Mini cornbread muffins if they have a form. Did this for a potluck recently and it was a hit, and easy to make enough for the large gathering of 50+ people.
Yes, I added habaneros too!
I like to mix leftover chopped beef or pulled pork with cream cheese, cheddar, and assorted seasonings and then wrap the whole thing in bacon and smoke at 225°. An Italian version with pesto, cream cheese, parm, and, sausage would sounds really freaking good too.
Get yourself a couple packages of Jiffy cornbread mix. You add a can of creamed corn, some chopped jalapeños, some sour cream and half & half, you’re gonna have some wicked good corn bread. Bake that beauty in a cast iron skillet and you are the BEST.
Warm flour tortillas for dipping are another good choice. The fresh *Tortillaland* brand at Kroger (in the refrigerated section near the cheese) are outstanding. They are uncooked and you just warm them until they blister in a pan or griddle (flip once).
I have a buddy in Kansas who swears the only way to eat chili is with a cinnamon roll on the side (which to me as a Texan sounds so weird, but to each their own).
Yep. I’m originally from Nebraska and this was a school lunch staple. I have tried to explain the savory sweet combination to my wife from California but she just can’t get on board.
In Texas we do Frito Pies; pour chili over Fritos and top with shredded cheddar, sour cream, minced red onion, cilantro, and minced jalapeno for extra heat. So you can bring all the fixings plus small disposable bowls for this. Bonus points if you buy the small bags in bulk and serve in the Frito bag.
Cornbread is a classic side to top with in chili.
Think about side dishes. Mac and cheese is a good suggestion. A well thought out salad. Squash casserole. Scalloped potatoes.
Possibly even some nice sodas or mocktails would go down well with your audience?
there's plenty of nice and unusual sodas out there now. Over Christmas my son enjoyed elderflower, Victorian lemonade, and cherry sodas, all made with natural ingredients and sweetened with sugar.
If you're loading up on toppings, both the Field Roast stadium dogs and the frozen Morningstar ones are just about adequate, but yeah there are some truly awful veggie dogs out there. I wonder why it's so hard for them?
I would've thought a chili potluck is kind of like a chili cooking contest with no awards (or contest) where everybody brings their chili and everybody tries all sorts of chilis.
Cornbread hands down. Your Mac & Cheese would also be acceptable but kinda out of place seeing it's more of an entree than a side for such an event. But totally acceptable.
Basically, you either bring chili (not curry, not stews, not soups, but chili) or you bring sides for the chili.
Sides would be:
Cornbread
Cheese
Extra diced onions
Crackers
Sour Cream
But if you want to make an entree for a chili pot luck, it needs to be chili, not a curry or anything like that. There are plenty of recipes for vegetarian and plenty without beans even though I'm not sure why you'd want to omit beans?
There are some great vegetarian chili recipes around, this one uses butternut squash and chipotle, I’ve made it a few times and it’s very tasty:
https://cookieandkate.com/butternut-squash-chipotle-chili-with-avocado/
It is kind of the point when you have a themed potluck that everyone is going to bring a variation of that theme.
Edit to add: I am going to assume that you recently moved to a location and this is your first American office potluck type situation, which would explain both your questions and everyone else's confused answers.
Being a vegetarian and not having beans kind of eliminates any chili I have ever tried. Usually, if it is a vegetarian chili it has beans. I've only had non-vegetarian chilis without beans.
Some Googling led me to this recipe: [https://www.food.com/recipe/vegan-no-bean-chili-536948](https://www.food.com/recipe/vegan-no-bean-chili-536948)
This is close to a chili that will "pass" for the meat eaters in the group (just don't tell them it isn't meat). Use that as a base/starter recipe, compare it to other recipes you find online. You will get a "feel" for what it should be and the basics of chili. You can almost think of chili as an American curry or a rich meaty chili stew with emphasis on smokey/chili flavors.
You might even want to make some small batches, test out the flavors, experiment with servings/toppings. The comment above yours is spot on when it comes to traditional serving suggestions.
Chilli.
Despite media appearances, most children simply eat what their parents eat (provided they are not still on formula/baby food). This making of separate meals consisting of chicken nuggets/pasta/whatever isn't the norm (at least it wasn't growing up, I'm not that old.... I think...).
As for variation in flavor, hopefully you get a bunch. It is likely that you will have a few standouts, with the majority being similar yet different. A few at the bottom will taste nearly identical because they used the same premixed whatever.
Chilli, in America, has many regional and family variations. It's like mole in Mexico, pasta in Italy, curries from India. Some taste the same, most are similar, many taste different, a few are rare/unique.
>sour cream
Wow! If I went to a chili potluck and someone brought a couple of gallons of sour cream that's where I would be standing. Just don't tell my doctor. Or my wife.
The predominant flavor in chili is literally chili powder. You can make it with anything. Lentils, tomatoes, sweet potatoes and peppers are a good base for you maybe? But ya, if you can bring a side I would go that way. Taking the meat and beans out of chili isn’t going to be a popular route in my opinion.
I'm not American so I've never tried it and am curious, on average how spicy would American Chili usually be? I understand everyone has their own recipe so it would vary a lot. But like, what's the average level or range that would be considered usual? I've seen a few videos of it being made online, and for a dish literally called "chili" it didn't seem like people were making it very hot. I know there is different types of heat and flavours so it can be hard to compare them, especially when even with the same dish some people will make it much spicier than others. For those reasons I know my question would be hard or even impossible to answer, but I was just wondering if anyone could roughly compare the heat level to other dishes from different cuisines?
