Yes! You absolutely can use dried beans, however, the beans must be softened before adding to the chili. Dry beans will not soften properly added directly to the pot meat and sauce.  Start by cleaning the beans. Remove any damaged pinto beans and  rinse your beans to make sure they are free of any rocks or dirt. Next, pour them into a pot and cover with water. Make sure there is plenty of water by adding 3 cups of water for every cup of dried pinto beans. Boil them first for 1 hour. Then, drain through a colander and rinse again.  Return them to your pot and cover with water and boil for 45 minutes. Again the ratio of beans to water should be around 3 cups of water for every cup of beans. They should be soft after the second boil.  Don’t throw away the bean water the second time as it contains good starch that will help make a nice thick gravy for your chili.