Crockpot Chili Recipe

This crockpot chili recipe is cozy, hands-off comfort with bold, hearty flavor. It slow-cooks ground beef, tomatoes, and beans in a rich, seasoned broth until everything is tender and full of flavor.

Flavor: This hearty meal has a balanced flavor with a rich tomato base, and all the cozy chili goodness you expect.
Recommended Tools: Just a 6-quart slow cooker and a frying pan!
Prep Note: Great for big gatherings or planned leftovers, this recipe makes a big batch.
Serving Suggestions: Serve this with cornbread to soak up every last spoonful.

Ingredients

Meat: Ground beef is ideal for this recipe; use lean ground beef (80/20) with just a bit of fat for flavor. Ground turkey or chicken work well, too.
Veggies: This recipe keeps the veggies simple. Onion and bell pepper add flavor; try adding in extra vegetables like mushrooms, corn, or shredded zucchini.
Beans: I love kidney beans as they hold up well in the crock pot. You can replace kidney beans with black beans, pinto beans, garbanzo beans, or white beans. Rinse canned beans in cold water before using.
Sauce: Canned tomatoes and tomato sauce give this recipe just the right texture and consistency. A little bit of beer is one of my secret ingredients. It doesn’t make the chili taste like beer, but adds rich, savory flavor. The alcohol cooks off as it simmers, but you can easily swap in beef broth or an alcohol-free beer.
Seasoning: This chili is well seasoned with chili powder, cumin, and smoked paprika for a deep, savory flavor. The seasoning mix is doubled, and some is added to the meat before cooking. Spice it up a bit with jalapenos, extra chili powder, or a pinch of cayenne pepper.

seasonings in a bowl to make Easy Crock Pot Chili Recipe

adding spices to beef to make Easy Crock Pot Chili Recipe

How to Make Crock Pot Chili

Brown seasoned beef with onions and garlic in a skillet (full recipe below).
Drain excess grease, add beer, and simmer until almost evaporated.
Place cooked beef and all remaining ingredients in a slow cooker and cook.

Add your favorite toppings, like shredded cheddar cheese, crushed tortilla chips, avocado, sour cream, fresh cilantro, or green onion, and serve.

Add half the seasoning mix to the beef before cooking for extra flavor, and don’t skip the beer.
To thicken crockpot chili, leave the lid off the Crockpot and let some of the liquid evaporate. Or make a slurry and slowly stir it into the chili (you might not need all of it).
This recipe is perfect for doubling, just ensure your slow cooker isn’t more than ¾ full.

Storing Leftovers

Keep leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Freeze portions in zippered bags with the date labeled on them for up to 4 months.

Reheat on the stove top or in the microwave. To stretch leftovers even further, spoon them over a baked potato or hot dog to make chili dogs.

More Chili Favorites

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Crockpot Chili Recipe

This easy crockpot chili recipe is loaded with ground beef, seasonings, & tons of flavor!

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 4 hours

Total Time 4 hours 15 minutes

Combine half the seasoning mixture with ground beef and mix until well combined.
Brown ground beef*, onions, and garlic until no pink remains. Drain any fat. Add beer and simmer until most of the liquid has evaporated.
Combine beef mixture and tomatoes, green bell pepper, tomato sauce, and kidney beans in the slow cooker. Add the remaining seasoning. If desired, slightly mash the whole tomatoes.
Cook on high for 4 hours or low 7-8 hours. Once cooked, remove the lid and let cool slightly before serving.

*This recipe can be made with 2lbs of ground beef if desired and the beans can be doubled.
Ground beef may need to be browned in batches depending on the size of your pan.
The chili will be very hot after cooking and will thicken as it cools. I allow it to cool at least 30 minutes with the lid off stirring occasionally (and it is still very hot).
This chili has a fairly mild flavor. Add one finely diced jalapeno or a pinch of cayenne pepper to add a little bit of heat.
Beer is recommended, but if needed, you can replace it with beef broth. I often use a light beer (such as Budweiser), but use your favorite.
You can add vegetables to this crockpot chili recipe. Diced bell peppers, zucchini, and mushrooms contain water so precook them or leave the lid off the slow cooker for the last hour of cooking.
To thicken leave the lid off the Crockpot and let some of the liquid evaporate. Or make a slurry of equal amounts of water and corn starch in a jar. Shake the jar until the slurry is blended then slowly stir it into the chili (you might not need all of it).
If doubling this recipe, ensure the slow cooker isn’t more than ¾ full.
Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4 days and in the freezer for 4 months.

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Beef, Dinner, Main Course, Slow Cooker

Cuisine American, Tex Mex

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