Quick Chili? Doesn’t chili take hours and hours of simmering to develop those flavors? Not anymore! You can make Quick Chili in the Ninja Foodi that tastes like it simmered for hours… in under 30 minutes!
Quick Chili? Doesn’t chili take hours and hours of simmering to develop those flavors? Not anymore! You can make Quick Chili in the Ninja Foodi that tastes like it simmered for hours… in under 30 minutes!
Still not convinced? Give me a chance, please. I know there are chili gurus out there that pride themselves on taking 2 and 3 days to make a good batch of chili. I was one. Seriously, I was.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with taking your time to develop flavors and spending weeks, months, and even years perfecting that winning pot of chili. I have done this too many times to count during my brief time of entering local chili cook-offs.
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Now, I was not going to big events or nationally recognized competitions, but I did compete 
against some folks that were VERY serious about their chili!
I’m very proud to say that my recipe for Thai Curry Chili came in first place in two competitions and second in another.
Since I have only competed in four competitions, this is a pretty good track record.
I pride myself on chili making and this recipe for Quick Chili is no exception. It’s good. Really Good.
Do I have to have a Ninja Foodi to make this recipe?
No, you don’t. You can make this recipe for Quick Chili on the stove or in an Instant Pot. If you don’t have a Ninja Foodi and are interested in learning more about it, this post on How to use the Ninja Foodi. In this article, I go over the various functions and various models of the Ninja Foodi.
Even if you have been cooking in a pressure cooker for years, you might find this post on Pressure Cooking 101 interesting. I know I learned a lot doing research for it!
Stove top: In a large stockpot, sauté the meat, onions, and seasoning for 5 minutes. Add in the garlic and saute for 2 minutes. Add in the rest of the ingredients and simmer on low for 1-2 hours or until the sirloin is the desired texture.
Instant Pot: Follow the same instructions as for the Ninja Foodi.
Is this a Dump and Cook Recipe?
Pretty much, yes. The only thing that I don’t add in until after the pressure cooking time is the canned beans. You probably can add them in and I did in this recipe for Instant Pot Chili, but I decided to add them in at the end this time and they were perfect.
I do sauté the meats with the onions and garlic for a few minutes, but after that it is a dump and cook. Super easy, super delicious, and super quick!
Can I use Different Meats in this Quick Chili?
Yes, absolutely! When choosing the type of meat you want to use remember to adjust the pressure cooking time for that type of meat.
You can probably get away with decreasing the time to 5 minutes or even increasing it to 20 or more minutes. Of course longer than 10 minutes will take away the “quick” in this chili.
Here are my cook time recommendations for different meats:
All Ground Beef: You will not need to change anything in the recipe if you want to use all ground beef. The only thing you may want to do is drain the fat after sautéing for a few minutes.
Brisket: Cut the brisket into bite-size pieces and sauté for a few minutes. Set the pressure cooker for 20-30 minutes. Brisket takes longer than other cuts of beef.
Ground Chicken or Turkey: After sautéing the ground chicken/turkey until it is 1/2-3/4 of the way done, you can set the pressure cooker to 5 minutes.
Chicken Breasts: Cut into bite-size pieces and sauté for a few minutes. Set the pressure cooker for 5 minutes.
Already Cooked and Shredded Meat: If the meat is already cooked, set the pressure cooker for 2-5 minutes.
Is this Quick Chili Spicy?
That is a hard question to answer because everyone’s tolerance for spice is different. Some would consider this a spicy chili and some would consider it mild. I love spice, but not overwhelmingly hot, so I consider this Quick Chili to be perfectly spiced.
If you like your chili super spicy, double or triple the ground chipotle and the Cholula.
If you like your chili mild, omit the chipotle and jalepeno pepper. Or you can try this version of Instant Pot Chili, which is very mild and kid friendly. If you are cooking this in the Ninja Foodi, you can follow the Instant Pot directions without any changes.
So, Let’s get to making this Quick Chili!
If you prefer to watch me make this chili, you can watch this video on YouTube for Quick Chili in the Ninja Foodi or at the end of the recipe.
First (and I say this a lot), prep your ingredients. This makes any recipe flow very smoothly and avoids surprises. I can’t tell you how many times, I’ve gotten to the middle of a recipe and realized that I didn’t have something.
Measure out all of your spices and make the chili seasoning. Of course you can also use your favorite chili seasoning or even a packet, but I do recommend giving this blend a try. I like to make my own spice blends because I can control the salt content and the spice level.
Trim and cube the sirloin into 1/2″ pieces. Dice the onions and peppers. Mince the 
garlic.
Turn the Ninja Foodi on High Sauté and add in ground beef. Add the sirloin to the inner pot with onions and seasonings. Sauté for 5 minutes.
Add in the garlic and sauté for 2 minutes or until the ground beef is 50%-75% cooked.
Add in the peppers. If using a jalepeno pepper, it is a good idea to try a small bite to see how spicy it is because they vary in heat. Then you can decide if you want to add more or less or if you want to add the seeds/membrane. Most of the heat is in the seeds and the membrane.
Pour in the 3 cups of beef stock and the Cholula. Use a plastic or wood utensil to scrape along the bottom of the pan to remove any pieces that might be stuck. This will avoid them burning during the pressure cooking process and giving you that dreaded “water” notice.
Add in the fire roasted tomatoes and top with the tomato paste. DO NOT STIR.
Put on the pressure lid and make sure the black valve is on seal. Set the Ninja Foodi to high pressure for 10 minutes. Allow to natural release for 3 minutes, then manually release the remaining pressure.
Remove the lid. Add the kidney beans and stir. Close the TenderCrisp lid and allow to sit with the Ninja Foodi off for 5 minutes.
Serve and Enjoy!
