From Business Insider · Chelsea Davis · · 3m
I tested three celebrity chefs' chili recipes
Chelsea Davis made chili from Ina Garten, Ree Drummond and Giada De Laurentiis to find the best. Drummond and De Laurentiis tied for first.
In brief
Chelsea Davis made chili from Ina Garten, Ree Drummond and Giada De Laurentiis to find the best. Drummond and De Laurentiis tied for first. Chelsea Davis tested chili recipes from three celebrity chefs and found Ree Drummond's traditional beef chili and Giada De Laurentiis' chicken version equally delicious, while Ina…
Three chefs, one quest
Chelsea Davis tested chili recipes from celebrity chefs Ina Garten, Ree Drummond, and Giada De Laurentiis to find the best one to make repeatedly through fall and winter.
Garten's chicken chili starts simple
Ina Garten's Food Network recipe called for yellow onion, minced garlic, red and yellow bell peppers, chili powder, cumin, dried red-pepper flakes, cayenne, basil, chicken breasts, and canned whole peeled plum tomatoes in puree.
Davis sautéed instead of baking
Davis sautéed chicken breasts in a pan for about twelve minutes on each side instead of baking them as the recipe instructed, finding it more efficient.
Garten's chili missed the mark
The finished dish had a strong tomato flavor and many bell-pepper chunks. Davis found it filling but not the classic comfort food she craved, lacking the heartiness of traditional chili.
Drummond's recipe felt traditional
Ree Drummond's Pioneer Woman recipe from Food Network included ground beef, chopped garlic, tomato sauce, chili powder, cumin, oregano, cayenne pepper, canned beans, and masa harina as a thickening agent.
Davis substituted corn grits
Davis browned ground beef with garlic, added spices and tomato sauce, then simmered for an hour. She substituted corn grits mixed with water for masa harina, then added drained pinto and kidney beans.
Drummond's chili hit all the marks
The finished chili was meaty, hearty, and filling with a nice thick texture. The ground beef, pinto and kidney beans, and warm cumin and spices created a tasty traditional chili.
De Laurentiis used ground chicken
Giada De Laurentiis' Food Network recipe for white bean and chicken chili included ground chicken, onion, cumin, chili powder, Swiss chard, canned cannellini beans, frozen corn, fennel seeds, chicken stock, and red-pepper flakes.
Davis simmered and layered flavors
Davis simmered onions and garlic, added ground chicken with seasonings, then added Swiss chard, beans, corn, and chicken stock. She simmered for about an hour, added chili flakes, and cooked ten more minutes.
De Laurentiis' chili was unconventional
The finished chili featured Swiss chard, ground chicken, and Parmesan. Davis enjoyed the savory crunchy corn, tender white beans, vegetal Swiss chard, and rich meaty taste from the stock and chicken.
Drummond and De Laurentiis tie for first
Davis loved both Drummond's traditional chili and De Laurentiis' chicken version for their hearty, savory, and complex flavors. They were different types but equally delicious for game day.
Garten's recipe wouldn't make the cut
Davis would not make Ina Garten's chili again. The chunky texture was not her favorite, and it did not deliver what she looks for in a traditional chili.
The essence
Chelsea Davis tested chili recipes from three celebrity chefs and found Ree Drummond's traditional beef chili and Giada De Laurentiis' chicken version equally delicious, while Ina Garten's chicken chili disappointed.
