This easy chili and rice skillet dinner is a fast, budget-friendly meal made with 1 pound of ground beef, onion, condensed tomato soup, diced tomatoes, kidney beans, chili powder, and 3 cups of cooked white rice. The beef and onion cook in one skillet, then the chili simmers for 10–15 minutes, making the complete dinner ready in about 25–35 minutes.
Every spoonful is warm, saucy, and satisfying, with tender beans, juicy tomatoes, seasoned beef, and fluffy rice soaking up the rich tomato mixture. Serve the chili over hot rice for a classic presentation, or stir the rice directly into the skillet for an especially cozy family-style meal.
Jump to RecipeWhy You’ll Love This Recipe
This skillet dinner has the comfort of a long-simmered chili without requiring a long ingredient list or hours at the stove. Ground beef brings hearty flavor, kidney beans add substance, and the tomato mixture creates a spoonable sauce that is just right for ladling over rice.
It is also an excellent weeknight option because the rice can be cooked in advance. Once the rice is ready, the beef and chili mixture take only about 20–25 minutes to finish.
- Fast: Prep takes about 5–10 minutes, and total cooking time is about 20–25 minutes.
- Filling: Beef, beans, and rice make generous portions for 4–6 people.
- Simple: The recipe uses familiar pantry staples and one large skillet.
- Flexible: Serve it layered over rice or combine everything before serving.
If your household enjoys comforting bowls with bold seasoning, you may also like this slow cooker pork chili for another cozy dinner idea.
Ingredients You’ll Need
The ingredient list is short, but each item has an important job. Use 1 pound of ground beef, 1 medium chopped onion, one 10 3/4-ounce can of condensed tomato soup, one 14 1/2-ounce can of diced tomatoes, one 15-ounce can of kidney beans, 1 tablespoon of chili powder, and 3 cups of cooked white rice.
Do not drain the diced tomatoes. Their liquid combines with the condensed soup to create the right consistency, so draining them can leave the chili thicker and less saucy than intended.
- Ground beef: Browning it thoroughly gives the finished chili a deeper, meatier taste.
- Onion: Cooking it with the beef softens its texture and adds savory sweetness.
- Tomato soup: This provides a concentrated tomato base and helps bind the sauce.
- Diced tomatoes: They add texture, acidity, and the liquid needed for simmering.
- Kidney beans: Rinsing and draining them removes excess canning liquid before they go into the skillet.
- Chili powder: One tablespoon gives the dish its familiar chili flavor without making the recipe complicated.
- White rice: Hot cooked rice turns the chili into a complete, satisfying dinner.
How to Make It Step-by-Step
Step 1: Chop the onion before heating the skillet, and have the canned ingredients ready beside the stove. Warm a large skillet over medium-high heat, then add the ground beef and onion together.
Step 2: Cook the beef and onion for about 6–8 minutes, breaking the meat into small crumbles as it cooks. Continue until the beef is no longer pink and the onion is tender, then drain excess fat if necessary.
Step 3: Add the condensed tomato soup, undrained diced tomatoes, kidney beans, and chili powder to the browned beef mixture. Stir steadily until the soup loosens and coats the meat, beans, and tomatoes evenly.
Step 4: Bring the skillet mixture to a simmer, watching for gentle bubbling around the edges. Once it simmers, reduce the heat to medium-low and cover the skillet.
Step 5: Cook the covered chili for about 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally so the bottom does not stick and the ingredients heat evenly. The chili is ready when it is hot throughout and slightly thickened.
Step 6: Spoon the chili over 3 cups of hot cooked white rice just before serving. For a more integrated skillet meal, stir the rice directly into the chili, then serve it while everything is hot.
Chef’s Tips for the Best Skillet Chili
Start with a properly heated skillet so the beef browns rather than steams. Let it cook undisturbed for short stretches while stirring and breaking it apart, and wait until the onion has softened before adding the tomato ingredients.
Keep the diced tomato liquid in the pan. This is one of the most important details in the recipe because it helps loosen the condensed soup without needing a separate broth or extra liquid.
- Use a large skillet so the ingredients can simmer without crowding.
- Stir occasionally while covered, especially during the final few minutes.
- Prepare the rice in advance if you want the meal finished in roughly 30 minutes.
- Keep the rice separate until serving if you expect leftovers, since it will retain a better texture.
For a different meal-planning night, pair this dinner with a fresh, colorful dish such as our spicy salmon poke. It is a nice contrast when you want something lighter alongside a warm skillet meal.
Serving Ideas and Toppings
For the classic approach, mound hot white rice into shallow bowls and spoon the chili over the top. This keeps the rice fluffy and lets each person decide how much saucy chili to enjoy in every bite.
Cheddar cheese, sour cream, sliced green onions, and crushed tortilla chips are typical toppings that add creaminess, freshness, or crunch. Add them just before serving so the cheese softens, the sour cream stays cool, and the chips remain crisp.
- Cheddar cheese: Adds a savory, creamy finish.
- Sour cream: Brings cool richness to the warm chili.
- Green onions: Offer a fresh onion flavor and bright color.
- Crushed tortilla chips: Add a salty, crunchy topping.
Because this is a complete dinner on its own, a simple side is all you need. For dessert, finish with these delish pina colada bars for a sweet tropical contrast.
Variations, Storage, and Reheating
The traditional version uses condensed tomato soup, but a commonly published variation replaces it with one 8-ounce can of tomato sauce and adds salt and pepper to taste. Other optional additions include 1 minced garlic clove, 1/2 cup chopped green pepper, or 1/2–1 teaspoon ground cumin.
These additions can be useful when you want more vegetable flavor or extra warmth, but the base recipe is complete without them. Keep the specified 1 tablespoon of chili powder as the starting point, then adjust future batches according to your preferred level of seasoning.
For storage, cool the chili and rice promptly and refrigerate them in separate covered containers when possible. Reheat portions until hot, adding a small splash of water if the chili or rice has thickened in the refrigerator.
Leftover chili is also delicious tucked into a lunch container with rice packed separately. If you are collecting easy comfort-food recipes, keep our easy tortellini soup nearby for another quick bowl-style dinner.
What to Serve After Dinner
This chili is filling enough that dessert can remain simple. A fresh fruit plate, a small scoop of ice cream, or a tender baked treat all work well after the savory tomato-and-beef flavors.
For a breakfast-style bake that can also serve as a casual dessert, try these bakery-style blueberry muffins. Their sweet berry flavor makes a pleasant finish to a family dinner.
Easy Chili and Rice Skillet Dinner
Ingredients
Method
- Cook the ground beef and chopped onion in a large skillet over medium-high heat for about 6–8 minutes, until the beef is no longer pink and the onion is tender. Drain excess fat if necessary.
- Stir in the condensed tomato soup, undrained diced tomatoes, rinsed and drained kidney beans, and chili powder until the ingredients are evenly combined.
- Bring the mixture to a simmer, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for about 10–15 minutes. Stir occasionally until the chili is hot and slightly thickened.
- Spoon the hot chili over the 3 cups of cooked white rice. If preferred, stir the cooked rice directly into the skillet before serving.
Notes
Final Thoughts
This easy chili and rice skillet dinner proves that a satisfying homemade meal does not need a complicated process. Brown the beef and onion, add the tomato mixture, simmer for 10–15 minutes, and serve the finished chili over 3 cups of hot cooked rice.
Remember to leave the diced tomatoes undrained, since that liquid helps create the proper consistency. With familiar ingredients, about 4–6 servings, and a total time of roughly 25–35 minutes, this is the kind of reliable dinner that belongs in any busy-weeknight rotation.