Ninja Foodi Mild Chili Recipe

Mild chili recipe using ingredients in your pantry and fridge right now! Instructions for your Crockpot, stovetop, or Ninja Foodi pressure cooker so dinner is perfect. 

Homemade chili topped with cheddar cheese and sour cream, inside potatoes or spooned on top of a bed of rice is our favorite easy dinner.

Let me share where our whole chili journey began….

Ninja Foodi Chili

• When I first started blogging way back in 2012 I made this 5 ingredient crock pot chili recipe that was a huge hit! 

Mild chili recipe

Still to this day I use that as a base and tweak things from there. Like this one I found in the Mealthy cookbook here.

I used their spices, minus the chili powder, and added things like the can of diced tomatoes we always like to make it a bit chunkier.

That’s the thing with recipes. You can make all of them your own. Most of the time when you’re searching for something to make, you don’t have to make it exactly as stated, I never do. My mom hates onions with a passion so she’d always omit those, where I think they’re necessary in everything!

• The same goes with our slow cooker chili recipe with Manwich that you can make as spicy or mild as you want.

1. Precook your ground beef or sausage and drain

Can you put raw ground beef in a slow cooker?

I prefer to brown my meat before adding it in with your other ingredients. I have made Crockpot ground beef before, but you have to wait for it to be done first, then add rest of ingredients.

1. Add all other ingredients – Once everything is in there give it a good stir so everything melds together while it’s cooking.

Do you add water to chili?

It depends on the recipe but you will need liquid. I’d opt for beef broth vs. water for way more flavor. Then close your lid.

Set your time – I recommend using low for all crockpot recipes. The whole point of a slow cooker is to cook everything SLOOOOoooooW so don’t rush it. The flavor will be better the longer it’s in there.

Chili in Ninja Foodi

How to make Instant Pot chili?

First off this is my method of choice! Whether you have an Instant Pot, Crockpot Express, Power Pressure Cooker XL, or Mealthy it’s just the way to go.

• If you have a Ninja Foodi you can go an extra step with their air crisp lid and even make this Ninja Foodi chili mac version!

This is how quick and easy it is:

1. Turn your pot to saute and add your olive oil, meat and onions (bell peppers could be added too). Cook until meat is no longer pink. Then turn off.
2. Add all other ingredients and stir.
3. Close your pressure cooker lid and steam valve.
4. Set to high pressure for 10 minutes.
5. Quick release and done!

Remember to top with cheese, sour cream chives and more!

What can I add to chili for flavor?

We have quite a few spices in the recipe card below but here are a few more to try:

• Garlic powder
• Onion powder
• Seasoned salt like Lawry’s
• Chili seasoning mix
• Pepper
• Chili powder and cayenne pepper can be added for heat
  • If you’re making this mild chili recipe but 1 person in your house likes it spicy just add a bit in their bowl only so everyone is happy.

Some have been known to add a bit of honey or dry sherry to the mix too to make it sweet! Others use carbonated soda instead of water or broth to thin it out.

How can you thicken chili?

• You can add a few tablespoons of cornmeal or polenta!

Ninja Foodi Chili Recipe

1. Meat
   1. I like 1/2 lb. ground sausage and 1/2 lb. ground beef
   2. Could use ground turkey

Chopped onions and bell peppers are optional but nice for texture and more flavor.

1. Olive oil
2. Can of diced tomatoes
3. Can of black beans
   1. Sometimes I add a can of kidney beans too
4. Beef broth
5. Can of tomato sauce
6. Garlic, minced
7. Cumin
8. Salt
9. Garlic salt

Paprika and oregano are nice add ins as well.

I have a printable recipe for chili in Ninja Foodi below but here is a quick step by step so you can read just how easy this is to throw together. I call this 5 ingredient pressure cooker chili.

1. First you’re going to turn your machine to saute and add your olive oil.
2. Add your ground beef or turkey and brown with your diced onions and bell peppers if you’re adding those too.
3. You just want to cook until the outsides are no longer pink, you don’t need it completely cooked thru.
4. Then turn your pot off to give it a few minutes to cool off. Deglaze by gently scraping any stuck on food off the bottom of your pot.
5. Now dump in all your other ingredients and stir contents together.

Set to high pressure cook for 10 minutes with a quick release of your steam when time is up. Stir and serve topped with shredded sharp cheese, some green onions, others like raw onions or just as is.

If you wanted to make it spicy you could add some Sriracha or chili powder.

What do you eat with chili?

We serve it on top of these two things:

• Baked potatoes in the air fryer are so good with this spooned inside.
• Ninja Foodi rice is killer and so cheap too.

Best sides to serve on chili night

1. Shredded cheddar cheese
2. Sour cream
   1. Or add a bit into the mix at the end to make it creamy!
3. Diced chives

Tortilla chips – these are the best for scooping

What if you want to make stovetop chili?

NO Problem!!

• Just use a large pot or dutch oven on the stove, set to medium high heat and add meat, onions, and olive oil.
• Once that is browned add all other ingredients, stir, and reduce heat to low.
• Cover pot and allow to cook for at least 10 minutes stirring intermittently so it doesn’t get overheated on the bottom.
• 20 minutes on very low heat is ideal for the flavors to really become enhanced.
• Then serve!!

I actually add 1/4 tsp. of chili powder to this good chili recipe myself. It still stays mild in my opinion but adds a bit of wow.

If you are very sensitive to all spices then omit completely. Then make chili stuffed peppers or 3 bean chili and enjoy!!