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I have a passion for accurately recreating restaurant copycat recipes (such as my wildly popular Chipotle series), so tackling Skyline’s famous Cincinnati Chili was a delight. I worked with my brother-in-law, an Ohio native, to make sure I nailed the exact flavor that comes from unexpected spices and a surprise square of chocolate.
Nearly 800 5-star reviews later, the jury is in, and they LOVE IT! If you’re seeking a Skyline chili copycat recipe or just want to try something new, this is the recipe to try.
What is Cincinnati Chili?
Ever been to the Skyline Chili in Ohio?
If that’s a no, leave everything you thought you knew about traditional chili behind, because this recipe will turn it all upside down, but only in the most delicious way.
The (secret) recipe calls for a combination of spices and ingredients that you might find a bit odd, especially for a savory meat stew. Allspice? Cloves? Unsweetened chocolate?
Stick with me (and our friends from the Buckeye state) because this recipe is perfect for the slow cooker and freezes beautifully, so you can have Cincinnati-style chili any time, any place.
Table of Contents
Skyline Chili Recipe ingredients
At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.
- Unsweetened chocolate: Just one ounce is all you need, but the super fans swear it makes all the difference.
- Ground beef: You won’t have a chance to drain the fat from the beef in this recipe. I think 85/15 is ideal for maximum flavor without too much grease, but you can choose something leaner if you want to.
- Toppings: Build your bowl with spaghetti, chili, and cheese, then top it off with onions, kidney beans, or even oyster crackers if you want to. Here’s the official guide to the “ways” Skyline serves their chili:
- 2-Way: Spaghetti, Chili
- 3-Way: Spaghetti, Chili, Cheddar Cheese
- 4-Way: Spaghetti, Chili, Cheddar Cheese, Onions OR Beans
- 5-Way aka “the works”: Spaghetti, Chili, Cheddar Cheese, Onions AND Beans
How to make Skyline Cincinnati Chili
- In a Dutch oven or large pot over medium-high heat, heat oil until shimmering. Cook onions until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in chocolate, garlic, chili powder, oregano, cinnamon, allspice, and cloves until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add broth, tomato sauce, vinegar, tomato paste, brown sugar, and Worcestershire sauce.
- Stir in beef and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until thickened, about 20 to 25 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper (I like 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper).
- Serve over cooked spaghetti with desired toppings such as cheese, beans, onions, and crackers.
Recipe tips and variations
- Yield: This recipe makes 10 generous servings of Cincinnati Chili.
- Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: Cool and portion into freezer-safe containers, label and date. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
- Slow cooker: Sauté the onions in olive oil over medium-high heat until softened. Add the unsweetened chocolate, garlic, oregano, chili powder, allspice, cloves, and cinnamon. Add to a slow cooker with the chicken broth, tomato sauce, vinegar, tomato paste, brown sugar, Worcestershire, salt and pepper, and beef. Cover and cook on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours or LOW for 6 to 8 hours.
- Coney Dog: If you’re thinking a hot dog smothered with chili might be just the thing, you’re not alone. Eat it in the bun, or topped with cheese, mustard, onion, beans, you name it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Cincinnati Chili is made with several non-traditional ingredients including chocolate, cinnamon, allspice, and cloves. It’s also a thinner chili overall, and it’s served over spaghetti noodles with a mountain of cheese on top.
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Skyline Cincinnati Chili
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 onions finely chopped (plus more for topping)
- 1 ounce unsweetened chocolate
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3/4 teaspoon allspice
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 16 ounces tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar packed
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 pounds ground beef (preferably 85/15, see note 1)
- cooked spaghetti for serving
- shredded cheese dark red kidney beans, finely chopped onions, and oyster crackers, for serving (see note 2)
Instructions
- In a Dutch oven or large pot over medium-high heat, heat oil until shimmering. Cook onions until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in chocolate, garlic, chili powder, oregano, cinnamon, allspice, and cloves until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add broth, tomato sauce, vinegar, tomato paste, brown sugar, and Worcestershire sauce.
