Effortless Slow Cooker Chili

This incredibly easy and robust Crockpot Chili recipe has captivated taste buds, earning dozens of 5-star reviews and consistently clinching the “winner” title in numerous chili cook-off competitions!

Prepare to savor the absolute best slow cooker chili, generously loaded with rich ground beef, savory Italian sausage, hearty beans, fresh aromatic vegetables, robust tomatoes, and our signature homemade chili seasoning blend. Each ingredient contributes to a harmonious symphony of flavors, slow-cooked to perfection.

Author’s Note

The Secret Behind Our Consistently Winning Chili Recipe!

My profound obsession with chili ignited a quest: to create the absolute best chili recipe, one that could consistently triumph in any cook-off challenge. After months of dedicated testing, meticulous tweaking of every spice and ingredient, and rigorous retesting, this is the definitive version I finally perfected. I am genuinely convinced that it stands as the ultimate chili recipe.

Along this flavorful journey, I accumulated a wealth of knowledge about how ingredients interact, how heat levels can be balanced, and the magic that happens during slow cooking. I’m excited to share every single one of those learned secrets and tips with you here. This isn’t just a collection of instructions; it’s a blueprint for achieving chili perfection, designed to bring a comforting, deeply flavorful, and award-winning meal to your table every single time. I truly can’t wait to hear what you think once you experience this culinary masterpiece!

Why the Crockpot is the Secret to Award-Winning Chili: The Art of Slow Cooking

Many crockpot recipes promise a simple “dump and forget it” approach, and while convenient, our chili transcends that expectation. This recipe is superior precisely *because* it embraces the unique advantages of slow cooking, transforming humble ingredients into an extraordinary culinary experience.

Slow cooking is undeniably the first, most crucial secret to crafting truly award-winning chili. This gentle, prolonged cooking method allows flavors to meld, deepen, and intertwine over several hours, creating a complex and harmonious taste profile that quick-cooking simply cannot replicate. The low heat ensures that beans become incredibly tender without falling apart, and vegetables soften beautifully, releasing their natural sugars and aromatics. Moreover, the meats are tenderized to perfection, becoming succulent and juicy as they slowly absorb all the rich, spiced broth. This patient process is what builds the chili’s signature robust character.

The second, equally vital secret to a truly outstanding chili lies in the initial browning process. Before any ingredient is introduced to the slow cooker, we perform the critical step of sautéing the aromatic vegetables and thoroughly browning the ground beef and Italian sausage. This isn’t merely about cooking; it’s about actively building foundational layers of flavor that will permeate the entire dish. Sautéing onions, bell peppers, celery, and garlic in the rendered bacon grease softens them and concentrates their flavors, infusing them with savory depth. Browning the meats, through the powerful Maillard reaction, creates rich, caramelized, and deeply savory notes that are essential for a complex chili. These upfront steps ensure that every spoonful of your slow-cooked chili is packed with an incredibly robust, multi-dimensional flavor.

Essential Ingredients for the Best Slow Cooker Chili: A Flavor Breakdown

Every ingredient in this recipe plays a vital role in achieving its award-winning status. Here’s a closer look at what makes this chili so special:

• Smoky Foundation: Bacon: The inclusion of crispy bacon adds a unique, irresistible smoky flavor that is surprisingly uncommon in many chili recipes but makes a profound difference here. The rendered bacon fat is then used to sauté the vegetables, providing an incredibly flavorful base.
• Aromatic Vegetables: A vibrant trio of sweet bell peppers (red and green for both visual appeal and nuanced sweetness), crisp celery, and pungent yellow onions forms the aromatic backbone of this chili. These vegetables soften beautifully during slow cooking, releasing their natural sweetness and contributing essential savory depth.
• Hearty & Tangy Base: We use robust chili beans (pinto beans in a seasoned chili sauce) for texture and a touch of inherent spice, alongside petite diced tomatoes, which offer a brighter, tangier element. Tomato paste is crucial for thickening the chili to a luxurious consistency and concentrating the rich tomato flavor.
• The Dynamic Duo of Meats: Ground Beef and Italian Sausage: This chili benefits immensely from the combination of two distinct meats. Ground beef provides the classic, comforting chili flavor, while Italian sausage (choose mild or hot based on your preference) introduces a fantastic layer of unique herbs and spices, adding complexity and a more exciting texture.
• Masterful Blend of Flavor Boosters & Seasonings:
  • Spices: Our homemade seasoning blend is meticulously balanced, featuring generous amounts of chili powder, dried oregano, and cumin for warmth and earthiness. Dried basil and paprika add complementary aromatic notes.
  • Balance: A touch of granulated sugar helps to expertly balance the acidity from the tomatoes, enhancing the overall sweetness and rounding out the flavor profile.
  • Umami & Depth: Worcestershire sauce provides a powerful umami punch and a subtle tang, deepening the savory character. Minced garlic offers an indispensable pungent aromatic.
  • Meatier Richness: Beef bouillon cubes dissolve to create an intensely meaty background flavor, making the chili taste even more robust and satisfying.
  • Optional Heat: For those who love a spicy kick, fresh jalapeño and a teaspoon of cayenne pepper are included, allowing you to customize the heat to your exact preference.

