When temperatures begin to drop, nothing feels cozier than a warm bowl of chili. I’ve learned there’s no single way to make this hearty stew. For example, my first encounter with chili came as a teenager working at a vegan restaurant. I was taught to sauté aromatics, add diced tomatoes, plenty of chili powder, vegetable stock, pinto and black beans, a hint of liquid smoke, and crumbled seitan. Ever since, I believed that was one of the best ways to enjoy chili. That is, until I became a food writer and tasted many versions, each offering something unique. The truth is, with so many recipes out there, choosing which one is the best (and worth your time) can get tricky.

This challenge intensifies when you consider the many celebrities who claim their chili recipe is the best. John Legend’s method relies on a simple base with fun toppings like Fritos and pickled jalapeños. Meanwhile, TV chefs such as Kardea Brown encourage swapping beef for more flavorful proteins like brisket. Mile Davis doesn’t even add tomatoes, but his stew has made headlines for years.

Each claims their approach is the best. So, to settle the debate, I gathered the most popular celebrity chili recipes, prepared them, and judged them against each other. One clearly stood out and has become my go-to recipe moving forward.

How I Chose the Celebrity Chili Recipes

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If you’ve read my previous taste tests, you know I have a slight obsession with uncovering famous people’s kitchen secrets. For this particular test, I tracked down chili recipes from celebrity chefs, well-known talk show hosts, musicians, artists, and more.

Each recipe included the essential components of chili as I understand them:

Aromatics: Most recipes rely on onions, garlic, parsley, cilantro, jalapeños, and tomatoes, but any allium, herb, or vegetable can fit well in this type of stew.

Most recipes rely on onions, garlic, parsley, cilantro, jalapeños, and tomatoes, but any allium, herb, or vegetable can fit well in this type of stew. Hearty Protein: Common additions typically include ground beef, chicken, turkey, or vegetarian options like tofu or seitan. Beans are also essential. Pinto beans are popular, but almost any legume works well in this dish.

Common additions typically include ground beef, chicken, turkey, or vegetarian options like tofu or seitan. Beans are also essential. Pinto beans are popular, but almost any legume works well in this dish. Chili Peppers: Many home cooks use canned chili peppers, such as chipotles soaking in adobo sauce, or ground chili seasoning blends to add smoky and spicy flavors to the stew.

Many home cooks use canned chili peppers, such as chipotles soaking in adobo sauce, or ground chili seasoning blends to add smoky and spicy flavors to the stew. Stewing Liquid: To provide moisture and depth, chili recipes will call for beef or vegetable stock, consommé, or sometimes beer. Other times, the juice from canned tomatoes or plain water is enough, depending on the amount of aromatics and seasonings brewing already in your stew.

How I Tested the Celebrity Chili Recipes

I scanned each celebrity chili recipe, compiled the ingredients, and followed the cooking instructions. Some recipes called for using a slow cooker, while others came together in a Dutch oven in less than one hour. To avoid feeling overwhelmed during the tasting process, I limited myself to making no more than two recipes in a single sitting.

The winners that rose to the top offered flavors that were subtly spicy, smoky, and savory, combined with a hearty texture. Since I prefer my chili on the thicker side, I also paid close attention to consistency.

Building flavor in stews usually takes a while, so I didn’t weigh cooking time heavily in this final winning result. Most chili recipes I make require at least 45 minutes, with some needing several hours in a slow cooker.

A few recipes impressed me from the very first bite, while others fell short on flavor. Below, you’ll find my subjective ranking to guide you the next time you’re ready for a warm bowl of chili.

The Best Celebrity Chili Recipes, Ranked

6th Place: Jimmy Fallon’s Crockpot Chili

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Jimmy Fallon’s chili doesn’t quite deliver on flavor. The stew leaned too heavily into heat, likely due to the half habanero pepper in the mix. Beyond the tomatoes and onions, it lacked a touch of sweetness to balance the smokiness and spiciness from the chili and cayenne.

While cooking time didn’t affect my final judgment, it’s worth noting that this recipe requires five hours in a slow cooker, and despite the wait, the end result doesn’t bring much payoff in flavor.

