last updated on October 30, 2026

This 30 minute easy chili is seriously easy to make and tastes amazing! I originally made this chili as part of my series called the United Plates of America, where I make dishes that are unique or original to each state. This was for the state of Iowa, where they eat cinnamon rolls and chili TOGETHER. That is why there are cinnamon rolls in the picture!

I have to say, eating cinnamon rolls and chili together is not my favorite, but eating them separate is fine! I ate my chili first, then my cinnamon roll, and it was great.

Anyway! This chili is so easy to make! It is perfect for a cold day when you don’t have all day to make dinner. You can come home and whip it up in 30 minutes. If you like your chili spicy, I suggest adding 1 tsp of chili powder, and plenty of green chilis! If you don’t like it spicy, only add 1/4 tsp chili powder and leave out the green chilis.

You are going to love this chili. If you decide to eat it with cinnamon rolls, then please let me know what you think haha.

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil
1 yellow onion chopped
1 tbsp garlic
1 lb ground beef or ground turkey
2 14 oz cans of diced tomatoes
1 6 oz can of tomato paste
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/4-1 tsp chilli powder
1 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp green chilis optional
2 cups broth chicken or beef
2 14 oz cans of pinto beans

Instructions

Add the olive oil to a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until the onion is almost cooked through (about 3 minutes). Add ground beef and cook until beef is cooked through (about 5 minutes).
Add cans of diced tomatoes (NOT drained), tomato paste, all of the spices, brown sugar, and green chilis. Stir until well combined. Cook for about 5 minutes until some of the tomato juice has evaporated.
Add the broth and pinto beans and cook until everything is warm. Take off the heat and enjoy!

What’d you think? I’d love to hear your thoughts or if you have any questions!