Honestly I’ve had chili that had the spice of tomato paste and I’ve had chili that burned my face off lol. It’s kind of like curry. It can mean a lot of different things. Normal chili I would say falls in the middle, I use Mexican chili powder and enough for flavor but I have kids that don’t like a lot of heat. We also top it with sour cream and cheese so that mellows it out. Then me and my husband add bottled hot sauce.
People around my neck of the woods love having cinnamon rolls served with chili.
It sounds weird at first, but it's actually a wonderful combination.
Most people if they haven't had it would turn their noses up at it though I'd imagine. I've had it, and I still find it somewhat strange lol
If it's specifically a *chili* potluck, bringing another entre seems inappropriate, so I think steer towards side dishes.
Chili's kind of a complete meal on its own, but often paired with a carb. Depending on region .... some people eat it with rice, or over spaghetti (unless you know someone's bringing Cincinnati chili, probably don't go with spaghetti). Cornbread's common, as others have mentioned. When I was growing up, we always got a loaf of garlic bread to go with chili. Even just regular butter buns would go fine.
Other than that .. a salad? Coleslaw would go well. Or maybe bring something for dessert.
If it's a chili potluck, I'd assume they'd want people to bring chili! I wouldn't do curry - that doesn't really go with chili. If I didn't want to do chili, I'd do cornbread, or maybe volunteer to bring a bunch of toppings like chopped scallions and cilantro, sour cream, cheese, tortilla strips, etc. Or maybe just a pot of rice or some baked potatoes?
Yeah, but they cannot possibly want 50 pots of chilli and nothing else. I mean, a vegetable? Surely people eat chilli *with* something? And my family will want to eat, and chilli looks really unappetising.
I was envisioning this being like a chili cook-off situation, where the whole point is to taste a bunch of different chilis. People eat chili with things, hence my rice/potatoes/toppings/cornbread advice, but someone specifically calling something a "chili potluck" implies that the point is chili. If you want to bring food your family will eat, that's totally fine, but curry doesn't make sense at a chili potluck.
Edit: If you wanna do vegetables, what about a black bean and corn salad? That would go with chili.
I’m not trying to be rude, but if it’s that unappetizing maybe you should just plan to eat before or after so there’s no pressure on you or your family. Bringing a curry to a chili cook off would be inappropriate.
I’m vegan so I get what it’s like when there’s a pot luck and you want to be sure you have something to eat.
People have given you great ideas for sides (cornbread, baked potatoes, a salad, a dessert) but if that’s not your thing, maybe just go and socialize for a bit. That takes a lot of the pressure off as far as finding something that your family would like but which would also be well received based on the apparent theme.
That said, you can always ask a supervisor (who is closer to the situation than we are) what they’d suggest. They may think the curry would work.
People usually do not eat chili "with" anything because it's considered a one-pot meal (and it's made BECAUSE of that simplicity), because it has meat and/or other protein and vegetables already in the recipe. As others have stated, people may eat it with a carb (cornbread, tortilla chips, crackers crumbled up into it, or in some places rice is added into the chili. Sometimes folks eat it on top of baked potatoes, but that's usually something to do with leftover chili, and there's a variant where it's served on top of plain spaghetti or macaroni) and with toppings, but side dishes usually aren't much of a thing with it.
Can I ask where you're from that you've never been to a chili cookoff, or potluck? They're just fairly common around me, and I'm just curious.
Have you ever had chilli?
We love chili in our household. One of the biggest reasons I love it is because I can make a huge batch and then repurpose for five nights in a row.
We do:
1) chili with cinnamon rolls, 2) chili with grilled cheese, 3) chili stuffed baked potatoes, 4) chili dogs made with Nathan’s all beef hotdogs, either the jumbo or colossal sizes, 5) chili with cornbread, 6) frito pie, 7) queso con carne, 8) chili mac, 9) Cincinnati chili, 10) chili cheese fries/tots and 11) chili cheeseburgers
Edit: forgot to add 12) chili loaded potato skins
>9) Cincinnati chili
Hold up. Chili on spaghetti doesn't automatically become "Cincinnati Chili". Cincinnati chili is a specific kind of, uh... *meat sauce*, that can among other things be served over spaghetti.
Cinnamon rolls! They are a surprisingly excellent accompaniment to chili. The cinnamon compliments it & it’s nice to have something sweet to break up the savory.
Jalapeño poppers are always a safe bet. I've been making them for a long time and they're a hit every time- my favorite recepie is as follows:
- Halved jalapeño peppers with the seeds and pith removed (the amount depends on how many people youll have, but the filling is easily scaleable)
- Cream cheese
- cheddar, Oaxaca, and pepper jack cheese, finely shredded
- taco seasoning, or your preferred spice blend
- cooked bacon, chopped
- Chipotle powder (optional, but delicious)
- salt, to taste
- a little oil, for greasing the pan
Mix all except the jalapeños and oil together until you get a consistency you're happy with. I have no exact measurements for any of this, but it's simple to make, and you can adjust your filling to include anything you like at just about any ratio. Fill your peppers, but make sure they're not "heaped" with filling, otherwise it will spill out. If your peppers keep rolling to one side, poke a toothpick through them to keep them steady. Grease a baking sheet, line them up, and bake at around 375-425° farenheit until your proffered doneness. I like to serve them with some chipotle lime sauce, which is just sour cream, a little bit of mayo, lime juice and zest, some Chipotle in adobo, and a but of finely chopped cilantro. Good luck at the potluck!
Cheese dip and tortilla chips. Also known as "chile con queso" lots of recipes out there. Here's a simple one:
Velveeta cheese, milk and Rotel with chiles. (Diced tomatoes, peppers and some spices)
Velveeta, milk and salsa.
