The Quick And Easy Way To Instantly Give Chili Some Bulk

Chili is one of America's favorite cold-weather meals, and for good reason. It's hearty, filling, flavorful, and comes in varieties ranging from a classic Texas bowl of red to Oklahoma-style (chili con carne and beans) and Cincinnati chili (a Greek take on Bolognese sauce). There are many things you can add to chili to boost its flavor, including beer, chocolate, and liquid smoke; but what can you do to make it more filling? Yasmin Henley, who blogs about recipes at By the Forkful, has a suggestion. "If you're stretching the dish or creating a heartier one-bowl meal, grains can work really well in bulking up a chili," Henley told The Takeout.

There are two ways to add grains to chili. One is to cook them together with the chili, while the other involves preparing both items separately and then spooning one over the other. "I usually prefer serving chili over grains rather than cooking them directly into it," Henley said. "Then, you've got more options for versatility."

If you're cooking your grains (rice, quinoa, barley, or something else) in the chili, there's no need to worry about flavor, as they'll absorb it from the broth. Most recipes don't call for this cooking method, but if you opt to do so, check how long the particular grain takes to cook and then add it to the chili that many minutes before it's set to finish cooking. Make sure there's plenty of liquid for the grains to soak up.

If you're using grains as a base for your chili, the liquid should still seep down and improve the taste. If your chili is super thick or you want to avoid any risk of getting a plain-tasting bite, you can season the grains as you cook them.

The easiest way to season is to purchase a bag of pre-cooked rice, since it often comes in varieties like cilantro-lime, coconut, Mexican, and Spanish. If you're preparing the grains from scratch, Henley had a few ideas. "Cook your grains in broth instead of water and add a few aromatics like bay leaves, cilantro stems, chopped tomatoes, or minced garlic. A squeeze of lime or a pat of butter stirred in at the end makes a big difference, too." You can also use coconut water instead of broth or simply drop a bouillon cube and some powdered spices straight into the cooking liquid. Because this liquid is absorbed by the grains as they cook, so, too, are the spices.