Made a chili the other day which turned out pretty well.
Have a read of these which are decent guides: http://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/beef-chili and http://www.amateurgourmet.com/2011/09/lisa-fains-seven-chile-chili.html
The key is getting a few different chilies; I used ancho, pasilla, guajillo and chipotle.
My version:
2 ancho
2 pasilla
2 guajillo
2 chipotle
lardons
2 onions
6 cloves of garlic
half kilo of steak mince
half kilo of ox cheek
1 tbsp oregano
1 tbsp toasted and ground cumin
1 cup strong black coffee
1 tsp cocoa powder
1 tsp cayenne pepper
Water to top up.
Fresh coriander
1 can kidney beans
1 can mixed beans
Toast the chilies in a dry pan then transfer to a bowl, cover with boiling water and leave for half an hour.
In a casserole dish brown the beef in batches then fry lardons onions and garlic cloves. Mix the beef back in then blend the chilies in their water and add that to the mix.
Stir in oregano, cumin, cayenne pepper, black pepper, salt, cocoa and coffee. Add a bit more water to cover and cook for a good few hours.
Half an hour before its ready stir in the beans, then top with the coriander before serving.