How to Make Award-Winning Crockpot Chili: A Detailed Preparation Guide

Crafting this incredible slow cooker chili is a straightforward process, despite its profoundly complex and rich flavors. Follow these steps meticulously to achieve chili perfection:

1. Fry Bacon to Crispy Perfection: Begin by placing the chopped bacon in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. Cook until the bacon is wonderfully crisp and rendered, typically about 7-10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, carefully remove the crispy bacon bits and set them aside on a paper-towel-lined plate to drain. Importantly, leave the rich, rendered bacon grease in the skillet – this flavorful fat will be the foundation for the next crucial step.
2. Sauté Aromatics and Bloom Spices: To the skillet containing the bacon grease, add the finely diced red bell pepper, green bell pepper, celery, yellow onion, optional jalapeño, and minced garlic. Sauté these vegetables over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until they soften and become translucent and fragrant, which usually takes about 5–8 minutes. This gentle cooking extracts their natural sweetness. Next, stir in all the dry seasonings: chili powder, dried oregano, cumin, dried basil, seasoned salt, pepper, cayenne pepper (if using), and paprika, along with the tomato paste. Continue cooking for another 1–3 minutes, stirring constantly, until the spices become deeply aromatic and the tomato paste darkens in color. This process “blooms” the spices, intensifying their flavors. Transfer all these aromatic vegetables and spices into your 6-quart slow cooker.
3. Combine the Liquid Base in the Crockpot: To the slow cooker, add the chili beans (do not drain the liquid, as it’s part of the flavor), the petite diced tomatoes (also undrained to retain their juices), granulated sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and the crumbled beef bouillon cubes. Stir all these ingredients together thoroughly until they are well combined, forming the rich liquid base of your chili.
4. Brown the Meats for Deep Flavor: In the same skillet (there’s no need to wash it yet, as the residual flavors are a bonus!), cook and crumble the ground beef and Italian sausage over high heat. It is crucial to brown the meat in batches if necessary, ensuring that the meat is in a single layer in the pan. This allows the meat to sear and develop a rich, deeply browned crust through the Maillard reaction, rather than just steaming. This browning step is absolutely vital for developing the profound, savory depth of flavor that defines an award-winning chili. Cook until the meat is thoroughly browned and no pink remains. Drain any excess fat from the skillet, then add the browned meat to the slow cooker, along with the reserved crispy bacon bits. Stir all the ingredients vigorously to ensure everything is thoroughly integrated.
5. Slow Cook to Unparalleled Perfection: Securely cover your slow cooker with its lid and set it to cook on the LOW setting for 6–8 hours. This extended, gentle cooking time is the secret to allowing all the complex flavors to fully develop, meld harmoniously, and for the beans and vegetables to become perfectly tender. Resist the temptation to lift the lid too often, as this releases heat and can significantly extend the overall cooking time.
6. Taste, Adjust, and Serve Your Masterpiece: Once the cooking time is complete, remove the lid and taste your chili. This is your critical opportunity to fine-tune the seasonings. Add a little more salt, pepper, or chili powder if needed, adjusting to your personal preference. Serve your delicious, award-winning Crockpot Chili hot, garnished generously with your favorite toppings such as fresh cilantro, cool sour cream, and shredded Cheddar cheese. Prepare for rave reviews!

