We all know that homemade cooking is by far better tasting all around.
Sometimes we don’t have the right ingredients or the time to make something from scratch. This is when canned items come in handy.
Chili can be a hard and time-consuming thing to make but is still enjoyed by so many.
Canned chili is still nice; it just doesn’t have that homemade touch to it.
Luckily we can make homemade chili at home with a few of my favorite added touches.
How To Make Canned Chili Better?
To make canned chili add some spices, meat, crème Fraiche, or even cottage cheese for the extra twist. People won’t be able to taste that the chili is canned, but it makes your job of cooking chili easier and cheaper!
Choose Low Sodium Canned Chili
It is a good idea to buy a low sodium can of chili, and then you can personally adjust the salt content.
It is easier to add more than to take it out. Some varieties of canned chili tend to have more salt content than others, so keep this in mind when buying it canned.
Adding Spices
You might find that canned chili just doesn’t have the right amount of spice that you like. The good thing is you can add your own in.
Spices like cumin, coriander, chipotle spice, and chili spice all work well to spice up chili and add some flavor.
You can even toast the spices to allow more flavor to be released.
Add-In Some Meat
Sometimes you can get a weird texture when you open a can of chili.
Some canned varieties simply add way too many beans.
You can brown your own meat, such as ground beef or turkey, and add it to the chili.
You might need to adjust the flavor and consistency depending on how much meat you are adding to the chili.
Get A Little Fancy
If you want it to look like you have worked hard on the chili, then work with sour cream and cheeses.
French cheese works well, and it’s just like gruyere. You can add crème Fraiche and then go ahead and top with some fresh Fage yogurt.
Even cottage cheese works as it has such a nice texture that works well with the chili.
Using Fresh Toppings
If you are just serving the canned chili on its own, then you won’t be able to pull it off successfully unless you add in some fresh toppings.
Sometimes presentation can make a meal seem so much nicer.
When it comes to canned chili tomatoes, jalapenos, cilantro, and chopped spring onions work well with a few dollops of cream or cheese.
If you are serving salad, try adding it to the meal instead of on a side dish that way, it will present the canned chili better.
Make A Meal From Your Canned Chili
Tamale Casserole
To make tamale casserole, you need to mix 2 cups of water with a cup of masa flour. Wait three minutes for it to absorb into a pourable liquid.
Get a cake pan and pour this in, then add three cans of your chili over it. Add some shredded cheese and sliced olives.
You can go ahead and add some more flour batter and pour it over.
Cover with your favorite cheese, then a layer of foil on top, and cook for 45 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
Serve with sour cream or fresh cream drizzled over.
Chili Stew
Heat up your canned chili and add a little broth. Add cubed butternut squash and cubed potatoes along with ¼ cup of wheat berries boiled.
Add a little chili powder if you feel the need to kick it up a bit.
Yellow, Red, Or Green Chili Stuffed Peppers
The chili will be mixed with freshly cooked rice. You can add in your seasonings, such as taco sauce or chili powders.
You might find the rice has diluted the chili too much, which means you will need to add extra flavor.
Mix together and place into halved peppers that have been cored and seeded.
Top with some fresh parmesan cheese and bake until it is melted.
Making Chili Spaghetti
Open your canned chili, add in a can of tomatoes and a little broth, heat it up, and serve over linguini noodles or pasta spaghetti.
White Chili Chicken
This recipe can be served over rice.
You can use chicken slices or tenders and toss them in with some chili powder, onion powder couple of shakes of garlic powder, and some salt and pepper.
Add a spoon of butter to a skillet and cook the chicken until it is well done and looking beautiful and golden brown.
Heat your chili up separately and cook your rice.
Add the rice to your plate and add the chili on top and then the chicken on top of that.
Conclusion
We all love a hearty homemade chili, but sometimes it simply cannot be done.
You can play around with canned chili, dress it up, add it to other meals, get creative with side dishes and even add extra ingredients.
If you are using canned chili, it is best to buy a good quality, dearer-priced chili to get that better flavor and texture.
Canned chili can have people cringing, but with your final touches, they won’t even know the chili came from a supermarket can.
Frequently Asked Questions About Chili
Is Canned Chili Healthy?
Canned chili is processed so it can be loaded with saturated fat and sodium. However, it is still a good source of protein and fiber.
How To Lower The Sodium Content Of Canned Chili
Add extra ingredients to stretch out the chili, so you are not getting as much sodium. You can also take part of the chili, rinse it and add it back with the rest. This will lower the salt content easily.