Make the best pot of chili ever by making this smoked chili recipe on a pellet grill. Made with ground beef, a variety of beans, and just the right amount of spice, it's hearty and full of delicious smoky flavor.
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I took my classic chili recipe and smoked it on the pellet grill to create the best chili ever! It's perfect to serve for game day!
If you are looking for more comfort food recipes, check out my delicious Ricotta Lasagna Recipe and Rigatoni Al Forno With Italian Sausage.
🧾 Ingredients You'll Need
Make this smoked chili recipe with the following simple ingredients, easy to find at any grocery store:
- Ground beef
- Olive oil
- Large onion
- Garlic cloves
- Canned diced tomatoes (I like to use my homemade canned tomatoes).
- Chili powder
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Paprika
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Canned beans
- Canned corn
See the printable recipe card at the bottom of this blog post for quantities.
💨 How to make smoked chili on pellet grill
This smoked chili recipe is easy to make. Read the directions below or watch the video.
- Brown ground beef in olive oil in a large pot, skillet, or Dutch oven with onion and garlic over medium heat. Use a wooden spoon to break the meat into smaller pieces. Drain off any excess fat.
- Add the diced tomatoes, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and black pepper to the meat mixture. Mix well.
- Add red kidney beans, romano beans, black beans, chickpeas, and canned corn. Mix well. Cook for 5-10 minutes longer, until heated through.
- Preheat the pellet grill to 225 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Transfer the chili mixture to a cast iron pot or disposable aluminum pan. Place the pan on the smoker and smoke for 1-2 hours. The longer you smoke it, the stronger the smoke flavor will be. Stir occasionally.
- Serve immediately with your favorite toppings and enjoy!
🧾 Substitutions
- Ground beef. Use ground venison, ground turkey, ground chicken, ground pork, or chuck roast cut into small cubes. You can also use leftover brisket, smoked chuck roast, or smoked pulled pork.
- Olive oil. Use canola oil or avocado oil.
- Fresh onion. Use 4-½ tablespoons of dried onion flakes.
- Fresh garlic. Use 2 teaspoons minced garlic or 2 teaspoons garlic flakes.
- Tomatoes. Use 3 cups of chopped, peeled fresh tomatoes.
- Chili powder. Use fresh chilis or Ancho chili powder.
- Garlic powder. Use 1 teaspoon granulated garlic or 2 teaspoons of garlic salt.
- Onion powder. Use 1 tablespoon of dried onion flakes.
- Paprika. Use smoked paprika for the best flavor.
- Canned beans. Feel free to use your favorite chili beans.
🍲 How to serve this pot of bean chili
- Top with shredded cheddar cheese and a dollop of sour cream.
- Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro or green onion.
- Top with chopped avocado and fresh tomatoes.
- Serve the chili in a bread bowl.
🥗 Side Dishes
Serve a hearty bowl of chili with tortilla chips, crusty bread, cornbread, Biscuits Without Milk, Fluffy Air Buns, breadsticks, or garlic bread.
It also goes great with Pressure Cooker White Rice, Smoked Baked Potatoes, or Twice-Baked Mashed Potatoes.
📖 Variations
- Spicy: Add more chili seasoning, cayenne pepper, or red pepper flakes. You could also add diced jalapeno peppers, red chili peppers, or a diced poblano pepper, or serve with a dash of hot sauce or tabasco sauce.
- Vegetables: To make this recipe even more hearty, add some of your favorite vegetables, such as bell peppers, mushrooms, carrots, or celery.
- Spices to add: Chipotle powder, oregano, smoked paprika, ground cumin.
- Sweet: If you like your chili on the sweeter side, add some maple syrup, brown sugar, or honey.
- Richer flavor: Add cooked Air Fryer Bacon or Smoked Sausage.
🍽 Equipment
- Large pot, skillet, or Dutch oven.
- Disposable aluminum pan or large cast iron skillet to place on the smoker.
- I used my Pit Boss pellet grill, but you can use a Traeger grill or any electric smoker.
🌡️ Storage
Refrigerator: Store leftover chili in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
Freezer: Freeze it in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months.
💭 Top tips
- Use a disposable foil pan for easy cleanup.
- Place the aluminum pan on a baking sheet and use that to carry the prepared chili outside to the pellet smoker.
- Stir the chili frequently while smoking so the flavor is distributed evenly.
- After the chili is smoked, keep it warm in a slow cooker until ready to serve.
❓Recipe FAQ's
I like to use hickory, mesquite, Competition Blend by Pit Boss or Signature Blend by Traeger.
The temperature for smoking chili in this recipe is 225 degrees Fahrenheit.
You can smoke chili on a pellet grill for 1-2 hours. The longer it smokes, the stronger the flavor will be.
Of course! Simply leave out the ground meat and add extra beans if desired.
🧾 More easy pellet grill recipes
Did you try this smoked chili recipe on a pellet smoker? Loved it? Rate it! ⭐ Have a question or a tip to share? Drop a comment below! ✍️ I love hearing from you! 😊
Recipe
Smoked Chili On Pellet Grill
Equipment
- Pellet grill
- Large pot or skillet
- Disposable aluminum pan or large cast iron skillet
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds lean ground beef
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large onion diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 cans diced tomatoes, with liquid 796 mL, 28 oz
- 2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 can red kidney beans 540 mL, rinsed and drained
- 1 can romano beans 540 mL, rinsed and drained
- 1 can black beans 398 mL, rinsed and drained
- 1 can chickpeas (garbanzo beans) 393 mL, rinsed and drained
- 1 can corn 341 mL (12 oz), drained
Instructions
- Cook ground beef in olive oil in a large pot over medium heat with onion and garlic until the meat is browned. Drain off any excess fat.
- Add the diced tomatoes, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, black pepper, red kidney beans, romano beans, black beans, chickpeas, and canned corn to the meat mixture. Mix well. Cook for 5-10 minutes, until heated through.
- Preheat your pellet grill to 225℉.
- Transfer the chili to a cast iron pot or disposable aluminum pan. Smoke for 1-2 hours, depending on how strong you want the smoke flavor to be.
- Serve immediately with your favorite toppings. Enjoy!
Video
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Recipe Notes:
- Use a disposable aluminum pan for easy cleanup.
- Place the aluminum pan on a baking sheet and use that to carry the prepared chili outside to the pellet smoker.
- Stir the chili frequently while smoking so the flavor is distributed evenly.
- After the chili is smoked, keep it warm in a slow cooker until ready to serve.
NUTRITION INFORMATION
The provided nutritional information is an estimate per serving. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
About Jeri Walker
Jeri Walker is the founder and CEO of Winding Creek Ranch. She is a self-taught home cook who specializes in easy family-friendly recipes. Jeri is also a food writer who regularly writes articles for MSN. Read about Jeri's journey and connect with her on your favorite social media channels!
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