Weeknight Chili in a Skillet – A Recipe for Chili Served Over Rice

The kids are starving, the clock is ticking.  What’s for dinner?  We have a solution.  Weeknight Chili in a Skillet, a recipe for chili served over rice will satisfy the hunger of the whole family without hurting your wallet.

This easy recipe uses simple pantry ingredients with pork sausage to create a hearty meal that can be on the table quickly.

Quick Dinner Recipes Using Sausage

I’m searching my deep freezer for some inspiration.  Have you ever done that? Some of my best recipe creations have started this way over the years.

Today, I pulled out a pound of ground pork sausage. I recently bought a butchered hog from a friend, and now I have beautiful little one pound packages of ground pork sausage. What can I make with 1 pound of pork sausage?

Typically, I use it one of three ways including Biscuits and Gravy (a classic), Tuscan White Bean and Sausage Soup (Sam’s favorite soup) or Southern Sausage and Pintos (my favorite fast meal).

Tonight, I wanted something fast, easy and something that I could make with pantry staples such as beans, rice and tomatoes.

Chili Skillet Recipe

I call my creation a chili skillet because it is essentially a quick chili dinner made in a large skillet.

This chili skillet only has a few ingredients but each one packs a punch of flavor.  Ground pork sausage is already seasoned with great flavor making it a great skillet ingredient.  My family prefers mild pork sausage, but you could use medium or hot pork sausage if you prefer.

Chili beans also provide a chili blast of flavor meaning that there’s no need to add extra chili powder unless you want it super spicy. No judgement, go ahead and add it if you like. You also can use whatever type of chili beans you like – mild, spicy, black bean – just use a can of pre-seasoned chili beans and you are set. Check out our Amazon Store for some of our favorite pantry essentials – like canned chili beans!

I also like diced onion and green pepper in my chili for some added nutrients and flavor. I would totally swap in a red, orange or yellow pepper if I didn’t have a green one, or maybe even a jalapeno.

Can you serve chili over rice?

Skillet Chili Ingredients

Ground Pork Sausage

Onion, Diced

Green Pepper, Diced

Canned, Diced Tomatoes, do not drain

Chili Beans, do not drain

Optional Ingredients

White Rice, Cooked

Shredded Cheddar Cheese

How to Make Chili in a Skillet:

For the full ingredient amounts and recipe instructions for skillet chili, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

1. Brown ground pork sausage in a large skillet.
2. Once browned, remove sausage to a plate lined with paper towel. If there’s an excess amount of grease, drain off leaving 2 tablespoons of oil in the pan.
3. Add diced onions and green peppers to the grease, and sauté until softened.
4. To the vegetables, add cooked pork sausage and undrained diced tomatoes and chili beans.
5. Stir and simmer for 20-30 minutes until thick.
6. If desired, serve over cooked, white rice and top with shredded cheddar cheese.

Notes About Weeknight Chili in a Skillet

• Use mild, medium or hot ground pork sausage. It is your choice!
• Red, yellow or orange peppers can be used instead of green peppers, if desired.
• For some extra heat, add a diced jalapeno or ground chili powder to the Chili Skillet recipe.
• Do not drain the diced, canned tomatoes or the chili beans.
• This would taste amazing with some cornbread. Try our favorite recipe, Maryann’s Sweet Cornbread.
• Skillet Chili can be eaten as is or to make it stretch farther, serve over cooked white rice.

Recipes with Pork Sausage Meat

What can I do with a 1 pound package of ground pork sausage?

Here’s six of our favorite ways to use up ground pork sausage.

Sausage and Potato Casserole

Tuscan Soup

Crock Pot Breakfast Casserole 

Potato Sausage Soup

Southern Pinto Beans and Sausage

Hanky Pankies

Print Recipe

Weeknight Chili in a Skillet - A Recipe for Chili Served Over Rice

Weeknight Chili in a Skillet, a recipe for chili served over rice will satisfy the hunger of the whole family without hurting your wallet.

Prep Time5 mins

Cook Time30 mins

Total Time35 mins

Course: Entree, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: chili served over rice, chili skillet, pork sausage recipe, recipe for chili served over rice, skillet chili, weeknight chili in a skillet

Servings: 8 people

Author: Barbara

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground pork sausage
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 green pepper, diced
• 15 ounces canned, diced tomatoes, do not drain
• 15 ounces chili beans, do not drain
• Cooked White Rice, optional
• Shredded Cheddar Cheese, optional

Instructions

• Cook ground pork sausage in a large skillet. Once cooked, remove to a paper-towel lined plate. If there's an excess amount of grease left, remove from pan leaving 2-3 tablespoons.
• Sauté diced onion and peppers in grease left from ground sausage until softened.
  
• Add cooked sausage, and undrained tomatoes and chili beans to the pan with onion and peppers. Stir.
  
• Simmer for 20-30 minutes or until thickened.
  
• Eat as is or serve over cooked white rice. Top with shredded cheese, if desired.
  

Notes

• Use mild, medium or hot ground pork sausage.
• Red, yellow or orange peppers can be used instead of green peppers, if desired.
• For some extra heat, add a diced jalapeno or ground chili powder to the Chili Skillet recipe.
• Do not drain the diced, canned tomatoes or the chili beans.
• This would taste amazing with some cornbread. Try our favorite recipe, Maryann's Sweet Cornbread.   
• Skillet Chili can be eaten as is or to make it stretch farther, serve over cooked white rice.