Origins of chili con carne

[SOLANCO]

Far as I am concerned chili is a stew. And when I make a stew there are some basic always there ingredients. And then whatever else is laying around and interesting goes in. Leftovers to the fore.
With the exception of fish. Seafood has no place in chili.

 

[Brazos John]

I won't disagree that Chili is a Stew, but it's a specific type of Stew.
It has meat, spices, and water or beer.
Then, it's Chili. Cover it in a bowl with cheddar cheese and chopped onions, and enjoy it with crackers or tortillas.
Add beans or anything else, and it's a Stew.
And I don't see any reason why you can't add fish to a Stew. Add cream, and call it Chowder.

As Paul Simon sang,
My Father was a Fisherman, my Mother was a Fisherman's Friend,
and I was born in the boredom and the Chowder..."