Turn up the heat
Use Hot Jalapeño Ketchup, or add a diced fresh jalapeño with the onions.
One-pot dinner
Chili rice with a jalapeño kick.
Ground beef, peppers and rice simmered together in a cumin-spiced tomato sauce, with SpiceItUp! Jalapeño Ketchup for the heat. One pot, about an hour, and enough to feed a crowd.
About this recipe
Chili rice sits somewhere between a pot of chili and a skillet of Spanish rice. The rice cooks right in the sauce, so it soaks up the cumin, tomato and jalapeño flavor, and you only have one pot to wash.
This has been a SpiceItUp! kitchen favorite for years. You can also find the original chili rice recipe on spiceitup.com.
Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 to 1 1/2 lb lean ground beef
- 1/2 yellow bell pepper and 1/2 red bell pepper
- 1 medium onion
- 4 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1/2 cup SpiceItUp! Jalapeño Ketchup (Medium)
- 1 can (6 oz) tomato paste
- 1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
- 1 can (10 oz) diced tomatoes and green chilies
- 2 1/2 cups instant rice
- 4 to 8 cups water, to taste
Steps
Brown the beef
In a large pot, brown the ground beef over medium-high heat, breaking it into small crumbles. Drain off the fat.
Add the vegetables
Finely chop or food-process the onion and bell peppers. Stir them into the beef and cook for 2 minutes.
Toast the spices
Add the cumin, chili powder and salt and stir for 2 minutes until fragrant.
Build the sauce
Stir in the tomato sauce, tomato paste, diced tomatoes and green chilies, and the Jalapeño Ketchup. Add water one cup at a time until the paste dissolves and the sauce is as loose as you like.
Simmer with the rice
Stir in the rice and bring to a boil. Turn the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring every few minutes. Add water if it gets too thick or a little more rice if it is too thin.
Serve
Season with salt and pepper. Serve with corn chips, crackers or toasted croissant halves, with pickles and olives on the side.
Make it your way
Make it a casserole
Spoon into a baking dish, top with shredded cheddar and bake until bubbly.
Lighter version
Swap the beef for ground turkey and use brown rice, adding cooking time and water as needed.
Questions
Can I add rice directly to chili?
Yes. Instant rice cooks right in the simmering sauce in about 30 minutes. Add extra water as it absorbs liquid so the pot does not scorch.
How much water should I use for chili rice?
Start with 4 cups and add up to 8 cups, a cup at a time, until it is as thick or soupy as you like.
Does chili rice freeze well?
Yes. Cool it, freeze in airtight containers for up to 3 months, and add a splash of water when reheating.