Slow Cooker Chili

It doesn’t get better than slow cooker chili! This is the best slow cooker chili recipe you’ll find, made with ground beef, beans, the perfect homemade chili seasoning, and a secret ingredient – maple syrup.

It’s chili season, people! And you know we’re big chili fans here at Fit Foodie Finds. While we love mixing things up with flavors and ingredients, this is a tried and true recipe for classic slow cooker chili. It’s simple, delicious, and oh so easy to make.

Simply cook the beef in a skillet, transfer it to a slow cooker with the remaining ingredients, set it, and forget it! This crockpot chili is similar to our beef chili recipe, with a few tweaks and, of course, made in the slow cooker. There’s minimal prep which makes this recipe a go-to for busy days.

“Absolutely delicious! 5 stars from my hubby and he’s picky with his chili!” – Jenikka

This crockpot chili comes together with simple ingredients. Nothing fancy here!

1. tomato sauce (for ultra tomato flavor)
2. crushed tomatoes (adds texture)
3. tomato paste (to thicken and intensify the flavors)

Make this slow cooker chili recipe your own! Use any of the following easy ingredient swaps in your own kitchen:

• Beef: Use the same amount of ground chicken or ground turkey instead of beef. We’ve even make this chili recipe with a plant-based ground to make it vegetarian.
• Beans: Feel free to swap the beans for a different kind such as black beans, garbanzo beans, or cannellini beans.
• Broth: We love using beef broth when cooking with ground beef, but use any broth you prefer.
• Maple: Swap pure maple syrup with a little brown sugar or honey.
• Spices: Use 3-4 tablespoons of our homemade chili seasoning in place of all of the spices.

More of our Favorite…

Crockpot Soup + Chili Recipes

• Crockpot Chicken Chili
• Slow Cooker Turkey Chili
• Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup
• Slow Cooker Chicken Pot Pie Soup
• Crockpot Chicken Noodle Soup
• Slow Cooker Taco Soup

FAQ

How can you make this chili vegetarian?

For vegetarian slow cooker chili, use a plant-based ground or make our vegetarian chili recipe instead.

Can you make this chili on the stovetop?

Absolutely. We include stovetop chili instructions in the recipe notes (at the bottom of the recipe card).

Store slow cooker chili in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Slow cooker chili freezes wonderfully! We have an entire guide about how to freeze soup and it works the exact same way for chili. In a nutshell, let the chili cool completely, transfer it to freezer-safe containers, seal, and freeze for up to 3 months.

Got leftovers? Here are a few ways you can repurpose this slow cooker chili:

Slow Cooker Chili Serving Suggestions

Never skip the toppings! We love jazzing up bowls of chili with any of the following:

• Tortilla chips
• Sliced avocado or guacamole
• Fresh cilantro
• Sour cream or Greek yogurt
• Diced bell peppers
• Diced red onion
• Lime wedges

Print

• 2 lbs. ground beef we use 85% fat
• 1/2 medium yellow onion finely diced
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 15 oz. butter beans beans drained and rinsed
• 30 oz. kidney beans drained and rinsed
• 15 oz. tomato sauce
• 28 oz. crushed tomatoes
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 2 teaspoons hot sauce we use tabasco
• ¼ cup chili powder
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon salt or more to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
• 2 cups beef broth or chicken broth/water

• Heat a large skillet over medium/high heat and add the beef to the pan.
• Break the meat up into small pieces and cook for 3-4 minutes.
• Add the yellow onion and garlic to the pan and cook all the ingredients together until the ground beef is almost fully cooked but still has hints of pink.
• Drain off half of the ground beef grease (keeping some in the beef for the chili) and pour the beef mixture into the slow cooker.
• Add the rest of the chili ingredients to the slow cooker and mix until combined.
• Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours.
• Serve with Greek yogurt, cheddar cheese, and avocado.

• Storage: Store slow cooker chili in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Chili tends to thicken as it cools, so leftover chili will likely be thicker than when you first made it. Add 1 tablespoon of broth or water at a time to thin out the chili to your desired consistency.
• Freezer Instructions: Let the chili cool completely, transfer it to freezer-safe containers, seal, and freeze for up to 3 months.

Calories: 394kcal Carbohydrates: 36g Protein: 34g Fat: 14g Fiber: 8g Sugar: 12g

Photography: photos taken in this post are by Erin from The Wooden Skillet.

Original Article