17 Hearty Chilis and Stews for Snow Days and Football Playoffs

Dive into comfort with every spoonful!

By
Theodora Kaloudis
Theodora Kaloudis
Theodora Kaloudis
Theodora's passion for cooking began early on as a young girl, working in the kitchen at her father's Greek diner in Brooklyn, NY. Her recipes have appeared on Delish, Spruce Eats, Today.com, Martha Stewart & Marley Spoon, Dinnerly, Simply Recipes, and in various cookbooks.
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Published January 24, 2026
Theodora Kaloudis
Overhead view of a dutch oven of cowboy stew with a ladle and a cloth napkin all on a marble countertop

Simply Recipes / Photo by Robby Lozano / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen

Stews and chilis are ideal during the winter months. They’re hearty and often make enough to serve a crowd. Plus, you can get them going on the stove or in a slow cooker and let them simmer away while you focus on other things. Whether you’re feeding your family on a snow day or inviting people over to watch the game, this collection of filling, minimal-effort chilis and stews will hit the spot.

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  • Best Beef Chili

    Beef and beans chili
    Sally Vargas

    “This has become my go-to recipe for chili. The separate spices taste better than any commercial chili powder I have found. I made half the recipe, and it still lasted several days.” —Torrey P, Reader

  • Easy Chicken Stew

    Overhead view of a gray dutch oven of chicken stew with a large serving spoon

    Simply Recipes / Sara Haas

    “For this recipe, I use bone-in, skin-on chicken breast. It’s the secret to success. The bone and skin help keep the chicken juicy and add mega-flavor too. My family likes white meat, but if richer dark meat is your favorite, use it! Swap in a few bone-in chicken thighs for one of the breasts.” —Sara Haas, Recipe Developer

  • Ground Turkey Chili With Black Beans

    Elise Bauer

    “This chili is great served over cooked rice, with warmed tortillas, or with tortilla chips alongside. You can also use it as a filling for tacos or in a burrito bowl.” —Elise Bauer, Founder

  • Short Rib Stew With Ale

    Elise Bauer

    “You want a malty brown ale to add lots of deep flavor to this stew. Brown ales and Belgian dubbel ales are malt-heavy and differ from beers like pilsners or IPAs that are more hop-heavy. Hops add bitterness to beer, which you don't want for this stew.” —from the Editors of Simply Recipes

    Continue to 5 of 17 below

  • Pork and Poblano Stew

    Pork and Poblano Stew
    Elise Bauer

    “Swirling in a spoonful of Mexican crema or sour cream right before serving makes the stew just lightly creamy and provides a soothing balance to the mildly spicy chiles” —Elise Bauer, Founder

  • Slow Cooker Chicken Chili

    Easy Slow Cooker Shredded Chili Chicken Chili in the crockpot
    Emma Christensen

    “The slow cooker time for this chili is really flexible, so you can adapt it to suit your schedule. The chicken just gets more tender the longer you let it cook. If you're running late, it's fine if the chili continues to cook on the 'low' setting or 'warm' setting for a little longer past the 8-hour mark. Try not to push it too much longer, though, or else the chicken starts to become mushy.” —Emma Christensen, former General Manager

  • Easy Beef Stew

    Simply Recipes / Mike Lang

    “I developed this recipe using Campbell’s beef broth. Other broths will likely have less added salt. If you use a different broth, just keep tasting as you go to adjust for seasoning as needed.” —Laura Manzano, Recipe Developer

  • Borracho Beans (Frijoles Borrachos)

    borracho beans (frijoles beans) in a bowl at a table setting with a bowl of diced tomatoes, small plate with lime wedges, a glass of beer, and utensils

    Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

    “When I make borracho beans at home, I typically like to pair them with sweet cornbread to balance out the malty bitter notes from the beer. To garnish the beans, I like to use diced tomato, green onion, thinly sliced jalapeño, and, if I have any on hand, queso cotija for a salty sprinkle. If I’m making frijoles borrachos as the main dish, I also like to fry extra bacon and reserve it to top the bowl when serving.” —Esteban Castillo, Recipe Developer

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  • Carne Picada

    On a wooden board, a bowl of carne picada with a sprig of cilantro and a spoon, surrounded by a bowl of pico de gallo, a small plate of lime wedges, and tortillas spread all over the board (some with carne picada and pico de gallo, some plain)

    Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

    “Although this recipe calls for beef, feel free to substitute the chuck roast for chicken thighs. Chicken thighs stay nice and juicy and do well in a braise, and would work just as well here.” —Esteban Castillo, Recipe Developer

  • Marry Me Chicken Chili

    A bowl of creamy chicken chili garnished with herbs and spices with a spoon resting inside

    Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

    “The sun-dried tomato flavor really comes through in this recipe, so be sure to use a brand you genuinely love. I prefer Trader Joe’s Slow Roasted Tomatoes because they’re already seasoned with garlic and oregano, and they have a nice texture that’s not too chewy.” —Stephanie A Ganz, Recipe Developer

  • Easy Vegetarian Chili

    Alison Bickel

    “The best part about chili is that it tastes great when comprised of the most basic elements, but it’s even better dressed up with toppings such as minced red onion, fresh cilantro, and avocado.” —Summer Miller, former Senior Editor

  • Irish Beef Stew

    Irish Beef Stew

    “Absolutely delicious! I added a little flour and broth slurry near the end to thicken it just a bit and finished with a splash of lemon juice. Otherwise, I went straight by the recipe. The end product has depth of flavor without being too rich. Love it!” —Becky W, Reader

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  • Vegetarian Chili

    Elise Bauer

    “This was a wow! I added grandma's sweet cornbread as a side and it made all our tummies smile. I loved all the vitamin-packed ingredients and you were right, meat lovers didn't miss the meat.” —JM, Reader

  • Chili Con Carne

    Elise Bauer

    “The 'secret sauce,' so to speak, of this recipe is the addition of chipotle chili powder, made from smoke-dried jalapeño peppers. Chipotle adds a smoky dimension to the chili, enhancing all of the other flavors.” —Elise Bauer, Founder

  • White Chicken Chili

    White bean chicken chili in a serving bowl with chips

    Elise Bauer

    “So easy and delicious. I used dried beans so I appreciate the separate cooking instructions for them. I doubled the recipe so that I could enjoy chili for a week.” —Cindy, Reader

  • Cowboy Stew

    Overhead view of a dutch oven of cowboy stew with a ladle and a cloth napkin all on a marble countertop

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Robby Lozano / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen

    “Super hardy chili-like soup filled with Southwestern flavors. This was delicious! ... I ended up serving the leftovers of this soup with some rice; I highly recommend it!” —Munni P, Reader

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  • Slow Cooker Guinness Beef Stew

    Elise Bauer

    “Guinness beef stew is Ireland's answer to Belgian carbonnade, with chunks of beef and with stout instead of ale, and with root vegetables such as parsnips, carrots, and celery root.” —Elise Bauer, Founder

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