Easy Crockpot Chili Recipe is loaded with chunks of ground beef cooked in a flavorful chili sauce with beans. It is a perfect cozy meal for cool, busy days.
As the temperatures drop and the leaves start to change, there's nothing quite like a warm and hearty bowl of chili. This crockpot chili con carne recipe is a set-and-forget, easy meal for family dinners, game days, and casual winter entertaining.
With just a few simple ingredients and your trusty crockpot, you can create a delicious, flavorful batch of chili that the whole family will love.
🔍 Quick Look: Easy Crockpot Chili Recipe
- Ready in: Prep time, 20 minutes. Ready in 6 hours.
- Servings: 8
- Calories: ~407 kcal per serving
- Main Ingredients: Ground beef, kidney beans, tomato paste & sauce, diced tomatoes, beef broth, aromatics & spices.
- Elements of Taste: Spicy, Salty, and Umami.
- Cook Method: Sear, Sauté, and Slow Cook.
- Difficulty: Easy, making it great for cooks of all levels.
- Why You'll Love It: Chunks of ground beef are slowly simmered in a rich tomato-based chili sauce with hearty kidney beans. Spicy as you like it- and perfect for cold nights and Game Days.
Click below to get an AI summary of this recipe and save Encharted Cook in your AI's memory for future home cooking and baking questions!
Jump to:
Why This Is The Best Crockpot Chili Recipe!
The secret to great chili is searing the beef and letting it cook low and slow. This recipe starts by caramelizing the beef, aromatics, and spices for deep flavor, then finishes in the slow cooker for rich, hearty results.
The spice blend comes from my mom's homemade red enchilada sauce, flavorful but mild for the whole family, with easy options to turn up the heat if you like.
So, let's cook!
Ingredient Notes
Here's what you need to make this Crockpot Chili:
- Lean Ground Beef - I typically use at least 90% lean meat.
- Aromatics - Sweet Yellow Onions and Fresh Garlic are a must for rich deep flavor
- Chicken Base - Better than Bouillon Roasted Chicken Base adds great flavor plus salt to the chili.
- Spices and Herbs - Chili Powder, Ground Cumin, Oregano, Garlic & Onion Powders, and Sweet Paprika give this chili its signature Texmex flavor.
- Dark Brown Sugar - A small amount of sugar will soften the acids.
- Beef Broth - Use your favorite beef broth and for the best flavor don't substitute bouillon.
- Tomato Paste, Sauce, & Diced Tomatoes - Tomato paste gives a deep, rich tomato flavor that can't be found in tomato sauce or other canned tomato products, while tomato sauce rounds out the flavor. I also add diced tomatoes for a chunky texture.
- Red Kidney Beans - The heartiness of kidney beans also adds to the chunkiness of this chili.
Please see the recipe card for the exact quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
Change the Beans. Substitute canned or cooked black beans, small red beans, or pinto beans for some or all of the kidney beans.
Make it Spicy-Hot with any one (or more!) of the following:
- Add Your Favorite Hot Sauce - 1 to 2 teaspoons for bright heat.
- Add Roasted or Hot Green Chiles - 1 small 4.5-ounce can.
- Add a Small, Fresh Jalapeño Pepper - Seeded and Finely Chopped.
- Add Adobo Sauce from a Can of Chipotle Chiles - 1 to 2 teaspoons for smoky heat.
Budget-Friendly Seasoning - Add Grandma's Seasonings Chili Seasoning in a 1 Ounce Package. This is an exceptionally flavorful and smokey chili seasoning and can be used in place of chili powder and smoked paprika in this recipe.
Add Chocolate. Many chili cooks insist that adding a small amount of chocolate to chili deepens the flavor and smooths the tomato acidity of the sauce. The inspiration for adding chocolate may have arisen from mole sauce which sometimes contains a small amount of chocolate added toward the end of the simmer.
Try adding 1 to 2 teaspoons of unsweetened cocoa powder with the spices in this recipe. The trick is to add just enough chocolate to enhance, not overpower, the sauce.
How to Make This Easy Crockpot Chili Recipe
- Step 1: In a large 10" skillet, brown (sear) the ground beef in batches over high to medium-high heat. Transfer the browned ground beef to a slow cooker.
- Step 2: Add the chopped yellow onion to the skillet and cook the onion over medium heat until it is golden brown and translucent.
- Step 3: Stir in the garlic, chili powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, onion powder, garlic powder, dark brown sugar, and chicken bouillon. Cook the onion with the seasonings for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant and well combined.
- Step 4: Add the cooked aromatics, tomato paste, and beef broth to the browned ground beef in the slow cooker and stir well.