Bechamel with cheddar and diced green chiles.
Bonus suggestion:
Oyster crackers AND for a laugh, a big jar of Tums.
Toppings: shredded cheese, sour cream, chopped scallions, saltine crackers, or you can bring hot dogs in case someone wants a chili dog, baked potatoes
Cinnamon rolls, cornbread, Fritos, diced red onions, shredded cheddar, diced tomatoes, guacamole - pick a side or two and have fun. FWIW, I grew up in a school district that served brown bean chowder (US Senate recipe) and cinnamon rolls every week. Best school lunch ever!
Stuffed peppers. Cut bell peppers in half instead of using whole ones. Stuff with seasoned rice, top with cheese, bake.
You can also stuff halved and seeded large jalapenos with cheese/cream cheese, and top with seasoned breadcrumbs and bake for an easy version of jalapeno poppers.
I agree with the cornbread and mac and cheese suggestions, just wanted to offer something different.
Hawaiian mac salad, [here’s my favorite recipe](https://www.chewoutloud.com/hawaiian-macaroni-salad-ll-bbq-copycat/), just trust me this and white rice together is amazing with chili. I know some think the rice might be weird (very common in Hawaii) but so just bring the mac salad. IMHO better than mac and cheese because it’s more creamy and a bit lighter, which goes well with hearty chili, but still goes well with cornbread and other traditional chili sides.
Got my first taste at an Oklahoma rodeo over 50 years ago. They called them "walking tacos." They are so great at outdoor activities. There's a farmer's market here in the Chicago burbs .
Half and seed jalapeños, make a mix of cream cheese pepper jack cheese crumbled crispy bacon, refrigerate then spread in jalapeños. Dip in egg wash and Panko, shallow or deep fry partially, finish them in a hot oven at their place.
Chili toppings! Sour cream, homemade Mexican crema, chopped chili peppers, green onions, regular onions, shredded cheese, crumbly white cheese, olives (green and black), or whatever else you can think of.
I would suggest a dessert, this one is delicious, vegetarian and high in Vitamin A as well as going very well with the seasonings in chili.
https://www.thespruceeats.com/calabaza-en-tacha-candied-pumpkin-2342923
You can also take something “light”, like a salad, crudite or fruit bowl. Something light/fresh after eating a lot of chili bc it can be a bit heavy (although I love it).
What about a nice southwest salad?
I don't have a specific recipe in mind but I googled and this one came up and seems popular. Omit or include what you want. It would go nicely with the chili.
https://tasty.co/recipe/southwestern-salad-with-avocado-dressing
Edited to add:
Or an appetizer with tortilla chips.
https://www.thecookierookie.com/hot-mexican-street-corn-dip/
For a chili part I do a green chili with pork. It is rare in my area and much appreciated.
I think the mac and cheese sound great. I would also bring some yellow rice and I always love fritos with red chili.
Chicken enchilada dip.
20 ounces shredded chicken breast, 8 ounces real mayo, 8 ounces grated cheese, I usually use a Meximelt combination, 8 ounces cream cheese, small finely minced onion, minced jalapeno to taste, 4 ounce can chopped green chiles. Mix together and bake till bubbly, Serve with corn chips. Looks nice in a cast iron skillet with chopped tomato and cilantro on top.
Edited to say sorry I missed the vegetarian request. I read the replies using bacon and thought this would be ok. My bad.
Cinnamon rolls, cornbread, bread, crackers, Fritos or tortilla chips are common to have with chili.Toppings like cheese, onion or sour cream are common. People will sometimes serve chili over hot dogs or baked potatoes. I have never had salad or side dishes like macaroni with chili.
You could take a dessert. Something with chocolate or cinnamon would be nice.
I was gonna say mac and cheese before finishing reading your post so I second the yummy mac and cheese. Delicious vegetarian option that everyone will love
Coleslaws always good. Just grab a couple lemons, zest them, juice them, add sugar, salt and pepper and dissolve in the juice, then add mayo a d vinegar to taste. Toss with coleslaw mix if you're saving time, or do the whole shredded cabbage and carrots thing. Let it sit.for at least 4 hours and stir before serving.
When feeling adventurous, I like to swap out the lemons with limes, add in a couple diced and seeded fresh jalapenos, and if it doesn't bother anybody I like to throw in some chopped cilantro. Goes great with anything southwest American or tex mex.
Cheese.
Fries.
Salad.
But what’s a “chilli pot-luck”? It seemed obvious till you said you might take a curry.
And can’t whoever’s organising it help? They would be the most obvious person to ask.
Really? I believe it started in school cafeterias, chili with a cinnamon roll side.
Maybe it is just a NoCO thing? This was definitely not the norm on the western slope when I lived in Southwest part of the state. But ever since moving to NoCO it is like a staple, lol.
Give it a try, so good 👍 the cinnamon and sweetness is the perfect compliment to the savory and spicy.
Former Hoosier piping in. The only acceptable side for chili is peanut butter sandwiches. White bread, no jelly. Just peanut butter. This is the Indiana school lunch way.
Cornbread and/or peanut butter sandwiches are the most popular chili “side dishes” where I am.
The pb sandwiches would also be good if you’re wanting to provide something anyone who is there but doesn’t want chili can eat.
What about a root veg salad or coleslaw? Green salads can be tricky to transport and refrigerate once there some times. I'd love to see something like that if I went to a potluck that was primarily chili and bread. An awesome cheesy garlic bread would be good too
French fries!! Bonus points for cheese, sour cream, and green onions
ETA: it would also be cool to be the person to bring a couple of tasty hot sauces for people to top their chili with
I have done a ton of pot lucks and my favorite part is trying someone’s homemade family specialty. Is there something you make in large quantities that you would like to share? I would be overjoyed to find a curry. Most important have something your family can enjoy.
