Homemade Chili Seasoning is the secret to creating the ultimate homemade chili! Made with the perfect blend of dried spices, this chili seasoning recipe adds ultimate flavor without excess sodium or preservatives found in store-bought blends.

Homemade chili seasoning is suited to chili recipes of all kinds. But don't stop with classics, like Instant Pot Chili and Slow Cooker Chili, use this seasoning to add flavor to homemade fries or roasted vegetables.

Homemade chili seasoning in a small glass jar made with chili powder, onion powder, cumin, garlic powder, salt, and cayenne.

Say goodbye to store-bought chili seasoning packets and elevate your chili game with this award-winning homemade chili seasoning recipe!

Made with a combination of salt and spices you likely already have on hand, this chili seasoning takes just minutes to make and tastes a million times better than store-bought packets.

In fact, several readers have shared that this seasoning is the reason they took home the blue ribbon in chili cook-off competitions. Yes, it really is THAT good!

Beyond the incredible flavor, YOU get to control the quality of ingredients, the amount of sodium, and the level of spice, all while leaving preservatives and additives on the shelf!

A Few Helpful Tips

Customizable. This chili seasoning recipe provides a great starting point with suggestions for adjusting the ingredients to suit your taste.
How old are your spices? For optimal flavor, use dried spices that are less than 6 months old, as they lose potency over time.
One recipe = one batch of chili. As written, this recipe makes the equivalent of one chili seasoning packet, enough for one batch of chili.
Make more! I recommend making a large batch to keep on hand, as chili seasoning lasts up to 6 months.
Good for More than Just Chili. Homemade chili seasoning is obviously perfect for chili recipes of all kinds, but it also works wonderfully as a seasoning blend for seafood, chicken, or roasted vegetables.

Spices in Chili Seasoning

Spices for chili seasoning in shallow bowl.

This recipe provides the basic chili spices needed AND optional additions and modifications, allowing you to adjust the ingredients to suit your taste.

Chili Powder: Classic chili powder is actually a mix of cumin, paprika, garlic powder, and ground chiles. Ancho chili powder (made from poblano peppers) will lend more flavor and heat to the seasoning, but either works!
Cumin: Adds a warm, earthy, and slightly bitter taste with hints of citrus, giving the chili spice blend depth.
Cayenne Pepper: Adds a small kick of heat without overpowering the chili; adjust to taste.
Garlic + Onion Powder: Both classic additions that rounds out this chili blend.
Salt: I recommend kosher salt as it has less sodium content per teaspoon than iodized table salt; adjust as needed.
Black Pepper: Adds a bit of subtle heat and earthy notes.

Optional Additions

With hundreds of 5-star reviews, this chili seasoning is already perfect in terms of flavor. That said, you may want to add the following ingredients to customize this seasoning for chili to suit your own taste. That is another benefit of using a homemade chili seasoning blend!

Dried Oregano: Add up to ½ teaspoon for a peppery, zesty flavor.
Cocoa Powder: Use up to 1 tablespoon of plain cocoa powder for a rich, earthy undertone (without a chocolate flavor).
Smoked Paprika: Add 1-2 teaspoons for a smoky undertone.
Masa Harina: To thicken and add a sweet, earthy corn flavor to the chili, mix 1-2 tablespoons of masa harina with ¼ cup of water. Stir into the chili during the last 5-10 minutes of cooking.

How to Make & Store Chili Seasoning

The following tips are provided to help you achieve perfect results. You will find the detailed instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Combine. Making homemade chili seasoning blend is as easy as mixing the dried spices and salt together until everything is well combined.
Use or Store. If you aren't planning to use the chili seasoning immediately, transfer it to an airtight jar or container and store in a cool, dark pantry or spice cabinet for up to 6 months.

Chili seasoning blend combined together in small shallow dish.

How to Use Chili Seasoning

To Replace a Packet of Chili Seasoning: This recipe as written replaces one packet of 1.25 ounce chili seasoning.
Make Chili: When ready to make chili use one recipe of homemade chili seasoning (or two tablespoons) for every two pounds of meat. I find it is best to add to your pot of chili along with the addition of liquid and/or tomatoes.
Recipes Calling For Chili Seasoning: Use it in any recipe calling for chili seasoning. I put use this chili seasoning to use Instant Pot Chili, Slow Cooker Chili, Sweet Potato Quinoa Chili, Lentil Chili, and Butternut Squash Chili.
Beyond Chili. Add flavor to baked fries, roasted red potatoes. grilled corn, and/or burgers for added flavor.

More Homemade Spice Blends

If you tried this Homemade Chili Seasoning recipe, I would greatly appreciate you adding a review and comment below.

Spices for chili seasoning in cream bowl made with chili seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder, pepper, cumin, salt, and cayenne.

Homemade Chili Seasoning

Made with the perfect blend of dried spices, this chili seasoning blend adds ultimate flavor without excess sodium or preservatives found in store-bought blends.

4.94 from 225 votes

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 5

Total Time: 5

Servings: packet

Calories: 40kcal

Author: Kristen Chidsey

Ingredients

Instructions

In a small bowl, combine 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, and ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper.
Use immediately to replace 1 packet of chili seasoning, or store in an airtight container for up to 6 months in a cool, dark cabinet.

Equipment Needed

spice jar

Notes

Nutrition facts are calculated based on the entire recipe which is equivalent to one 1.25 ounce packet of chili seasoning.

Age of Spices: Use dried spices less than 6 months old when making any homemade spice blend, for optimum flavor.

Sodium Level: Feel free to decrease the salt if desired or needed.

Amount to Add to Chili: 1 recipe (or 2 tablespoons) is just the right amount to add for 1 recipe of chili or a chili recipe calling for 2 pounds of beef.

Large Batch of Chili Seasoning: Use the following amounts to make the equivalent of 8 packets of chili seasoning. Use 2 tablespoons of the prepared chili blend for every batch of chili or for every 1.25 ounce packet of chili seasoning a recipe calls for.

½ cup chili powder
2-½ tablespoons cumin
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons garlic powder
4 teaspoons onion powder
2-½ tablespoons kosher salt
4 teaspoons pepper

Optional Additions:

- Dried Oregano: Add up to ½ teaspoon for a peppery, zesty flavor.

- Cocoa Powder: Use up to 1 tablespoon of plain cocoa powder for a rich, earthy undertone.

- Smoked Paprika: Add up to 1 teaspoon for smoky undertones.

- Masa Harina: To thicken combine 1-2 tablespoons or masa harina with ¼ cup of water. Stir into the chili during the last 5-10 minutes of cooking.

Nutrition

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

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This post was originally published in 2017 and updated in 2024, below is the original photo.

Chili seasoning spices labeled on wooden board.

Comments

4.94 from 225 votes (161 ratings without comment)