Firehouse Chili (Quick & Easy)

Firehouse Chili Recipe – seriously delicious!! So simple and it tastes great! All you need is some cornbread and dinner is done! Ground beef, onion, garlic, tomato sauce, Rotel tomatoes, beef broth, cumin, chili powder, oregano, cayenne pepper, and chili beans. Great for potlucks and parties. Can make on the stove or in the crockpot. Leftovers are good on top of a baked potato! YUM!

chili in a bowl with cheese and jalapenos

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Easy Homemade Chili Recipe

At the first hint of Fall, I start craving chili. This Firehouse Chili recipe is at the top of my list to make! It doesn’t matter if it is still hot outside, I’m going to be eating a big bowl of this chili watching football. Who’s with me?!?!?! It’s hard to be a good bowl of chili with a side of cornbread on a Fall/Winter night.

chili in a pot with a spoon

How to Make Firehouse Chili from Scratch

This chili is super easy to make. Brown beef in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium-high heat. Drain excess grease. Add the remaining ingredients to the pot – garlic, onion, salt, cumin, oregano, chili powder, Rotel tomatoes, tomato sauce, beef broth, and chili beans. Season with salt and black pepper. Bring the chili to a boil and then reduce to medium heat and simmer. Let it cook for 30 to 45 minutes. That is just enough time to whip up some yummy homemade cornbread.

Helpful Tips & Frequently Asked Questions

  • I used lean ground beef in this recipe. You can substitute ground turkey if you prefer. I will sometimes use half ground beef and half sausage in this chili recipe. YUM!
  • This chili gets its name Firehouse Chili from the three cans of diced tomatoes and green chilis in the recipe. The Rotel tomatoes give the chili the perfect amount of heat. If you are worried about the heat, you can use Mild Rotel tomatoes or two cans of regular diced tomatoes.
  • Can substitute kidney beans for chili beans.
  • Feel free to add a large onion chopped and bell peppers. Cook the vegetables when you brown the beef.
  • Is firehouse chili gluten-free? Yes! Look for a gluten-free chili powder such as Badia. Also, Bush’s beans are all gluten-free.
  • Can Firehouse Chili be made in the slow cooker? Absolutely! Brown the meat and then dump everything in the crockpot. Cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or on HIGH for 3 or 4 hours. I love making this chili in the crockpot. SO easy!
  • How long will homemade chili keep in the fridge? The chili will keep in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 4 or 5 days.
  • Can I freeze leftover chili? This recipe makes a lot of chili. It is perfect for parties, potlucks, and tailgating. If you aren’t feeding a crowd, you can definitely freeze the leftovers. I like to freeze the leftover chili in individual containers for a quick meal later. When ready to serve, thaw completely and either reheat in the microwave or on the stove.
  • The leftovers are great on baked potatoes and nachos.
a bowl of chili topped with sour cream, cheese, and jalapenos

What to Serve with Homemade Firehouse Chili?

This is one of our favorite hearty chili recipes. It has the best flavor and the perfect amount of heat. We love to top our chili with sour cream, cheddar cheese, jalapenos, and Fritos. You also can’t forget the homemade cornbread! If you aren’t a cornbread fan, a nice homemade roll also goes great with this chili. Here are a few of our favorite sides that go great with this chili:

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bowl of chili with fritos

Firehouse Chili

Yield: 8 people
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Firehouse Chili Recipe – seriously delicious!! So simple and it tastes great! All you need is some cornbread and dinner is done! Ground beef, onion, garlic, tomato sauce, Rotel tomatoes, beef broth, cumin, chili powder, oregano, cayenne pepper, and chili beans. Great for potlucks and parties. Can make on the stove or in the crockpot. Leftovers are good on top of a baked potato! YUM! #chili #slowcooker #soup

Equipment:

Ingredients:

  • lb ground beef
  • 2 Tbsp dried onion flakes
  • 4 garlic cloves crushed
  • tsp salt or to taste
  • ¼ tsp cumin
  • ¼ tsp dried oregano
  • 3 Tbsp chili powder
  • 3 (10-oz) cans Rotel diced tomatoes and green chilies, undrained
  • 1 cup tomato sauce
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • 3 (16-oz) can chili beans, undrained

Instructions:

  • In a Dutch oven, cook ground beef until no longer pink. Drain fat.
  • Add remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer and cook 30 to 45 minutes.

Notes:

I used lean ground beef in this recipe. You can substitute ground turkey if you prefer. I will sometimes use half ground beef half sausage in this chili recipe. YUM!
This chili gets its name Firehouse Chili from the three cans of diced tomatoes and green chilis in the recipe. The Rotel tomatoes give the chili the perfect amount of heat. If you are worried about the heat, you can use Mild Rotel tomatoes or two cans of regular diced tomatoes.
To make a gluten-free chili, look for a gluten-free chili powder such as Badia. Also, Bush’s beans are all gluten-free.
To make the chili in the crockpot, brown the meat and then dump everything in the crockpot. Cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or on HIGH for 3 or 4 hours. I love making this chili in the crockpot. SO easy!
The chili will keep in the refrigerator for 4 or 5 days.
This recipe makes a lot of chili. It is perfect for parties, potlucks, and tailgating. If you aren’t feeding a crowd, you can definitely freeze the leftovers. I like to freeze the leftover chili in individual containers for a quick meal later. When ready to serve, thaw completely and either reheat in the microwave or on the stove.
The leftovers are great on baked potatoes and nachos.

Steph

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Comments

  1. This is amazing! I put the Rotel Tomatoes and Chilies in a bowl and used immersion blender to purée as I wanted a thinner chili. It was fabulous!

  2. I made one substitution because I only had black beans on hand. I also drained the beef and removed it from the pot briefly while I “toasted” the spices in a little bit of avocado oil. I think it improves the flavor of chili powder so much. Other than that, I followed the recipe exactly and it was DELICIOUS. JUST Froze half of the batch for another day.

  3. I love this recipe… I’ve tried others & they’re ok… but we ALL agree on this one… its s crowd pleaser for sure! Making it for my scout troop for next meeting…

  4. This chili recipe is sooo good. I took it to church for a potluck and everyone loved it. It was all gone. I would recommend this recipe over and over!!

  5. Just made a pot of this chili. I used 2 cans original Rotel and one mild, 2 cans of medium sauce chili beans and one mild. I was concerned at first because it looked like too many tomatoes and kind of soupy, but after simmering it thickened up nicely and tastes fantastic. Gonna freeze it for cooler weather. Thanks for a great recipe.

  6. This is a delicious chili, I followed the recipe as written and wouldn’t change a thing. By far, our favorite chili recipe. Thank you so much Steph!

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