Texas Chili

    Do you like your chili with beans or without? This authentic Texas chili keeps it classic. Just bold, tender chuck roast, without beans. It has a rich, smoky flavor in every bite.

    Bowl of Texas chili garnished with shredded cheese, jalapeno slices, and fresh cilantro.

    All the Reasons to Grab a Bowl

    • Flavor-Packed Texas Red Chili: Tender chuck roast meets smoky chipotles, jalapeños, and rich chili spices for the best bowl of chili.
    • Spice It Your Way: You can customize your heat by swapping jalapeños for green bell pepper, or add more or less chipotles in adobo to suit your taste.
    • Perfect Pairings: Top with shredded cheddar cheese, jalapeño slices, cilantro, and sour cream. Serve alongside cornbread for a complete meal.

    Texas Chili Ingredients

    Overhead shot of labeled Texas chili ingredients.
    • Beef Chuck Roast: Pick a well-marbled cut. The fat melts as it cooks for a rich flavor. Evenly cut cubes mean even cooking.
    • Onion & Jalapeño: Dice them finely so they soften and melt into the chili base. For less heat, swap jalapeños with green bell peppers.
    • Brown Sugar & Cocoa Powder: These balance out the spice and acidity. Don’t worry, they won’t make the chili taste sweet, just complex.

    How to Make Texas Chili

    The magic of this Texas chili recipe comes from layering flavors step by step, starting with a good sear on the beef and ending with a slow simmer that ties everything together. Here’s how to make it happen:

    1. Prep: Heat olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot or large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season the chuck roast with salt and pepper.
    2. Sear the Meat: Add the beef in batches, browning the meat on all sides. Allow about 5-6 minutes per batch, then remove the browned meat and set it aside.
    3. Sauté the Veggies: To the same pot, add diced yellow onion, jalapeño peppers, and minced garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally until softened. About 4-5 minutes.
    4. Add the Spices: Add chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, brown sugar, dried oregano, coriander, cocoa powder, chopped chipotles in adobo, and tomato paste. Stir to combine.
    5. Heat Beef, Tomatoes, and Broth: Add the beef back to the pot, then add crushed tomatoes and beef broth. Stir to combine.
    6. Simmer: Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot and simmer for 2-3 hours. Stir occasionally, until the meat is tender and the Texas chili has thickened. If the chili gets too thick, add more broth as needed.
    Chuck roast cute into cubes and seasoned on a cutting board.
    Browning the beef at the bottom of a dutch oven on the stove top.
    Jalapenos, onion and garlic cooking in the bottom of the dutch oven with the leftovers from the beef.
    Spices and seasonings added to the onion mixture in the dutch oven.
    Beef broth added to the onion and seasoning mixture.
    Browned beef chunks added to the broth.

    Alyssa’s ProTip

    Brown the beef first! That deep crust creates caramelized bits, called fond, on the bottom of the pan. When they mix into your Texas chili, they add rich, savory flavor you can’t get any other way.

    Overhead shot of Texas chili with some fresh cilantro and jalapeños.
    Print

    Texas Chili

    My classic Texas chili is all about tender beef, smoky spices, and a rich, hearty sauce. No beans, just bold, meaty flavor that wins every time.
    Course Dinner, Main Course
    Cuisine American, Tex Mex
    Keyword authentic texas chili, no bean chili, no bean Texas chili, Texas Chili, texas chili recipe, texas red
    Prep Time 20 minutes
    Cook Time 3 hours
    Total Time 3 hours 20 minutes
    Servings 6 servings
    Calories 253kcal
    Author Alyssa Rivers

    Ingredients

    • 2 ½ – 3 pounds chuck roast cut into ½-inch cubes
    • 2 teaspoons salt more or less to taste
    • 1 teaspoon pepper more or less to taste
    • 3 tablespoons olive oil
    • 1 large diced yellow onion
    • 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and diced
    • 6 minced garlic cloves
    • 2 tablespoons chili powder
    • 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
    • 1 tablespoon cumin
    • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
    • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
    • 1 teaspoon coriander
    • ½ tablespoon cocoa powder
    • 2 chopped chipotles in adobo
    • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
    • 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
    • 4 cups beef broth

    Instructions

    • Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season 2 ½ – 3 pounds chuck roast cut into ½-inch cubes with 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper.
    • Add the beef in batches, browning the meat on all sides. 5-6 minutes per batch. Remove the browned meat and set aside.
    • To the same pot, add 1 large diced yellow onion, 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and diced, and 6 minced garlic cloves. Cook, stirring occasionally until softened; this will take 4-5 minutes.
    • Add 2 tablespoons chili powder, 1 tablespoon smoked paprika, 1 tablespoon cumin, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 2 teaspoons dried oregano, 1 teaspoon coriander, ½ tablespoon cocoa powder, 2 chopped chipotles in adobo, and 1 tablespoon tomato paste. Stir to combine.
    • Add the beef back to the pot, then add 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoesand 4 cups beef broth. Stir to combine.
    • Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot and simmer for 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally, until the meat is tender and the chili has thickened. If the chili gets too thick, add more broth as needed.

    Notes

    Storing Leftovers
    • Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for 4–5 days.
    • Freezer: Freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
    • Reheating: Warm on the stovetop or in the microwave until hot and simmering. If it’s too thick, stir in a splash of broth or water.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 6g | Calories: 253kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 52mg | Sodium: 1502mg | Potassium: 544mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1494IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 71mg | Iron: 4mg

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