Chef Candy Q&A: “My chili is too spicy, what can I do to tone it down?”

Reader question: “My chili is too spicy, what can I do to tone it down?”

Chef Candy says:
The easiest solution to this dilemma is to add a pinch of sugar to your chili to tone it down. Of course, you could always add some more of the other ingredients, like the beans, tomato product, or meat to dilute that extra unwanted heat. The only drawback to this solution is that you will wind up with more chili than you planned on, but you could always freeze some for later!

Want to try out your new cooking trick? Whip up a batch of chili with one of our family-friendly recipes:

Chili Con Carne
Roasted Corn White Bean Chili
Slow Cooker Vegetarian Chili
Taco Corn Chili
Black Bean Chili with Cilantro (pictured)
Chipotle Turkey Chili
Slow Cooker Turkey Chili
Yankee Chili
White Chicken Chili

Candy Argondizza is Vice President of Culinary and Pastry Arts at The International Culinary Center in New York City. After completing her studies at the Culinary Institute of America, Chef Candy Argondizza embarked on a 20-year adventure in cooking in New York City. She has appeared on The Today Show and has been invited to the James Beard House. Chef Argondizza, who has been at The International Culinary Center since 2000, leads a staff of more than 40 Chef-Instructors, oversees the culinary education of nearly 1,000 students each year, and is responsible for the development of the menu for L’Ecole, the Center’s Michelin-recommended restaurant. In 2012, Chef Argondizza was recognized for her accomplishments at The International Culinary Center by receiving the very prestigious “Cooking Teacher of the Year” award from the International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP). Chef Argondizza lives in New York City and is an avid triathlete.