I’ve always made my chili from scratch because those seasoning packets you buy in the grocery store are pretty underwhelming. Last night, I was tired, the spice rack was low on a few items… but I did have two packets of Old El Paso. I doctored it up and it was pretty close to my home made.

This recipe is for a double batch and easily feeds 3-4 with enough left over for a few lunches.

Equip!

2 lb. ground beef
3 c. chicken stock (or water)
1 14.5 oz. can Hunt’s diced tomatoes
2 16 oz. cans Bush’s beans (red kidney or black)
2 packages Old El Paso Chili chili seasoning mix
1 tbs. chili powder
1 tbs. cumin
1 1/2 tsp. oregano
1 tbs. unsweetened Hershey’s cocoa powder

Prep!

Brown beef in a skillet on medium low until all of the liquid has evaporated and the beef starts to caramelize.

Add the chicken stock and deglaze the pan, scraping up all the browned bits of beef.

Drain the tomatoes and set aside.

Drain and rinse the beans, and set aside.

Cook!

Add the remaining ingredients to the pan with the beef, mix well and simmer on low for 30-40 minutes. The mixture should be barely bubbling.

Top with grated cheddar or sour cream and serve with a side of Texas Toast or Fritos.