Recipe

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This hearty corn chili is packed with beans and beef, bringing big flavor to your bowl.

Made with simple ingredients and a bold chili flavor, this corn chili is the recipe that hits the spot every time.

Santa Fe Beef & Corn Chili

Corn chili is perfect for nights when I want a big bowl of comfort food with minimal prep. Unlike my meat and veggie chili, the only thing I need to chop is an onion, which I can handle; and if not, I’ll use the frozen, pre-chopped ones.

This is my “I’m feeling lazy, but I still want chili” for dinner recipe. The corn adds a little sweetness to every bite, an upgrade from classic chili, if you ask me. It yields enough for leftovers, which I’ll either freeze or make chili tacos another day.

Ingredients

Make this corn chili with ground meat, beef, turkey, or chicken, onion and garlic for flavor, a packet of chili seasoning (or make your own with chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, and cayenne pepper), red kidney beans, sweet corn, crushed tomatoes, and diced tomatoes with green chilies.

How to Make Corn Chili

Brown the meat in the Dutch oven and, when it’s nearly browned, add the chopped onion, garlic cloves, and chili seasoning. Cook a few more minutes until the onion has softened. Add the canned ingredients and simmer on low, stirring occasionally.

Adjusting the Heat

To make this Santa Fe beef & corn chili spicier, add a little more seasoning or a chopped jalapeño. To cut down the heat, use less seasoning or add cheese and sour cream as a topping. If you’re using homemade chili seasoning, you can also adjust the heat by using more or less cayenne pepper.

Corn Chili (Santa Fe Style)

Servings: 8

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 30

Total Time: 40

This hearty corn chili is packed with beans and beef, bringing big flavor to your bowl.

5 from 3 votes

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Ingredients

1 ½ pounds ground beef
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 packet chili seasoning mix, see notes for measurements
2 cans (15 ounce each) red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (15 ounces) sweet corn, rinsed and drained*
1 can (15 ounces) crushed tomatoes
1 can (10 ounces) diced tomatoes with green chilies, with liquid

Instructions

Brown the meat:

In a 5qt Dutch oven over medium-high heat, brown the meat. Unless you're using extra lean beef, you don't really need any fat; the meat will release its own. Once the beef is nearly browned, after 7 minutes, add the chopped onion, garlic cloves, and seasoning. Stir to combine and continue cooking for another 3 minutes, until the onion has softened.

Simmer:

Add the canned ingredients to the pot and stir until well combined. Bring the chili mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes, opening the lid to stir occasionally.