Peanut Butter Is The Secret Ingredient Your Chili Is Missing

There's not much that's more comforting than a warm bowl of chili, especially on a particularly cold or rainy day. It's hearty and flavorful, and it always hits the spot whether you munch on it with some tortilla chips, top it with cheese and avocado, or dunk in some cornbread.

When it comes to chili, every bowl you scoop up tends to taste a little different from the last, because it's something that can be endlessly iterated, tweaked, and experimented with. There's classic bean chili, white chicken chili, turkey chili, chili verde, and even different states draw claim to different types of chili, like Texas, Oklahoma, and Cincinnati.

Whether it's a restaurant or diner putting their own twist on the meal, or maybe you like to mix up your own recipe at home with clever replacements and new additions, each batch of chili comes with a unique personality. But there's one not-so-secret secret ingredient you may have never thought to add to your chili – peanut butter. And we don't blame you, because it sounds pretty out there — but you might want to throw some into your next batch. Here's why.

You've probably heard of people including cinnamon in their chili recipes, or even cocoa powder, dark chocolate, or coffee. Using peanut butter is based on similar reasoning. Its unique, rich, nuttiness not only adds a layer of depth and dimension to the flavor of the chili but also wonderfully compliments the spice typically found in the dish. Why? To get a little science-y, the National Peanut Board tells us that high-fat foods help neutralize capsaicin, which is the chemical that gives spicy foods their heat – so peanut butter balances out the heat from chili's classic spicy ingredients like chili peppers or cayenne.

Aside from leveling up (and leveling out) the overall flavor of the meal, peanut butter also goes a long way in improving the texture of your chili. The smooth, creamy consistency of a good natural peanut butter thickens up the meal, adding healthy fats and some extra protein in the process. So if you're someone who prefers your chili more meaty or hearty than soupy, peanut butter is the right move. The best part is that it will work well with any meat (or no meat at all), so whether you like your chili with beef, pork, turkey, chicken, or just beans, peanut butter will make that bowl of chili shine.

Let's face it, peanut butter is just one of those things that makes everything better. So it actually makes a subtle appearance in a lot more recipes and dishes than you'd think, quietly working its magic to enhance the meal's flavor and texture. If peanut butter is quickly becoming your new favorite secret ingredient, here are some more ways to use it.

Similar to chili, peanut butter is often used in many meat-based recipes to bring consistency together or add a nice sweet and salty kick. It can be added to barbecue sauce for some extra creaminess and flavor and then doused on your favorite rack of ribs. Or it can be mixed into the meat itself while it slow cooks, like in this pulled pork recipe from Sunny Anderson. It can even be used to top off a burger instead of cheese.

For the veggie fans out there, peanut butter also works great as an ingredient in non-meat dishes, with the added bonus of keeping a recipe plant-based. You can also throw it in a salad dressing, or use it in a marinade for tofu. Be sure to keep a jar handy — peanut butter will never disappoint.