How to Thicken Chili (9 Easy Ways)

✔ Updated October 19, 2026 · rewritten with 9 tested methods, slurry ratios and a corrected chili origin

Thin, watery chili is one of the most common chili problems, and it is easy to fix.

Chili con carne is a Texas dish, usually traced to San Antonio in the 1800s, and a good bowl should be thick enough to hold a spoon upright, not soupy. Below are nine reliable ways to thicken chili, from simply simmering it with the lid off to stirring in masa harina, cornmeal, cornstarch or flour, with exact ratios, timings and the mistakes that leave chili gluey or floury. Once it’s thick, see what to serve with chili con carne.

Why Chili Turns Out Thin

Most watery chili comes down to too much liquid and not enough time, and I’ve made that pot more than once. Canned tomatoes, broth and beer all add liquid, and a pot that simmers with the lid on traps the steam so none of it cooks off. Undrained beans, frozen vegetables and very lean meat that releases water can make it worse.

Chili also thickens as it cools and the starch from the beans sets, so a pot that looks a little loose at the stove is often just right in the bowl. I always give mine a few minutes to settle. Judge it after a few minutes off the heat before adding a thickener.

9 Ways to Thicken Chili

These amounts are for a standard pot of chili, about 8 to 10 cups, which serves 6 to 8. Add a thickener a little at a time, simmer, and check again. It is easy to add more, and impossible to take it back out.

• 1. Simmer it uncovered. Take the lid off and keep the chili at a gentle simmer for 15 to 30 minutes, stirring the bottom every few minutes so it doesn't scorch. This is the best way to thicken chili without adding anything, and it concentrates the flavor too.
• 2. Masa harina. Whisk 2 tablespoons of masa harina (the corn flour used for tortillas) into 1/4 cup of warm water or broth, stir it in and simmer 10 minutes. It is the traditional Texas thickener and adds a gentle corn-tortilla flavor.
• 3. Cornmeal. Sprinkle in 1 to 2 tablespoons of fine yellow cornmeal while stirring, then simmer 10 to 15 minutes until the grains soften. Coarse cornmeal works but can stay slightly gritty.
• 4. Cornstarch slurry. Mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 2 tablespoons cold water until smooth, stir it into the simmering chili and cook 2 to 3 minutes until glossy and thick. Use up to 2 tablespoons for a very thin pot. Never add dry cornstarch straight to hot chili, or it will clump.
• 5. Flour slurry. Whisk 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour into 1/4 cup cold water, stir it in and simmer at least 5 to 10 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste. Flour gives a slightly duller, gravy-like finish compared with cornstarch.
• 6. Mash some of the beans. Scoop out about 1 cup of beans with a little liquid, mash them with a fork or potato masher and stir them back in. The bean starch thickens the pot with no added ingredients and no change in flavor.
• 7. Tomato paste. Stir in 2 to 3 tablespoons of tomato paste and simmer 10 minutes. It thickens and deepens the tomato flavor, which helps chili that tastes watered down.
• 8. Crushed tortilla chips or crackers. Stir in 1/2 cup of finely crushed tortilla chips, corn chips or saltines and simmer 5 minutes. They dissolve and work like masa, but they add salt, so taste before seasoning.
• 9. Arrowroot or potato flakes. Arrowroot works like cornstarch (1 tablespoon in 2 tablespoons cold water, stir in off the boil) and stays clear. Instant potato flakes, 2 to 3 tablespoons, thicken in a minute or two without changing the flavor much.

Which Thickener Should You Use?

Every method works, but they finish differently. My go-to is simply simmering with the lid off. Use this table to pick the one that fits your pot and your time.

Method	Amount (8 to 10 cups chili)	Time to thicken	Effect on flavor
Simmer uncovered	None	15 to 30 min	Richer, more concentrated
Masa harina	2 tbsp in 1/4 cup liquid	10 min	Mild corn tortilla flavor
Cornmeal	1 to 2 tbsp	10 to 15 min	Slight corn flavor, a little texture
Cornstarch slurry	1 tbsp + 2 tbsp cold water	2 to 3 min	None, slightly glossy
Flour slurry	2 tbsp + 1/4 cup cold water	5 to 10 min	None if fully cooked
Mashed beans	1 cup beans	5 min	None
Tomato paste	2 to 3 tbsp	10 min	Deeper tomato flavor
Crushed tortilla chips	1/2 cup	5 min	Corn flavor, adds salt
Arrowroot	1 tbsp + 2 tbsp cold water	1 to 2 min	None, stays clear

How to Thicken Chili in a Slow Cooker

Slow cookers trap almost all of their moisture, so slow cooker chili is often thin. For the last 30 to 60 minutes, take the lid off (or set it ajar) and switch to high. If it still needs help, stir in a cornstarch or masa harina slurry and cook on high for another 15 minutes with the lid off. Next time, use about a third less broth or water than a stovetop recipe calls for.

Common Mistakes When Thickening Chili

• Adding dry cornstarch or flour to hot chili. It forms lumps instantly. Always mix it with cold water first.
• Not cooking flour long enough. Raw flour tastes pasty. Simmer for at least 5 to 10 minutes after adding a flour slurry.
• Adding too much at once. Starches keep thickening as chili cools, so a pot that looks perfect at the stove can turn gluey in the fridge. Add a little, simmer and check.
• Cranking up the heat. A hard boil scorches the bottom, especially once a thickener is in. Keep it at a gentle simmer and stir across the bottom of the pot.
• Boiling cornstarch too long. Long, hard boiling can break cornstarch down and thin the chili again. Add it near the end.

Storing and Reheating Thickened Chili

Cool chili and refrigerate it within 2 hours of cooking. It keeps 3 to 4 days in an airtight container in the fridge and about 4 to 6 months in the freezer. Reheat it until it is steaming hot, 165°F (74°C), and add a splash of broth or water if it has thickened too much overnight. Chili thickened with flour or masa freezes better than chili thickened with cornstarch, which can turn slightly spongy after thawing.

Need a pot to practice on? Try our Wendy's-style chili or Texas Roadhouse-style chili.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best way to thicken chili?

The best way is to simmer the chili uncovered for 15 to 30 minutes so the excess liquid evaporates and the flavor concentrates. If you need it thicker faster, stir in a masa harina or cornstarch slurry and simmer for a few minutes more.

Can I thicken chili with cornstarch?

Yes. Mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water until smooth, stir it into the simmering chili and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until it thickens and looks glossy. Use up to 2 tablespoons for a very thin pot, and never add dry cornstarch directly.

Can you add flour to thicken chili?

Yes. Whisk 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour into 1/4 cup of cold water, stir it into the chili and simmer for at least 5 to 10 minutes so the raw flour taste cooks out. Flour gives a slightly thicker, gravy-like texture than cornstarch.

How do you thicken chili without cornstarch?

Simmer it uncovered, mash about a cup of the beans and stir them back in, or add 2 tablespoons of masa harina, fine cornmeal or tomato paste. Crushed tortilla chips and instant potato flakes also work. All of these thicken chili without cornstarch or flour.

Does adding cornmeal to chili thicken it?

Yes. Sprinkle 1 to 2 tablespoons of fine yellow cornmeal into simmering chili while stirring, then cook 10 to 15 minutes so the grains soften. It thickens the pot and adds a mild corn flavor that suits chili, similar to masa harina.