Let’s look at the big leagues. The International Chili Society (ICS) has official rules for its world championship chili. Guess what? No beans allowed in the “traditional red” category. None. Zero.
But hold your horses. The ICS also has a “Chili Verde” category, and a “Home Style” division. And guess what folks bring to those? You got it: beans. So even in the competitive world, beans have their own corner.
The point is: the definition of “traditional” depends entirely on which tradition you’re talking about. There is no single, sacred chili bible. It’s more like a family cookbook with a lot of messy, delicious tweaks.
does traditional chili have beans? - Test Food Kitchen
