Like a classic charcuterie board, this chili board is fully customizable — load it with all your favorite toppings and let guests build their perfect bowl. Start with my mom’s tried-and-true chili (I promise, it’s the best) and set out bowls of shredded cheese, cornbread muffins, jalapeños, chips, and other garnishes for a fun, crowd-pleasing spread. This is my go-to method for feeding a party.
As a huge soup and stew fan, I can’t believe I didn’t think to serve chili this way sooner. At a recent holiday gathering Marc’s aunt brought a veggie soup that inspired me to try a chili station. With the Super Bowl (or any big game or get-together) coming up, a chili bar is a perfect option: it’s flexible, easy to scale, and pleasing to many diets. Make my mom’s classic chili or offer a vegetarian or vegan option — you can even make multiple kinds to satisfy different tastes.
Below I’ve shared my favorite chili recipe, based on my mom’s original with a few tweaks I picked up in culinary school to boost flavor. If you want extra inspiration, serve the chili with crowd-pleasing apps like sausage jalapeño poppers or little smokies in a blanket, and use any leftover chili to make tater tot chili cheese bites.
Topping ideas
Choose as many or as few toppings as you like; tailor the selection to the number of guests. For smaller gatherings you don’t need to overdo it — a handful of well-chosen options will do the trick.
Here are some favorites to consider:
- Chips & breads – tortilla chips, corn scoops, mini cornbread muffins, crackers (saltines, Club, or oyster), mini soft pretzels
- Cheese – shredded cheddar, pepper Jack, Cotija, queso fresco, or beer cheese
- Veggies & herbs – cubed avocado, sliced or pickled jalapeños, pickled or finely chopped onion, diced tomatoes, chives, green onions, cilantro, parsley, black olives, corn
- Sauces – sour cream, salsa, guacamole, hot sauce
Make the chili the night before
If possible, make the chili a day ahead and reheat it before guests arrive. It saves time on the day of the event and the flavors deepen as the chili rests in the fridge.
Assemble the board
Arrange small bowls of the “wet” toppings (cheeses, sauces, chopped veggies, and herbs) along a curved line on the board, then fill gaps with chips, cornbread, crackers, or other dry items. Place the pot of hot chili nearby with bowls, spoons, and serving utensils so guests can assemble their own bowls.
Prep tips: keep cheeses and sour cream chilled and covered until serving. Chop delicate or quickly-browning items like avocado and fresh jalapeños right before guests arrive to keep them bright and fresh.
If you make this recipe, I’d love a star rating and a review — I read every comment and enjoy hearing how the recipes turn out. Thanks for supporting Sunday Table!
Easy Chili Board + The Best Chili Recipe!
Ingredients
Three Bean Chili
- 2 Tablespoons avocado oil, divided (30 milliliters)
- 2 pounds lean ground beef or turkey (900 grams)
- Kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 large onion, finely diced (2 cups/250 grams)
- 1 large jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped (2 Tablespoons/20 grams)
- 1 Tablespoon tomato paste (15 grams)
- 4 large garlic cloves, minced (1 1/2 Tablespoons/15 grams)
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons chili powder (12 grams)
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 15 ounces kidney beans, drained and rinsed (1 can/425 grams)
- 15 ounces chickpeas, drained and rinsed (1 can/425 grams)
- 15 ounces black beans, drained and rinsed (1 can/425 grams)
- 28 ounces canned crushed tomatoes (800 grams)
- 4 cups low-sodium beef broth (960 milliliters)
- 1 Tablespoon brown sugar, packed (12 grams)
- Hot sauce, to taste
Toppings (more ideas in blog post)
- Shredded cheddar, pepper Jack, or Monterey Jack
- Sliced jalapeños, fresh or pickled
- Pickled or finely diced onion
- Chopped chives, green onions, cilantro, and/or parsley
- Sour cream, salsa, guacamole, hot sauce
- Tortilla chips or corn scoops like Frito’s
- Cubed cornbread or mini corn muffins
- Saltines, Club Crackers, or oyster crackers
- Diced tomatoes, avocado, black olives, corn
Equipment
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Dutch oven or large pot
Instructions
Three Bean Chili
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Heat 1 Tablespoon (15 milliliters) of avocado oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. When the oil shimmers, add the ground beef or turkey with a generous pinch of salt. Cook, breaking up the meat, until no pink remains and the pieces are bite-sized. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the meat to a bowl and drain excess fat.
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Return the pot to the heat and add the remaining 1 Tablespoon (15 milliliters) of oil. Add the onion and jalapeño with a big pinch of salt and cook, stirring often, until softened and slightly caramelized, 4–5 minutes.
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Stir in the tomato paste, minced garlic, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook about 30 seconds until the spices are fragrant and the tomato paste darkens.
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Add the reserved meat, drained beans, crushed tomatoes, beef broth, brown sugar, and hot sauce to taste. Stir to combine, bring to a boil, then cover and reduce to a gentle simmer. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 1 hour. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
Chili Topping Board
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Put all wet toppings (cheeses, sauces, chopped veggies, herbs) into small bowls and arrange them in a curved line on a large board.
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Fill remaining spaces with dry items like chips, corn scoops, cornbread, or crackers. Set the hot chili pot nearby with bowls and utensils, and let guests serve themselves. Enjoy!
Notes
For a thicker chili, reduce the beef broth to 3 cups (720 milliliters). Add more broth if you want a soupier consistency.
Swap the beans to suit your taste — pinto beans work well, too.
If you prefer less heat, omit the hot sauce.
Keep cheeses and sour cream covered and chilled until serving. Chop delicate items like avocado and fresh jalapeños just before guests arrive.
Nutrition information applies to the chili only and does not include toppings.