Top Tips for the Best Homemade Chili, Every Time: Secrets from a Cook-Off Champion

Achieving chili perfection involves more than just following steps; it’s about understanding the nuances. Here are key insights to ensure your homemade chili is consistently outstanding:

• Embrace the “Low and Slow” Cooking Method: For chili that is exceptionally rich in flavor and wonderfully tender, always cook it on the low setting for the full recommended 6-8 hours. This gentle, prolonged heat allows all the individual flavors to slowly meld into a cohesive, complex profile that cannot be achieved with shorter cooking times. It’s the undisputed key to truly infused flavors and perfectly tender meat, beans, and vegetables.
• Prioritize Good Quality Tomatoes: The quality of your canned tomatoes significantly impacts the brightness and depth of your chili’s overall flavor. Opt for reputable brands of petite diced tomatoes; using higher quality tomatoes will result in a fresher, more robust, and more delicious tomato base, which is crucial for a great chili.
• The Overnight Flavor Boost (A Tried-and-True Cook-Off Secret!): For an absolutely unparalleled depth of flavor and an even richer experience, especially if you’re preparing for a contest or simply want the best possible taste, make your chili a day ahead. Chilling it overnight in the refrigerator allows the ingredients to “marry” further, intensifying and harmonizing all the flavors. The next day, simply warm the chili in your slow cooker on low for 1-2 hours until it’s heated through. This resting period works absolute wonders!
• Always Taste and Adjust Seasonings: Before serving, take a moment for a critical taste test. Flavors can evolve and deepen during the long slow-cooking process, so this is your last but most important opportunity to fine-tune. Add a little more salt, pepper, a dash more chili powder, or even a pinch of sugar if it needs balancing, until the seasoning is perfectly tuned to your liking.
• Don’t Skimp on the Toppings: While the chili itself is undeniably spectacular, the toppings are what truly complete the dish, adding crucial layers of texture, temperature, and complementary flavors. They transform a simple, delicious bowl of chili into a customizable, visually appealing, and ultimately more satisfying meal experience.

What Are the Best Toppings for Chili? A Complete Guide to Personalization

Serving this crockpot chili family-style with a generous spread of toppings is by far one of my favorite ways to enjoy it. This approach empowers everyone to personalize their bowl to perfection, adding their preferred textures, temperatures, and flavor notes. Here’s a comprehensive list of our absolute favorite chili toppings and a brief explanation of why they work so incredibly well:

• Creamy Cheeses: Shredded sharp cheddar cheese is a timeless classic for a reason – its pungent flavor melts beautifully, adding a savory richness. Monterey Jack cheese offers a milder, creamier melt, while pepper Jack provides a gentle spicy kick that expertly complements the chili’s inherent warmth.
• Fresh Herbs & Bright Citrus: A generous sprinkle of freshly chopped cilantro not only adds a burst of vibrant color but also brightens the chili with its distinctive herbaceous, slightly citrusy notes. A small squeeze of fresh lime juice just before eating adds a vital zesty acidity that perfectly cuts through the richness and awakens all the flavors.
• Cooling & Creamy Elements: Dollops of cool, tangy sour cream are absolutely essential for balancing the chili’s spice and adding a luxurious creaminess. For a healthier alternative that still offers that welcome tang and rich texture, plain Greek yogurt works beautifully.
• Crunchy Additions for Texture: Never underestimate the delightful impact of crunch! Crushed tortilla chips, classic corn chips (like Fritos), or even simple saltine crackers add a fantastic textural contrast and do an excellent job of absorbing some of the delicious, rich chili broth.
• Rich & Buttery Avocado: Sliced or diced ripe avocado brings a luxurious, buttery creaminess and a subtle, mellow flavor. It’s a wonderful addition that not only cools the palate but also adds healthy fats and a smooth texture.
• Extra Spicy Elements (for the Heat Seekers): For those who truly crave more heat, thinly sliced fresh jalapeños, a generous dash of your favorite hot sauce, or a sprinkle of red pepper flakes can easily amplify the chili’s warmth to your desired fiery level.
• Pungent Onions: Finely diced red onion offers a sharp, crisp bite and a vibrant color, providing a welcome pungent contrast. Alternatively, thinly sliced green onions (scallions) offer a milder, fresher onion flavor and serve as a pleasing green garnish. Both add a delightful zing.

Creative Ways to Serve Your Slow Cooker Chili: Beyond the Bowl

This award-winning crockpot chili isn’t just fantastic served in a bowl; it’s also incredibly versatile and makes for wonderful leftovers. Get creative with these delicious and satisfying serving ideas, ensuring every meal is an exciting one:

• Chili-Stuffed Baked Potatoes: Transform a simple baked potato into a hearty, satisfying meal by generously topping it with hot chili, a dollop of sour cream, and a sprinkle of shredded cheese. It’s a true comfort food classic that’s surprisingly filling.
• Hearty Navajo Tacos: For a unique and incredibly flavorful experience, spoon your chili onto warm, fluffy fry bread (or even a large, warm flour tortilla). Pile high with shredded cheese, cool sour cream, crisp lettuce, and fresh tomatoes for a comforting “taco” experience.
• Comforting Chili Shepherd’s Pie: Repurpose any leftover chili as the savory, rich base for a comforting shepherd’s pie. Top it with a creamy layer of fluffy mashed potatoes, then bake until the top is golden brown and the chili is bubbly. A perfect casserole for a chilly evening!
• Classic Chili Mac & Chili Dogs: For the ultimate comfort food mash-up, mix your chili with cooked macaroni and cheese to create a delightful Chili Mac. Alternatively, for a quintessential game-day favorite, spoon it generously over hot dogs nestled in buns, then add mustard, chopped onions, and a sprinkle of cheese for classic chili dogs.

