Build an Epic Chili Bar to Affordably Feed a Crowd

My craving for chili has been fierce lately! So is my craving to throw a party. Well, if I’m honest I’m always looking for an excuse to throw a party. As a result, I need to find affordable ways to feed a crowd. An epic chili bar is the perfect way to do so! And who doesn’t love chili on a cool fall day?

Recently, I created an epic chili bar with  ALL of the fixings. I made two very different types of chili to help appeal to all different types of chili lovers. My favorite is White Chicken Chili because it’s slightly healthy yet still hearty.

The second chili I made was a Chorizo and Turkey Chili. It’s a hearty chili with some great fall seasonal flavor. It’s a twist on traditional chili, but I swapped ground beef for chorizo and turkey. I also added more color in the way of butternut squash. I LOVE this combination. It has so much flavor!

Chili Bar Toppings: Spice, Crunch, & Color

The key to a good chili bar is variety. Once the chili is prepared, building the bar is easy. Think spice, crunch, and color.

I like to include spice in the way of pickled jalapenos, spicy salsa, and hot sauce. When I’m making chili for a crowd, I go easy on the spice in the chili recipe itself. However, I love spice so I add it in the way of toppings in case others don’t. 

A great chili requires a little extra crunch, too. Fritos, tortilla chips, and sliced radishes add the perfect crunch.  

I love adding lots of color to my chili bar, too. Anything bright green, such as avocado slices, green onion, and cilantro are great to garnish the chili with. Those toppings help increase the flavor and are a great color contrast against a traditional chili or white chicken chili. Additional ideas for toppings; lime wedges, Greek yogurt, sour cream, shredded cheese, and bacon crumbles. 

When building your epic chili bar, you can keep the chili in a crockpot. This is a good option if you know people will be hanging around for awhile and want to go back for seconds (or thirds – totally not judging).  I was having a fall inspired party, so I served the chili in decorative pumpkin bowls. I gave the bowls some heighth by placing them on cake stands. 

I also added some fall color using inexpensive flowers from Trader Joe’s. I simply cut the stems off and placed the flowers in empty tea canisters. It was so easy and incredibly affordable. For extra fall vibes, I added a plaid tablecloth and some mini pumpkins to the bar. 

I also added pops of color with my serving bowls. Not everything has to match ( I’m still trying to convince my mom of that). Just use what you have in the cupboard. Don’t be afraid to mix all of your different dinnerware together. Simply add heighth with cake stands and pops of color with inexpensive flowers! You’ll be surprised by how it all comes together. 

I hope you’re able to enjoy an epic chili bar in the coming cooler months. Enjoy! xoxo