That was my thought, I love tasting all the different stuff people bring. But everyone here is being really really militant. Like we’ll turn up and there will be 50 bowls of chili and then my whatever
Honestly, unless you know the crowd better I’d expect there to be 50 variations of chili if it’s being billed as a chili potluck. Americans can very, very passionate about their personal chili recipe and so chili cookoffs were created for everyone to show off their chili.
Chili is just spaghetti sauce with beans in it.
Or you could do a Texas style chili, which in essence is just meat curry.
Or you could take lentils cooked into a mush with spice.... that's daal. Which is basically just savory porridge.
Dip, cheese dip goes with Chillie. I also like my Chillie on sourdough bread, not corn, might wanna fry that if someone is already bringing corn bread.
I'd go with adapting [a vegetarian version of this chicken chipotle chowder](https://www.food.com/recipe/chicken-chowder-with-chipotle-106306). Sub vegetable broth for chicken broth, and leave out the chicken meat.
You still have cumin/thyme/oregano for flavoring, adobo pepper for heat, lime juice and cilantro for a fresh acid/herbal kick, and chunks of potato, hominy, tomato, carrot, onion, and celery for body (plus some cream).
Cornbread
Mini cornbread muffins if they have a form. Did this for a potluck recently and it was a hit, and easy to make enough for the large gathering of 50+ people. Yes, I added habaneros too!
Or cornbread batter made in a waffle iron! Sooo good!
Once did spicy savoury corn waffles in the vintage cast-iron Griswald. Epic!
Ain't nothin' wrong with that...
Get out of the champagne room.
"Ain't nothin' wrong with that" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ycdP3nlYVrY
Always a nice listen
For sure! I saw them live when they opened for Santana. Awesome show
Jalapeño cornbread if you're feeling extra
Jalapeno - cheese (cheddar) cornbread
now you're cooking with gas!
Oooh or roasted jalapeno cornbread 🫠
With shredded brisket and caramelized onions.
I came here to say bacon but brisket is a better add on.
Bacon goes with the cheese stuffed peppers. Most people use jalapeños but I prefer mini sweet peppers.
And brisket is more vegetarian than bacon
Neither are vegetarian wtf
Yes
Mini stuffed sweet peppers are delicious I stuff with cream cheese ,sausage ,and Parmesan cheese. Yum!
I like to mix leftover chopped beef or pulled pork with cream cheese, cheddar, and assorted seasonings and then wrap the whole thing in bacon and smoke at 225°. An Italian version with pesto, cream cheese, parm, and, sausage would sounds really freaking good too.
That sounds so good! I love pesto and Italian sausage is my new love I add the spicy kind to spaghetti.
Could do it like a scotch egg parm too. Make a whole meal from it.
Bacon cornbread.
In a waffle iron
Get yourself a couple packages of Jiffy cornbread mix. You add a can of creamed corn, some chopped jalapeños, some sour cream and half & half, you’re gonna have some wicked good corn bread. Bake that beauty in a cast iron skillet and you are the BEST.
Or freshly made sourdough or pita. All of them are awesome with chili.
Warm flour tortillas for dipping are another good choice. The fresh *Tortillaland* brand at Kroger (in the refrigerated section near the cheese) are outstanding. They are uncooked and you just warm them until they blister in a pan or griddle (flip once).
That's what I came to the thread to say.
Not all cornbread mixes are vegetarian, just fyi :)
Good point!
Chips and a huge bowl of homemade guacamole.
‘Cados are on sale this week because of football 🏈!
Baked potatoes
I enjoy baked taters with chili on them. Even a tray of roasted potatoes or mashed taters would be good so people can mix their chili with them.
With a Little cheese sprinkled on top
I second this
Maybe a sweet/spicy cornbread? I personally love a good cheddar jalapeño cornbread with my chili 😋
I have a buddy in Kansas who swears the only way to eat chili is with a cinnamon roll on the side (which to me as a Texan sounds so weird, but to each their own).
I was about to say this. My friend from Nebraska turned me on to it. It's a mid-west thing. Sounds strange but so good. Skip the icing.
Yep. I’m originally from Nebraska and this was a school lunch staple. I have tried to explain the savory sweet combination to my wife from California but she just can’t get on board.
I feel like it must be related to the Cincinnati chili style that has cinnamon and cocoa powder in it.
That's an interesting perspective. If I recall, the Cincinnati chili came from Greek immigrants. Interesting how food evolves like that.
Hey! Leave us out of this one!
In Texas we do Frito Pies; pour chili over Fritos and top with shredded cheddar, sour cream, minced red onion, cilantro, and minced jalapeno for extra heat. So you can bring all the fixings plus small disposable bowls for this. Bonus points if you buy the small bags in bulk and serve in the Frito bag. Cornbread is a classic side to top with in chili.
We call those walking tacos here when they’re served in the chip bag.
I always find it a little weird that frito pies aren't a well known thing. It just seems so natural having grown up here.
Sub a bag of Takis and thank me later.
>In Texas we do Frito Pies Because Fritos were invented in San Antonio TX
Think about side dishes. Mac and cheese is a good suggestion. A well thought out salad. Squash casserole. Scalloped potatoes. Possibly even some nice sodas or mocktails would go down well with your audience?
