Everyone needs a Simple Chilli con Carne or Chili recipe and this is my tried and tested favourite. It's big on flavour but reasoanably mild and a great one pot dish the whole family can tuck into.
Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium heat, add the onion and fry for about 5 minutes until soft.
Stir in the garlic together with the chilli powder, paprika and ground cumin and fry for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Turn up the heat and add the mince. Break the mince up with a wooden spoon and keep stirring until the meat is browned and there are no lumps..
Add the beef stock, tomatoes, tomato puree, oregano and sugar or chocolate. Stir together and season with freshly ground black pepper.
Bring the chilli to a boil then turn down the heat, cover with a lid and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add a little more water or stock if it looks too dry. Alternatively, cook in the oven with a lid on at 160C/325F/gas mark 3 for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Stir the kidney beans into the sauce and simmer without the lid for 10 minutes..
Serve the chilli with the rice, tacos or tortillas and a dollop of soured cream.
Notes
The nutritional information shown is just for the Chilli and does not include any sides or toppings.
Cooking a Batch
This is a great dish for making a batch of. It can be kept in the freezer (see below) and is handy to reach for on busy days. If you are cooking a batch, like most recipes, you won't need to multiply all of the liquid ingredients. When it comes to adding the stock, just add a little at a time so your chilli is not too dry. If you cook it slowly in the oven, some of the liquid will cook off but only around one centimeter or so. It also depends on how watery or not your tinned tomatoes are.
Storage
Chilli can be kept in the fridge for 3-4 days. It can be frozen for 3-4 months. When reheating any meat dishes, make sure they are piping hot before serving. Food safety guidelines say you should only reheat a meat dish once.