So here is a little secret.. my husband thinks i like football a lot more than i actually do. Every now and then i actually get into a game, but the reason i get excited for game day is because i love all of the football foods! Wings, hot dogs, buffalo chicken dip, guacamole... all some of my favorite things.
And the meal that i start craving every September and every time i hear the word "kickoff" is a heaping bowl of chili will all the toppings!
Our team is the Eagles... and our season kind of feels like it never even started this year, so the food was even more important!
This recipe is one of my favorites and it's so easy.. mostly just dumping things into a pot and then running to the living room because Asher is screaming at the TV ;)
It's pretty forgiving too... so you can sub in different kinds of beans and or skip the sausage and use all ground beef or ground turkey and it will still be delicious!
It's not overly spicy, but if you aren't someone who likes spice, replace the hot sausage with mild and skip the cayenne.
Also, feel free to fry up that whole pound of bacon so you have something to nibble on while the chili simmers!
I love any recipe that requires simmer time because it means by the time dinner rolls around, the kitchen is already cleaned up and the whole house smells like heaven.
In this case, it also means you have time to bake some cornbread... which if i'm honest, is probably the best part! It soaks up all of the chili and adds a bit of sweetness to counteract the spice. It will also be great for breakfast the next morning with a little honey and butter. If you aren't feeling the cornbread, rice or tortilla chips, or even baked potatoes are great options too!
As for toppings, I am a little too obsessed with sour cream and have been trying to just. walk. away. haha. I've substituted with plain Greek yogurt here and it does the trick while being a little better for your body (maybe i should start walking away from bacon too).
The shallots, cheese and limes add the perfect final touches for cozy, filling meal and it's fun to pile everything into your bowl!
My favorite cornbread recipe is by Alex Guarnaschelli and i like to add a can of whole corn to it for some texture.
What are your favorite chili toppings?
If you try this recipe, please let me know! I'd love to hear/see how it turns out!
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