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.
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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Lynndee
We love having chili this time of year. Your chili looks delicious. Nom!
Mary
I haven’t made chili before, and your recipe makes it sound easy. Perfect for this cold winter weather.
Abida
I have never tried making chilli at home before. Going to try it out soon
Ashley Thompson
Our family could eat chili for every meal, but tending to it on the stovetop can be pretty time-consuming for a flavorful batch. Can’t wait to try it in the slow cooker!
MELANIE
This is the sort of comfort food I love in the winter. It’s great that it is so easy to make in a crockpot.
Gervin Khan
Your recipes are all amazing! But this one hits different! It sounds good!
Eileen M Loya
You made me want to make chili like right at this moment! I think your idea of setting up a chili bar is awesome. Will be doing that the next time I make chili.
Tami R
Chili is one of my favorite foods and this looks so freaking good! Pinned it for later!
sara lafountain
Tried this for dinner tonight and it was so good! Snow day here and we all warmed up with this easy chili recipe.
Beth Pierce
Thanks Sara! So glad that you like the chili!
Amber Myers
I love making crock pot chili. I make it often! I will have to try this version out.
Melissa Cushing
I absolutely love chili and I absolutely love anything made in the crock pot! So convenient and always yummy and I have been itching to make chili so I am making it tonight! Thank you for this fabulous recipe and I pinned it too 😉
Beth Pierce
Thanks Melissa! I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!
Molly
I have never actually made chili, and it is nice to be able to make it in the crock pot – so convenient! This sounds delicious and perfect for this cold weather.
Catalina
This is the perfect dish for this season! I should try to make chili in the crockpot!
Rose Ann Sales
Oh my! This is such a really amazing recipe! It look so good! I know my husband would love this so much!
Richelle Milar
Wow! That looks absolutely delicious and tasty! I would really love to try this recipe!
Monica Simpson
I really want to try this because of the brown sugar added. I’ve never put that in my chili!
Beth Pierce
You should try it! It really is delicious. It adds just a hint of sweetness.