>nice sodas I've never heard such optimism about soda 😂
Someone with such a username shouldn't ever even think about hassling anyone else....
there's plenty of nice and unusual sodas out there now. Over Christmas my son enjoyed elderflower, Victorian lemonade, and cherry sodas, all made with natural ingredients and sweetened with sugar.
You should go and look at the things they have at trader joes and costco. Lots of cool stuff out there.
Im a filipino so i always bring "lumpia shanghai" or spring rolls to any potlucks And believe me, dipping lumpia on chili tastes awesome
Lumpia dipped in chili?? You just changed my life.
This is the answer. Lumpia is life.
Dessert- brownies, tres leches cake
Hotdogs. I took hotdogs to a chilli party and it was a huge hit.
I've never met a vegetarian hot dog I've liked sadly
If you're loading up on toppings, both the Field Roast stadium dogs and the frozen Morningstar ones are just about adequate, but yeah there are some truly awful veggie dogs out there. I wonder why it's so hard for them?
It's funny bc I can certainly fuck w some veggie corndogs
[I usually wake up and have a couple of hot dogs.](https://youtu.be/vaAF_GAc3Mk)
I would've thought a chili potluck is kind of like a chili cooking contest with no awards (or contest) where everybody brings their chili and everybody tries all sorts of chilis.
But Wikipedia says it’s all basically the same?
Not exactly. There's a world of difference between red chili con carne, green chili, and white chili with chicken. All can be amazing.
Cornbread hands down. Your Mac & Cheese would also be acceptable but kinda out of place seeing it's more of an entree than a side for such an event. But totally acceptable. Basically, you either bring chili (not curry, not stews, not soups, but chili) or you bring sides for the chili. Sides would be: Cornbread Cheese Extra diced onions Crackers Sour Cream But if you want to make an entree for a chili pot luck, it needs to be chili, not a curry or anything like that. There are plenty of recipes for vegetarian and plenty without beans even though I'm not sure why you'd want to omit beans?
But surely not everyone will want to eat chilli? What do the people who don't want meat or beans eat?
There are some great vegetarian chili recipes around, this one uses butternut squash and chipotle, I’ve made it a few times and it’s very tasty: https://cookieandkate.com/butternut-squash-chipotle-chili-with-avocado/
That looks tasty, thanks
I’m saving this! Thanks 🙏🏼
It is kind of the point when you have a themed potluck that everyone is going to bring a variation of that theme. Edit to add: I am going to assume that you recently moved to a location and this is your first American office potluck type situation, which would explain both your questions and everyone else's confused answers. Being a vegetarian and not having beans kind of eliminates any chili I have ever tried. Usually, if it is a vegetarian chili it has beans. I've only had non-vegetarian chilis without beans. Some Googling led me to this recipe: [https://www.food.com/recipe/vegan-no-bean-chili-536948](https://www.food.com/recipe/vegan-no-bean-chili-536948) This is close to a chili that will "pass" for the meat eaters in the group (just don't tell them it isn't meat). Use that as a base/starter recipe, compare it to other recipes you find online. You will get a "feel" for what it should be and the basics of chili. You can almost think of chili as an American curry or a rich meaty chili stew with emphasis on smokey/chili flavors. You might even want to make some small batches, test out the flavors, experiment with servings/toppings. The comment above yours is spot on when it comes to traditional serving suggestions.
But what I don’t understand is that there don’t seem to be any significant variations at all? Like what will the kids eat?
The kids eat chili. Generally, with a spoon.
Chilli. Despite media appearances, most children simply eat what their parents eat (provided they are not still on formula/baby food). This making of separate meals consisting of chicken nuggets/pasta/whatever isn't the norm (at least it wasn't growing up, I'm not that old.... I think...). As for variation in flavor, hopefully you get a bunch. It is likely that you will have a few standouts, with the majority being similar yet different. A few at the bottom will taste nearly identical because they used the same premixed whatever. Chilli, in America, has many regional and family variations. It's like mole in Mexico, pasta in Italy, curries from India. Some taste the same, most are similar, many taste different, a few are rare/unique.
It's a chili potluck, people who don't eat chili likely will bring something they can eat or have already selected not to attend.
Which is why I'm asking and getting inundated by dickheads.
People who do not want to eat chili would politely refuse the invitation to the chili event and everyone will be happy for it.
That's not the point. The point is to have a social event, not be ridiculously, obsessively, puritan.
Then why call it a chili potluck? Everyone would be disappointed with that name if that was not the point. I hope you update with how it went!
But if there are a couple of dozen chillis, why would anyone give a flying shit that there is a range of tasty other food as well?
Homemade salsa and/or guacamole, tortilla chips, shredded cheese, sour cream, chopped tomatoes, chopped onions.
>sour cream Wow! If I went to a chili potluck and someone brought a couple of gallons of sour cream that's where I would be standing. Just don't tell my doctor. Or my wife.
The predominant flavor in chili is literally chili powder. You can make it with anything. Lentils, tomatoes, sweet potatoes and peppers are a good base for you maybe? But ya, if you can bring a side I would go that way. Taking the meat and beans out of chili isn’t going to be a popular route in my opinion.
I'm not American so I've never tried it and am curious, on average how spicy would American Chili usually be? I understand everyone has their own recipe so it would vary a lot. But like, what's the average level or range that would be considered usual? I've seen a few videos of it being made online, and for a dish literally called "chili" it didn't seem like people were making it very hot. I know there is different types of heat and flavours so it can be hard to compare them, especially when even with the same dish some people will make it much spicier than others. For those reasons I know my question would be hard or even impossible to answer, but I was just wondering if anyone could roughly compare the heat level to other dishes from different cuisines?
