If your chili looks a little or a lot thinner than you’d like, these tips for how to thicken chili will help you bolster your bowls so they are hearty enough to satisfy. We tapped our Test Kitchen pros for several ideas about how to make chili thicker (aka sturdy enough stand up to copious toppings and dunkers). And since we’re often searching for ideas for how to make a thicker chili after it’s already thin, they also offer tricks to prevent this culinary challenge before it happens.
Why is My Chili Thin?
If you’re seeking quick fixes for how to thicken up chili, your thin recipe is likely related to one of three issues. Essentially, it all boils down to a lack of liquid evaporation. This can be the result of:
Adding too much stock, broth, or water. A base of beef or chicken broth or stock, or occasionally water, milk, or cream, sets the tone for most chili recipes. If your chili looks watery, you may have poured in more of these thin ingredients than necessary. The less liquid you add beyond what’s necessary to loosen things up, the less you have to worry about finding a fix for how to thicken up chili. Cooking it for a short time. Ideally, chili would simmer low and slow. This allows some of the liquid to evaporate and result in a thicker consistency and deeper, more complex flavor as the aromatics and spices release their superpowers. Mixing in too many fresh or canned tomatoes. Tomato paste and sun-dried tomatoes lend more concentrated flavor and little to no moisture. Fresh or canned tomatoes, which are called for in nearly every red chili recipe, release a fair amount of water into the stew.
How to Thicken Chili
As you’ll see in our list of ideas for how to make chili thicker, several of the fixes tie directly back to the causes for thin chili mentioned above. Other tricks for how to thicken up chili call for pantry staple ingredients that can tackle the task quickly—while allowing you to deliver all the classic chili flavor you and your fellow stew-ers are seeking. Regardless of whether your preferred way to cook chili (in an Instant Pot, slow cooker, skillet, or Dutch oven) these are the best tried-and-true solutions for how to make chili thicker. After trying any of these fixes for how to thicken up chili, take a taste test before you dish it up to share. Since we’re tinkering with the recipe and moisture balance, you’ll want to ensure the seasoning is still dialed in. Sprinkle in more salt, chili powder, onion powder, cumin, paprika, or cayenne pepper, if needed, then ladle it up, and dive in.
