Description

The Pioneer Woman Chili is a hearty and flavorful chili recipe featuring ground beef, kidney and pinto beans, and a blend of warm spices. Perfect for any cooking method, including stove top, crock pot, and Instant Pot, this chili is thickened with masa harina for a distinctive texture and served with classic garnishes such as shredded cheddar, sour cream, and lime wedges.

Ingredients

Scale

Meat and Base

2 lbs. ground beef (80% lean)
2 cloves garlic (diced)
8 oz. tomato sauce

Spices and Thickeners

2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground oregano
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 cup masa harina (white or yellow)

Beans and Tomatoes

15 oz. kidney beans (drained and rinsed)
15 oz. pinto beans (drained and rinsed)
14.5 oz. diced tomatoes (Instant Pot version only)

Garnishes

Shredded Cheddar cheese
Lime wedges
Sour cream
Tortilla chips or Fritos
Diced green onions

Instructions

Cook the Ground Beef: Heat a large pot over medium heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it apart with a spoon, until browned completely.
Drain Excess Grease: Carefully pour off any excess grease from the cooked beef to avoid a greasy chili.
Add Garlic and Tomato Sauce: Stir in the diced garlic and tomato sauce, cooking for an additional minute to combine flavors.
Season the Chili: Add chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, and cayenne pepper. Stir well to incorporate all the spices evenly.
Simmer the Chili (Stove Top Method): Lower the heat to low, cover the pot, and let the chili simmer for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally. If it becomes too dry, add 1/2 cup of water.
Prepare Masa Mixture: In a small bowl, mix the masa harina with 1/2 cup water until smooth. Slowly add this mixture to the chili, stirring to thicken. Adjust by adding more masa or water to reach desired consistency.
Add Beans and Cook Further: Stir in the drained kidney and pinto beans, then simmer the chili for an additional 10 minutes.
Serve the Chili: Ladle the chili into bowls and top with garnishes such as shredded cheddar, sour cream, lime wedges, tortilla chips or Fritos, and diced green onions. Serve with cornbread if desired.
Crock Pot Method: Follow the initial steps to brown the meat, drain grease, and cook garlic with tomato sauce and spices. Transfer to crock pot, stir in masa mixture and beans. Cook on low for 4 hours or all day, adjusting masa and water as needed.
Instant Pot Method: Brown ground beef on Sauté mode, drain grease, and add garlic, tomato sauce, and spices. Combine masa mixture with diced tomatoes and beans, stir into the pot. Close lid, seal pressure valve, and cook on Chili/Beans setting for 20 minutes. Release pressure carefully and serve with garnishes.

Notes

Add water gradually when cooking to avoid overly thick chili; adjust for preferred consistency.
Masa harina adds unique texture and thickens the chili unlike traditional flour or cornstarch.
The diced tomatoes are used only in the Instant Pot version to maintain moisture during pressure cooking.
Feel free to swap kidney and pinto beans with other varieties such as black beans if desired.
Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
Garnishes add freshness and texture, but can be customized to taste.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes (stove top), 4 hours (crock pot), 30 minutes (Instant Pot including prep and pressure release)
Category: Main Dish
Method: Stove Top, Crock Pot, Instant Pot
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 cup
Calories: 320
Sugar: 4g
Sodium: 550mg
Fat: 15g
Saturated Fat: 6g
Unsaturated Fat: 7g
Trans Fat: 0.2g
Carbohydrates: 25g
Fiber: 6g
Protein: 22g
Cholesterol: 70mg

Keywords: The Pioneer Woman Chili, chili recipe, ground beef chili, crock pot chili, Instant Pot chili, hearty chili, masa harina chili