Slow Cooker Hearty Chili (Printable Version)

Hearty slow cooker chili with seasoned ground beef, kidney and black beans, tomatoes, and warming spices. Ready in 6 hours with minimal prep.

# What You'll Need:

→ Meats

01 - 1 pound ground beef

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 medium onion, diced
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 red bell pepper, diced

→ Beans & Legumes

05 - 1 can (15 ounces) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
06 - 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed

→ Tomatoes & Liquids

07 - 1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
08 - 1 can (15 ounces) diced tomatoes
09 - 1 cup beef broth

→ Spices & Seasonings

10 - 2 tablespoons chili powder
11 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
12 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
13 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
14 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
15 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
16 - 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional

# Directions:

01 - In a large skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef until no longer pink, approximately 5-7 minutes. Drain excess fat. This step enhances flavor development, though may be omitted for a true dump-and-go approach.
02 - Transfer cooked beef to slow cooker. Add onion, garlic, bell pepper, kidney beans, black beans, crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, and beef broth.
03 - Sprinkle chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper over the mixture.
04 - Stir thoroughly to ensure all ingredients are well combined and spices are evenly distributed.
05 - Cover and cook on LOW setting for 6-8 hours, or on HIGH for 3-4 hours, depending on your schedule and desired intensity of flavors.
06 - Taste the chili and adjust salt, pepper, and spices as needed before serving to achieve desired flavor profile.
07 - Ladle hot chili into bowls. Optionally garnish with shredded cheese, sour cream, chopped green onions, or fresh cilantro.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Its practically impossible to mess up, even if youre a complete kitchen novice
  • The slow cooker does all the heavy lifting while you go about your day
  • Leftovers taste even better after the flavors have had time to become best friends
02 -
  • The texture gets better if you resist the urge to lift the lid too often during cooking
  • Letting it rest for 15 minutes after cooking helps the flavors settle and thickens the consistency naturally
03 -
  • Use a 5-quart or larger slow cooker to prevent overflow as the bubbles up during long cooking
  • Add a chipotle pepper in adobo sauce for smoky depth that people cant quite identify
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