Crockpot Chili is packed with hearty flavors and easy to prepare! It’s a savory blend of ground beef, beans & spices simmered to perfection!

close up of a bowl of crockpot chili topped with shredded cheddar, diced red onion, and crumbled saltine crackers

Why We Love Slow Cooker Chili

This is literally an award-winning crockpot chili. Took it to a chili cook-off and this recipe won first place. So there ya go.
If you have a busy day and want a hearty meal, this set-and-forget option is perfect. I’ll uncover the chili and make some cornbread to go with it and everything is ready together. Super easy.
Since this recipe makes a big batch, it’s great for splitting in half and freezing dinner for another night. You could also take the frozen half camping, let it thaw in the cooler, and reheat it in a pot over the campfire.

ladle of crockpot chili over the slow cooker

Ingredients You’ll Need to Make This Crockpot Chili Recipe

GROUND BEEF: We’re using 80/20 ground beef for this chili. My husband likes extra lean (93/7) ground beef sometimes and it’ll work just as well. I wouldn’t go below 80/20 though, keep the lean amount at 80% or higher.

PRODUCE: You’ll need a white onion and a green bell pepper for the chili. If you have a yellow or sweet onion on hand already, that’s fine to use. And if a different color of bell pepper is on sale, go ahead and grab that instead. It’s totally fine to swap.

PANTRY ITEMS: Gotta have beans for chili! (Unless you live in Texas. I feel you. Chili con carne is bomb.) Grab a can of black beans and some chili beans in chili sauce. You’ll also need canned petit diced tomatoes, tomato sauce/puree, a can of Rotel, and your favorite red salsa.

SEASONINGS: To bring some extra flavor to the party, you’ll need salt and pepper (or course) along with garlic powder, onion powder, and chili powder.

ingredients to make crockpot chili with text labels

How to Make Crockpot Chili

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STEP 1 Place a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the ground beef. Cook until it’s browned all the way through, about 8-10 minutes, being sure to break up the meat as it cooks. Then add the chopped onions and bell pepper and cook for another 5 minutes until the veggies soften up.

browned ground beef in a skillet with chopped onion and green bell pepper

STEP 2 Add the chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper to the ground beef and stir until everything is well seasoned. Cook that for another 5 minutes until it becomes fragrant.

spices added to ground beef and veggies in a skillet

STEP 3 Transfer everything in the skillet it a slow cooker. Then pour in the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, Rotel, salsa, and all the beans.

crock pot with ground beef mixture, canned diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, salsa, rotel, black beans, and chili beans in chili sauce

STEP 4 Give that a stir so everything is mixed together. Cover the crock pot and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or on HIGH for 5-6 hours.

crockpot chili ingredients mixed together in a slow cooker

STEP 5 Help the chili thicken up by taking off the cover during the last 30 minutes to 1 hour of cooking time. Give the chili another stir, portion it into bowls, and add your favorite toppings.

crockpot chili in a slow cooker after cooking

Tips & Tricks

The star of this recipe is the chili beans in chili sauce, so DO NOT skip them! They’re available on Amazon for a reasonable price if you can’t find them at your local store, but I’ve seen them at Target and Walmart too. You can even get the spicy sauce beans if you want to add a kick to your chili.
If you don’t want to use ground beef, you can substitute ground turkey, ground pork, ground chicken, or use a combination. I’ve tried half ground beef and half ground pork and it’s pretty great.
You can reheat leftover chili in the microwave, on the stovetop, or in the slow cooker. I like to take half this recipe and freeze it (once it cools down to room temp). Then, I pop it into the slow cooker to thaw and reheat it on LOW the day we want to eat it.

looking down at a bowl of crockpot chili next to the slow cooker

Chili in a Crock Pot FAQ

Do you have to brown ground beef before putting it in a crockpot?

Yes, you do! Oh my gosh, please don’t ever put raw ground beef into a slow cooker.

Browning the ground beef until it’s cooked through lets it expel excess fat, develops flavor, and sears the meat so it holds its texture, even in a long cook in the crockpot. If you put raw ground beef into a slow cooker soup, stew, or chili, it’ll turn to mush as it cooks. 🤢

Is chili better in a slow cooker?

A crock pot is a great way to cook chili since you want a long, slow simmer to get the best flavor. Really, it’s all about preference and how much time you have to spend making the chili. Making it in a slow cooker lets dinner cook all day while you’re at work or running around. Most stovetop recipes have a cooking time of 30 to 45 minutes, but I’ve seen recipes that simmer for 1 to 3 hours.

How long to cook crockpot chili?

Since low and slow is the way to go, it’s really best to cook chili for 8 hours on LOW in a crock pot. If you need to hurry things up, you can cook it for 5-6 hours on HIGH instead.

spoonful of crockpot chili over the bowl

Other Recipes You May Like

Crockpot Chili

Julie Kotzbach

Crockpot Chili is packed with hearty flavors and easy to prepare! It's a savory blend of ground beef, beans & spices simmered to perfection!

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 8 20

Total Time 8 35

Course Main Dish

Cuisine American

Servings

Calories 386 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

2 pounds 80% lean ground beef
1 cup white onion peeled and diced
1 cup green bell pepper cored and diced
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
56 ounces canned petite diced tomatoes (2 cans)
8 ounces tomato sauce (1 can)
10 ounces Rotel tomatoes
1 cup salsa
40 ounces canned chili beans in chili sauce undrained (2.5 cans)
15 ounces canned black beans drained and rinsed

Instructions

Place a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook for 8-10 minutes until it is browned through and there is no pink left. Be sure to break up the meat as it cooks. Drain any excess grease.
Add the onion and bell pepper to the skillet. Cook for about 5 minutes until the veggies have softened.
Add the chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper to the skillet and stir to combine. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring often.
Transfer the seasoned ground beef and veggies to a slow cooker. Add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, Rotel, salsa, chili beans, and black beans. Stir until well combined.
Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 or on HIGH for 5-6 hours. (If possible, stir every 1-2 hours to prevent sticking.) To thicken slightly, remove the lid for the last 30 minutes of cooking.
Portion into bowls and serve warm with your favorite toppings, or enjoy as is.

Notes

Store any leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 386 kcalCarbohydrates: 39 gProtein: 23 gFat: 17 gSaturated Fat: 6 gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1 gMonounsaturated Fat: 7 gTrans Fat: 1 gCholesterol: 54 mgSodium: 1071 mgPotassium: 962 mgFiber: 13 gSugar: 10 gVitamin A: 956 IUVitamin C: 29 mgCalcium: 99 mgIron: 5 mg

All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods and portion sizes per household.

Keyword crock pot chili, crockpot chili, slow cooker chili

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