The best slow cooker chili recipe, homemade with simple ingredients. Loaded with ground beef, beans and spices. Perfect for game day and an easy weeknight meal!
This recipe is the perfect cold weather meal. It is quick and easy enough for a weeknight meal, but can easily serve a crowd on game day or at any party just like these Slow Cooker Grape Jelly Meatballs. It is flavorful and filling, and can be tailored to each persons liking with toppings and garnishes.
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How to make slow cooker chili?
- Brown beef- And drain fat.
- Add ingredients in crockpot- This includes cooked beef, onion, garlic, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, green chiles, broth, chili powder, cumin powder, ginger powder, paprika, salt, pepper, sugar, cocoa powder.
- Mix- Until combined.
- Cover and cook- On Low heat for 6 hours or High heat for 3 hours.
- Add beans and corn- And mix until combined,
- Cover and cook- On Low heat until beans are warm.
- Enjoy- Add toppings of your choice and dig in!
What sides to serve with easy chili recipe?
The are so many sides to serve here! You can serve your favorite carb such as breadsticks, biscuits, dinner rolls, cornbread, grilled cheese. Try it with a side of creamy mashed potatoes or mac and cheese for a more hearty meal.
Add vegetable sides like a simple salad or roasted broccoli, green beans, carrots, zucchini/
Can you put raw ground beef in slow cooker?
Yes, but the overall dish will be oily because the fat wasn't drained from it. I would not recommend it for this recipe.
Chili toppings
- Sour cream
- Avocado
- Cheese
- Cilantro
- Olives
- Jalapenos
- Plain Greek Yogurt
- Parsley
- bacon
- Tortilla strips
- Green onions
Variations
Add turkey- Use ground turkey in place of beef or even shredded leftover Thanksgiving turkey.
Make it vegetarian- Skip the meat and add more of your favorite beans instead.
Add chicken- Use chicken in place of the beef. You can use chicken breast and shred it or use ground chicken.
Add variety of beans- Such as garbanzo, Great Northern beans, pinto, or omit beans altogether.
Add crumbled mild Italian sausage- I will add ½ pound of Italian sausage with the beef or turkey to add flavor.
Add other herbs and spices or spice blends or spice packets- Add Adobo seasoning, Cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, turmeric, cayenne, ground mustard, even a little nutmeg tastes delicious.
Add vegetables- Add zucchini, mushrooms, pumpkin puree, corn, yellow squash, green, red, or yellow bell peppers.
Add liquid smoke- Add a small amount of liquid smoke to add another layer of flavor.
Add balsamic vinegar- A few tablespoons of balsamic will also add additional flavor.
Add Beer- Instead of beef broth, try your favorite ale instead.
Make it more flavorful- You can do this by adding spices such as smoked paprika, basil, bay leaves, or turmeric. Try adding red pepper chili flakes, liquid smoke, or a little balsamic vinegar to add some depth and extra flavor.
Storage
Refrigerate- In a sealed container for up to 3 days.
Freeze- In a sealed container for up to 1 month.
Reheat- In a crockpot on the "Warm" setting or in the microwave or even stovetop.
Tips and Techniques
How to thicken chili? How to make it thinner? To thicken it, allow it to cook with the lid off for 20 minutes or until some of the liquid evaporates to your liking. To make it thinner, mix in water or broth.
You must drain fat- Because if you don't do this, the final results would be very greasy.
What type of meat to use? 90% lean ground beef is best because it has lots of flavor without all the grease and fat.
Can this be made on stovetop? Yes. Brown and drain meat. Add all ingredients to a large pot or dutch oven. Bring to a boil. Then, reduce heat and simmer covered for 30-40 minutes.
Use a multifunctional slow cooker- Because it allows you to saute the beef in the slow cooker. This way, you won’t have to make another pot or pan dirty.
Can I use dry beans? No. The recipe doesn't cook long enough to use dry beans. Make sure to use canned beans instead since they are already boiled.
What do to with leftovers? It makes a delicious salad topping. It can be used in tacos or quesadillas. Serve it over macaroni or elbow pastas, or try stuffing a baked potato or sweet potato with it. Add them as a topping for your hot dogs.
Recipe
Slow Cooker Chili
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Ingredients
- 1 tbsp Oil
- 2 pounds Ground beef
- 1 Onion Large, Finely chopped
- 3-4 cloves Garlic Finely minced
- 1 can Diced tomatoes 28 oz. can, Don't drain!
- 3 cans Tomato sauce 8 oz. cans
- 1 can Green chiles 4.5 oz. can
- ½ cup Beef broth Low sodium
- 2 tablespoon Chili powder
- 2 teaspoon Cumin powder
- ½ teaspoon Ginger powder
- 2 teaspoon Paprika
- Salt To taste
- Pepper To taste
- 1 teaspoon Granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon Cocoa powder
- 2 cans Red kidney beans 15.5 oz. cans, Drained and rinsed
- ¼ cup Frozen corn Optional
- Garnish toppings E.g. Shredded cheese, olives, sour cream, parsley e.t.c.
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large nonstick pan over medium high heat.
- Add beef and cook until it has browned.
- Drain fat.
- Add cooked meat in crockpot, along with onion, garlic, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, green chiles, broth, chili powder, cumin powder, ginger powder, paprika, salt, pepper, sugar, cocoa powder and mix everything together.
- Cover and cook on Low for 6 hours or High for 3 hours.
- Add red kidney beans, corn and mix.
- Cover and cook for 10 minutes on Low until beans are warm. Enjoy!
Notes
- Read all my tips above.
- Leftovers can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
An automated tool is used to calculate the nutritional information. As such, I cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information provided for any recipe on this site.
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