Skyline Chili (Cincinnati Chili)

This Skyline chili (Cincinnati chili) layers warm spices- cinnamon, allspice, cloves, cumin, cayenne- into a tangy, savory beef sauce that’s built for piling over spaghetti. Finish it 3-Way, 4-Way, or 5-Way with onions, beans, and a generous snowdrift of shredded cheddar.

What Does 5-Way, 4-Way and 3- Way Mean?

Get your head out of the gutter. In the context of Skyline Chili, the terms “5-way,” “4-way,” and “3-way” refer to specific variations of their signature dish called “Cincinnati-style chili.”

• 3-Way: A 3-way dish consists of three components: spaghetti, chili and cheese.
• 4-Way: A 4-way dish includes four components: spaghetti, chili, beans (usually kidney beans) and cheese.
• 5-Way: A 5-way dish incorporates all the elements: spaghetti, chili, beans, raw chopped onions, cheese.

Why You’ll Love Skyline Chili

Once you try this chili, you may never go back to other recipes. This version is the real deal.

• Sweet-savory flavor profile – What with the spices, sugar and apple cider vinegar for brightness, this is a true balance of flavors.
• Batch cook – You can make a family-size batch because it freezes beautifully and can be used for meal prep.
• Built-in versatility – The complex flavor profile of this sauce makes it an incredible chili on its own, or it can be spooned over anything from the top of a hot dog to a bed of spaghetti.

What You’ll Need

This authentic Cincinnati chili is out of this world. And the simple ingredients are so easy to find at the grocery store.

• Ground beef – Using lean meat translates to little or no need to drain the fat off. Of course you can swap this with lean turkey, chicken or venison.
• Sugar – While an optional ingredient, it adds some sweetness while balancing the acidity at the same time.
• Cooked spaghetti – Always cook to al dente per package instructions, no matter what shape of pasta you use.
• Kidney beans – You don’t need to use beans, but if you do, make sure they are drained and rinsed.
• Shredded sharp cheddar cheese – We love to top our chili with sharp cheddar, but you can top it however you like.
• Chopped white onion – To be authentic, use white onion. But feel free to substitute green onions, red onion, or other varieties.

How to Make Skyline Chili (Step-By-Step)

What makes this such a great recipe is how easy it is to make. This may be the best chili you’ll ever try.

1. Brown Meat. Brown the ground beef in a preheated large skillet with olive oil or another neutral flavored oil.
2. Saute. Add the onion and garlic. Saute the onion and garlic briefly before draining the fat.
3. Cook. Transfer the beef mixture to a Dutch oven. You can also use a large pot. Pour in the remaining ingredients and simmer for the recommended time. 
4. Serve. Remove the bay leaf and serve.

Slow Cooker Skyline Chili Instructions

Most chilis are ideal for a slow cooker, and Skyline Chili is no exception! Here is how to make Skyline Chili in the slow cooker:

1. In a large skillet, cook the ground beef over medium-high heat until browned. Drain any excess fat.
2. Transfer the cooked ground beef to the slow cooker.
3. Add the onions, garlic, only 2 cups of beef broth, tomatoes, chili powder, apple cider vinegar, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, cayenne, cinnamon, cumin, salt, pepper, allspice, cloves and a bay leaf to the slow cooker.
4. Stir all the ingredients together until well combined.
5. Cover the slow cooker with a lid and cook on low heat for 6-8 hours or on high heat for 3-4 hours. The longer cooking time allows the flavors to meld together.
6. Once the cooking time is complete, fish out the bay leaf and plate it up as desired.

Perfect Pairings

The most popular way to serve skyline chili is over spaghetti noodles, but you can also serve it as a hot dog sauce over top of a hot dog in a bun (who doesn’t love hot dogs with chili?), making it more of a Texas-style chili (meaning without beans, although this version does use tomatoes). 

​Use it as pasta sauce, too. Spoon the saucy ground beef over your favorite pasta and sprinkle cheese over top. 

You can also eat it in a bowl by itself with a big dollop of sour cream. Or,  serve it over hamburgers or cheeseburger patties or even on fried chicken or grilled chicken. Spoon it over mashed potatoes or baked potatoes, or smother your french fries with it. Use it any way you’d use a chili sauce. 

Variations

There are plenty of ways you can make this skyline chili recipe your own!

• Spicy– Although this chili recipe has zing to it, you can certainly take it up a notch further by increasing the amount of chili powder or cayenne, or by adding 1-2 teaspoons of crushed red pepper flakes. A dash of hot sauce always works, too!
• Diced Tomatoes– I like adding a little more texture with a can of drained diced tomatoes. Add heat here, too, by using tomatoes packed with chiles.
• Add the Beans to the Pot– If your family likes the kidney beans, you can add them directly to the chili. Or, use other types of beans like pinto beans or black beans.
• Turkey, Pork, or Chicken– Try swapping out the ground beef with ground turkey, ground pork (even spicy hot Italian sausage), ground chicken, or any combination of them. Or, use a plant-based alternative.

