Pineapple Cinnamon Chili Recipe

It’s time to mix up your go-to chili recipe and try putting cinnamon in chili! Introducing: Pineapple Cinnamon Chili.  Expect traditional chili flavours with the addition of the sweet acidity of pineapple and the spicy comforting flavour of cinnamon. This is Hawaiian-style chili with cinnamon.

This recipe is inspired by the chili recipe my mother-in-law makes. She always adds crushed pineapple to her chili which I thought was so unique.

When Geoff and I were first dating, I remember Thursdays were always chili night at his parent's house. “Chili Thursdays” was what we affectionately called it. It was nice knowing that whatever time you popped into the house, there was hot chili in the crockpot for you.

Fast forward to when Geoff and I had been married 5 years and had bought our first house. We had a whole group of friends together to help us move and Geoff’s mom brought her Pineapple Chili to feed the crowd. She was cornered afterwards as everyone asked her for the recipe. My friend Kathryn still says it’s the best chili she’s ever had! The addition of cinnamon was my idea and that’s how this version of the recipe was born. 

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• Family-friendly! Kids love this recipe.
• A balanced meal with protein, veggies and carbs.
• This recipe makes a big pot of soup to feed a crowd!
• Great for Meal Prep: Tastes even better the next day and freezes well for future meals.
• One-Pot Recipe: Fewer dishes to clean, making it ideal for busy weeknights.

What to Serve with Pineapple Cinnamon Chili

• Cornbread – I don’t actually have a cornbread recipe that I’ve tried but I would trust Fareisle’s cornbread recipe. It looks delicious!
• Molly Baz’ Sour Cream and Onion Biscuits. - I’ve made these biscuits several times and they are incredibly delicious. They would pair really well with a bowl of chili.
• Sourdough Focaccia – You could make Sourdough focaccia if you’re a sourdough fan or you could use a recipe that requires yeast. For a yeasted version I recommend Samin Nosrat’s Recipe. 
• We also like to serve chili with a side of tortilla chips. Our kids especially love that.

Great Chili Toppings

• Sour cream or full-fat yogurt, or some coconut milk (the kind from a can)
• Grated cheese
• Sprinkle of fresh parsley
• Croutons
• Fresh avocado or guacamole
• A lime wedge
• A drizzle of honey (don't knock it till you try it)
• I topped the Chili in the pictures with a dollop of full fat yogurt, a mix of chopped avocado, pineapple and fresh parsley along with a wedge of fresh lime.

Expert Tips

• I recommend Ceylon cinnamon rather than cassia cinnamon. If you enjoy a lot of cinnamon in your oatmeal or baked goods it’s a good idea to invest in Ceylon cinnamon which is known as “true cinnamon”.
• Did you know that canned beans that contain the ingredient “Kombu” (a type of seaweed) are actually easier to digest? They’re hard to find but the brand “Eden” does sell beans that have been soaked with kombu. Kombu contains enzymes that help break down the difficult to digest parts of the beans.
• Chili freezes well and makes a great make ahead meal. It’s so handy to have several containers of chili in the freezer for a busy day.
• Keep this recipe in mind as a great dairy free meal option. You never know when you may be hosting someone who prefers a dairy free diet. Chili is an easy and delicious option.
• We love topping chili with yogurt. It's similar to topping chili with sour cream but yogurt really aids in the digestion of the whole meal and is just as delicious in my opinion.

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