Basic Chili

basic chili

This basic chili recipe uses only shelf stable ingredients, so if you are working out of your dry storage pantry you can still have something nice and hearty without too much trouble.

The MSG in this recipe eliminates the need for stock, without it the chili still tastes good but lacks that extra bit of savory taste that you usually get from using stock. As a bit of an unintentional side effect of using canned goods, this recipe is low fat, high fiber, and keto friendly.

Feel free to play around with the seasonings, but I find that cumin and garlic make a nice, classic chili.

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Why I Love MSG

basic chili
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 90 minutes
Serves: 6 people

Ingredients:

2 medium onions [300 grams], diced

2 tablespoons cheap olive oil

2 15.5-ounce cans red kidney beans, undrained (use light if you like the beans to burst a little, dark if you prefer that they remain whole. Or do 1 can of each)

1 small (6 ounce) can tomato paste

1 7-ounce can of canned chicken, drained

1 tablespoon ground cumin

2 teaspoons granulated garlic

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon msg

hot sauce, to taste

Basic American Pantry

Instructions:

In a large stockpot, saute the onions in the olive oil until they start to turn golden. We are trying to develop flavor here, so some color is good.

Add all remaining ingredients except the hot sauce to the pot and stir well. Now comes the part for you to be the CEO of your chili… systematically add water, stirring as you add, until you reach the consistency that you want your chili to be. Some people like it very thick, some people like it more like soup. Once you get to that point, add one more cup of water and stir to incorporate.

Simmer the pot on medium low for 1 hour, stirring every 10 minutes to prevent burning the bottom. Break up any large chunks of chicken with the back of a spoon as you periodically stir.

After 1 hour, taste the chili and adjust the salt if it seems a little bland. Add water if it’s thicker than you like, and add hot sauce to your taste.

Serve with sour cream, cooked rice, cornbread, or on its own.

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Keep being better at cooking...