knife and cutting board
  • plate

Ingredients

  • 6 tablespoons canola oil
  • 2 pounds ground beef
  • 1 cup diced onion
  • ½ cup diced green pepper
  • 4 garlic cloves minced
  • 4 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • 29 ounce can peeled whole tomatoes
  • 15 ounce can tomato puree
  • 1 15 ounce can red kidney beans strained and rinsed
  • 1 15 ounce can pink kidney beans strained and rinsed
  • 1 ½ tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1 ½ tablespoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
  • ½ teaspoon granulated sugar
  • 1 ½ tablespoon kosher salt
  • 1 ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions

  • In a 4 quart pot or larger, heat 4 tablespoons of the oil on medium high heat.
  • Add ground beef. Sear until mostly cooked for 5-7 minutes, breaking the larger pieces of ground meat apart with a wooden spoon. Once cooked, remove beef from the pot and set aside.
  • Turn the stove down to medium heat. Add the remaining oil into the pot. Add the onions and green pepper. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic, and cook for 1 minute while stirring.
  • Add the tomato paste in with the vegetables. Cook for one minute while stirring.
  • Add the remaining ingredients, stirring to incorporate.
  • Bring the chili to a rapid simmer. Then turn the heat down to its lowest setting. Cover and cook on a low simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Serve with your favorite chili toppings. Enjoy!
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Easy and Creamy Chicken and Dumplings

Chicken and dumplings in a bowl with veggies in the background

There’s nothing like a big bowl of creamy chicken and dumplings to warm you up during the winter months. 

In 40 minutes, you can have a comforting meal on your table with ingredients in your fridge and pantry RIGHT NOW! Perfect weeknight meal, it’s such a simple and filling recipe with a lot of flavor. 

Overhead shot of a bowl of chicken and dumplings in a bowl with veggies off to the side

What are chicken and dumplings?

Chicken and dumplings is a soup made of shredded chicken and vegetables cooked in a flavorful broth. The dumpling is a biscuit dough that steams in the simmering soup.

The soup can be made a couple of ways, which is to your liking. The broth for chicken and dumplings is usually thick but can be made thinner by adding more stock. A touch of dairy is added to make the broth creamy and silky, which can be omitted if you prefer. 

Also, the dumplings can be scooped into any size. It’s common for them to be portioned about 1 ounce (or 2 tablespoons), but can be made much smaller, or even the size of a biscuit!

Side view of a bowl full of chicken and dumplings

What chicken should I use for chicken and dumplings?

Boneless and skinless chicken is best when making chicken and dumplings. The chicken gets shredded once cooked, so using bone-in chicken with the skin still attached is useless.

I prefer to use chicken thighs when cooking. It’s a bit more juicy than chicken breasts, giving it a bit more flavor. If chicken breasts are all you have available, no worries. It will still hold flavor when cooking in the broth. 

How to make the dough for chicken and dumplings

Biscuit dough is commonly made with cold ingredients, which creates those fluffy layers we love. However, the ingredients do not have to be chilled for dumplings.

Thoroughly mix together your dry ingredients in a bowl. Then, pour in your milk and melted butter. Stir these ingredients until just incorporated. The dough should be soft and able to be scooped up with a spoon. 

Dumpling mix for chicken and dumplings in a bowl

Cooking the dumplings

The biscuit dough is easier to scoop with a wet utensil. I use a spoon, but a cookie scoop will ensure evenly portioned dumplings.

With a wet spoon,  scoop out the desired amount of dough and immediately drop it into the simmering broth. Continue scooping the dumplings with a wet spoon until all of the dough is added, dropping each dough ball next to each other. 

Scoop of dumpling dough for chicken and dumplings
Individually drop each dumpling into the soup with a wet spoon or scoop

Once the dumplings are in the broth, cover and simmer on low for 10 minutes, gently flipping halfway through cooking with a spoon. The dumplings evenly cook with the steam, while the broth adds more flavor. 

