Why is it called Skyline Chili?

This famous chili recipe was created by Nicholas Lambrinides, who founded a popular chain of chili restaurants called Skyline Chili in Cincinnati, Ohio in the 1940s.

Will it taste like chocolate?

I know, that would make sense but nope! The unsweetened chocolate simply gives it a richer, beefier taste. Mysterious!

What kind of beans go with Skyline Chili?

Kidney beans are the traditional beans to use in this chili - you can get the kind in the can and drain them (and heat them up if you like) before adding them to your chili toppings!

Can this recipe be made ahead of time!

So much yes! The flavors will be even deeper the next day. Reheat it under low heat (add some beef broth if you need to loosen it up a bit). You do need to leave the toppings until right before you serve it.

How long does chili keep in the fridge?

Pop it in a covered container and it will keep up to 4 days.

Have a question that I didn't cover?

Pop your question in the Comments section under the recipe card and I will answer pronto!

Cincinnati Skyline Chili

Cincinnati Chili in a bowl with toppings.

Print Recipe

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5 from 1 review

This easy recipe for Cincinnati Skyline chili involves spaghetti, tons of cheese and some of the best chili in the world. And if you want, onions and beans!

Author: Kate Morgan Jackson
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour, 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
Yield: 8
Category: Dinner
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 large chopped onion
2 pounds ground beef
1/4 cup chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 ounce unsweetened chocolate
Two cups beef broth
2 eight ounce cans tomato sauce
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 pound cooked spaghetti
At least two cups shredded cheddar cheese…or more
Chopped onions and/or cooked beans for garnish (optional!)

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Instructions

Heat oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and cook until tender, about 3-5 minutes.
Add ground beef and stir until browned.
Add chili powder, cinnamon, cumin, allspice, cloves, chocolate, beef broth, tomato sauce, cider vinegar and stir. Bring to a simmer, turn heat to low and cook for 90 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes or so. If you like your chili on the thicker side, keep simmering it until it is the consistency you want.
Serve over spaghetti and top with LOTS of shredded cheddar cheese for three way, add some chopped onions for four way, add some drained heated kidney beans for five way.

Notes

- Onion: We like a sweet onion for this recipe, but any onion you have will work.

- Ground Beef: We recommend the 80/20 blend but you can go for a lower fat version if you want to.

- Spices: Make sure you give the spices a good sniff to make sure they are still fresh, because they are key to the flavor (and we’ve all let some spices sit in our drawer wayyyyyyyy past their prime! 🙋🏼‍♀️)

- Chocolate: Look for unsweetened chocolate (which gives this chili a deep rich flavor) in the baking aisle.

- Beef Broth: As always, we recommend the kind in the box for the freshest flavor.

Find it online: https://www.framedcooks.com/cincinnati-chili-2/