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Comforting Chili Mac served in a bowl, covered with melted cheese
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5 from 10 ratings

Chili Mac Recipe

Classic Chili Mac is quick, filling, and cheesy. Everything cooks in one pot for an easy weeknight dinner with big chili flavor in about 30 minutes.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chili, macaroni
Servings: 8
Calories: 470kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 large onion diced
  • 2-3 jalapenos diced (use bell pepper for milder heat)
  • 4-5 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 3 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne optional, for spicy
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Hot sauce to taste
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2.5 cups beef broth
  • 2 15-ounce cans fire roasted tomatoes or use diced or crushed tomatoes
  • 1 15- ounce can red kidney beans drained
  • 8 ounces dry elbow macaroni noodles
  • 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese or use a Mexican blend

Instructions

  • Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat and add the onion and jalapeno peppers. Cook for 5 minutes to soften.
  • Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant.
  • Add the ground beef and break apart with a wooden spoon. Cook for 5-6 minutes to brown and cook mostly through, stirring a bit.
  • Stir in the chili powder, cumin, cayenne, salt and pepper, hot sauce, and tomato paste. Cook 1-2 minutes to bloom the spices, stirring.
  • Add the beef broth, tomatoes, kidney beans, and macaroni noodles. Stir.
  • Cover and reduce heat to simmer. Cook for 8-10 minutes, or until the noodles are done to your liking.
  • Stir in half of the cheddar cheese until melty, then remove from heat. Top with remaining cheese and cover off heat for 2-3 minutes to melt the top cheese.
  • Garnish and serve!

Nutrition

Calories: 470kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 69mg | Sodium: 908mg | Potassium: 506mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1804IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 283mg | Iron: 4mg