This Crockpot Chili is the ultimate cold-weather comfort food—rich, hearty, and slow-simmered to perfection. It’s the kind of recipe you’ll love coming home to after a long day, with tender beef, warm spices, tomatoes, and beans creating a complete meal in one cozy bowl.
Topped with sour cream, shredded cheese, onions, or cilantro, this slow cooker chili is sure to become a family favorite year after year.
Why You’ll Love This Crockpot Chili
Chili season has a way of bringing people together. For me, it brings back memories of watching homemade soup simmer on the stove while the fall sky darkened outside our kitchen windows. This recipe captures that same warmth—simple ingredients, deep flavors, and a slow-cooked richness that tastes like home.
The slow cooker makes this recipe even better:
- Hands-off cooking — throw everything in and let it simmer all day.
- Ultra flavorful — spices, tomatoes, and aromatics deepen as the hours pass.
- Perfect for busy nights — dinner is ready the moment you walk through the door.
- Even better the next day — great for leftovers or freezing.
Serve it with cornbread, tortilla chips, or your favorite chili toppings for the perfect fall or winter meal.
⭐ Reader Review
“Love… love… love… this chili recipe! My husband could not get enough of it! Thank you for an awesome recipe—this was my first time making chili and it will be a staple in our house.”
How to Make Chili in a Slow Cooker
Here’s a quick overview of how this recipe comes together. Full measurements are in the recipe card below.
1. Brown the Ground Beef
Cook the beef just until it loses its pink color. This step adds essential texture and flavor you won’t get from adding the meat raw.
2. Sauté the Veggies
Add diced green pepper, onion, and garlic to the beef. Sautéing them together softens the vegetables and makes their flavors sweeter and more mellow.
3. Add Everything to the Slow Cooker
Transfer the beef mixture to your crockpot. Add chili powder, cumin, chipotle, cayenne, Worcestershire sauce, liquid smoke, tomatoes, tomato sauce, and drained beans.
4. Slow Cook to Perfection
Let the chili simmer on low for 8–10 hours or high for 4–5 hours. The flavors deepen as it cooks, giving you that rich, homemade chili taste.
What Is Liquid Smoke?
Liquid smoke is exactly what it sounds like—condensed smoke from burning wood. A tiny splash brings big smoky, BBQ-style depth to chili. You’ll find it near the spices or condiments at most grocery stores, and a bottle lasts forever.
What Is Ground Chipotle?
Ground chipotle is made from dried, smoked jalapeños. It adds earthy warmth and smoky heat. If you don’t have it, you can swap it for smoked paprika or even chipotle peppers in adobo (use sparingly—those pack more heat!).
How to Adjust the Spiciness
This chili is easily customizable:
- Too spicy? Skip the cayenne or reduce the chipotle.
- Want more heat? Add extra cayenne or toss in diced green chiles.
Variations and Substitutions
- Use ground turkey instead of beef—just add a little olive oil when browning.
- Double the recipe for meal prep or feeding a crowd—same cook time.
- Swap diced tomatoes for crushed if you prefer a smoother texture.
- Change up the beans — pinto or black beans work great.
- Add more veggies — corn, jalapeños, or zucchini blend beautifully into chili.
Ground Turkey Option
This recipe works beautifully with ground turkey. Brown it with a drizzle of olive oil, then proceed as written. It makes the chili lighter but still deeply flavorful.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long should I cook chili in the crockpot?
8 hours on low or 4 hours on high. The long simmer builds the best flavor.
Is this chili spicy?
It has mild to medium heat. Adjusting cayenne or chipotle makes it easy to control.
How long do leftovers last?
Store in the refrigerator for 3–5 days. Reheat only what you plan to eat.
Can you freeze chili?
Absolutely! Chili freezes beautifully. Store for up to 3 months and thaw overnight.
Why brown the beef first?
For texture and flavor. Adding raw beef directly to the slow cooker results in a different, softer texture.
How many servings does this make?
Six hearty bowls—perfect for family dinner or weekly meal prep.
Crockpot Chili Recipe
Servings: 6
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 8 hours
Total Time: 8 hours 25 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tbsp cumin
- ½ tsp ground chipotle
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp liquid smoke
- 14 oz kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 28 oz diced tomatoes, with juices
- 15 oz tomato sauce
Instructions
- Heat a skillet over medium heat. Brown the ground beef with salt and pepper until no pink remains.
- Add onion, garlic, and bell pepper. Cook for 4–5 minutes to soften. Drain excess fat.
- Transfer mixture to slow cooker. Stir in chili powder, cumin, chipotle, cayenne, Worcestershire, liquid smoke, beans, tomatoes, and tomato sauce.
- Cook on low 8–10 hours or high 4–5 hours.
- Serve with your favorite toppings—cheese, sour cream, onions, jalapeños, tortilla chips, or cilantro.
More Cozy Soup & Chili Recipes
If you love hearty bowls of comfort, try these next:
- Slow Cooker Potato Soup
- Instant Pot Chicken Taco Soup
- Steak Fajita Soup
- Slow Cooker Broccoli Cheddar Soup
- Vegetarian Chili