How to Reheat Frozen Chili

To reheat frozen skyline chili, you have a few options. In any of them, you might need to add more beef broth or water to prevent it from getting too thick or scalding.

How to Reheat Frozen Chili on the Stove

1. Transfer the frozen chili from the freezer to a saucepan or pot.
2. Place the pot on the stove over low to medium heat.
3. Stir the chili occasionally to prevent sticking or burning.
4. Allow the chili to heat gradually until it reaches a simmer.
5. Continue simmering for about 10-15 minutes, or until the chili is thoroughly heated.
6. Stir occasionally to ensure even heating.

Reheat Frozen Chili in the Microwave

1. Transfer the frozen chili into a microwave-safe container or bowl.
2. Cover the container partially with a microwave-safe lid or microwave-safe plastic wrap, leaving a small vent for steam to escape.
3. Microwave the chili on medium power or using the defrost setting if available.
4. Heat the chili in intervals of 2-3 minutes.
5. Pause after each interval to stir the chili and distribute the heat evenly.
6. Repeat the process until the chili is heated throughout.

How to Reheat Frozen Chili in the Slow Cooker

1. Place the frozen chili in a slow cooker.
2. Set the slow cooker to low heat.
3. Cover the slow cooker with a lid.
4. Allow the chili to cook for several hours, typically 4-6 hours, until it is heated thoroughly.
5. Stir occasionally to promote even heating and prevent sticking.

Regardless of the method you choose, it’s important to ensure that the chili reaches 165°F using a digital thermometer before consuming. Additionally, stirring the chili during reheating helps to distribute heat evenly and prevent burning.

Questions About Skyline Chili

Other Chili Recipes

We love all sorts of chili, if you do too, you’ll enjoy all of these chili recipes.

Chicken Main Dishes

White Chicken Chili

5 from 5 votes

Soups

Vegetarian Sweet Potato Chili

4.86 from 7 votes

Appetizers + Snacks

Crockpot Chili Cheese Dip

4.92 from 12 votes

Skyline Chili Recipe (Cincinnati Chili)

4 from 13 votes

A Cincinnati favorite, This EASY Skyline Chili is easy to make and can be served over noodles and with piles of cheddar cheese on top!

Cook Time: 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Total Time: 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

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Servings: 8

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Equipment

• Dutch Oven
• Ground Beef Chopper
• Large Skillet
• Garlic press

Ingredients

Skyline Chili

• 2 pounds ground beef 80/20
• 1 large yellow onion , chopped
• 4 cloves garlic , minced
• 4 cups low-sodium beef broth
• 16 ounces plain crushed tomatoes (canned)
• 3 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons sugar*
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon cayenne
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon coarse Kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 bay leaf

For Serving

• Spaghetti , cooked al dente
• Kidney beans , drained and rinsed, optional
• Sharp cheddar cheese , shredded
• White onion , chopped and raw

Instructions

• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef, breaking apart and browning well for 4-5 minutes. Add the onion and garlic, sauteing for another 2-3 minutes or until onions start to soften. Drain any excess fats and transfer to a large pot or Dutch oven.
• Add the beef broth, tomatoes, chili powder, apple cider vinegar, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, cayenne, cinnamon, cumin, salt, pepper, allspice, cloves and a bay leaf to the pot and stir to combine.
• Heat over low heat uncovered for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
• When ready to serve, remove the bay leaf.
• Serve over cooked spaghetti and top with your choice of shredded cheddar cheese, kidney beans and chopped white onion.
• If you've tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was in the comments or star ratings.

Notes

The owners of Skyline Chili are on the record that there is NO chocolate in the chili and it is not listed as a possible allergen. If you do want to use chocolate (it is delicious!), here is how. 

Omit the sugar and instead add 2-3 tablespoons of grated unsweetened chocolate or cocoa powder.

Storage: Refrigerate this chili for 3-4 days in an airtight container.

Freezing: Freeze chili for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container or a resealable freezer bag.

Nutrition

Calories: 347 kcal, Carbohydrates: 12 g, Protein: 23 g, Fat: 23 g, Saturated Fat: 9 g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g, Monounsaturated Fat: 10 g, Trans Fat: 1 g, Cholesterol: 81 mg, Sodium: 740 mg, Potassium: 831 mg, Fiber: 3 g, Sugar: 7 g, Vitamin A: 1124 IU, Vitamin C: 7 mg, Calcium: 65 mg, Iron: 4 mg

Author: Jessica Formicola

Calories: 347

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cincinnati chili, skyline chili

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