Confession: My favorite reason to use my slow cooker is the ego boost. I love being out of the room and then walking back into the kitchen and being bowled over by yummy smells. It makes me feel accomplished.
I’ve said this a lot recently, but it’s cold outside. And when it’s cold outside, we like comfort food. This was one of my Mom’s go-to cold weather meals and my family (kids included) are loving it too!
There are countless ways to make chili, and honestly, I do it a bit differently every time, but this is my take on classic crockpot chili. You’ll find a lot of these ingredients already in your pantry! Get crazy and put your own spin on this recipe with a variety of different garnishes.
SLOW COOKER CHILI
Ingredients
- 1-2 lbs ground meat (beef, turkey, chicken or pork)
- 1 medium onion, minced (whatever type you prefer)
- 1-2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
- 28 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained (plain or seasoned)
- 16 oz can kidney beans, drained (or whatever beans you have on hand)
- 6 oz can tomato paste
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 TBSP chili powder
- 1 TBSP dried oregano
- 1 TBSP dried basil
- 1/2 TBSP dried cumin
- 1-2 tsp black pepper to your taste
Instructions
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In a large skillet, brown and crumble the meat and onion. If using a lean meat (such as 93/7), cook in 1-2 TBSP olive oil. If the meat is fattier (such as 80/20), oil will likely not be necessary.
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Once meat is browned through, stir in the minced garlic and allow that to cook for 30 seconds to one minute. Remove skillet from heat.*
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In the slow cooker, add the meat mixture* and all other ingredients.
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Cover and cook on low for 6 hours. Add salt to taste.
Recipe Notes
*If your meat mixture is still hot, be sure that the slow cooker is preheated before you add the meat. If your slow cooker is not preheated, allow the meat to cool before putting it in the slow cooker.
Optional Garnishes:
- Shredded cheese
- Green onion
- Sour cream
- Hot sauce
- Avocado
- Sliced jalapenos
