Instant Pot Chili (In Under 30 Minutes!)

If there is one thing I can always get down with, it's comfort food. For me, comfort food is anything that feels like a hug in each and every bite - if you know, you know. Chili for me, is one of those foods. Now, what if I told you that chili does not need to cook for hours on end, to stay comforting. Believe it - This Instant Pot chili is ready in 25 minutes! Packed with all the comfort food vibes we look for, this chili is perfect for when the weather outside is a little too chilly for our liking (haha, chilly for chili, get it!)

It's All in the Spices

Want to know the secret to making chili in an Instant Pot, while still making it taste like it has been cooking all day long? Spices! It sounds crazy, but spices can give your food a depth of flavour that feels like it has been cooking for a long time. Only you will know it took less than 30 minutes to make!

It sounds like I am stating the obvious here - of course you need spices to make chili. My point is that by making your own blend of spices as opposed to opting for one-note pre-made spices, your chili will be that much better!

Chocolate Chili? Not So Strange!

My secret ingredient to a rich and deep chili? Cocoa powder! Wait - before you scroll away thinking I am crazy, I encourage you to try it. Chilli and chocolate are a great combination - think Mexican hot chocolate, for example. I promise you will not find this chili to be sweet or dessert-y! It's rich, earthy, and the perfect addition to your Instant Pot chili.

How to Make Chili in an Instant Pot

There are a couple of routes you can go to make chili in the Instant Pot, which both depend on really how much time you want to spend on making it.

1. Dump it and forget it: This method is for when you are in a time crunch, and just want to get dinner over and done with. You can dump all of your ingredients into the Instant Pot, set it and forget it. It works, trust me!
2. Brown the onions, meat and spices: If you have just a little more time, using the saute function on your Instant Pot, brown the shallots, garlic, ground meat and spices. It is an extra step, but it is helpful in developing more flavour into a quick meal. If you don't have the time, skip this step!

Variations of Instant Pot Chili

• Make this meatless with canned lentils, mushrooms, or even Beyond Meat crumbles.
• Use up any leftover meat you have at home, if you don't have ground meat on hand. This would go great with leftover shredded chicken or roast beef.
• Make this as spicy as you'd like - this is a great base recipe for chili in an Instant Pot, but you can make this mild or blow your head off spicy!

Try This With...

• Cheddar Scallion Biscuits
• Cheesy Garlic Toast

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