Chili Recipe With Cinnamon

Nothing says 'cosy and comforting' quite like a hearty bowl of chili! Layered with spices and flavor, this chili recipe will warm you from the inside out and have everyone coming back for seconds. 

The cinnamon in this dish adds a warmth all of its own - an entirely different spice profile to the red chili and an extra depth of flavor!  Who said that cinnamon was only for sweet treats and baked goods? 

This recipe yields 6 x 1-cup servings. You’ll only need 25 minutes for prep time (perfect for those fall evenings where you’d rather be cuddled by the fire) and 45 minutes to cook.

2 tbsp canola or vegetable oil, separated

1 1/2 lbs ground beef (you can use cubed beef chuck, but it will need a little longer for cooking)

2 cups yellow onion, diced

1 1/2 cup red chilis (retain the seeds if you like the heat)

8 garlic cloves, chopped

2 tbsp dried oregano (fresh if available)

1 tbsp tomato paste

1 1/2 tsp ground cumin

2 1/2 cups chicken stock/broth

2 tbsp paprika

2 tbsp red wine vinegar

1 1/2 tbsp brown sugar

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp salt

3 cinnamon sticks

1 can (15.5 oz) black beans (or kidney if you prefer), drained and rinsed

2 oz cheddar cheese, grated

1 tbsp chives, chopped

1 1/2 cup sour cream

1. In a large dutch oven, heat 1 tbsp oil over medium heat and brown the meat. Once cooked, place on a separate plate.
2. Add 1 tbsp oil to the pan and warm. Add the onions, chili, and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 5 minutes.
3. While stirring constantly, add the oregano, tomato paste and cumin. Continue to stir for 1 minute.
4. Stir in the stock, paprika, vinegar, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, salt and cinnamon.
5. Bring the contents to a boil, stirring occasionally.
6. Add the cooked meat, cover, and reduce to a simmer.
7. Allow to cook for about 45 minutes. If using beef chuck, allow about 1 hour, 15 minutes.
8. Once cooked, remove the cinnamon sticks.
9. Stir in the beans in, then serve into bowls.
10. Top the chili with a dollop of sour cream, sprinkle on some grated cheese and finish with a sprinkle of chives.
11. Serve alongside white fluffy Texas Roadhouse Rolls, buttered with delicious  Cinnamon Butter.

If you love Cinnamon Butter as much as we do, you can even use it the chili recipe! 

Simply replace 1 tbsp of the oil with the butter when cooking the meat. The meat will soak up the delicious butter and enhance the flavor even further. As the butter contains honey, you can reduce the brown sugar in the recipe to 1 tbsp and only use 2 cinnamon sticks!

You can store the cooked chili in the fridge for up to four days. Alternatively, freeze the chili in air-tight containers for up to four months. When ready to use, thaw the chili in the fridge overnight. Thawed chili can be kept in the fridge for up to three days.

Have you tried this copycat Texas Roadhouse Chili yet? It's amazing!