Easy Slow Cooker Chili
by Chungah
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This slow cooker chili is so easy, cooked low and slow for 8 hrs. Simply set and forget, and come home to the coziest, flavor-packed chili.
Featured Comment
Outstanding! Made this tonight and my family loved it. My picky husband even went back for thirds. I added a jalapeño and a 28oz can of crushed tomatoes in place of the diced tomatoes (my husband doesn’t like them) and the flavor was so good. Served it up with green onions, cheese and sour cream with a side of corn bread. Will put this in the rotation this Winter. Thank you for the recipes Chungah!!
Why you’ll love this slow cooker chili
- Crowd-favorite. Chili is simply a guaranteed crowd-pleaser, great for big crowds and family gatherings, tailgating, or game day. And the leftovers taste even better the next day, and the day after that.
- True set-and-forget recipe. All the ingredients get thrown right in the slow cooker, really letting the flavors fully meld and marry for 7-8 hours on low heat. Set it in the morning and come home to the coziest chili for the entire family.
- Budget-friendly. Homemade chili is incredibly affordable and a great budget meal, relying on inexpensive shelf-stable pantry staples such as canned beans and tomatoes. You can also portion and freeze the leftovers up to 3 months, perfect for a rainy day.
- For all the corn chips. A big pot of chili is the most perfect excuse to open up a bag of corn chips for topping or snacking.
How to make slow cooker chili
- Brown the meat. Crumble the ground beef in a large cast iron skillet over medium high heat, draining off any excess fat and grease. Stir in the garlic, onion, and poblano chili until tender, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add to slow cooker. Transfer the mixture to a 6-qt slow cooker and stir in the remaining ingredients – beef stock, kidney beans, black beans, crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, chili powder, paprika, oregano, cumin, hot sauce, salt, and pepper.
- Cook. Cover the slow cooker and cook on low heat for 7-8 hours or high heat for 5-6 hours.
- Garnish and serve. Garnish with sour cream, corn chips, and green onions, and serve warm.
chili toppings
Chili is incredibly customizable! Feel free to add in some of your favorite toppings below.
- Dollop of sour cream, plain Greek yogurt or Mexican crema
- Shredded cheddar or pepper jack cheese
- Corn chips or crushed tortilla chips
- Fresh or pickled jalapeño slices
- Diced red onion or sliced green onions
what to serve with slow cooker chili
Tools For This Recipe
Easy Slow Cooker Chili: Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to use ground beef?
Not at all! It is very common to use different types of meat, or even use a combination of ground beef with Italian sausage for a richer flavor. You can also stretch the meat and substitute a portion (or all) of the ground beef with inexpensive cuts such as ground turkey or ground chicken.
Do I have to brown the meat first?
For the best flavor and texture, yes, it is highly recommended to brown the meat before adding to the slow cooker. This will build a much deeper flavor base rather than having steamed meat in the slow cooker.
How can I store leftovers?
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days, reheating gently on the stovetop over medium heat until warmed through.
Is this freezer-friendly?
Yes! You can freeze the leftovers in individual freezer bags, thawing overnight and reheating gently on the stovetop.
Can I make this in the Instant Pot?
Absolutely! You can try the Instant Pot recipe here.
Easy Slow Cooker Chili
This slow cooker chili is so easy, cooked low and slow for 8 hrs. Simply set and forget, and come home to the coziest, flavor-packed chili.
Video
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 pounds lean ground beef
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 medium sweet onion, diced
- 1 poblano chili, minced
- 2 ½ cups beef stock
- 1 (16-ounce) can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 (16-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 (15-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can petite diced tomatoes
- 3 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce, optional
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 cup corn chips
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Add ground beef and cook until browned, about 3-5 minutes, making sure to crumble the beef as it cooks; drain excess fat.
- Stir in garlic, onion and poblano chili until tender, about 2-3 minutes.
- Place ground beef mixture into a 6-qt slow cooker. Stir in beef stock, kidney beans, black beans, crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, chili powder, paprika, oregano, cumin and hot sauce; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Cover and cook on low heat for 7-8 hours or high heat for 5-6 hours.
- Serve immediately, garnished with sour cream, corn chips and green onions, if desired.
