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18 Creative Chili Recipes Inspired by World Flavors

18 Creative Chili Recipes Inspired by World Flavors

By Wini Moranville

Updated June 30, 2020

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Blaine Moats

Whether meat-centric, veggie-forward, boldly spiced, or globally driven, these unique chili recipes all have one thing in common: They’re all uncommonly good. Once you take in all the different kinds of chilis showcased here, you’ll be hard-pressed to ever settle for the same old bowl again.

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Mediterranean Chickpea Chili

Andy Lyons

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When you’re looking for unique chili recipes, consider what using Mediterranean ingredients can bring to the table. Grape tomatoes, Kalamata olives, feta cheese, and lemon zest give this garbanzo bean chili a fresh Greek twist.

Related: Healthy Mediterranean Diet Recipes

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Mexican Winter Chili

Blaine Moats

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Sweet and hot peppers plus bold spices give this chili some typical Tex-Mex flavors. So what makes it merit a spot on our list of unusual chili recipes? A can of pumpkin and a touch of cream. The unexpected ingredients add richness and depth of flavor to this cold-weather supper.

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Caribbean Chili with Black Beans

Andy Lyons

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For unusual chili ideas that go beyond the usual bowl of red, add some flavors from the tropics. Here, sweet mango, allspice, and orange juice temper the spice of the habanero pepper. For a side dish that adds extra freshness to the meal, try our Tropical Fruit Salad.

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New World Chili

Andy Lyons

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In our quest for unique chili recipes, we scored one with a seasonal bent. Butternut squash and cranberries are classic autumnal flavors. Better yet, these ingredients meld beautifully with classic chili fixings, including jalapeño pepper, chili powder, beans, and Monterey Jack cheese.

Buy It: Crock-Pot Slow Cooker, ($35, Bed Bath & Beyond)

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Coconut-Chicken Chili

Andy Lyons

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Crisp veggies, ginger, basil, garlic, and coconut milk. Those ingredients sound more like something you’d find in your favorite Thai dish than in a chili. But add drained and rinsed beans and chili powder, and the combo might just earn a spot on your list of great new chili ideas.

Buy It: OXO Colander, ($25 Target)

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Slow Cooker Chocolate Chili with Three Beans

Karla Conrad

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You’d better believe we put a few slow cooker recipes on our list of great chili ideas! Here’s one with a terrific twist: a pinch of bittersweet chocolate and a drizzle of honey to deepen and complexify the flavors.

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Harvest Chili

Andy Lyons

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As soon as there’s a nip in the air, we start rifling through our archives of unique chili recipes to find the best way to kick off chili season. With chicken-apple sausage, butternut squash, and fresh green apples, this contender is perfect for when summer’s growing season gives way to the autumn harvest.

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Lamb, Bean, and Sweet Potato Chili

Blaine Moats

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If you seek different kinds of chili that can be made in your pressure cooker, here’s one to consider. It’s anchored by lamb shoulder, which is a cut that gets bolder, richer, and more tender when cooked under pressure. You can get the same effects by slow-cooking the chili. Either way, you’re in for a spicy, meaty, and filling one-dish meal.

Buy It: Instant Pot Duo Evo 6 Quart, ($120, Bed Bath & Beyond)

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Family-Style Chili & Corn Bread Dumplings

Scott Little

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When a chili recipe’s ingredient list kicks off with round steak or pork shoulder, you know it’s going to be rich and meaty! What makes it score a spot on our list of unusual chili recipes, however, is the plus-one of cornmeal dumplings. Bonus: They’re a little like corn muffins, but you don’t have to grease (or scrub) a muffin pan.

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Steak and Soda Chili

Courtesy of Naomi Robinson

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This might be the most creative of our unique chili recipes! Two kinds of dried chilis plus a can of a popular soft drink add sweet-spicy flavors to the bowl of red. What? No beans? Nope, it’s patterned after a classic Texas-style chili, which means beans are out!

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Venison Chili

Scott Little

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Our most unusual chili recipes generally give your spice rack a workout. And the results are oh-so worth it. In this case, venison, which has a woody, almost fruity flavor, combines with veggies and seven spices to create a knockout chili.

Buy It: Kamenstein Spice Rack, ($30, Bed Bath & Beyond)

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Vegetarian Green Chili

Andy Lyons

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Fill your bowl with greens, soybeans, and rice when you're craving unique chili recipes that are healthful to boot. You’ll also love the way the celery, chopped green onions, spinach, and avocado make you see chili in a fresh, new way.

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Hearty Vegetarian Chili

Scott Little

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Sometimes we seek different chili recipes for different reasons. Maybe we want to go global or use unusual ingredients or spice blends. But when healthfulness is the major goal, this recipe is definitely one to consider: It’s a meatless, fiber-packed, low-calorie winner, and it’s super-satisfying too.

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Chipotle Turkey Chili

Andy Lyons

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Turkey tenderloins bring the meat (without beef!), while poblano and chipotle peppers bring the spice. Lentils, rather than the usual beans, also boost the recipe’s uniqueness.

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Chunky Vegetable Chili

Kritsada Panichgul

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With celery, corn, and zucchini joining the usual bell peppers, onions, and tomatoes, this vegetarian chili isn’t just meatless; it’s downright veggie-driven! Put it on your list of different chili recipes that can be made in a slow cooker.

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Sweet Potato-Black Bean Chili

Kritsada Panichgul

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Not only is this one of our most unusual chili recipes, but it’s one of our most colorful as well, thanks to the corn, tomatoes, jalapeños, and sweet potatoes. Try it the next time you’re looking for ultra-satisfying meatless Monday recipes.

Buy It: Lodge Dutch Oven, ($70, Target)

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Fire and Ice, Beef and Grape Chili

Andy Lyons

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If it’s truly unusual chili recipes you’re after, here’s one to add to your short list. Fire-roasted salsa makes it extra-spicy, beef short ribs make it ultra-meaty, and a frozen red-wine topping adds a dashing hot-cold effect. Any dry red wine will do; just choose one you’ll enjoy drinking along with this dish.

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Slow Cooker Jalapeño Popper Chili

Jason Donnelly

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With melted cream cheese and fresh jalapeño peppers, this chili is inspired by a popular bar-grill snack. Add bacon to the mix, and it's no wonder it’s on our list of best chili ideas! For a bright and perky side dish, team with a side of Vinaigrette Coleslaw.

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