Quick Chili in the Ninja Foodi
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lb top sirloin
- 1 1/2 lb ground beef
- 1 onion
- 3-4 cloves garlic minced. About 2-3 tsp.
- 1 green pepper
- 1 jalepeno pepper
- 3 cups beef stock
- 29 ounces fire roasted tomatoes 2 14.5 oz cans
- 1 Tbsp Cholula
- 6 oz tomato paste
- 32 ounces kidney beans canned
Seasoning Blend
- 2 Tbsp Chili Powder
- 2 Tbsp Cumin
- 1 Tbsp Sea Salt
- 1 Tbsp Smoked Paprika
- 1 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
- 1/2 tsp Chipotle
Instructions
- Dice up onion, jalapeno pepper, and green pepper. Mince garlic. Combine seasonings in a medium bowl.
- Turn the Ninja Foodi on High Saute and add in ground beef. Trim and cube the sirloin into 1/2" pieces. Add to the inner pot with onions and seasonings. Saute for 5 minutes.
- Add in the minced garlic and saute for 2 minutes or until the ground beef is 50%-75% done.
- Add in the green pepper, jalapeno pepper, Cholula, and beef broth. Use a plastic scraper to scrape along the bottom of the pot to make sure nothing has stuck to it.
- Add in the fire roasted tomatoes and do not stir. Place the tomato paste on top and do not stir. Put on the pressure cooker lid and make sure the valve is to seal. Set the pressure to high for 10 minutes.
- Allow to natural release for 3 minutes and then manually release the remaining pressure. Remove the lid and add in the kidney beans. Stir to incorporate. Now is a good time to give it a little taste to see if you want to add any more spice or seasoning. Close the TenderCrisp lid and allow to sit for 5 minutes to thicken. If you are not serving it right away, you can turn on the keep warm button with the pressure lid on vent.
- Serve and top with your choice of toppings. Enjoy!
Bonnie Bingenheimer
The best chili I’ve ever eaten/made! And you made it so easy and not intimidating using the foodi! Thank you!
Louise
That is so great to hear!
Susan Stein
If you make half the recipe do you half the pressure cooking time?
Louise
No, you would keep the PC time the same.
Robbie
Can I use dry beans (soaked first) and pressure cook with the meat?
Louise
I would think you could, they will absorb some liquid, so you might add a little extra.
Michele Shaftel
I don’t really like chili but my son does. Upon his request I made yours verbatim in my new Ninja….it was excellent! I had a 5 star restaurant in Portland, Oregon, zagat award, diamond, etc. This is a recipie I will only use in the future! I will research your other recipes for my Ninja! Thank you & I must try your award winning Tai chili.
Louise
Wow! Thank you so much for the kind words! I’m so glad you enjoyed the chili and I hope you try and love more of my recipes in the future! Happy New Year!
Jess
My husband doesn’t like beans in his chili. Would you use less liquid to compensate for the lack of beans? Or more meat? Thank you!
Louise
Since the beans are canned, they don’t absorb water so it will only really change the volume. If you add more meat, that will give off juices, so I would consider decreasing the liquid some.
Annie
Will this recipe be suitable for the 6.5 quart Foodi or are the measurements for the 8 quart?
Louise
All of my recipes are made in the 6.5 qt unless otherwise stated, so you will be perfectly fine!
Majda
Recipe looks delicious, cant wait to try it in my new foodi.
One question how did the beef come out after cooking only 20 so minutes? was it chewy at all or tender/very soft? just curious since when you cook on stove the longer the meat cooks the more tender is it.
Louise
It was very tender. Cut up beef doesn’t take that long to tenderize when pressure cooked. I hope you love it!
Crystal
Just made this recipe and it is absolutely delicious. Thank you so much!
Louise
I’m so glad you liked it!
Lori
That looks sooo good!! Definitely going to try it!! You had asked what we use in our chili. After scooping the chili in our bowls, we put Doritos around the edge of the bowl, and then add the shredded cheese. A little dallop of sour cream right smack in the middle. It ends up making a pretty little dish . . . especially if you’re serving guests!! Thanks so much for all your Ninja recipes. My husband just bought a Ninja Foodi for me a few weeks ago, and I’m trying to find reasons to use it everyday, because I love it so much!! 🙂
Louise
Thank you and I hope you love it! Your chili bowl sounds like exactly what I would make! I use tortillas instead of Doritos and my husband uses Fritos! LOL
Jeanie Blair
Looks delicious… can’t wait to try it! Just one question… why do you not stir in the tomatoes and paste? Just curious. Thanks!
Louise
Thank you! The reason you don’t stir in paste or thicker foods before pressure cooking is because the pressure cooker needs thin liquid to build the steam to come under pressure and if the liquid is too thick, it can’t produce enough steam and it burns on the bottom sometimes. You might like to read this post on pressure cooking:https://thesaltedpepper.com/how-to-use-the-ninja-foodi-volume-two-pressure-cooking-101/
Laura
This is so delicious, especially on this rainy, chilly day.
Louise
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Wendy
I made this exactly as presented. I was worried that it might turn out too spicy, but I was surprised that I could have done with a little more heat. This recipe is absolutely delicious, a hit with my household! We all loved the balance of flavors in this chili and the addition of the cubed sirloin. Louise, your recipes never cease to amaze me! Thanks to you I am really enjoying cooking in Ninja Foodi!
Tasha
Hello,
Dying to try this recipe, but with less meat, If I only use 1-pound of meat I assume I only use a third of liquid and tomatoes?
Louise
That is completely up to you. If you want a less meaty chili, just make the whole recipe with one pound of meat. If you want a meaty chili with 1 pound of meat, then you can cut the recipe in 1/2 or in 1/3rds. Hope that helps!