Yesterday for some reason I was cold all day! I kept wrapping myself in blankets, sipping tea, snuggling puppies and just couldn’t get warm. This is unlike me, usually I am sweltering when others are complaining about it being cold. Thank goodness I don’t work in an office with other people anymore.

Anyway, 5pm hit and I realized I didn’t have a dinner plan. But I almost always have everything for Chili on hand, so I decided to go that route. I also decided to try it in the Instant Pot since I’d waited too long to start dinner.
It worked very well!! Here’s the recipe:

Amy’s Red Chili

Ingredients
1 pound extra lean ground beef (or turkey, or vegetarian alternative)
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cumin
2 teaspoons chili powder (at least)
1 teaspoon dried oregano (at least)
4 ounce can green (mild) chilis, diced
2 tablespoons canned jalapeno (or 1 whole pepper fresh, diced)
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves Garlic, chopped
28 ounces tomatoes, canned
8 ounces tomato sauce
2 cups fat-free beef broth
½ teaspoon instant espresso powder (optional, but so nice)
3 Whole Chipotle Chile Canned In Adobo + 2 Tablespoons Adobo Sauce (optional)
dash of ground cloves and any other spices you might want to add (more of the above, plus garlic powder, chipotle powder, etc.)
½ bell pepper (any color), chopped
15 ounces kidney beans, canned, undrained
15 Ounces Black Beans, Canned, undrained

Steps
Stovetop/Slow Cooker:
Heat a large pot to medium high and spray with cooking spray. When hot add ground beef with a little of the salt, oregano, chili powder and cumin. Break the meat apart with the spoon and cook until no longer pink. When almost done, add onions and garlic and sauté for 5 minutes or so.
If you want to use the slow cooker, at this point transfer the cooked meat and spices into that vessel and continue using the slow cooker.
Add tomatoes, broth, other seasonings (including espresso powder) and tomato sauce.

Stovetop; Simmer for 1 hour (this is just to blend flavor–if not enough time skip this). Taste for seasoning, adding more if need be. I usually find I need to add a little salt here.
Slow cooker; set on low for 4 hours or more, longer the better as long as it doesn’t get too thick. Check it every hour if you can.

Add the two cans of beans (you can drain if you want, but I like that the “sauce” has extra nutrients and makes the chili a little thicker) and bell peppers and simmer for 15 minutes.

Instant Pot:
Set the Instant Pot on sauté mode and spray with cooking spray. When hot add ground beef with a little of the salt, oregano, chili powder and cumin. Break the meat apart with the spoon and cook until no longer pink. When almost done, add onions and garlic and sauté for 5 minutes or so. Turn off the pot (hit cancel).

Add tomatoes, broth, other seasonings (including espresso powder) and tomato sauce. Put the lid on and cook on high pressure for 15 minutes (you can certainly go longer, this is to develop flavor). Quick release. Taste for seasoning, adding more if need be. I usually find I need to add a little salt here.

Turn off the pot (hit cancel). Then put it back in sauté mode. You are going to want to simmer it for a bit to warm up the beans and peppers. Add the two cans of beans (you can drain if you want, but I like that the “sauce” has extra nutrients and makes the chili a little thicker) and bell peppers and simmer for 15 minutes.

Serve with shredded cheddar or taco cheese, sour cream and green onions, cilantro, saltines, corn chips, whatever you like on chili!

This time I did not use the chipotle in adobo because I didn’t feel like opening a whole can to use so little. So I just used chipotle powder. It was maybe not as “deep” of a flavor, but still delicious. I’m sure it will be even better today for lunch!

I hope you try it! Let me know how it goes!

Affiliate links:

Here’s the instant pot I have:

The beans, ground beef, onions, garlic, and peppers were all from Imperfect Foods