May 10, 2023
Review RecipeChili in Crock Pot
Incredibly flavorful, full of protein, and very filling, this crockpot chili needs to be added to your dinner rotation when it is chilly outside.
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Coming home to the smell of this hot crockpot chili bubbling away is the definition of comfort. Cozy, warm, and hearty, a big bowl of this easy recipe featuring saucy ground beef and tender vegetables is the perfect way to end a cold day.
You can’t go wrong with a big bowl of chili. We can help you out with several variations, including our vegetarian chili and our classic chili.
CHILI CROCKPOT RECIPE INGREDIENTS
You will need:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or other cooking oil
- 1 onion
- 1 green bell pepper
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 2 pounds of ground beef
- 1 (15.5-ounce) can of kidney beans
- 1 (15.5-ounce) can of chili hot beans
- 2 (14.5-ounce) cans of diced tomatoes
- 1 (8-ounce) can of tomato sauce
- 3 tablespoons of chili powder, divided
- 2 tablespoons of cumin
- 1 tablespoon of onion powder
- 1 tablespoon of brown sugar
- ½ tablespoon of garlic powder
- ½ tablespoon of salt
PRO TIP:
Chili hot beans are a variety of beans you can find in the canned beans aisle of most grocery stores. If you can’t find these chili beans or don’t wish to use them, you can substitute them with another can of kidney beans.
While buying a bulb of garlic would be the freshest option, I often keep a jar of already minced garlic in my fridge to add to recipes calling for garlic cloves. Either option will work for this recipe.
DO I DRAIN THE BEANS FOR CHILI IN CROCK POT?
You do not need to drain the beans for this crockpot chili. The liquid will cook and thicken while the chili is simmering away in the crockpot.
SUBSTITUTIONS AND ADDITIONS
VEGETABLES: Homemade chili is such a flexible recipe. You can add any vegetables that you enjoy in chili, including red bell peppers, celery, carrots, or corn. You can also add more beans to replace the meat. Add another variety such as black beans, pinto beans, or more kidney beans.
MEAT: In place of the ground beef, you could easily substitute another ground meat such as ground turkey or ground porks in this great recipe.
TOPPINGS: Chili is not complete, in my opinion, without shredded cheddar cheese on top right before serving. Cheddar or a nacho blend would be the best choice. Other favorite toppings include a dollop of sour cream or crushed corn chips, or tortilla chips.
SPICE: Chili is a great recipe to spice up. Add a dash of cayenne pepper or hot sauce for an extra kick in this easy crockpot recipe.
HOW TO MAKE THIS CROCKPOT CHILI RECIPE
STEP ONE: Dice the onion, green peppers and garlic.
STEP TWO: Heat the oil in a large skillet and saute the vegetables for 2 to 3 minutes.
STEP THREE: Add the ground beef and cook until almost browned. Drain any excess grease.
PRO TIP:
For an even quicker cooking time, ground beef can be cooked ahead of time. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to a month. Once the veggies are sauteed for this recipe, you can toss in the already browned meat to warm and then add the chili powder.
STEP FOUR: Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of chili powder over the ground beef and continue cooking until the meat is done.
STEP FIVE: Add the meat mixture and the remaining ingredients to the slow cooker and stir well to combine.
STEP SIX: Let chili cook on low for 4 hours.
HOW TO SERVE CROCK POT CHILI
Serve this crockpot chili con carne piping hot in a bowl or even a fun bread bowl. Top with shredded cheese, and you’ll have the ultimate comfort food. Add a caesar salad on the side for a bit of fresh greens and cheese biscuits, or our cornbread on the side is a must to mop up all of that delicious sauce in the bowl.
MORE CROCKPOT RECIPES
HOW TO STORE CROCKPOT CHILI
IN THE FRIDGE: Store this homemade crockpot chili in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
IN THE FREEZER: This hearty slow cooker chili freezes extremely well and can be stored in the freezer for up to 6 months.
I can’t think of a more comforting and mouth-watering meal on a cold night than a warm pot of chili. This is the best chili recipe with all of those rich flavors mingling together and slowly simmering until ready to serve. Toss a batch in your crockpot today, and you will have a tasty and filling meal at dinnertime to warm up the whole family.
CHILI RECIPE CROCK POT FAQs
Can you overcook chili in a crockpot?
You can cook chili for up to 8 hours in the crockpot, but any longer and the meat and beans will become overcooked.
How do you thicken chili in a crockpot?
The easiest way to thicken chili in a crockpot is to add cornmeal. Add one tablespoon and cook for a further 10 minutes.
Can You Put Raw Ground Beef in a Slow Cooker?
You can put raw ground beef in your slow cooker, and it will cook at the same time as the rest of the ingredients. This would save time in preparing your recipe, although browning the beef ahead of time locks in the flavor of the meat even more than adding it raw.
What Kind of Beans are Best for Chili?
While it comes down to personal preference, kidney, pinto, and black beans are the best choices for making chili.
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Chili Crockpot Recipe
Incredibly flavorful, full of protein, and very filling, this crockpot chili needs to be added to your dinner rotation when it is chilly outside.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours 25 minutes
Total Time 4 hours 30 minutes
Servings 10
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or other cooking oil
- 1 onion
- 1 green bell pepper
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 pounds ground beef I use 80/20
- 15.5 ounces kidney beans
- 15.5 ounces chili hot beans
- 29 ounces diced tomatoes
- 8 ounces tomato sauce
- 3 tablespoons chili powder divided
- 2 tablespoons cumin
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- ½ tablespoon garlic powder
- ½ tablespoon salt
Instructions
- Dice onion, green peppers, and garlic.
- Heat oil in a large pan and sauté 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add ground beef and cook until almost browned.
- Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of chili powder over ground beef and continue cooking until the meat is done.
- Add meat and remaining ingredients to slow cooker and stir well to combine.
- Cook on low for 4 hours.
Video
Notes
PRO TIP: Chili hot beans are a variety of beans you can find in the canned beans aisle of most grocery stores. If you can’t find these chili beans or don’t wish to use them, you can substitute them with another can of kidney beans.
PRO TIP: While buying a bulb of garlic would be the freshest option, I often keep a jar of already minced garlic in my fridge to add to recipes calling for garlic cloves. Either option will work for this recipe.
PRO TIP: For an even quicker cooking time, ground beef can be cooked ahead of time. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to a month. Once the veggies are sauteed for this recipe, you can toss in the already browned meat to warm and then add the chili powder.
Nutrition
Calories: 388kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 64mg | Sodium: 900mg | Potassium: 971mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 971IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 99mg | Iron: 6mg
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Comments
Michelle Chung says
Hi,
Have you ever done this in just a stick pot on the stove?
Taylor says
Love this classic chili recipe. I customize it a bit to my families liking (half turkey half beef, corn and carrots). It’s delicious, not too watery or too thick. Highly recommend!
Candy says
Probably dumb question but when you say tablespoon is that a level tablespoon I usually level out with knife but do I need to ?
Layne Kangas says
Hi, Candy – you can level it out if you’d like to. Enjoy!
Debra Gleim says
I used 2-15.5 oz. Tomato sauce to make it juicier. Also, if you use only 8 oz. Tomato sauce, I’d suggest you use tomato juice also. (To your preference).
Jake H says
Best chili I’ve ever had! It’s the only one I use anymore. I changed nothing.
Bettie says
I luv, luv, luv this recipe. Thanx for posting. and for those who are asking, you can get CHILI HOT BEANS at Krogers.