Canned Biscuit Bowls Are The Perfect Addition To Chili Night

Chili is the ultimate comfort food. Whether you're freezing at an outdoor tailgate or looking for a cozy meal on the couch, chili comes through — its hearty, easy to make, and loaded with flavor. But if you've ever enjoyed soup in a bread bowl, then you might want to try chili in a biscuit bowl. Something about that warm, soft biscuit texture pairs perfectly with your favorite slow cooker chili recipe.

Chili's texture and consistency falls somewhere between a soup and a dip. And in the case of the biscuit bread bowl, you get the best of both worlds. The bowl itself houses the chili, but as you eat it, you can also break off pieces of biscuit to dunk into the stew. Better still, they're incredibly simple to make. All it takes is a can of store-bought biscuit dough and a little bit of effort to build their shape.

Store-bought biscuits are hard to beat; they're ready to go right from the can to the oven. But if you want to take your chili to the next level, try removing the biscuits from the can, then stretching them out around a ramekin. Shaping them around the ramekin before baking will turn them into bowls that are just the right size for serving chili. Make sure to place the ramekins on a cookie sheet first, though, then just bake them as directed.

If you don't have enough ramekins or small oven-safe bowls, you can also do this using a muffin tin. The bowls might be slightly smaller, but just flip the muffin tin over, and stretch the dough around the outside of each muffin holder (you might have to do every other muffin holder to prevent the dough from fusing together while baking). Keep in mind that the dough will rise as it cooks, so you can stretch it fairly thin, and it will still be sturdy enough for chili.

The biscuit bowl is genius and simple, but there are a few ways to ensure this concept goes off without a hitch. Dough stretches better at room temperature, and since you'll have to stretch these biscuits out a bit, it's best to leave the can on the counter for about 30 minutes before popping it. This will make it easier to shape them into bowls.

When serving the chili in the biscuit bowl, it wouldn't hurt to place the biscuit bowl snugly inside of an actual bowl. This way, if the chili makes the bottom of the bowl soggy, you don't risk the chili leaking out onto the table. And finally, don't forget the garnishes. Seasoned sour cream adds a perfect contrast to hearty chili, and a little bit of shredded cheddar goes a long way. You can also add some onions and cilantro to the top, too, then dig in. If you don't need the whole can of biscuits, you can refrigerate the dough for up to two weeks for optimal freshness, according to Immaculate Baking Company.