If you have a Crock-Pot or slow cooker, you must make this slow cooker chili recipe! It’s probably the easiest slow cooker recipe there is, and certainly my family’s favorite. Set it up in the morning, turn it on low for 8 hours, and you’ll come home to a house that smells amazing and dinner that’s ready to eat!
This recipe is very flexible. Adjust it to your family’s liking! For the meat, I usually use ground beef, but swap in ground chicken or ground turkey if you want to make your chili lighter. Adjust the seasonings to your family’s preferences; make it spicy or keep it mild. Serve it with cornbread or spoonbread on the side, and if you’ve got time, mix up a batch of potato salad or cole slaw, too.
Slow Cooker Chili Key Ingredients + Swaps
- Meat: You can either use all beef (use lean 90/10 beef) or a combo of ground beef and ground pork. For super lean chili, use ground turkey or ground chicken instead of beef.
- Beans: Kidney beans are the classic slow cooker chili beans, but it’s fine to use different beans! Pinto beans, black beans or a combo of kidney, black, or pinto beans would all work well.
- Canned tomatoes: Fire roasted canned tomatoes are the only canned tomatoes I buy anymore. They’re so full of extra flavor and they’re PERFECT for chili. That said, if you only have regular canned tomatoes, they’ll work fine.
- Tomato paste: For extra deep, rich savory flavor.
- Seasonings: Chili powder, garlic powder, garlic, beef bouillon cubes, salt and pepper.
- Veggies: Peppers, onions, jalapeño (leave it out if you don’t like spice).
How To Make Chili in a Crock-Pot
You can find more detailed recipe instructions at the bottom of this post.
How I Serve It: Toppings & Side Dishes
I always top my chili with cheese! You can use grated cheddar, or I really love to use Monterey or pepper jack. I often set out lots of toppings so everyone can dress up their chili how they like it. I usually set out:
- Sour cream or full-fat, plain Greek yogurt
- Creamy avocado
- Diced onion
- Tortilla chips or Fritos
- Pickled jalapeños for the grown ups (and adventurous kids).
How To Store & Freeze
Leftovers keep really well in the fridge for about 4 days, or you can freeze them for up to 4 months. When you’re ready to reheat it, let the chili thaw overnight in the fridge, and then reheat it gently on the stove top over medium-low heat.
More Chili Recipes
Easy Weeknight Meals Galore
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