Dumpling mix in broth for chicken and dumplings
Once all the dumplings have been added to the soup, cover and cook on low.
Partially cooked dumplings in broth for chicken and dumplings
Flip the dumplings to finish cooking

Why are my dumplings so dense?

Just like any dough, you want to avoid over mixing. Mixing dough and batter too much creates more gluten, making it chewy and dense when cooked.

To prevent a dense dough, make sure all of the dry ingredients are thoroughly mixed before adding the wet ingredients. It also helps to mix the wet ingredients separately before pouring into the dry. Lastly, mix the wet and dry ingredients until just combined. 

Why did my dumplings fall apart while cooking?

If your dumplings break apart while they are cooking, the broth may be simmering too rapidly. You want to go for a low simmer. 

If the dumplings are breaking apart when flipping them over in the broth, there’s a chance they’ve touched the bottom of the pot. To fix this, add a half a cup of water or stock. Individually scrap up each dumpling with a spatula. Once they’ve been freed, proceed with individually flipping the dumplings with a spoon.

Chicken and dumpling ingredient substitutions 

In the dumplings, shortening or oil can be swapped for the butter.

Coconut milk can replace the milk in the dumplings.

Coconut milk can also replace the heavy cream in the soup. It can be completely omitted since the soup will have a smooth and thick consistency from the flour added early on. 

Chicken and dumplings are also a great way to use up leftover chicken, as well as turkey! Skip the step for searing the raw chicken. Add the shredded chicken after the broth has simmered for 15 minutes. 

Close up of chicken and dumplings in a bowl

Keep this recipe in your rotation of “what should I make for dinner tonight?” meals. Would love it if you shared your creations with me on Instagram or Twitter!

Looking for a few more easy weeknight meals? Cheesy Chicken Parmesan with Homemade Marinara Sauce and Smothered Hamburger Steaks with Mushroom Gravy are both amazing choices!

Close up of a bowl of chicken and dumplings
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5 from 4 votes

Creamy Chicken and Dumplings

There’s nothing like a big bowl of creamy chicken and dumplings to warm you up during the winter months.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chicken, chicken and dumplings, dinner, dinner ideas, dumplings, easy meal, weeknight dinners
Servings: 6 servings
Author: Crystal

Equipment

  • 4 quart pot with a lid
  • wooden spoon
  • Tongs
  • Fork or knife with cutting board
  • Small metal spoon or cookie scoop

Ingredients

Creamy Chicken Soup

  • 3 tablespoon canola oil
  • 1.5 pound chicken thighs boneless and skinless
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 cup small diced carrots
  • ½ cup small diced onions
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 sprig thyme
  • ¼ cup heavy cream

Dumplings

  • 1 ¼ cup all purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ¼ teaspoon paprika
  • 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ cup milk
  • 4 tablespoons melted butter

Instructions

For the soup:

  • In a 4 quart pot, heat vegetable oil on medium heat.
  • Season the chicken thighs with 1/2 tablespoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper, reserving the remaining salt and pepper.
  • Sear the chicken in the pan for 4 minutes, flipping halfway through cooking. Remove the partially cooked chicken from the pot and set aside.
  • Add the diced carrots and onions and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds while stirring.
  • Sprinkle the flour over the cooked veggies, and mix together for 1 minute.
  • Pour 1 cup of the chicken stock in with the veggies and stir to combine. The mixture will thicken while simmering. Pour in the remaining chicken stock and whisk.
  • Add the reserved salt and pepper, the seared chicken thighs, bay leaf, and thyme. Stir to combine.
  • Turn the heat to low. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
  • Remove the cooked chicken thighs, bay leaf, and thyme. Shred the meat with forks or a knife. Add the shredded chicken back to the soup.

Dumplings:

  • In a medium sized bowl, mix together the dry ingredients.
  • Pour in wet ingredients and mix together with a wooden spoon.

