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Jack Daniels Chili

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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!

Looking down on three bowls of chili topped with sour cream, grated cheddar cheese and green onions.

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!

A bowl of chili topped with sour cream, cheddar cheese, green onions, and corn chips with a bowl of corn chips in the background.

What you will need

Ingredients to make Jack Daniels Whiskey Chili.
  • 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

Jack Daniels Chili with corn chips and a glass of whiskey.

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.

Chopped onions in a large pot with oil.

Add the ground beef and garlic. Stir and cook until meat is no longer pink.

Ground beef and onions mixed together in a large pot.

Stir in the cumin and chili powders.

Chili powder, cumin, ground beef, and onion in a large pot.

Add the tomatoes, beans, whiskey, and brown sugar. Stir to combine.

White and red kidney beans, crushed tomatoes, and whiskey added to the ground beef mixture in a large pot.

Cover and simmer for 1.5 hours.

A big pot of chili with red and white kidney beans and ground beef.

Serve garnished with Greek yogurt, shredded cheddar cheese, and sliced green onions.

A bowl of Jack Daniels Chili topped with sour cream, cheddar cheese, green onions, and corn chips with additional bowls in the background.

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

If you love this recipe, please rate it five stars and help me share on facebook and to help other readers in our community!

Enjoy!!

Looking down on three bowls of chili topped with sour cream, grated cheddar cheese and green onions.

Jack Daniels Chili

Jack Daniels Chili made with lean ground beef, red and white kidney beans, crushed tomatoes, whiskey, and the perfect blend of seasonings!
5 from 2 votes
Print Rate
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: beef, beans, chili, whiskey, game day, party, comfort
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 6 Servings
Calories: 612kcal
Author: Lisa Johnson

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.
Storage Instructions
  • 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.

Nutrition

Calories: 612kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 80mg | Sodium: 640mg | Potassium: 1169mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 705IU | Vitamin C: 15.9mg | Calcium: 138mg | Iron: 7.3mg

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28 Comments

  1. 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!

  2. 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!

  3. I love chili …. I mean LOVE it. This sounds so good and like it would be perfect for the cooler weather! Pinning, Lisa!

  4. I didn’t know that about canned tomatoes and adding sugar! Thanks for the tip and for your yummy looking recipe!

  5. 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 🙂

  6. 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!!!

  7. 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.

  8. 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.

  9. 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)?

  10. 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.

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