Which spicy meat stew became the official state dish of Texas in 1977?

Chili con carne became the official state dish of Texas in 1977.

Texas adopted chili through House Concurrent Resolution 18 during the 65th Legislature’s regular session. The resolution recognized chili as a distinctive part of Texas culture and officially designated it the state dish. “Chili con carne” means “chili with meat,” although Texas legislation generally refers to the dish simply as chili.

The dish is strongly associated with San Antonio, where so-called Chili Queens sold bowls of spiced meat stew in public plazas during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It also became popular along cattle trails and at Texas chili cook-offs. The exact origins are debated, but the Texas version developed through Mexican, Spanish, Indigenous, and frontier cooking traditions.

A common mix-up is assuming every bean-heavy chili recipe represents the official Texas style. Texas chili is often called “Texas red” and traditionally emphasizes beef and dried or fresh chiles, usually without beans. That cooking preference is cultural tradition rather than a requirement in the 1977 designation itself.