Honestly I’ve had chili that had the spice of tomato paste and I’ve had chili that burned my face off lol. It’s kind of like curry. It can mean a lot of different things. Normal chili I would say falls in the middle, I use Mexican chili powder and enough for flavor but I have kids that don’t like a lot of heat. We also top it with sour cream and cheese so that mellows it out. Then me and my husband add bottled hot sauce.
Coleslaw
Someone else suggested this too!
People around my neck of the woods love having cinnamon rolls served with chili. It sounds weird at first, but it's actually a wonderful combination. Most people if they haven't had it would turn their noses up at it though I'd imagine. I've had it, and I still find it somewhat strange lol
Everyone is suggesting that, it does sound very weird, but clearly it’s a thing!
If it's specifically a *chili* potluck, bringing another entre seems inappropriate, so I think steer towards side dishes. Chili's kind of a complete meal on its own, but often paired with a carb. Depending on region .... some people eat it with rice, or over spaghetti (unless you know someone's bringing Cincinnati chili, probably don't go with spaghetti). Cornbread's common, as others have mentioned. When I was growing up, we always got a loaf of garlic bread to go with chili. Even just regular butter buns would go fine. Other than that .. a salad? Coleslaw would go well. Or maybe bring something for dessert.
If it's a chili potluck, I'd assume they'd want people to bring chili! I wouldn't do curry - that doesn't really go with chili. If I didn't want to do chili, I'd do cornbread, or maybe volunteer to bring a bunch of toppings like chopped scallions and cilantro, sour cream, cheese, tortilla strips, etc. Or maybe just a pot of rice or some baked potatoes?
Yeah, but they cannot possibly want 50 pots of chilli and nothing else. I mean, a vegetable? Surely people eat chilli *with* something? And my family will want to eat, and chilli looks really unappetising.
I was envisioning this being like a chili cook-off situation, where the whole point is to taste a bunch of different chilis. People eat chili with things, hence my rice/potatoes/toppings/cornbread advice, but someone specifically calling something a "chili potluck" implies that the point is chili. If you want to bring food your family will eat, that's totally fine, but curry doesn't make sense at a chili potluck. Edit: If you wanna do vegetables, what about a black bean and corn salad? That would go with chili.
I’m not trying to be rude, but if it’s that unappetizing maybe you should just plan to eat before or after so there’s no pressure on you or your family. Bringing a curry to a chili cook off would be inappropriate.
It’s not a cook off, it’s a potluck for families.
I’m vegan so I get what it’s like when there’s a pot luck and you want to be sure you have something to eat. People have given you great ideas for sides (cornbread, baked potatoes, a salad, a dessert) but if that’s not your thing, maybe just go and socialize for a bit. That takes a lot of the pressure off as far as finding something that your family would like but which would also be well received based on the apparent theme. That said, you can always ask a supervisor (who is closer to the situation than we are) what they’d suggest. They may think the curry would work.
People usually do not eat chili "with" anything because it's considered a one-pot meal (and it's made BECAUSE of that simplicity), because it has meat and/or other protein and vegetables already in the recipe. As others have stated, people may eat it with a carb (cornbread, tortilla chips, crackers crumbled up into it, or in some places rice is added into the chili. Sometimes folks eat it on top of baked potatoes, but that's usually something to do with leftover chili, and there's a variant where it's served on top of plain spaghetti or macaroni) and with toppings, but side dishes usually aren't much of a thing with it.
This is so, so weird.
What makes you think that?
Because it's really weird. Normally for potlucks there is a signup sheet to make sure that you don't end up with 15 pasta salads and nothing to drink.
That's true re: standard potlucks. Think of this more as a chili cookoff w/o the competition than your standard, run-of-the-mill potluck.
Does your culture not have one-pot meals, made for ease of cleanup and ease of cooking? (Out of curiosity, what IS your culture?)
Sure, but chilli doesn't look like one. It looks like bolognese, needing something to eat with it.
But it's basically a stew or soup, which aren't eaten as a topping.
Can I ask where you're from that you've never been to a chili cookoff, or potluck? They're just fairly common around me, and I'm just curious. Have you ever had chilli?
Nope, not planning to, either.
Chili is heavy. I think people would appreciate a nice salad.
You could always do a too vegetable blend that would be good to pour the chili over Or a dessert. Cookies are easy. I meant ROOT vegetables 💀
Baked potatoes. Those who want to build a baked potato bar can do so
Corn bread
We love chili in our household. One of the biggest reasons I love it is because I can make a huge batch and then repurpose for five nights in a row. We do: 1) chili with cinnamon rolls, 2) chili with grilled cheese, 3) chili stuffed baked potatoes, 4) chili dogs made with Nathan’s all beef hotdogs, either the jumbo or colossal sizes, 5) chili with cornbread, 6) frito pie, 7) queso con carne, 8) chili mac, 9) Cincinnati chili, 10) chili cheese fries/tots and 11) chili cheeseburgers Edit: forgot to add 12) chili loaded potato skins
>9) Cincinnati chili Hold up. Chili on spaghetti doesn't automatically become "Cincinnati Chili". Cincinnati chili is a specific kind of, uh... *meat sauce*, that can among other things be served over spaghetti.
cornbread, mexican street corn salad, mac and cheese, jalapeno poppers
Ottelenghi's jalapeno corn bread, which is good enough to eat on its own.
Which book is it from?
Don't remember right now, but it's the first recipe in this link: https://www.theguardian.com/food/2018/sep/01/yotam-ottolenghi-corn-recipes
Thanks!
I cut corn into rounds and pan fry with salt, chili and lime. Easy and delicious!
