When lunch feels forgettable, a pot of chili gives the table something worth talking about. These 7 recipes range from creamy chicken and quinoa-packed vegetables to smoked brisket, slow-cooked Southwestern beef, and Cincinnati-style chili served over spaghetti. Choose a quick stovetop bowl for a shorter break or plan ahead for the longer smoker and slow-cooker options, with servings that work for a group.
Smoked Brisket Chili
Deep, dark smoke sets the tone in Smoked Brisket Chili, a 1-hour-15-minute pot that serves eight. Smoked brisket joins diced and crushed tomatoes, beans, dark beer, and chipotle for a thick bowl with layered heat. Spoon it into bowls with sour cream or shredded cheese, or pack leftovers for a lunch that stands out from the usual desk meal, even when shared with friends.
Get the Recipe: Smoked Brisket Chili
White Chicken Chili
Creamy spoonfuls give White Chicken Chili a gentler, tangy edge, and this 30-minute recipe serves six. Rotisserie chicken simmers with green chiles, jalapeño, cumin, cream cheese, and a little heavy cream, with no beans in the mix. Set out avocado, cilantro, and sour cream for toppings, then bring a warm bowl when a lunch break calls for something filling on busy days.
Get the Recipe: White Chicken Chili
Sweet Potato Chili with Quinoa
Thick, colorful bowls make Sweet Potato Chili with Quinoa an easy change from meat-heavy chili, with six servings ready in an hour. Tender sweet potato cooks with black beans, fire-roasted tomatoes, quinoa, corn, and warming spices for a hearty texture in every spoonful. Finish with lime and cilantro, and serve with bread for a satisfying lunch that travels beyond the usual sandwich.
Get the Recipe: Sweet Potato Chili with Quinoa
Hot Dog Chili
Smooth, diner-style sauce turns Hot Dog Chili into a practical lunch upgrade, and the recipe makes six servings in 55 minutes. Lean ground beef cooks down with grated onion, garlic, chili powder, cumin, tomato paste, and Worcestershire until it clings to the spoon. Pile it over hot dogs, burgers, or fries, with shredded cheddar nearby for a casual meal coworkers can build their own way.
Get the Recipe: Hot Dog Chili
Southwestern Chili
After a quick start on the stove, Southwestern Chili spends four hours in the slow cooker and makes six servings. Ground beef, poblano, black beans, corn, crushed tomatoes, and chipotle powder build a smoky bowl with a little heat. Set it up before the workday or let it cook while you handle other tasks, then bring it to the table with sour cream and favorite toppings.
Get the Recipe: Southwestern Chili
Cincinnati Chili
Sweet-savory warmth sets Cincinnati Chili apart, with a three-hour-15-minute simmer yielding six servings. Ground beef and tomato sauce take on cinnamon, cloves, cocoa, vinegar, and other spices, then the chili goes over spaghetti with cheese, onions, or beans. It makes a hearty lunch for anyone ready to trade a regular bowl for the fork-and-noodle style Cincinnati is known for during a long break.
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Over the Top Chili
Smoky cooking does double duty in Over the Top Chili, a two-hour-15-minute recipe that serves eight. The chili simmers below a seasoned beef patty in the smoker, catching its drippings along with the flavor of tomatoes, beans, green chiles, and chipotle. Ladle it into bowls with cheddar or jalapeños, or set out a topping bar when lunch needs to feed a hungry group.
Get the Recipe: Over the Top Chili