Soup Assembly:

  • With a soup spoon, scoop out a heaping spoonful of the dumpling batter. Gently drop the batter into the soup. Repeat until all the batter has been added, placing each scooped dough next to each other in the pot.
  • Cover and simmer for 5 minutes.
  • Uncover and pour in the heavy cream. Gently flip over each of the partially cooked dumplings with a spoon. Cover and simmer for 5 more minutes.
  • Serve immediately.

Notes

For dairy free alternatives, see notes above. 

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Five Spice Braised Beef Short Ribs with Creamy Slaw

Overhead shot of a plate of braised short ribs on a bed of slaw and rice

If you’re looking for a simple and yummy way to cook up a batch of beef short ribs, look no further! My five spice braised beef short ribs paired with a creamy Asian-inspired slaw will more than meet your expectations.

The build up of flavors with these braised beef short ribs are amazing! The short ribs are seasoned with Chinese five spice powder and slowly cooked in the oven with a seasoned beef broth. While they’re cooking, an Asian-inspired slaw is put together, which eventually gets served with the nice tender short ribs and lots of sauce!

Overhead shot of braised beef short ribs with a side of slaw and rice

How to make braised beef short ribs

Cooking up a batch of tender braised beef short ribs is definitely intimidating in the beginning. But I promise you it’s not as bad as you think! It’s a lot of small steps to braising them, but all these small steps are damn near foolproof.

A quick breakdown to braised beef short ribs is:

  1. Season the short ribs and lightly coat in flour
  2. Sear each side of the short ribs in hot oil, remove the meat and set aside
  3. Add veggies to the same pan for a minute or two.
  4. Deglaze the pan with wine and broth.
  5. Add any additional seasonings and herbs, then add the seared short ribs
  6. Cover and bake for a couple of hours

What pan to use to braise

When it comes to braising, it’s best to use a pan that can be used on the stovetop and in the oven. This is mostly for saving a dish, and to keep all the flavors in one pot.

If you do not have a pan that works for both the stove and oven, no worries! As long as you have an oven safe dish, you can still execute the braised aspect of the dish.

Once the meat is seared, place it into an oven safe dish. Continue with the steps of cooking the veggies and adding the stock, then pour it over the meat into the same dish. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil and bake as instructed!

Bone-in vs boneless beef short ribs

If you look at the ingredients, you may notice that I did not list if you should use bone-in or boneless short ribs. That’s because it’s your preference!

The main difference between using one or the other will be cook time. If you use boneless, cook the short ribs for 2 hours. With bone-in it can cook for 15 minutes less. 

Close up of braised beef short ribs

What is Chinese Five Spice???

Chinese five spice powder is a seasoning blend that’s often used in Chinese cuisine. In case you haven’t figured it out, it consists of…..5 spices. 

  • Chinese cinnamon
  • Anise
  • Cloves
  • Fennel seeds
  • Ginger

The last ingredient can sometimes vary, but overall this is what it’ll consist of. 

Chinese five spice can be found in the international aisle of your grocery store, or at any Asian supplier.

While this is a simple recipe, there are some modifications that can be made for those with dietary restrictions. 

Braised beef short rib modifications

Alcohol free 

Once the veggies are sauteed, I deglaze the pan with some red wine, which can be completely omitted. This can instead be deglazed with the beef stock.

Rice wine vinegar replacement

Rice wine vinegar, used in both the short rib broth and the slaw, may be hard to get your hands on. Or it may be something that you do not use often, and you don’t want to spend the money on it, which is understood.  Apple cider vinegar is more readily available, and a good sub for rice wine vinegar.

Gluten free

The short ribs are lightly coated in all purpose flour, which can be omitted to make it gluten free.

There is also a splash of soy sauce, which contains gluten as well. This can either be omitted, or replaced with a tamari soy sauce, which is gluten free!

Close up shot of braised beef short ribs

Creamy slaw modifications

Chili garlic sauce substitute

I spiced up the creamy slaw with a spoonful of chili garlic sauce. If spice isn’t your thing, the amount can either be reduced or omitted. 