Equipment
Notes
- Lean ground beef is ideal. The best ground beef has some fat – 80/20 or 85/15 are both excellent options, ensuring that the meat stays juicy and tender during the long cook time. Extra lean meats can be drier (and blander).
- Brown the meat first. Browning beforehand is key, deepening its rich, meaty taste.
- Use a blend of beans. Using different beans will add contrasting textures and flavors. Using a blend of pinto beans, kidney beans, and black beans offers even more variety whereas cannellini beans and kidney beans will be slightly milder.
- Use good-quality stock. The better quality your stock, the better your chili. Many brands love to pack in the salt so always opt for unsalted or a lower-sodium variety.
- Add garnishes. Garnishes are always optional but a fresh sprinkle of green onions or some corn chips will certainly take your chili to the next level, adding more flavor, texture and contrast.
- Freeze in individual servings. This will allow for faster, consistent thawing overnight and give you perfectly portioned grab-and-go meals for the busy week.
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This is my like my tenth time making this chili. It’s my go to favourite recipe for a hearty dinner on a cold Canadian night. I made some tweaks to make it a bit more spicy and just l love it. I added a dash of more chili powder and a table spoon of sriracha sauce. Thanks so much for making this receipe easy and awesome!!!!
I hadn’t made chili in a long time (much to my husband’s dismay), before I never liked any that I made. In desperate need of a slow cooker recipe, I gave this one a whirl. We all loved it!! Flavorful, with a great texture; this recipe is a winner!
I made this, and used2 cans black beans and 3 pounds 90/10 ground beef, and extra chili powder, and extra cumin. I added spices to my taste . DELICIOUS !!!
Now added to my top 10 favorite dishes !!
Followed the recipe and it was great. If your crew likes heat, it can use a little more, but as-is, it was very flavorful. As others commented – leaving the lid off the slow cooker for a bit to make for a less watery end result works great. I would also say – if you are looking for less meat, i would guess you can change the ratio of meat/beans pretty easily. Am planning to share this with a few friends.
Made it a few weeks ago and it was a hit with the whole family. And made so much! Here I am getting the recipe to make it again on a cold Texas night.
Soooooo good! Ive been using this recipe for a coupple years, i use two cans of fire roasted rotel diced tomatoes and add a small can of diced jalapenos also! Best chili ever!
Easy as can be….and delicious. First time I did chili in a slow cooker. and it was great.
So easy and so good!
This is my go to chili recipe!!! I’ve made it so many times now and keep surprising myself with how good it comes out.
Will be my goto chili recipe from now on. I used 1lb each ground beef and stew beef, oven roasted garlic, and pinto and black beans. Really excellent chili!!
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Please flag Janice Robinsons latest reply of people on this recipe website!
Amazing. I have made this loads of times. Usually a double batch. I always add gochujang as well, gives it a great kick!
Dear Damn Delicious team,
I LOVE your recipes! I have made this chili countless times because it is the best I have ever tried. All my guests are crazy about it as well AND it tastes just as good the next day! Keep up the amazing work!
This is my go to chili recipe. I use it to make moose chili. It’s a hit with the family every time I make it!
I add a can of chipolte adobo peppers and then pull the peppers out when it’s ready to eat. I also add a small can of hatch green chili’s to it. It adds a little more Smokey-chipotle flavor to the chilli.
I can describe this in one word….Great!!!!
I think the seasonings really make this the best chili ever! Specifically, the smoked paprika. I don’t think I’d ever added that to chili before. I have my second batch in the Crock Pot now. My husband isn’t a huge fan of chili, but said it was amazing the last time I made it!
I made this for the first time during the lockdown when my picky-eater-son was living with us. It was a hit! Though there are just my husband and me now, I still make it and freeze the leftovers. I just leave out the chili and hot sauce. So easy and delicious!
I’m new to cooking and I love this recipe. So does the family. I decided to make it again and was in a hurry and forgot to brown the meat. It is cooking all day but I have terribly screwed up?
I’m interested to hear how that turned out for you… I’ve made this recipe several times and it’s always really good!
Maybe everything to the T except for except for my fresh tomatoes..
Very tasty recipe. I added a can of spicy green chiles to the recipe (I’m from Colorado), and it wasn’t very spicy. I will add 2 cans next time. The flavor was great! Will make again.