Best Crock Pot Chili

4.41 from 302 votes

Posted: 09/25/19

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Crock Pot Chili is an easy slow cooker recipe that is one of my favorite comfort food recipes! There’s nothing like sitting down to a big bowl of chili on a cold winter night. This recipe is loaded with ground beef, beans, tomato sauce and seasonings. So much flavor after slow cooking all day!

PIN IT FOR LATER!

This Crock Pot Chili will warm you up and save you time on a cold day. Try topping it with cheese or enjoy it over tortilla chips for a delicious winter treat.

I love that it’s a mostly “dump and go” recipe that can cook all day long, just like this Crockpot Italian Chicken.

Simply brown the hamburger, mix everything together in the crockpot and then let it simmer to develop the flavors. If getting it ready in the morning stresses you out a short cut is to prep everything the night before. Then just pull it out of the fridge and pop it in your slow cooker!

Another one of my favorite twists on this recipe is Crock Pot Chili Mac! The kids LOVE this because it include noodles! Or, if you have a pressure cooker, you might like to try my Instant Pot Chili.

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Why You’ll Love this Crock Pot Chili Recipe!

The longer you cook chili, the better it tastes. Simmer it all day long in your slow cooker for the best, most flavorful chili ever. Here’s why you’ll love it!

Win your time back! With this recipe, you can set it and forget it once your chili ingredients are in the crock pot.
Prep is quick. Just add tomatoes, tomato sauce, and beans, and you’re cooking.
Savory ground beef makes this chili filling and satisfying.
Cumin, oregano, chili powder, and garlic salt bring all the bold flavor you want in a hot bowl of chili.
Top it off with your favorite Tex-Mex toppings for a well-rounded meal.

Is Chili Better In Slow Cooker?

We believe it is! The longer you chili cooks the more the flavors meld together. That’s why slow cooking it all day long results in the best, most flavorful chili!

Crockpot Chili Ingredients

Hamburger – Ground beef adds extra protein, texture, and flavor to this chili. Be sure to drain it once it’s browned to keep that extra grease out.
Canned diced tomatoes – Pre-diced tomatoes are a breeze to use, and you won’t have to chop them yourself. We use petite to sneak them by the kids but plain diced tomatoes will work fine too.
Onion – Onion adds a nice dose of flavor, especially as it slow-cooks with the rest of the ingredients.
Tomato sauce – Canned tomato sauce helps make a base for your chili with minimal effort.
Chili beans – Prepared chili beans often have extra seasoning added. So you’ll have a variety of beans and an extra dose of flavor in your chili.
Chili powder – The essential spice in the chili, you can use less chili powder if you prefer, but I wouldn’t leave it out.
Garlic salt – This adds a savory flavor and aroma that’s impossible to resist.
Cumin – An essential chili spice, cumin brings a warm, earthy flavor.
Oregano – Oregano’s pungent, lightly floral taste adds dimension to this dish.

Toppings For Crock Pot Chili

Here are a few of our favorite chili toppings!

Shredded Cheese
Chopped onions
Jalapenos
Diced tomatoes
Chopped avocados
Chopped fresh cilantro
Sour Cream
Fritos

Black crock pot with chili ingredients before mixing

Black crock pot with chili before cooking

How to Make Slow Cooker Chili

Brown the hamburger and onions in a skillet. Drain the excess grease off once it’s cooked.
Stir all the ingredients together in a large Crock Pot.
Cook on high heat for 3-4 hour or low heat for 6-8 hours.
Once the chili is ready, top it off with sour cream, cheese, green onions, or whichever toppings you prefer.

Serving Suggestions

If you want more comforting sides with your Crock Pot Chili, say no more. Pour it over a big slice of warm Cornbread, or have a slice on the side with real butter.

For some lighter sides, air-fryer Corn on the Cob is super easy to make and a treat to eat. Finally, a traditional Seven Layer Salad can be made ahead of time for the easiest dinner ever!

How do you fix chili that’s too spicy?

The best way to tone down a chili that’s too spicy is by adding more beans or tomatoes. Topping it with dairy products like sour cream or cheese will also mellow out the spice.

What kind of beans are best for chili?

We like to make things easy, so we chose to use canned chili beans because there are spices mixed into the beans. If you’d rather mix in more of your own spices, kidney beans are also a great option.

Can you cook ground beef in a crockpot?

Yes, you can. We recommend cooking it on high so the internal temperature comes up to 140 degrees F within 2 hours, which is a safe temperature

Can I make this Chili in the Instant Pot?

Here’s the Instant Pot Chili recipe with directions!

Can I make this Chili on the Stovetop?

If you don’t have a slow cooker this can also be made on the stove top. Brown the onion and ground beef in a large pot over medium-high heat. Drain off excess fat. Then add the rest of the ingredients and simmer 2 hours over low heat.

How to Store Leftover Chili

This is a large batch chili recipe so you will have leftovers unless you are serving it at a party!

Refrigerator: Let the chili come to room temperature and then place in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Freezer: To further extend the life of chili it is freezer friendly. Freeze any leftovers in a freezer friendly container or heavy duty freezer bags for up to 6 months.

White bowl with chili in it topped with sour cream, green onions and cheese

WOW I’m glad I tried this Crockpot Chili again. It’s simply amazing. It will quickly become your family’s go-to recipe for chili! The secret….cumin.

Curl up in front of your fireplace with a big bowl of this easy crockpot chili and warm up!

More great chili recipes!

Nothing beats the flavor of this Crock Pot White Chili recipe!
Can’t decide between chili and pasta? Make this Crock Pot Chili Mac for the best of both worlds!
Need a smaller batch? This Stove Top Chili is the perfect size for feeding a family for dinner.

Meet Julie Evink

I'm here to help you win in the kitchen again! Life is Busy, Life is Crazy, but that doesn't mean you can't make your family dinner! Julie's goal is to provide you with easy, family, friendly recipes that use pantry staples. Dinnertime will be stress free again!