Or, if you can not find any chili garlic sauce, it can be swapped out for sriracha, or a couple of dashes of cayenne pepper. 

Omit sugar

To make this a sugar-free slaw, omit the granulated sugar.

Mayonnaise substitution

To make a lighter version of the creamy slaw, the mayonnaise can be replaced with greek yogurt!

Close up of a creamy slaw with braised beef short ribs in the background

What to serve with the five spiced braised beef short ribs

Aside from the creamy slaw, I like to serve the short ribs on a bed of steamed rice. You’re gonna need something to soak up all dat sauce!!!

If you’re trying to take things up a notch and be fake fancy, garnish the plated dish with some sliced scallions and toasted sesame seeds!

You’ll definitely want to save this recipe! If you get to make it, I’d love it if you left a review! Happy eating!!!

Plate of braised beef short ribs with rice and slaw

If you’re looking for another great recipe involving lots of gravy, check out these Smothered Hamburger Steaks with Mushroom and Onion Gravy!

Overhead close up of braised short ribs with a bowl of creamy slaw
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5 from 8 votes

5 Spice Braised Short Ribs with Creamy Asian-Inspired Slaw

Short ribs are seasoned with Chinese 5 Spice, slowly braised until tender, and served with a creamy slaw!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time2 hours 30 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, Chinese
Keyword: asian, braised, chinese, entree, gravy, short ribs, slaw
Author: Crystal

Equipment

  • Small mixing bowl
  • 4 quart oven safe pot or skillet with a lid
  • Tongs
  • knife and cutting board

Ingredients

Braised Short Ribs

  • 1 ½ – 2 pounds short ribs 4 pieces total
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon Chinese 5 spice powder
  • ½ cup all purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons canola oil
  • ¼ cup carrot rough chopped
  • ¼ cup white onion rough chopped
  • 6 garlic cloves peeled and crushed
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • ¼ cup red wine
  • 3 cup beef stock
  • ¼ cup rice wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoons fresh grated ginger
  • 1 bay leaf
  • sprig of thyme
  • cooked rice for serving
  • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds for garnish
  • sliced scallions for garnish

Creamy Slaw

  • ½ cup mayonnaise
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon granulated sugar
  • 1 ½ teaspoon sesame oil
  • 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
  • 2 scallions sliced
  • 1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce
  • 1 garlic clove grated
  • ¼ cup grated carrots
  • ½ pound napa cabbbage shredded

Instructions

Braised Short Ribs

  • Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
  • In a small bowl, mix together the kosher salt, black pepper, and Chinese five spice.
  • With a paper towel, pat the short ribs dry. Sprinkle all sides of the short ribs with the mixed seasoning.
  • Add the flour into another small bowl. Individually toss the seasoned short ribs in the flour to coat. Remove the short rib, lightly shaking off any excess flour. Set the floured short ribs aside.
  • Heat canola oil in a 4 quart oven safe pot or skillet to medium heat.
  • Once the oil is heated, carefully place each short rib. Sear on all sides for 1 minute per side. Once all sides are seared, remove the short ribs onto a plate and set aside.
  • In the same pan, add the chopped carrots, onions, and garlic. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Add the tomato paste in with the veggies and cook for 1 minute while stirring.
  • Pour in the red wine while stirring the veggies. Cook for 30 seconds.
  • Pour in the beef stock, rice wine vinegar, ginger, soy sauce, bay leaf, and thyme. Stir to combine. Simmer for 1 minute.
  • Add the seared short ribs into the liquid. Cover with a tight fitting lid.
  • Bake for 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours, until tender.
  • Once baked, carefully remove the lid to prevent burns from the steam.
  • Remove the bay leaf and thyme stems from the sauce.
  • Serve with the creamy slaw and steamed rice, garnishing with sesame seeds and scallions.

Creamy Slaw

  • In a medium bowl, thoroughly mix together all ingredients excluding the shredded cabbage.
  • Toss the cabbage into the mayonnaise mixture.
  • Refrigerate until ready to serve.

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