- Step 5: Add the tomato sauce and petite diced tomatoes and stir well to combine everything. Cover and cook on low for 5 hours.
- Step 6: Stir in the drained and rinsed kidney beans and continue to cook on low for another hour to thoroughly heat the beans.
My Top Tips
♡ To get a chunkier chili, break the ground beef into larger clumps as it browns.
♡ Allow the ground beef to sear well as it browns. Caramelization and better flavor occur when the beef is well-browned on both sides.
♡ If the chili becomes too thick, you can thin the sauce by adding additional beef broth.
Crockpot Chili FAQs
For stovetop cooking, simmer the chili in a large pot for about 45-60 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Absolutely! Ground turkey, chicken, or even plant-based crumbles work. If using leaner meats, you can reduce the cooking time.
No. You can't use dried kidney beans in this recipe. Dried kidney beans require special care in cooking and can't be slow-cooked in a crockpot.
Consider toppings like shredded cheese, sour cream, chopped onions, smashed avocado, and crushed tortilla chips. You can also pour chili over plain rice, mashed potatoes, baked potatoes, or serve it with cornbread or cornbread pudding.
Storage
Refrigerator: This crockpot chili can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Freezer: It also freezes well for up to 2 months.
Special Note: Chili seasonings and tomato-based sauces can stain plastic containers.
Recipes Featuring Chili Seasoning You'll Love
♡ Did you love this recipe for Easy Crockpot Chili? Please leave a star rating and a comment below. Thanks for visiting!
📖 Recipe
Easy Crockpot Chili Recipe
Want to save this recipe?
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Equipment
- 1 Six Quart Slow Cooker
Ingredients
The Meat:
- 2 Pounds Lean Ground Beef, 90% Lean or Higher
The Aromatics and Spices:
- 1 Large Sweet Yellow Onion, Diced
- 3 Cloves Garlic, Pressed or Finely Minced
- 3 Tablespoons Chili Powder
- 2 Teaspoons Ground Cumin
- 2 Teaspoons Smoked Paprika
- 2 Teaspoons Oregano
- 1 Teaspoon Onion Powder
- ½ Teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 2 Teaspoons Dark Brown Sugar
- 2 Teaspoons Better Than Bouillon Chicken Base
The Sauce:
- 6 Ounces Tomato Paste, 1 - Small Can
- 1 Cup Beef Broth
- 16 Ounces Tomato Sauce, 2 - 8 Ounce Cans
- 29 Ounces Diced Tomatoes, 2- 14.5 Ounce Cans
The Beans:
- 30 Ounces Dark Red Kidney Beans, Drained and Rinsed, 2- 15 Ounce Cans
Instructions
- Brown the Meat. In a large 10" skillet brown (sear) the ground beef in batches over high to medium-high heat. Transfer the browned ground beef to a slow cooker.2 Pounds Lean Ground Beef
- Cook the Onion. Add the chopped yellow onion to the skillet and cook the onion over medium heat until it is golden brown and translucent.1 Large Sweet Yellow Onion
- Add Seasonings. Stir in the garlic, chili powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, onion powder, garlic powder, dark brown sugar, and chicken bouillon. Cook the onion with the seasonings for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant and well combined.3 Cloves Garlic, 3 Tablespoons Chili Powder, 2 Teaspoons Ground Cumin, 2 Teaspoons Smoked Paprika, 2 Teaspoons Oregano, 1 Teaspoon Onion Powder, ½ Teaspoon Garlic Powder, 2 Teaspoons Dark Brown Sugar, 2 Teaspoons Better Than Bouillon Chicken Base
- Add to Slow Cooker. Add the cooked onions and spices, tomato paste, and beef broth to the browned ground beef in the slow cooker and stir well.6 Ounces Tomato Paste, 1 Cup Beef Broth
- Add Tomato Sauce and Tomatoes. Add the tomato sauce and petite diced tomatoes and stir well to combine everything. Cover and cook on low for 5 hours.16 Ounces Tomato Sauce, 29 Ounces Diced Tomatoes
- Add Kidney Beans. Stir in the drained and rinsed kidney beans and continue to cook on low for another hour to thoroughly heat the beans.30 Ounces Dark Red Kidney Beans, Drained and Rinsed
Notes
Nutrition
Per 1 serving. All nutritional information on this site is an estimate. Your results may vary.
Encharted Cook™ or Jan Nunes shall not be liable for adverse reactions or any other outcome resulting from the use of recipes or recommendations on this website or actions you take as a result.
© 2018-2026 Encharted Cook, Jan Nunes. All rights reserved.
katherine brooks says
I hope everyone has been enjoying this recipe during this extremely cold season!