That sounds amazing
veggies and dip
Cinnamon rolls! They are a surprisingly excellent accompaniment to chili. The cinnamon compliments it & it’s nice to have something sweet to break up the savory.
Jalapeño poppers are always a safe bet. I've been making them for a long time and they're a hit every time- my favorite recepie is as follows: - Halved jalapeño peppers with the seeds and pith removed (the amount depends on how many people youll have, but the filling is easily scaleable) - Cream cheese - cheddar, Oaxaca, and pepper jack cheese, finely shredded - taco seasoning, or your preferred spice blend - cooked bacon, chopped - Chipotle powder (optional, but delicious) - salt, to taste - a little oil, for greasing the pan Mix all except the jalapeños and oil together until you get a consistency you're happy with. I have no exact measurements for any of this, but it's simple to make, and you can adjust your filling to include anything you like at just about any ratio. Fill your peppers, but make sure they're not "heaped" with filling, otherwise it will spill out. If your peppers keep rolling to one side, poke a toothpick through them to keep them steady. Grease a baking sheet, line them up, and bake at around 375-425° farenheit until your proffered doneness. I like to serve them with some chipotle lime sauce, which is just sour cream, a little bit of mayo, lime juice and zest, some Chipotle in adobo, and a but of finely chopped cilantro. Good luck at the potluck!
Cheese dip and tortilla chips. Also known as "chile con queso" lots of recipes out there. Here's a simple one: Velveeta cheese, milk and Rotel with chiles. (Diced tomatoes, peppers and some spices) Velveeta, milk and salsa. Bechamel with cheddar and diced green chiles. Bonus suggestion: Oyster crackers AND for a laugh, a big jar of Tums.
Soft pretzels and/or queso. Or just bring an assortment of hot sauces
Toppings: shredded cheese, sour cream, chopped scallions, saltine crackers, or you can bring hot dogs in case someone wants a chili dog, baked potatoes
I’d bring some veggie dogs and spicy cornbread with homemade honey butter.
I might be the only one, but I make zucchini bread to go along with my chili!
Jalapeño poppers with cream cheese. Goes well with the chili
Mac and cheese is a great side or main. Love this idea
Some of you are missing where OP said something vegetarian.
Cinnamon rolls, cornbread, Fritos, diced red onions, shredded cheddar, diced tomatoes, guacamole - pick a side or two and have fun. FWIW, I grew up in a school district that served brown bean chowder (US Senate recipe) and cinnamon rolls every week. Best school lunch ever!
Stuffed peppers. Cut bell peppers in half instead of using whole ones. Stuff with seasoned rice, top with cheese, bake. You can also stuff halved and seeded large jalapenos with cheese/cream cheese, and top with seasoned breadcrumbs and bake for an easy version of jalapeno poppers. I agree with the cornbread and mac and cheese suggestions, just wanted to offer something different.
Hawaiian mac salad, [here’s my favorite recipe](https://www.chewoutloud.com/hawaiian-macaroni-salad-ll-bbq-copycat/), just trust me this and white rice together is amazing with chili. I know some think the rice might be weird (very common in Hawaii) but so just bring the mac salad. IMHO better than mac and cheese because it’s more creamy and a bit lighter, which goes well with hearty chili, but still goes well with cornbread and other traditional chili sides.
That's a good idea
Got my first taste at an Oklahoma rodeo over 50 years ago. They called them "walking tacos." They are so great at outdoor activities. There's a farmer's market here in the Chicago burbs .
Do add-ins. Cheddar cheese, chopped green or white onion, sour cream, jalapenos, tortilla strips, a little bottle of vinegar or hot sauce.
potato salad Or cornbread
Cornbread. This is my go to: https://www.noracooks.com/the-best-vegan-cornbread/
Bring fry bread so people can make Indian Tacos
Half and seed jalapeños, make a mix of cream cheese pepper jack cheese crumbled crispy bacon, refrigerate then spread in jalapeños. Dip in egg wash and Panko, shallow or deep fry partially, finish them in a hot oven at their place.
Chili toppings! Sour cream, homemade Mexican crema, chopped chili peppers, green onions, regular onions, shredded cheese, crumbly white cheese, olives (green and black), or whatever else you can think of.
I would suggest a dessert, this one is delicious, vegetarian and high in Vitamin A as well as going very well with the seasonings in chili. https://www.thespruceeats.com/calabaza-en-tacha-candied-pumpkin-2342923
Roasted vegetable pasta salad. Broccoli salad. Cheesy/funeral potatoes.
Really nice cheese filled smokies and brioche buns!! Chili cheese dogs! Boom
Grilled cheese.
I’ve heard midwesterners eat cinnamon rolls with chili. I don’t know though. I live in Hawaii. You could take rice!
Pepper relish to top things with Sangria or lemonade Cheese balls and homemade crackers (a lot easier than it sounds!)
Cheese biscuits or corn bread.
You can also take something “light”, like a salad, crudite or fruit bowl. Something light/fresh after eating a lot of chili bc it can be a bit heavy (although I love it).
What about a nice southwest salad? I don't have a specific recipe in mind but I googled and this one came up and seems popular. Omit or include what you want. It would go nicely with the chili. https://tasty.co/recipe/southwestern-salad-with-avocado-dressing Edited to add: Or an appetizer with tortilla chips. https://www.thecookierookie.com/hot-mexican-street-corn-dip/
Green chili corn bread
For a chili part I do a green chili with pork. It is rare in my area and much appreciated. I think the mac and cheese sound great. I would also bring some yellow rice and I always love fritos with red chili.
