Best Slow Cooker Chili
35 Comments Sep 29, 2023
Updated Apr 02, 2025
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This slow cooker chili recipe will leave the crockpot empty and your family asking for more. It calls for simple pantry favorites that make for a hearty chili that’s absolutely delicious. It truly doesn’t get much easier than this dump-and-go recipe – perfect for busy weeknights or weekends.
If you love comfort meals like this, here are a few more delicious chili recipes to try – Slow Cooker Vegetarian Chili and Slow Cooker Venison Chili.
Table of Contents
Why this is the best chili (FOUR SECRET INGREDIENTS)
This delicious chili recipe features all of the classic ingredients like ground beef, diced tomatoes, fresh veggies, and seasonings.
FOUR secret ingredients make this chili out of this world. Brown sugar, and Worcestershire sauce add SO much flavor. Beef bouillon adds a beefy kick, then there’s an additional ingredient that makes this a chili cook off winner, and it’s a cup of light beer. Although most of the alcohol content cooks out, the lasting flavor of barley malt lingers and creates an amazingly yummy chili.
I’m not tooting my own horn, but this is genuinely the best crock pot chili I’ve ever had. This awesome recipe deserves to be shared! I have dozens of chili recipes on my site, and this is the one I make over and over! We often call this recipe “Chuck Wagon Chili”.
What you need:
- Cooked Beef: You can use lean ground beef or one with a higher fat content. Either way, it should be browned and drained prior to adding it to the slow cooker.
- Vegetables: A diced white onion and green bell pepper are a must in every good chili recipe.
- Tomatoes: You’ll need 2 cans of stewed or diced tomatoes and a can of tomato sauce.
- Seasonings: Chili powder, salt, black pepper, onion powder, cumin, Worcestershire sauce, a beef bouillon cube, and brown sugar are the perfect combination to create a great-tasting chili. This from scratch chili recipe is worth taking the time to make your own seasoning mixture!
- Beer: Use 1 cup of your favorite beer. I personally like to use Coors Light.
- Beans: 2 cans of drained and rinsed pinto beans add the right amount of heartiness to this chili.
- {The full recipe is in the recipe card below the photos}
Step-by-Step Directions
Step One – Add everything to the slow cooker, except the beef bouillon cube and the water.
Step Two – Add the beef bouillon cube and water to a microwavable glass cup. Microwave for 40 seconds, or until the water is hot enough to melt the cube. Stir the cube in the water until dissolved. Add this to the other ingredients in the slow cooker, and stir the beef mixture.
Step Three – Cover and cook chili on LOW for 8 hours or HIGH for 4 hours without opening the lid during the cooking time. Once cooking time is complete, enjoy a bowl of the best chili ever! Be sure to serve with cornbread for the best experience.
How to Serve
- This easy crockpot chili recipe can always be served as is. Simply place a scoop into a bowl and enjoy.
- If you’re looking to create a bowl of spicy chili, add some red pepper flakes, chili pepper, cayenne pepper, and hot sauce.
- Some of the most classic toppings for chili are fresh cilantro, shredded cheese (think cheddar cheese), a scoop of sour cream, and green onions. Add your favorite chili toppings and enjoy!
- When it comes to sides, chili pairs well with a handful of tortilla chips, tortilla scoops, or slow cooker cornbread.
- This chili also tastes great poured over baked potatoes or for nachos the next day.
Recipe FAQs
Some people like to use beef broth or beef stock instead of the bouillon cube. You can also use a tomato paste and water mixture to create tomato sauce. Chili beans can be used instead of light kidney beans. And if you’re looking to switch us the meat, consider using ground turkey or ground Italian sausage. Chili sauce can also be used in addition to everything else.
If you prefer a stronger flavor, consider using smoked paprika, adobo sauce, minced garlic, black beans, diced green chilies, and a squeeze of lime juice.
Let the chili cool completely and then pour it into an airtight container. Store it in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat the leftovers over medium heat until warmed throughout. You can also reheat chili in a slow cooker.
It’s best to brown the meat for chili on the stove top before adding to the slow cooker. Browning the meat adds depth of flavor and you can drain off excess fat.
Reader Review
“This is DELICIOUS chili ! The seasoning blend was very tasty —- just enough spice and big depth of flavor with the addition of the beer …Thank you for the wonderful recipe.” – Rosie B.
More Slow Cooker Chili Recipes
Best Slow Cooker Chili
How to Video
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. ground beef , browned and drained
- 1 large white onion, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 3 Tbsp. chili powder
- 2 tsp. salt
- ½ tsp. pepper
- 1 tsp. onion powder
- ¼ tsp. cumin
- 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 1 Tbsp. brown sugar
- 1 cup beer, use your favorite, I use coors light
- 29 oz. diced tomatoes, or stewed tomatoes (two14.5-oz. cans)
- 15 oz. can tomato sauce
- 30 oz. pinto beans, drained and rinsed (two 15-oz. cans)
- 1 beef bouillon cube
- 2 Tbsp. water
Instructions
- Add everything to the slow cooker, except the beef bouillon cube and the water.
- Add the beef bouillon cube and water to a microwavable glass cup. Microwave for 40 seconds, or until the water is hot enough to melt the cube. Stir the cube in the water until dissolved. Add this to the other ingredients in the slow cooker, stir.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours or HIGH for 4 hours without opening the lid during the cooking time.
Sarah’s Notes
- Let the chili cool completely and then pour it into an airtight container. Store it in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat the leftovers over medium heat until warmed throughout. You can also reheat chili in a slow cooker.
- It’s best to brown the meat for chili on the stove top before adding to the slow cooker. Browning the meat adds depth of flavor and you can drain off excess fat.
- Leftovers are great over baked potatoes or made into nachos or burritos.
Nutrition
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
Ik heb dit recept gemaakt.Het was heerlijk ik heb alleen de helft van de ingedrienten gebruikt,En van de bruine bonen heb ik een blik chile bonen gebruikt Van het merk Santa Maria Je moet alleen oppassen met de hoeveelheid Chile Die je gebruik Ik heb een halve theelepel gemalen Chili gebruikt .En een middelgrote ui
This is DELICIOUS chili ! The seasoning blend was very tasty —- just enough spice and big depth of flavor with the addition of the beer …Thank you for the wonderful recipe.
Can you leave out the beer?
Yes, water is fine, or water with another beef boullion cube. It will be great.
It really was the best slow cooker chili!!
The only thing that I did differently was that I had “Pinto” Beans that were called Chili Beans, and they were Pinto Beans in Chili Sauce, so I did not drain or rinse them. That is the only thing that I did differently.
My husband and I ate 2 bowls Thursday night and 2 bowls on Friday night.
I will make this again and again for sure!!
Thank You so much for this awesome recipe!!
That is so great to hear Connie!
Only 2 tbsp of water?
Yes, there is plenty of other liquid in the recipe (with more flavor than water).
Can I use bed kidney or white kidney beans instead?
Yes, as long as they are canned, that’s fine.
Can regular beer be used in this recipe instead of lite beer?
Yes, any beer will work great.
This was just ok have had better and my husband thinks mine is better. I add a few more ingredients than you do.
this was such a rude and unnecessary comment lol
Agreed.
Can the leftovers be frozen?
Yes, chili freezes well.
Can I use refried beans in place of the pinto beans?
You can, it will make for thicker chili. I’ve done this before.