Easy Crock Pot Chili Recipe

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!

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 ground beef, 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.

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. 
• The prep is so quick! Just add tomatoes, tomato sauce, and beans, and set it to cook to perfection.
• Savory ground beef makes this chili filling and satisfying. Top it off with your favorite Tex-Mex toppings for a well-rounded meal.

Crockpot Chili Ingredients

• Hamburger – Ground beef adds extra protein, texture, and flavor to this crockpot chili. Be sure to drain it once it’s browned to keep that extra grease out. If you’d like a more lean option, you can also use ground chicken or ground turkey.
• 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 – Diced yellow 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. It’s my secret ingredient for the best crockpot chili recipe!
• Cumin – An essential chili spice, cumin brings a warm and earthy flavor to this homemade chili recipe.
• 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 or corn chips
• your favorite hot sauce
• diced bell peppers

Is Chili Better In the Slow Cooker?

How to Make Slow Cooker Chili

1. Brown the lean ground beef and diced onions in a skillet. Drain the excess grease off once it’s cooked.
2. Stir all the ingredients together in a large Crock Pot.
3. Cook on high heat for 3-4 hour or low heat for 6-8 hours.
4. 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 is too spicy?

The best way to tone down a chili that’s too spicy is by adding more beans or tomatoes. Topping the chili with dairy products like sour cream, Greek yogurt, or shredded cheddar 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 and pinto beans are also a great option in crockpot chili.

Can you cook ground beef in a crockpot?

Yes, you can! However, I prefer to brown the ground beef before adding it to the slow cooker so that I can drain off the excess grease. This helps to ensure that the crockpot chili isn’t too greasy.

Can I make this Chili on the Stovetop?

If you don’t have a crock pot, this slow cooker chili recipe 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 and 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 definitely 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, you can store it in the freezer. Freeze any leftovers in a freezer friendly container or heavy duty freezer bags for up to 6 months.

If the chili thickens after it is cooled add beef broth to thin it out when you warm it up.

What to Serve with Chili

Serve this hearty chili with hearty sides like a baked potato, cornbread, or some fluffy homemade rolls. You can also serve over fresh rice or some corn chips!

This broccoli slaw would also be so tasty, and so would a heaping serving of potato salad.

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

More Crock Pot Recipes You’ll Love!

• Nothing beats the flavor of this Crock Pot White Chili recipe! It’s just so yummy!
• Crock Pot Turkey Breasts is not only a great dinner, but is perfect for Thanksgiving too. Avoid making a whole turkey with this easy recipe.
• Make a classic comfort food like Crock Pot Chicken Pot Pie as a hearty dinner during the cold winter months.
• Mississippi Pot Roast is so juicy, so tender, and loaded with the most incredible flavor. A classic crock pot meal that never gets old.