This crockpot chili recipe is so easy to make with your choice of ground meats, fire roasted tomatoes, beans and lots of spicy seasoning, a favorite. Just set it and forget it.
Easy Crockpot Chili
Who's ready for a big bowl of steaming chili? I know I am. Today we're making a big batch of Crock Pot Chili, and we're making it extra spicy, just the way we like it.
Truthfully, I'll take chili just about any way I can get it. It's classic comfort food. I have a lot of chili recipes on the site, as I love to make it many different ways, with different choices of meats, different beans or no beans at all, different seasonings, and certainly different chili peppers.
This particular recipe is an easy one, with lots of ground meat, onion, garlic, chilies, beans, fire roasted tomatoes, and lots of seasonings. It's easy because we're tossing everything into the crock pot to cook low and slow, which develops a powerful depth of flavor to your chili.
It really is my favorite slow cooker chili recipe with all the spices, though it's also very easy to adapt and change to your own preferences.
Feel free to change up the ground meats, or use a combination. Use different beans and spices. Try it my way first, then update as you with.
We really love this recipe, and now it's yours!
Let's talk about how to make crockpot chili, shall we?
Crockpot Chili Ingredients
- Olive Oil. For cooking.
- Ground Meat. I use either ground turkey or ground beef for my chili, but ground pork or ground chicken are great, too.
- Onion.
- Peppers. I use a green bell pepper, a couple jalapeno peppers, and a hotter pepper, depending on my mood. Today I tossed in a chopped habanero, but you can use a hot pepper of choice, or even a can of green chilies. Stick with jalapenos for not so hot, or bell pepper only for a milder crock pot chili.
- Garlic. Lots of garlic for me, please!
- Beans. I usually grab kidney beans, though you can use your favorite chili beans, like pinto beans or black beans.
- Fire Roasted Tomatoes. Canned is easiest, 15 oz cans. You can also use diced tomatoes, though I love the fire roasted flavor.
- Seasonings. Ancho powder, guajillo powder, cumin, salt and pepper, and red pepper flakes.
- For Serving. Sliced roasted jalapenos, spicy chili flakes, hot sauce, fresh chopped parsley or cilantro, tortilla chips.
How to Make Crockpot Chili - the Recipe Method
Cook the Ground Meat and Vegetables. Heat the oil in a large skillet and add the ground meat, onion and peppers. Cook them down about 10 minutes, or until the ground meat is cooked through and the vegetables are softened.
Add the garlic and cook another minute, stirring.
NOTE: You can skip the above steps and just dump everything into the crockpot if you'd like, but browning the beef or turkey and cooking the vegetables this way develops more flavor in the final pot of chili. I definitely recommend it.
Transfer to the Crock Pot. Transfer the skillet contents to a crock pot, along with the remainder of the ingredients. Stir to combine.
Slow Cook the Chili. Cook the chili in the crock pot on low for 4-6 hours, or on high for 2-3 hours to let the flavors develop, stirring every now and then. Adjust for seasonings if you wish.
You can adjust the cooking time to simmer longer to develop more flavor.
Taste and Adjust for Seasonings. Give it taste and add in more salt and pepper, if needed.
Serve Up Some Chili! Serve in bowls with your favorite chili toppings.
Boom! Done! Crockpot chili is so easy to make, isn't it? Everything gets dumped into the slow cooker and off you go. The hard part is the waiting and choosing your favorite toppings!
I hope your family loves this recipe as much as we do.
My Favorite Chili Toppings
Everyone has their favorites, but I love the following when I serve up a bowl of chili.
- Roasted Jalapeno Peppers. I love the flavor of sliced roasted jalapenos. Fresh slices are great, too! Or both!
- Hot Sauce. Dash on some of your favorite hot sauce. You really can't go wrong with hot sauce. Don't forget it!
- Red Chili Flakes. Bring on some heat for me!
- Tortilla Chips. I serve them on the side so I can scoop up some chili and get a nice crunchy bite. Addictive for sure.
- Mexican Crema. Sour cream is good, for when you make your chili a little too spicy. Oops! Is this even possible?
- Fresh Herbs. I often use chopped parsley or cilantro, for a touch of freshness.
- Lime Wedges. For squeezing a bit of lime juice over your chili. Adds a nice citrus pop.
- Avocado. You'll be surprised at the flavor avocado brings to your chili as a topping.
What are your favorite chili toppings? I'd love to hear.
Recipe Tips & Notes
- Seasonings. You can use other seasonings for your chili. The recipe includes one of my favorite blends, but consider other chili powders, like chipotle powder, New Mexican chili powder, or your favorite American blend. Consider brown sugar for a touch of sweetness, or bitter chocolate for a surprising flavor addition.
- Add a cup of beef broth for a looser chili that isn't quite as thick.
- Serving Ideas. I love a great bowl of chili, but change it up by topping a baked potato, or making a batch of chili mac and cheese! Make a chili cheese dog, or some fun Frito Pie.
Storage Information
You can store leftover chili in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. To enjoy it again, simply reheat it over medium heat in a pot on the stovetop.
You can also freeze chili in freezer proof containers for 3 months or longer. I freeze batches of chili all the time.
That's it, my friends. I hope you enjoy my easy crockpot chili recipe. Let me know if you make it. I'd love to hear how it turned out for you. Keep it spicy!
Try Some of My Other Popular Recipes
Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.
Easy Crockpot Chili Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1.5 pounds ground turkey or beef
- 1 large onion chopped
- 2 jalapeno peppers chopped
- 1 bell pepper chopped
- 1 spicy chili pepper chopped - I used a habanero, but add to your preference
- 4 cloves garlic chopped
- 2 cans kidney beans drained
- 3 cans fire roasted tomatoes 42 ounces, or use equivalent fresh
- 2 tablespoons ancho powder
- 2 tablespoons guajillo powder
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon red chili flakes
- Salt and pepper to taste
- FOR SERVING: Sliced roasted jalapenos, spicy chili flakes, hot sauce, fresh chopped parsley or cilantro
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large skillet and add the ground meat, onion and peppers. Cook them down about 10 minutes, or until the ground meat is cooked through and the vegetables are softened.
- Add the garlic and cook another minute, stirring.
- Transfer the skillet contents to a crock pot, along with the remainder of the ingredients. Stir to combine.
- Cook the chili in the crock pot on low for 4-6 hours, or on high for 2-3 hours to let the flavors develop, stirring every now and then. Adjust for seasonings if you wish.
- Serve in bowls with your favorite fixings.
Nutrition Information
Karin Pelton says
So what happens when you don’t drain the beans? It’s not watery so that’s good. I wish it would say to drain the beans in the instructions. I’ll let you know how it turns out I’m guessing we will have the toots lol
Mike Hultquist says
Karin, you CAN drain the beans to reduce sodium and overall thinness of the chili. The choice is yours. I usually DO drain and rinse my beans. I edited the recipe to clarify.
Phil says
Do you drain the water from the kidney bean cans and just add the beans or do you include the liquid?
Mike Hultquist says
Drain them, Phil. Enjoy!
Paul W. Anderson says
Recipe looks great, will be trying it soon. My question is more on the process, I noticed that your photos do not include a plastic liner in your pot. Personally I am not a fan of them, but have been criticized for not using! Do you have an opinion?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Paul, I've never used a plastic liner in my crock pot.
Bruce Loder says
My family has many awards from past years from chili cook off contests. I like yours because it isn’t too complicated and I can just use a crock pot. I’m used to making gallons at a time and stirring for hours over a fire. I will be trying your recipe. Thanks!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Bruce! I appreciate it and hope you enjoy it!