5th Place: Martha Stewart’s 30-Minute Chili

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Martha Stewart’s take promises a quick shortcut to chili, but it falls short on flavor. Onions, garlic, and canned chipotle chiles do most of the heavy lifting, yet the stew lacks the depth that comes from slow simmering. The short cooking time doesn’t allow the flavors to develop properly.

This chili also calls for an entire bottle of beer, but only allows about five minutes for it to cook down. As a result, this stew ends up with an overpowering yeasty taste that throws off the dish.

4th Place: Gordon Ramsay Chili Con Carne

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Gordon Ramsay emphasizes that great chili comes down to building layers of flavor. His recipe starts by sautéing onions, red bell peppers, and garlic. After that, he adds ground beef and cooks it until browned. Then comes a bold mix of seasonings (cayenne pepper, paprika, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, and dried oregano), followed by tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, kidney beans, beef bouillon cubes, sugar, and water.

The result delivers a traditional, hearty chili with a familiar flavor profile. That said, I’d boost the richness by swapping the water for beef stock. I’d also toss in some canned chipotle peppers in adobo to dial up the heat and deepen the overall flavor.

3rd Place: John Legend’s Chili

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In “Cravings,” Chrissy Teigen shares John Legend’s game day chili recipe, a simple dish that delivers punchy flavors. His use of seasonings, such as Lawry’s, cayenne pepper, and chili powder, combined with brown sugar and classic aromatics, creates a stew that hits smoky, sweet, and savory notes all at once.

Ground beef and kidney beans give it real heft, but what sets this chili apart are the toppings. Fritos bring a salty crunch, while pickled jalapeños cut through the richness with a sharp, tangy bite. The whole thing comes together in less than 45 minutes, making it ideal for moments when you’re short on time but don’t want to hold back on flavor.

2nd Place: Miles Davis’ Chili

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Most of the chili recipes I’ve tested rely on some form of tomato, whether canned, pasted, or fresh. So when I realized this one contained no trace of this ingredient at all, it completely caught me off guard.

Miles Davis’ chili turns out to be as inventive as his music. It nearly claimed first place thanks to its bold move away from tradition. While the preparation and presentation veer away from classic chili norms (he serves it over a bed of spaghetti), it’s absolutely worth your time.

Davis starts with onions sautéed in beef fat to form a rich base. Then he browns a blend of seasoned ground pork, veal, and beef. Once the meat develops color, he stirs in a generous helping of kidney beans, followed by a pour of beef consommé, a splash of red wine vinegar, and a mix of spices. After letting it all simmer for about an hour, he plates the chili over spaghetti, à la Bolognese, and finishes it with a heavy grating of Parmesan.

The flavor hit hard, in the best way. Over the next few days, I spooned the leftovers onto everything: scrambled eggs, nachos, quesadillas. This dish has officially earned a spot in my weekly dinner rotation.

1st Place Winner: Kardea Brown’s Brisket and Bean Chili

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Fair warning: Making Kardea Brown’s brisket and bean chili takes about three to four hours. That said, the actual hands-on prep only takes around 15 minutes, after that, the Dutch oven handles most of the work. Once you taste it, the time investment feels completely justified. This chili delivers layered flavors in every bite.

Kardea starts by coating brisket pieces in brown sugar and her signature Gullah-inspired house seasoning: a mix of garlic powder, onion powder, sweet paprika, freshly ground black pepper, and kosher salt. She sears the brisket to create a rich crust, then sets it aside and uses the rendered drippings to sauté aromatics: bell peppers, yellow onion, and garlic. From there, she builds the base with diced tomatoes, a trio of beans, beef bouillon paste, chili powder, and a dash of ground cinnamon. The brisket returns to the pot to simmer low and slow for about three hours, until it turns fork-tender.

The result? A smoky, aromatic broth packed with warm spices, stewed beans, and melt-in-your-mouth brisket. This is the kind of chili made to impress guests. It’s deeply comforting and full of flavor. It takes time, yes, but it earns every minute.

If you’re short on time, though, feel free to swap in ground beef or turkey to speed things up.