Freezing and Storing Leftover Crockpot Chili: Maximize Convenience and Flavor

One of the many fantastic benefits of preparing a generous batch of this award-winning crockpot chili is its exceptional freezer-friendliness. This makes it an ideal candidate for meal prepping, ensuring you always have a delicious, homemade meal ready to enjoy on busy days. Here’s how to properly store and freeze your chili for optimal freshness and flavor:

• As a Make-Ahead Freezer Meal (Uncooked): For ultimate future convenience, you can prepare many of the chili ingredients and freeze them before cooking. Simply combine all the raw components – this includes the pre-cooked bacon, browned meats, sautéed vegetables, beans (undrained), diced tomatoes (undrained), and all the dry spices – into large, heavy-duty freezer-safe bags. Press out as much air as possible and freeze the bags flat for efficient storage. When you’re ready to enjoy, thaw the contents overnight in the refrigerator, then transfer everything to your slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours as directed in the recipe.
• Freezing Already Cooked Chili: If you have cooked chili leftovers, first allow the chili to cool completely to room temperature. This is crucial to prevent freezer burn and maintain quality. Once cooled, transfer the chili into freezer-safe containers or heavy-duty freezer bags. Dividing it into small, individual portions is an excellent strategy for quick thawing and reheating, perfect for single servings. Cooked chili can be safely stored in the freezer for up to 3 months without significant loss of quality. To reheat, thaw the frozen chili in the refrigerator overnight, then gently warm it on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, or reheat it in the slow cooker on low for 1-2 hours until thoroughly heated through. Individual portions can also be conveniently microwaved.
• Refrigerating Leftovers: Cooked crockpot chili stores exceptionally well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. In fact, many people find that the chili tastes even better the next day, as the flavors have had more time to deepen and meld.

More Delicious Beef Recipes to Try: Expand Your Culinary Repertoire

If you thoroughly enjoyed this hearty and flavorful beef chili, you’ll love exploring these other fantastic ground beef recipes that are sure to become new family favorites:

• Savory Beef Burrito Recipe: Craft your perfect beef burrito with this customizable recipe, featuring seasoned ground beef, rice, and all your favorite fresh fixings.
• Hearty Vegetable Beef Soup: A comforting and wholesome soup made with tender ground beef and an abundant array of fresh, garden vegetables, perfect for a nourishing meal.
• Classic Ground Beef Stroganoff: Discover this reader-favorite recipe, featuring tender ground beef enveloped in a rich, creamy mushroom sauce – an ideal choice for a satisfying and quick weeknight dinner.
• Quick Mongolian Ground Beef: Experience a burst of Asian-inspired flavors with this delicious and easy recipe, highlighting ground beef cooked with aromatic garlic and ginger, typically served over steamed rice.
• Comprehensive Ground Beef Recipes Collection: Explore all our top-rated ground beef recipes conveniently compiled in one spot, offering endless inspiration for your next meal planning adventure!

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4.99 from 242 votes

Crockpot Chili Recipe (Award-Winning & Easy!)

By
Chelsea Lords

This incredibly flavorful Crockpot Chili recipe has earned dozens of 5-star reviews and won multiple chili cook-offs. It’s packed with a perfect blend of spices and rich, hearty ingredients, making it the ultimate comfort food for any occasion.

Prep Time:
30 minutes

Cook Time:
8 hours

Total Time:
8 hours 30 minutes

Servings:
10 large servings

Equipment

• Large skillet
• 6-quart Crock-Pot (A 6-quart slow cooker will be filled to the top with this generous batch, perfect for feeding a crowd or for leftovers.)

Ingredients

(Note: Ingredient quantities are for 10 large servings. Adjust as needed for smaller portions.)