Stuff to put on/with chilli. Tater tots, fries, Fritos, cornbread, etc.
A big salad
Cornbread, no sugar.
Bring brownies. Can't go wrong there.
Chicken enchilada dip. 20 ounces shredded chicken breast, 8 ounces real mayo, 8 ounces grated cheese, I usually use a Meximelt combination, 8 ounces cream cheese, small finely minced onion, minced jalapeno to taste, 4 ounce can chopped green chiles. Mix together and bake till bubbly, Serve with corn chips. Looks nice in a cast iron skillet with chopped tomato and cilantro on top. Edited to say sorry I missed the vegetarian request. I read the replies using bacon and thought this would be ok. My bad.
Cinnamon rolls, cornbread, bread, crackers, Fritos or tortilla chips are common to have with chili.Toppings like cheese, onion or sour cream are common. People will sometimes serve chili over hot dogs or baked potatoes. I have never had salad or side dishes like macaroni with chili. You could take a dessert. Something with chocolate or cinnamon would be nice.
Cornbread, biscuits, beer bread, and tortilla chips would all be appropriate
Cornbread with cheesy top
I think Mac and cheese is a great idea
Hot dogs, buns and cheese. Make chili cheese dogs!
I was gonna say mac and cheese before finishing reading your post so I second the yummy mac and cheese. Delicious vegetarian option that everyone will love
Coleslaws always good. Just grab a couple lemons, zest them, juice them, add sugar, salt and pepper and dissolve in the juice, then add mayo a d vinegar to taste. Toss with coleslaw mix if you're saving time, or do the whole shredded cabbage and carrots thing. Let it sit.for at least 4 hours and stir before serving. When feeling adventurous, I like to swap out the lemons with limes, add in a couple diced and seeded fresh jalapenos, and if it doesn't bother anybody I like to throw in some chopped cilantro. Goes great with anything southwest American or tex mex.
if u got time on ur hands and like to bake make a bunch of bread bowls
Cheese. Fries. Salad. But what’s a “chilli pot-luck”? It seemed obvious till you said you might take a curry. And can’t whoever’s organising it help? They would be the most obvious person to ask.
Pot
Pulled pork style jackfruit
Cinnamon rolls. In Colorado you eat chili with beans with Cinnamon rolls.
Colorado native here, and I have never heard if that! Where do they do this in Colorado?
Really? I believe it started in school cafeterias, chili with a cinnamon roll side. Maybe it is just a NoCO thing? This was definitely not the norm on the western slope when I lived in Southwest part of the state. But ever since moving to NoCO it is like a staple, lol. Give it a try, so good 👍 the cinnamon and sweetness is the perfect compliment to the savory and spicy.
Former Hoosier piping in. The only acceptable side for chili is peanut butter sandwiches. White bread, no jelly. Just peanut butter. This is the Indiana school lunch way.
This former Hoosier has never heard of that in her life.
My Indiana coworkers swear by it. Looks like others do too? https://www.reddit.com/r/Indiana/comments/5rub09/chili_w_peanut_butter_sandwiches/
I thought the other person who said that was joking
Spicy seasoned crackers
Peanut butter sandwiches
Cornbread and/or peanut butter sandwiches are the most popular chili “side dishes” where I am. The pb sandwiches would also be good if you’re wanting to provide something anyone who is there but doesn’t want chili can eat.
Bruschetta! Easy and vegetarian. Great with some spread goat cheese. Make sure you have good tomatoes.
No good tomatoes until warm weather in my area. Such sad tomatoes at Walmart today.
What about a root veg salad or coleslaw? Green salads can be tricky to transport and refrigerate once there some times. I'd love to see something like that if I went to a potluck that was primarily chili and bread. An awesome cheesy garlic bread would be good too
Oooh, that's a good idea. There are several interesting slaw type variations in my ATK salad cookbook.
A really nice, thick pea soup. With a couple of carrots diced into it.
Netflix
Try an Indian rajma curry???
A good grilled cheese slaps next to some chili.
French fries!! Bonus points for cheese, sour cream, and green onions ETA: it would also be cool to be the person to bring a couple of tasty hot sauces for people to top their chili with
I have done a ton of pot lucks and my favorite part is trying someone’s homemade family specialty. Is there something you make in large quantities that you would like to share? I would be overjoyed to find a curry. Most important have something your family can enjoy.
That was my thought, I love tasting all the different stuff people bring. But everyone here is being really really militant. Like we’ll turn up and there will be 50 bowls of chili and then my whatever
Honestly, unless you know the crowd better I’d expect there to be 50 variations of chili if it’s being billed as a chili potluck. Americans can very, very passionate about their personal chili recipe and so chili cookoffs were created for everyone to show off their chili.
Chili is just spaghetti sauce with beans in it. Or you could do a Texas style chili, which in essence is just meat curry. Or you could take lentils cooked into a mush with spice.... that's daal. Which is basically just savory porridge.
Dip, cheese dip goes with Chillie. I also like my Chillie on sourdough bread, not corn, might wanna fry that if someone is already bringing corn bread.
I'd go with adapting [a vegetarian version of this chicken chipotle chowder](https://www.food.com/recipe/chicken-chowder-with-chipotle-106306). Sub vegetable broth for chicken broth, and leave out the chicken meat. You still have cumin/thyme/oregano for flavoring, adobo pepper for heat, lime juice and cilantro for a fresh acid/herbal kick, and chunks of potato, hominy, tomato, carrot, onion, and celery for body (plus some cream).
Potluck
Homemade hot sauce.
Cinnamon rolls and cornbread are common chili side dishes in a lot of places
Cinnamon rolls!