Author: Wholesome Family Kitchen
Serves: 4 to 6. (For my family of four—two adults + two hungry kiddos—I can usually get one dinner meal out of this batch of chili, serving each of us generously, plus 1 or 2 (or sometimes 3) smaller portions for lunches over the next couple of days.)
* Most dried oregano sold in grocery stores today is the Mediterranean variety, which is grown throughout the Mediterranean region (including Greece, Italy, and Spain) and therefore pairs well with dishes from this region. It will work just fine in this chili recipe, but if you can find it, Mexican oregano adds a more complex flavor that complements the spices in this chili, and in other Mexican dishes, especially well.
** My kids do not like too-spicy chili, so this amount of chili powder works for us: just enough to give a little bit of heat, but not so much that they’ll refuse to eat it. Of course, feel free to adjust the amount of chili powder to suit your and your family’s preferences, keeping in mind that different brands of chili powder have varying amounts of heat, and they lose their potency the longer they sit on the shelf. (The particular brand I buy seems to be on the spicier side, so ½ teaspoon is perfect for us.) If you want even more heat, feel free to add a pinch or two of red pepper flakes or a finely minced jalapeño pepper.
*** Muir Glen is my favorite brand of canned tomatoes, and their fire-roasted tomatoes add an extra layer of flavor to this chili. If you can’t find them, regular canned tomatoes will work just fine, but the fire-roasted tomatoes are worth seeking out. (My local Target usually has them in stock, and they are often on sale.)