Beef chili is a comfort food favorite, and adding a trio of peppers like Cubanelle, Poblano, and Serrano brings a unique flavor profile that sets this recipe apart. Each pepper lends its distinct taste and heat, making it flavorful and complex. The mild, sweet Cubanelle balances the slightly smoky Poblano, while the Serrano adds a touch of heat for those who like their chili with a kick.
This combination of peppers creates a well-rounded chili that appeals to various spice preferences, making it ideal for sharing at gatherings or simply enjoying a cozy night. The beef provides a rich, hearty base that pairs perfectly with the vibrant flavors of the peppers. Slow-cooked to perfection, this chili melts the flavors together, delivering a satisfying meal full of depth.
Whether you're a chili enthusiast or want to try something new, this recipe offers a delightful twist on a classic dish. Its fresh, aromatic peppers elevate the traditional chili experience. Prepare to impress with this pepper-packed take on beef chili!
3-Chile Beef Chili with Red Kidney Beans & Pepper Jack Cheese
As you can imagine, this chili recipe uses three types of chilies—poblano and Cubanelle, both mild and not too hot—along with a Serrano pepper from Mexico that adds a "spicy, complex finish."
I think you should go with the type of chilies you enjoy most, available in your local markets, and yield the heat you and your family can handle. Preparing a great chili that's too hot for your kids to enjoy is no use. You can always add hot sauce to your own serving if needed.
This recipe makes 2 - 3 servings. We received two boxes to serve 4 - 6 servings, depending on who's eating, so if you are looking to serve more, just double the recipe but add the chili spice blend and cilantro to taste.
📖 Recipe
3 Chili Beef Chili Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 Cubanelle pepper
- 1 Poblano pepper
- 1 Serrano pepper
- 2 teaspoons olive oil plus more for drizzling
- salt & pepper to taste
- 10 ounces ground beef
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 red onion peeled and minced
- 2 teaspoons chili spice blend
- 15 ounces crushed tomatoes
- 15 ounces can kidney beans canned, drain and rinced
- 1 lime
- 1 bunch cilantro leaves removed, stems discarded and chopped just before adding to pot
- 1 avocado
- 2 ounces Pepper Jack cheese grated
Instructions
Getting Ready
- Start by preheating your oven to 500°F and getting the rest of ingredients ready to work with.
- Wash and dry the vegetables. Mince the onion and garlic. Remove the cilantro leaves from the stems.
- Remove enough of the peel from the lime to mince enough for 2 teaspoons of lime zest. Cut the remaining lime into quarters.
- Peel the avocado, remove the pit and cut up into dice size pieces. Add the juice from two of the lime wedges to keep the avocado from browning.
Roasting the Peppers
- Coat the peppers with a little olive oil and place them on a sheet pan. Season with salt & pepper and place them into the preheated oven. Roast for about 7 to 9 minutes. When the skin looks browned and starting to blister, they are done and can be removed from the oven. They are hot so wait till they cool off to remove and discard the seeds and stems. Chop up the peppers and reserve.
Preparing the Chili
- Heat a large saucepan or soup pot over medium-high heat. When hot, add 2 teaspoons of olive oil and then the ground beef. Season with salt and pepper, cook until the ground beef is browned. This will take just 2 or 3 minutes.
- Reduce the head to medium heat and add the garlic and most of the onion but leave a little for garnish at the end. Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes until the onion softens and starts to become translucent.
- Add the chili spice mix but only to taste. If you like it spicy, add all of it, but if not, go with less. You can always taste it while it is cooking and add more. Let the chili cook for another minute or two and be sure to keep stirring so nothing burns.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, kidney beans, lime zest and reserved chopped peppers plus 1¼ cups of water. Stir and bring to a simmer. Cook for 10 - 12 minutes, stirring every once in a while so nothing sticks to the bottom and burns.
- Now is a good time to taste and adjust seasonings with salt and pepper.
- Remove the pot from the heat and add some of the chopped cilantro. Stir and taste to see if it needs more cilantro. Some people like cilantro more than others so adjust according to tastes.
Plate & Garnish
- Serve the chili in bowls and garnish with the reserved avocado, grated Pepper Jack cheese, a little minced onion and remaining cilantro.
- Add a wedge of lemon to the plate and serve.
Some of My Favorite Beef Recipes
Wendell Smith
Sorry, but I will have to pass on this recipe. I could not get past the kidney bean part. I lived in Texas long enough to learn there is no place in a good "bowl of red" for beans or crushed tomatoes.
You might want to check out https://www.chili.org/recipes.html for championship recipes.
Wendell
The Reluctant Gourmet
That's OK Wendell. I have a bunch of friends from Texas and they say the same thing as you do but I also have lot's of friends from other states that don't feel the same way and like beans in their chili. Each their own. I checked out your championship recipes and some of them looked good but many of them used ingredients I don't typically use like chicken and beef stock in a cube. A little to salty for me but thanks for the source.
Julia @cookandburn.com
I've lived in Texas for nearly my entire life and I really don't care for the only meat type of chili. My family prefers vegetarian chili with at least 2 types of beans, lots of tomatoes and onions and you spice your own bowl with hot sauce! I guess that's sacrilegious to most people around here...
This recipe is very similar to one that I normally make, sans ground beef and with the addition of chili beans in sauce (I cheat a bit).
Thanks!
Alisha Ross
I love how you prep food. It is just one of the things I have learned from you. This is going on next week’s menu. I prefer the reds and orange for stuffing, and for some reason I like the horizontal cut. I think it is because of the proportion of filling to pepper. Anyway, thanks again. I really appreciate you.
Harold Burton
I was happy to have the opportunity to review this cookbook as well and even tested the same recipe on my blog! I now want to start at the very beginning and cook my way from the front cover to the back. Every recipe is a gem!
Paul Brown
My husband prefer eating beef so much.This dish looks very delicious, I will make them as your recipe for him, I hope he will happy when eating them.