This Easy Slow Cooker Chili is a healthy and comforting family favorite! So fast and easy to prep – it cooks all day to perfection. Top it with shredded cheese, creamy avocado, corn chips, and any other favorite toppings.
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For those nights when you want dinner prepared and waiting for you in the evening, soups and stews in the slow cooker are the best! It’s been freezing here even in the south and there’s nothing like a hot and comforting bowl of chili on a cold day. It warms you right up!
My favorite easy Slow Cooker chili recipe focuses on easy pantry staples and keeps prep work to a minimum. A lot of people have their own chili version they love to make and below I’m sharing my favorite. This chili recipe is very balanced – I found the perfect ratio of spices, meat, and beans. It’s nice and hearty with lots of meat and the perfect amount of beans. It’s not thin or watery like some chili recipes. It is SO good… you’ll definitely want seconds (and thirds…). Yum!
Reasons you will love this chili
- Hearty, healthy and delicious
- Conveniently cooks in the slow cooker (hands-off)
- Great for a potluck or party
- Better the next day so makes great leftovers
- Freezes wonderfully
- Uses mostly pantry staples
- Easy clean up
- Family friendly
The basic ingredients for my easy chili
- Ground beef or turkey
- Red, orange, or yellow bell pepper
- Crushed tomatoes and tomato paste
- Beans
- Bone broth
- Spices
- Some delicious toppings
It’s a breeze to make
This chili is a breeze to make since it just slowly cooks all day in the slow cooker until it’s finally time to eat and there it is – waiting for you! The only hands on step you have to do is a quick 10 minute browning of the meat. Then, place the meat along with everything else into the pot and go about your day. So perfect! And when it’s ready, load it up with ALL the yummy toppings.
All the Chili Toppings…
A good chili can’t be made complete without a happy array of delicious toppings or fixin’s so here is a short list of our favorites:
- Cheddar cheese, Mexican cheese, or Monterey Jack
- Avocado
- Green onion
- Sour cream
- Red onion
- Corn chips
- Tortilla chips
- Cilantro
- Lime wedges
How to store and freeze chili
If you should have any leftovers be sure to store them in an airtight container in the fridge up to 4 days. Chili makes the most wonderful freezer meal, as well. All you have to do is cool it completely, transfer to a freezer-safe container or freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
Easy Slow Cooker Chili
- Total Time: 6 hours 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
This easy slow cooker chili is a healthy and comforting family favorite! So fast and easy to prep – it cooks all day to perfection. Top it with shredded cheese, creamy avocado, corn chips, and any other favorite toppings.
Ingredients
- 1 lb lean ground beef or turkey
- 1 sweet bell pepper, finely diced
- 28 oz can fire roasted crushed tomatoes (or Italian crushed)
- 14 oz can of red kidney beans, rinsed
- 14 oz can of pinto beans, rinsed
- 1 1/2 cups beef bone broth (or chicken)
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste
- 2 Tbsp chili powder
- 1 Tbsp ground cumin
- 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp sea salt, plus more to taste
- 1/4 tsp black pepper, plus more to taste
- 1/8 tsp cayenne (optional)
- 1 1/2 tsp sugar
To serve/toppings:
- Shredded Monterey Jack cheese or cheddar cheese
- Sliced avocado
- Sliced green onion
- Sour cream
- Chopped red onion
- Corn chips
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- Cook the meat in a large pan or cast iron skillet over medium high heat, breaking up the clumps with a wooden spoon, until it is browned well, about 10 minutes.
- Add browned meat and the rest of the ingredients, except the toppings, to the slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 6-7 hours or HIGH for 4 hours. Top with shredded cheese, avocado, lime juice, sour cream, corn chips, or other toppings of choice. Enjoy!
Notes
- Cool completely, place in a freezer safe container (or freezer bag) and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Instant Pot Instructions: Use the Sauté function to brown the meat and then add the rest of the chili ingredients to the Instant Pot. Turn the valve to sealing and pressure cook for 25 minutes. Do a quick pressure release or a natural pressure release.
- Prep Time: 25 min
- Cook Time: 6 hours
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Slow cooker
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 358
- Sugar: 6.7g
- Sodium: 695mg
- Fat: 11.7g
- Saturated Fat: 4.1g
- Carbohydrates: 32.5g
- Fiber: 10.2g
- Protein: 32.8g
- Cholesterol: 69mg
Other Comforting Soups You Might Like
- Roasted Cauliflower Potato Soup – incredibly delicious, creamy, and healthy soup filled with potatoes and roasted cauliflower, and seasoned with smoked paprika.
Delicious recipe! It is rarely cold enough for chili in CA but this week beings wind and rain and this was a perfect Sunday night dinner! Leftovers for work all week!
Thank you so much for the kind words 🙂 I am so glad you made it and you all enjoyed it!
I’m glad you’re back! The next time I make chili, I will use your recipe. I’m sure it tastes as good as it looks! And healthy.
I am so happy to be back, too and very glad to hear you will be making it. Thank you very much 🙂
This chili is SO good. The perfect dish for a cold winter night!
Thank you! You are so kind 🙂
My husband and I love chili. This is a perfect recipe for days when I work and can just walk in the door without having to worry about what’s for dinner! Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Thank you so much Diana! I hope you enjoy it 🙂