As the nights draw in and winter’s nip makes its presence felt, it’s time to forget about salads and turn to a dinner that’ll fill you up and keep you warm. We’re talking chilli here – a dish that reliably unites heat, spice, protein and fibre, with spectacular results. (Cue the Blazing Saddle-style flatulence effects.) And if you follow our simple rules, it’s also a health-boosting meal. You don’t have to tell your mates that, though, when you’re settling down with a big bowl to watch Friday-night footy. What they don’t know just might help them. A lot.

AMP UP THE SCOVILLE UNITS

Leverage a range of medium to hot chillies for your next batch of chilli. According to a study in the British Journal of Nutrition, eating foods with capsaicin (the compound that gives chillies their burn) can rev up your metabolism. Spicy foods (like this incendiary chilli) can also keep you satisfied for longer.

Fire-alarm green chilli with pork

BOOST THE FIBRE FACTOR

Chilli purists might argue the virtues of a beanless bowl, but the fibre in beans keeps you feeling satisfied and may also help regulate blood pressure and boost heart health. To ramp up the fibre even more, add bulgur, a type of cracked wheat that’s a minced beef lookalike and that adds even more meaty texture.

Beef and bulgur wheat chilli

GO FOR A LEANER CUT THAT PACKS FLAVOUR

Like naked horse riding (think of the chafing), lean meats are overrated. Zero-fat minced turkey breast has zero taste. If you want to cut kilojoules while still creating a championship-contending bowl of chilli, stick to relatively lean cubed dark-meat chicken or beef. They both turn tender and flavourful when slow-simmered.

Chunky Tex-Mex-style chilli

DOUBLE UP ON VEGETABLES

On paper, vegetarian chilli sounds like a smart idea – your five-a-day hidden in a bowl of chilli. The problem: all-veg varieties taste like, well, vegetables! The solution: choose produce that actually works with Mexican flavours, and don’t stint on fresh toppings like tomato, avocado and pickled jalapeños.

Winter vegetable chilli