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Chili Mac
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Chili Mac

Cozy Chili Mac! It's classic beef chili that's upgraded with macaroni pasta and rich cheese for a flavor mashup that doesn't disappoint! It's all cooked in one pot and a breeze to make.

Prep

15 min

Cook

30 min

Total

45 min

Serves

6

Instructions

  1. 01

    Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.

  2. 02

    Add onion and bell pepper and saute 5 minutes. Scoot mixture to one far side.

  3. 03

    Crumble in beef in chunks, let sear about 3 minutes then break up and toss beef and peppers. Add in garlic and cook until beef is nearly cooked through, about 2 minutes.

  4. 04

    Add chili powder, cumin, and smoked paprika and cook 1 minute.

  5. 05

    Pour in crushed tomatoes, chicken broth and green chilies. Stir in macaroni and kidney beans. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

  6. 06

    Bring to a simmer then reduce heat to low. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until pasta is tender, about 12 to 15 minutes.

  7. 07

    Off heat stir in half and half and cheese. Thin with more chicken broth if desired. Serve with desired toppings.

Nutrition

per serving · 1 serving

Calories
558
Protein
37g
Carbs
60g
Fat
20g
Fiber
10g
Sugar
13g
Sat. fat
9g
Sodium
737mg
Cholesterol
82mg

Variations & swaps

Possible Substitutes and Variations

  • Beans: Black beans or pinto beans will work well instead of kidney beans.
  • Onions: Red or white onion will work in place of the yellow onion.
  • Pepper: Poblano pepper is a great option, or if you want is nice and spicy just use 2 or 3 jalapeños instead.
  • Pasta: You could use another type of pasta here such as ditalini or mini bowties, but I love some uncooked elbow macaroni.
  • Cheese: Monterrey jack cheese is a great substitute for cheddar.
  • Tomatoes: If you have a can of whole tomatoes you could blitz those up in the food processor in place of crushed canned tomatoes. Some people use or add tomato sauce, too.
  • Vegetarian/Vegan option: Use Impossible plant-based burger or Beyond Beef or mushrooms, then replace chicken broth with vegetable broth. If making vegan also use a vegan cheddar and canned coconut milk for half and half.
  • Healthier option: For a healthier alternative use ground turkey in place of ground beef, omit the half and half, and use whole wheat pasta.
  • <img decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-65789" title="Chili Mac" src="https://www.cookingclassy.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/chili-mac-03.jpg" alt="Single serving of chili mac in a white bowl over a blue cloth." width="600" height="900" srcset="https://www.cookingclassy.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/chili-mac-03.jpg 1200w, https://www.cookingclassy.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/ch…
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