• 5 slices bacon chopped
• 1 red bell pepper finely diced
• 1 green bell pepper finely diced
• 1/2 cup finely diced celery (approximately 2 stalks)
• 1 cup finely diced yellow onion (approximately 1 small onion)
• 1 small jalapeño optional, finely diced (see Recipe Note 2 for heat adjustment)
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 6 ounces tomato paste
• 48 ounces chili beans (pinto beans in mild chili sauce, 3×16-ounce cans)
• 56 ounces petite diced tomatoes (2×28-ounce cans)
• 2 pounds ground beef (80/20 lean-to-fat ratio recommended for best flavor)
• 1 pound Italian sausage (choose mild or hot, depending on your spice preference)

Seasonings

• 4 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
• 3/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper optional, adjust to taste for desired heat (see Recipe Note 2)
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 3 beef bouillon cubes
• Toppings as desired (e.g., sour cream, shredded cheese, fresh cilantro, diced avocado, jalapeños, corn chips – see Recipe Note 3 and “What Are the Best Toppings for Chili?” section above)

Instructions

1. In a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat, cook the chopped bacon until it is wonderfully crisp and golden brown. This usually takes about 7-10 minutes. Once crisp, use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon and place it on a paper-towel-lined plate to drain. Reserve the rendered bacon grease in the skillet – this flavorful fat is essential for the next step.
2. Add the finely diced red bell pepper, green bell pepper, celery, yellow onion, optional jalapeño, and minced garlic to the skillet with the bacon grease. Sauté these vegetables over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until they become tender and translucent, about 5–8 minutes. Next, add all the dry seasonings (chili powder, dried oregano, cumin, dried basil, seasoned salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, and paprika) along with the tomato paste. Cook for 1–3 more minutes, stirring constantly, until the spices are fragrant and the tomato paste deepens in color. This step “blooms” the spices, enhancing their aromatic qualities. Transfer the sautéed vegetables and spices to your 6-quart slow cooker.
3. To the slow cooker, add the chili beans (do not drain, include their liquid), the petite diced tomatoes (undrained), granulated sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and crumbled beef bouillon cubes. Stir all these ingredients together thoroughly to combine everything evenly.
4. In the same skillet (it’s okay if there’s still a little grease/fond from the veggies), cook and crumble the ground beef and Italian sausage over high heat. Brown the meat in batches if necessary to ensure it’s in a single layer and gets a good sear, rather than steaming. This browning creates a rich, savory depth of flavor (Maillard reaction) that is crucial for an award-winning chili. Cook until the meat is deeply browned and no pink remains. Drain any excess fat from the skillet, then add the browned meat to the slow cooker, along with the reserved crispy bacon. Stir everything well to integrate all the components.
5. Cover the slow cooker with its lid and cook on the LOW setting for 6–8 hours. This long, slow cooking time is essential for the flavors to fully develop and meld, and for the ingredients to become perfectly tender.
6. After 6-8 hours, taste the chili and adjust the seasonings as needed. You might want to add a little more salt, pepper, or chili powder to suit your preference. Serve your delicious, award-winning Crockpot Chili hot, garnished generously with your favorite toppings such as fresh cilantro, cool sour cream, and shredded Cheddar cheese. Enjoy your masterpiece!

Recipe Notes

Note 1: Slow Cooker Size: This recipe makes a very generous batch, filling a 6-quart slow cooker right to the top. It’s perfect for feeding a large family, bringing to a potluck or chili cook-off, or for freezing in portions for future meals.

Note 2: Adjusting Heat Levels: The jalapeño and cayenne pepper contribute a significant amount of heat to this chili. If you prefer a milder flavor, feel free to omit the jalapeño entirely and reduce the amount of cayenne pepper or chili powder by half, or even omit it completely. You can always add more heat later with hot sauce at the table.

Note 3: Topping Suggestions: Enhance your chili experience with your favorite toppings! Popular choices include cool sour cream or plain Greek yogurt, creamy diced avocado, sharp shredded cheddar cheese, fresh cilantro, a squeeze of lime, extra jalapeño slices, and crunchy corn chips or tortilla chips.

Storage & Reheating: Store leftover Crockpot Chili in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The flavors often deepen overnight, making it even more delicious the next day! For longer storage, cool the chili completely, then transfer it to freezer-safe containers or bags and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave.

Nutrition Information (Approximate per serving)

Serving: 1 serving
|
Calories: 620kcal
|
Carbohydrates: 45g
|
Protein: 33g
|
Fat: 35g
|
Saturated Fat: 13g
|
Trans Fat: 1g
|
Cholesterol: 99mg
|
Sodium: 2264mg
|
Potassium: 1791mg
|
Fiber: 12g
|
Sugar: 20g
|
Vitamin A: 2165IU
|
Vitamin C: 51mg
|
Calcium: 165mg
|
Iron: 9mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation. Actual values may vary based on specific ingredients, preparation methods, and serving sizes.

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