- Stir in beef and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until thickened, about 20 to 25 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper (I like 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper).
- Serve over cooked spaghetti with desired toppings such as cheese, beans, onions, and crackers.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Ground beef: You won’t have a chance to drain the fat from the beef in this recipe. I think 85/15 is ideal for maximum flavor without too much grease, but you can choose something leaner if you want to.
- Toppings: Build your bowl with spaghetti, chili, and cheese, then top it off with onions, kidney beans, or even oyster crackers if you want to. Here’s the official guide to the “ways” Skyline serves their chili:
- 2-Way: Spaghetti, Chili
- 3-Way: Spaghetti, Chili, Cheddar Cheese
- 4-Way: Spaghetti, Chili, Cheddar Cheese, Onions OR Beans
- 5-Way aka “the works”: Spaghetti, Chili, Cheddar Cheese, Onions AND Beans
- Yield: This recipe makes 10 generous servings of Cincinnati Chili.
- Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Sorry, but a big fat no on the ground cloves, and you missed paprika. Check any recipe for the meat sauce for pastitsio or moussaka, and you’ll be really close. That’s where this “chili” came from.
Hi Guy, you can absolutely leave out the cloves! That’s what is one of the things I love about chili in general, it can be made to preference. 🙂 – Meggan
This recipe is spot on. I love that you have the chocolate, some people don’t put it in.
This recipe rocks! Have made this several times and just love it! I make mine with 80/20. To make it leaner, partially fry the beef separately (to pink) to render out some of the fat. Drain that off then follow the recipe. Me, I love the flavorful fat. 😋
Was a great recipe though I might have gone a bit lighter on cinnamon and cloves. I suggest using 90-10 ground beef. 85-15 is hard to find in my area and 80-20 is too fatty.
OH MY GOODNESS! This recipe is spot on authentic! My other half has been begging me to make Cincy Chili forever. So I found my way to Culinary Hill and gave it my first go…even substituted TURKEY for the beef…and no one noticed! Not even my Ohio mother-in-law! Absolutely delicious and tastes like the original Skyline. 5-way all the way…thats the only way to roll! My first Culinary Hill recipe and I’m hooked! Thanks for the easy to read and follow directions and commentary, substitutions and multiple ways to cook (i.e.: Pressure Cooker, Slow Cooker, Stove top, etc.)
Tonight…on to Ground Turkey tacos…just don’t tell my family it’s turkey…my guess is they’ll be too busy gobbling it up to even notice!!
Thank you again from your newest fan!
As a Cincy area native living in LA, I always have a longing for the real hometown chili you can get at restaurants in the area there. I’ve tried many a recipe to recreate something close and I have to say this is the best I’ve found and delicious! It just seems to have the right balance of everything that makes Cincy chili great (and I used a 90/10 beef even to make it a tad healthier). Thank you!
I haven’t made this yet. I’m considering the crockpot, but even if stovetop, do you grate or chop the chocolate before adding, or just add the square whole?
This is the best Cincinnati chilli I have ever made! Flavorful, smooth–the perfect mixture of flavors. So simple and quick to make. I forgot to buy onions, but I had one red onion at home which I substituted instead and still had great flavor.
Wow! Thank you Alex! I’m so glad you liked it! -Meggan
you know you’re in cinci when you can smell the chocolate in the chili….
Yes!! There is nothing quite like it. The smell takes me right back to my grandmother’s kitchen.
Absolutely fantastic! The best chili we’ve ever had. Made it in an instant pot (20 minutes) and then moved the insert onto the stovetop to simmer and cook it down. Served over spaghetti with cheddar, chopped onions, and a little bit of jalapeno. Fabulous! Our dogs loved it too- they are still waiting in the kitchen in case we have some more plates to be licked 😆
What settings / times / release / etc. did you use to make this in the Instant Pot?
I would like to try this recipe but want to use my Instant Pot.