Jack Daniels Chili
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Last Updated on December 6, 2022 by Lisa Johnson
The ultimate Jack Daniels Chili recipe for cold winter days, or for watching football. This flavorful chili is ready in under two hours and made with lean ground beef, red and white kidney beans, crushed tomatoes, and the perfect blend of seasonings!
This easy chili recipe with beer cooks on the stovetop and is perfect served alongside Cornbread, Fritos corn chips, Baked Potato Skins, or Homemade Buttermilk Biscuits.
My favorite Guinness Beef Chili recipe was the starting point, but chili made with whiskey has a stronger, deeper flavor. It also carries a much bigger kick!
What you will need
- Chopped yellow onion sautéed in olive oil.
- Lean ground beef
- Minced garlic
- Ground cumin powder adds an earthy flavor to the chili.
- Chili powder gives this chili its traditional flavor and chipotle chili powder adds smokiness and a bit of heat.
- Jack Daniels Whiskey from Lynchburg, Tennessee adds flavor, depth, and an unexpected bite to this dish. It’s the one with the square bottle with a black label.
- Crushed tomatoes add the perfect amount of thickness and flavor without needed to cook down for hours.
- A combination of red and white kidney beans (cannellini beans) add texture and flavor to this to this not Texas-style chili recipe.
- Brown sugar rounds out the flavors of the chili powders and whiskey, and cuts down on any bitterness from the canned tomatoes
Be sure to check out the detailed printable recipe card below
I originally shared this recipe October 2013. Updated October 2022.
How to make Jack Daniels Chili:
Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 3 – 4 minutes to soften.
Add the ground beef and garlic. Stir and cook until meat is no longer pink.
Stir in the cumin and chili powders.
Add the tomatoes, beans, whiskey, and brown sugar. Stir to combine.
Cover and simmer for 1.5 hours.
Serve garnished with Greek yogurt, shredded cheddar cheese, and sliced green onions.
Recipe Notes & Tips
- For a non-alcohol version, substitute chicken stock for the whiskey.
- Ground turkey, bison, or chicken can be substituted for the ground beef if desired.
- To cook in a pressure cooker, follow the cooking directions in this Instant Pot Guinness Beef Chili recipe.
How to store gourmet chili
Allow chili to cool completely before placing in an airtight storage container. Store in the refrigerator up to 4 days, or store in zipper top freezer bags in the freezer for up to one month.
Defrost in the refrigerator overnight and reheat in a saucepan on the stove or in the microwave.
More delicious chili recipes
- Guinness Beef Chili
- Instant Pot Chunky Beef Chili
- Easy Beef Chili – no beans (Whole30)
- Southwest Chili with Black Beans and Corn
- Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili
- Chili Sauce for Hot Dogs
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Enjoy!!
Jack Daniels Chili
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup yellow onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1.5 pounds lean ground beef
- 2 tablespoons ground cumin
- 2 tablespoon ground chili powder
- 1 tablespoon ground chipotle pepper
- 8 ounces Jack Daniel’s Whiskey*
- 28 ounce can organic crushed tomatoes
- 15 ounce can organic red kidney beans drained and rinsed
- 15 ounce can organic white kidney beans drained and rinsed
- 1 tablespoon organic brown sugar
- sour cream, shredded cheese, green onions optional garnish
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 3 – 4 minutes to soften.
- Add the ground beef and garlic. Stir and cook until meat is no longer pink.
- Stir in the cumin and chili powders. Add tomatoes, beans, whiskey and brown sugar Stir to combine.
- Cover and simmer for 1.5 hours.
- Garnish with Greek yogurt (or sour cream), shredded cheddar cheese, sliced green onions.
Notes
- For a non-alcohol version, substitute chicken stock for the whiskey.
- Ground turkey, bison, or chicken can be substituted for the ground beef if desired.
- To cook in a pressure cooker, follow the cooking directions in this Instant Pot Guinness Beef Chili recipe.
- Allow chili to cool completely before placing in an airtight storage container. Store in the refrigerator up to 4 days, or store in zipper top freezer bags in the freezer for up to one month.
- Defrost in the refrigerator overnight and reheat in a saucepan on the stove or in the microwave.
Sounds delicious! Welcome back from Cali 🙂 Happy Halloween!
Your pictures are gorgeous Lisa!! I am HUGE fan of chili! I make a batch a week during the week! I’d love to try this, may have to take down the Jack for the kids!
Whoa whoa whoa those dogs look amazing!
This looks like the perfect meal for fall chilly weather indeed. So so comforting! And I bet that JD added such a lovely, interesting touch!
Happy Halloween 🙂
Lisa, I’ve never tried chili with Jack but it sounds like a plan I to make! 🙂 Hope you had a wonderful vacation and it’s so good to have you back! Thanks for sharing your recipe and pinning! Happy Friday!
I love chili …. I mean LOVE it. This sounds so good and like it would be perfect for the cooler weather! Pinning, Lisa!
Looked like you had a great trip to CA, Lisa! This chili is a wonderful welcome home. I loved your Guinness chili, so I know this one would be fabulous as well!
I’m sorry…did you just say Jack Daniels and Chili in the same post? Will you come live with me?
-andi
I didn’t know that about canned tomatoes and adding sugar! Thanks for the tip and for your yummy looking recipe!
Oh my gosh, love this! So fun that you added some jack daniels to this, totally would have never thought of that. Great pictures too girl! Pinned!
I am not a whiskey drinker at all, but this sounds delicious, Lisa! 🙂
Lisa, I adore chili season and this one looks like a total winner (especially since you brilliantly used leftovers on hot dogs). You have me craving a chili dog and it’s 9:30 in the morning 🙂
Ooooooh this chili sounds yum – must try! I found you over at the Pin Junkie Friday Party.
I’m all over this chili! Actually, I’m all over the dogs…so yum! I could seriously eat chili on a daily basis. I love how creative you are with your recipe. My brother in law would really like this one. (He’s been trying to win our family chili cook off for 3 years now! And, this one is a winner!)
I’m featuring this mouth watering chili at the Show Stopper Saturday party in the morning…cz you ROCK!!!
Great recipe, Lisa ! I also always add sugar to any dish containing tomatoes – definitely a must 🙂
Watch out Lisa is breaking out the strong stuff… sounds like a kicking chili. Thanks for sharing it with us on foodie friday.
This chili looks delicious! Thanks for sharing.
I love chili during the chilly weather, this is perfect!
tasted like a little too much cumin, I’m not a chef, but I wouldn’t call this recipe a show stopper…
This looks like one good bowl of chili! 🙂 Pinned!
Thank you Julie, it is pretty good if I do say so myself. 😉
My husband is hooked on Jack….I have to make this for him!!
Oh, he will love it Cathy!!
Lisa, I adore chili season and this just one seems like earnings success (especially as you are remarkably utilised left over spots about very hot dogs). You’ve got myself desire the chili dog and also it’s 9: 25 each morning.
Just tried this tonight…. way too much Jack for both me and my husband. If i ever decide to try it again I will add 1/2 that amount. Other than that it was an easy recipe.
So, to make “real Chili” can you omit the beans or do you have to make other “adjustments” (putting beans in Chili is a hanging offense here in Texas)?
Made this recipe and enjoyed it. I then decided to use your recipe as my base for my entry into a charity chili cook off.
I added two tablespoons of smoked paprika, 1/2 cup of fresh jalapenos, a can of black beans, as well as 1 cup of pineapple juice (always keep them guessing!). Test batch was excellent. Extrapolated the ingredients to make 60 gallons and a star was born.
Thank you for your help and inspiration.