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Crockpot Beef Chili

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This Crockpot beef chili recipe is hearty, stick-to-the-ribs, and makes a nice, big batch that's great for leftovers or freezing! 

Try my Easy Cincinnati Chili next for a fun take on chili.

close-up of beef chili in a white bowl

Homemade chili is like a big hug in a bowl, and it'll make your kitchen smell amazing as it cooks low and slow. 

I've been into cooking with ground beef lately. My easy beef bowls are a new favorite of mine, and readers have been enjoying them too. I also have a cheesy taco pasta that's made with ground beef and has similar flavors to this chili! 

ground beef chili in a slow cooker

Beef chili ingredients

  • Ground beef
  • Onion 
  • Diced tomatoes and tomato paste
  • Diced green chilies (you can find them in the Mexican aisle of most grocery stores)
  • Kidney beans (I use red ones but feel free to use white if you prefer)
  • Spice blend (I use chili powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, ground cumin, and optional cayenne pepper for some heat)
  • Worcestershire sauce 

How to make slow cooker beef chili

  1. Brown the beef and then drain the excess fat;
  2. Meanwhile, add the remaining ingredients to the slow cooker;
  3. Add the beef to your Crockpot and give it a good stir. 
  4. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours.

A few recipe notes:

  • I like to use leaner beef so there's less fat to drain, but this chili will work with any kind of ground beef. You may need to skim some fat off the top when re-heating the chili if you don't drain enough of the fat prior to adding it to the Crockpot. 
  • Feel free to sauté the onions along with the beef if you wish. I find it easier just to do the beef, but either way works.

Can I make this chili in my Instant Pot? 

Try my Instant Pot beef chili recipe.

Can I make this chili on the stove?

Yes. I'd follow the steps as instructed, but add the ingredients to a large pot instead of a Crockpot. I'd let it simmer for about 45 minutes to an hour or so. Or try my quick chili recipe if you're in a rush.

slow cooker ground beef chili in two white bowls

Toppings for Crockpot chili

  • Shredded cheddar or Tex-Mex blend cheese
  • Scallions
  • Chopped avocado
  • Chopped jalapenos
  • Sour cream
  • Tortilla chips/strips

...etc.

What to serve with chili

  • I find the chili by itself with topping is plenty, but you could also serve it over rice or pasta, on top of a baked potato (my husband's preferred method), or with cornbread even. 

Other chili recipes you may like:

classic chili close-up in a bowl

Will you make this slow cooker chili recipe?

Questions? Let me know in the comments!

close-up of beef chili in a white bowl

Crockpot Beef Chili

This Crockpot beef chili recipe is hearty, stick-to-the-ribs, and makes a nice, big batch that's great for leftovers or freezing! 
5 from 6 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save
Prep Time 20 mins
Cook Time 8 hrs
Total Time 8 hrs 20 mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 8

Ingredients
 

  • 1 medium onion chopped
  • 3 pounds lean ground beef
  • 1 (28 fluid ounce) can diced tomatoes with juices
  • 2 heaping tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • 2 (4 fluid ounce) cans diced green chilies
  • 2 (15 fluid ounce) cans red kidney beans drained
  • 3 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • Toppings (optional): sour cream, cheddar cheese, scallions, avocado, etc.

Instructions
 

  • In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the beef (about 10 minutes), breaking it up with your spoon as you go along.
  • Meanwhile, chop the onion and prep the other ingredients. Add them to your slow cooker.
  • Once the beef is done, add it to the Crockpot (make sure to drain the excess fat first).
  • Give everything a good stir and cook on low for 6-8 hours (I did 8 hours overnight). You could also do 3-4 hours on high.
  • Top bowls of chili as desired.

Notes

  • I used mild green chilies. Only add the cayenne pepper if you want the chili to be spicy.
  • You could use fire-roasted diced tomatoes for extra flavor. If you want to add some more veggies and color to this chili, I suggest chopping a red or green pepper and adding it too.
  • If you're sensitive to salt, use low-sodium beef broth. The chili powder, beef broth, and Worcestershire sauce contain salt so I don't add extra salt to this recipe, but feel free to add some if you think it needs it.
  • This chili freezes well.
  • This is the 7-quart Crockpot I used for this recipe.
Keyword Crockpot beef chili, Crockpot chili, slow cooker beef chili
Author Natasha Bull
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  1. Kris Buttacoli says

    Used 2 pounds beef, an extra half cup of beef broth, and 2/3 of the called for spice amounts. It was absolutely delicious!

    Reply

  2. Sam says

    5 stars
    It has taken my husband and me YEARS to find a chili recipe we agree upon. This one is finally it! Delicious and hearty, we’re freezing it to bring on a camping trip soon 🙂

    Reply

  3. Travis says

    5 stars
    Happy national chili day! This turned out really good. I also added 1/2 a bell pepper and a jalapeño to it, roasted them with the onion. I used a can of beer instead of the beef broth, so it needed salt. I also added an extra tbsp+ of tomato paste to give it more umami. It’s been cooking on the stove on low for a little over an hour and I’m just going to let the flavors continue to develop!

    Reply

  4. Victoria R says

    5 stars
    Love it! I’m trying all the crockpot recipes for the nights I work and this was easy and delicious. It was my personal preference to add some garlic salt. I don’t usually add smoked paprika to my chili so it was a nice change.

    Reply

  7. Alicia K. says

    5 stars
    Just had this for supper with cornbread and it was SO GOOD! I added the cayenne and it was the perfect amount of heat without being overwhelming. Definitely worth the 6 hour wait! i will for sure be making this again soon:)

    Reply