Didier Drogba had given Chelsea an early lead, but headed goals from Richard Dunne and Collins gave the home side the three points.
Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti made two changes from the side that beat Liverpool before the international break, bringing in Jose Bosingwa and Florent Malouda to replace Branislav Ivanovic and Michael Ballack.
There was no place in the Aston Villa side for England striker Emile Heskey.
The start of the match was delayed after referee Steve Bennett complained of flu-like symptoms, meaning fourth official Kevin Friend was promoted to referee.
Friend should have given the home side a penalty in the 11th minute when Gabriel Agbonlahor was brought down by Bosingwa, but Villa’s penalty appeals were waved away.
Chelsea opened the scoring after 15 minutes in fortunate circumstances. Drogba turned Collins midway inside the Villa half, and unleashed a dipping 25 yard shot that deceived goalkeeper Brad Friedel and rebounded into the top corner.
The away side began to dominate proceedings and went close again five minutes later, when Ashley Cole took the ball past three players and created an opening for himself, but his shot went high and wide.
The home side equalised after half hour when Ashley Young's corner deflected off Frank Lampard into the path of Dunne, who powered an header into the bottom corner.
A piece of opportunism from Deco nearly regained the lead for Chelsea on 35 minutes, but his exquisite 20 yard chip was clawed away by Friedel.
Just before half time, Agbonlahor produced a swerving cross for Steve Sidwell, but the ball was a few inches too high for the former Chelsea midfielder and the ball went harmlessly for a throw in.
Villa took the lead five minutes into the second from another Ashley Young corner. The England winger crossed to the far post for Collins to head in, after Petr Cech failed to deal with the floated ball in.
Chelsea responded with a barrage of chances at Aston Villa's goal. Firstly, Deco and Frank Lampard combined, but the latter could only pull his 20 yard shot wide.
Three minutes later, Drogba played a precise ball to Deco leaving him clear of the Villa defence, but his effort was straight at Friedel.
The pressure continued and two minutes later, Lampard played in Malouda, but his driven cross-shot was punched away by Friedel.
Chelsea were continuing to struggle with Villa's set pieces and they nearly succumbed again on 70 minutes after another corner found Dunne, but his header went wide under pressure from Ricardo Carvalho.
Two minutes later, Young played a 50 yard cross field pass to Milner, whose first-time knock back was just out of reach of the on-rushing John Carew.
The visitors last real opportunity came with a quarter of an hour left. Malouda played a perfect ball through to Nicolas Anelka, who took the ball in his stride before firing straight at Friedel, who continued to make amends after his earlier error.
The expected Chelsea pressure in the latter stages never materialised as Aston Villa held out for a victory that signals their intent of challenging for a top four place this season.
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