This Chili Recipe Has Won Multiple Chili Cook-Offs!
9/25/2025
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You read that correctly. Not only have I won a chili cook-off with this chili recipe, but my husband and multiple readers have also won with it! Talk about a confidence boost.
If there is one recipe that I make year after year in my own kitchen, it’s chili. Here in the Midwest, it’s a true staple. Something you can make in less than 30 minutes, that’s filling, warm, and PERFECT for football season.
Story time! When I first started dating my husband, he called me one day, exclaiming he had won the chili cook-off at his office. I was immediately skeptical that he developed his own recipe so I asked him what his secret ingredient was. He responded with maple syrup, and I immediately knew – YOU USED MY RECIPE. I was mad for a second and then so happy because that meant this very chili recipe won a chili competition!
Why I Adore This Chili Recipe
- Hearty: not only do you get ground beef, but you also get hearty ingredients like beans, garlic, and onion, in every bite.
- Perfectly spicy: I used my own chili seasoning mix for this recipe and I love that you can control the heat with more or less paprika.
- Secret ingredient: a little bit of maple syrup rounds out all of the savory flavors and helps tame the spice a bit.
Readers Are Winning Competitions!
I had to share this one review from the comment section:
Vicki said: “WINNER!! 🏆 I just won a chili cook off with this recipe! The only thing I added was a splash of Worcestershire sauce…. And I thickened with a small cornstarch slurry due to my limited cook time before the cook off. Everything else was as written. Doubled the recipe, which filled my pot, and by the end it was licked clean! Nothing left! Thank you so much for posting this recipe! My kids went nuts over it too so it will go into the rotation now! 🙌🏻“
Featured Comment
I never leave comments because most recipes I find on the internet are good, just good. Holy cow this is amazing! I added corn (just like corn in my chili) other than that I followed it to a tee. AMAZING! And the leftovers a day or two later… extra amazing! Sold, posted, Pinterest, etc. Thank you for sharing! – Elsie
So, if you’re looking to win your next chili cook-off, use our recipe! But, don’t forget to leave a comment on the post to let us know 😀
