This crockpot chili recipe is the perfect weeknight meal – throw all the ingredients into one pot and let it cook while you attend to other tasks. The result is a delicious and easy dinner the whole family enjoys.
This chili recipe is quick and easy, ideal for busy people and families with small children. Come dinner time, supper is ready to go. Just add your favorite topping and customize it to suit your taste. This is a hearty meal, but sometimes I like to serve it with cornbread or cheddar drop biscuits.
What You’ll Need
- Ground beef: or ground turkey or pork.
- Onion: sweet yellow or Vidalia
- Garlic: fresh, of course
- Beef broth: low-sodium
- Tomato paste: to thicken the chili
- Diced tomatoes and green chilies: like Rotel tomatoes
- Diced tomatoes: I prefer fire-roasted
- Beans: you can use two 15-ounce cans of kidney, pinto, navy, Great Northern, or black beans.
- Seasonings: chili powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, ground cayenne pepper, salt, and freshly ground black pepper
How to make Crockpot Chili
Start by browning the ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion about halfway through the browning process and cook until soft. Add the garlic and cook for about a minute. Drain the excess grease and add the ground beef mixture to the crock pot.
Whisk together the beef broth and tomato paste. Pour that over the beef mixture. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir to combine. Finally, cover it with the lid and set it to low for about 5 hours. Season with kosher salt and black pepper to taste.
Preparation Tips and Storage
- I like to use ground chuck in my chili and then drain the fat. Fat is what gives the beef flavor.
- You can substitute ground turkey, pork, or chicken for the ground beef.
- Do you like things with a bit of heat and a lot of spice? Increase the amount of crushed red pepper and cayenne pepper to taste.
- You can make this recipe in a Dutch oven or heavy pot on the stovetop if you don’t have a crock pot.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Have Fun – Set Up a Chili Bar
What a perfect way to celebrate the end of summer and the beginning of fall than with a chili bar complete with grilled hotdogs (or chili dogs), plenty of your favorite chili toppings, and cornbread. Add a variety of chili batches like white chicken chili, Cincinnati Chili, turkey chili, and this recipe. Then, set out bowls of goodies to let your guests customize to suit their taste.
- Chips – Fritos, tortilla chips, corn chips, or Doritos
- Potatoes – French fries, tater tots, baked potatoes, or waffle fries
- Cheese – grated cheddar cheese, Pepper Jack, or Monterey Jack
- Onions – sliced green, chopped red, or chopped sweet Vidalia
- Peppers – pickled jalapenos, sliced jalapenos, green bell peppers, serrano peppers, or pepperoncini
- Chopped avocadoes – don’t forget to brush them with lemon or lime juice to keep them from browning
- Hot sauce
- Fresh cilantro
- Lime wedges
- White Queso
- Jalapeño pepper
- Hot dogs
Can you freeze chili?
Chili freezes quite well. Once it is thoroughly cooled, spoon it into quart- or gallon-size freezer bags. Then, lay the bags on a baking sheet and freeze them flat for easier stacking in the freezer. Be sure to mark the date and contents on the freezer bag to know how long it has been in the freezer. Freeze for up to four months.
Thaw in the fridge overnight. Reheat on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave at reduced power.
More Crock Pot Recipes
- Crockpot cabbage roll casserole
- Crockpot chicken tacos
- Crockpot pulled pork
- Crockpot meatloaf
- Crockpot pulled chicken
- Crockpot lasagna
Slow Cooker Chili Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbs ground beef or ground turkey
- 1 large sweet onion finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 3 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
- 2 (10-ounce) cans diced tomatoes and green chilies like Rotel
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 1 (15.5-ounce) can dark red kidney beans drained and rinsed
- 1 (15.5-ounce) can pinto beans drained and rinsed
- 3 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cayenne
- kosher salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion halfway through the browning process and cook until soft. Add the garlic; cook for 1 minute while stirring constantly. Drain any excess grease and add the ground beef mixture to the crock pot.
- Whisk together the beef broth and tomato paste. Pour on top of the beef mixture
- Add the diced tomatoes, fire-roasted tomatoes, kidney beans, pinto beans, chili powder, cumin, paprika, brown sugar, red pepper, and cayenne.
- Cover with the lid and set to low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.
- Season with kosher salt and black pepper to taste.
Video
Notes
- I like to use ground chuck in my chili and then drain the fat. Fat is what gives the beef flavor.
- You can substitute ground turkey, pork, or chicken for the ground beef.
- Do you like things with a bit of heat and a lot of spice? Increase the amount of crushed red pepper and cayenne pepper to taste.
- You can make this recipe in a Dutch oven or heavy pot on the stovetop if you don’t have a crock pot.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
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Cindy
I am hosting a Bible study group and would love to make this, but would need to double the recipe. Do you think it will it still fit in one crockpot?
Beth Pierce
Depends on the size of the crock pot?
Izzy
Making this as I type! Well, it’s in the crockpot simmering and melding all those great ingredients together. I took a sneak taste and I can tell it’s going to be delicious/spot on! Making corn bread to round out the meal and can not wait to taste the fully cooked version tonight for dinner! That’s for sharing!
Beth Pierce
The pleasure is all mine Izzy! I sure hope you enjoyed the chili.
Pam
Finally found a chili recipe I love! I only use the kidney beans because we don’t like the other ones. This is my go to recipe, I add a little more red pepper flakes and Cajun spice. Thank you for posting this recipe!
Beth Pierce
The pleasure is all mine, Pam. I am glad that you liked the chili recipe.
Melissa
This recipe has been a HUGE success for me, being that I love bean-y chili! I modified it by only adding one can of the tomatos with green chiles and adding in a small can of green chilies. This was awesome with some hint of lime Tostada chips crumbled on top!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Melissa! I am so glad that you like it!
Brittany
Do you have to brown the beef first?
Beth Pierce
Yes!
Deborah
I made this for a church gathering and everyone loved it I used 3 different kinds of beans but it was gone quick love it thank you
Beth Pierce
The pleasure is all mine, Deborah!
Nicole
Could I make this meatless? Maybe add more beans or sweet potatoes?
Beth Pierce
Yes, you most certainly can. I also have a vegetarian chili recipe.
Charmajne
It is playoff day for the Chiefs and Bengals! I am mixing this up right now before church. Love the addition of the two beans and the tomatoes, and homemade spices lend a hand to keeping out the processed ingredients. We have a night game so this will be done by game time! Thank you for a great chili recipe!!
Beth Pierce
You are most welcome! The pleasure is all mine! Enjoy!
Marysa
I haven’t made chili in ages. It is nice to have a recipe to make it in the crockpot. A great recipe for the winter, with our cold weather.
Sonia
Feed me this dish right now. It’s perfect to keep warm during the winter.