Cowboy Chili (Best in the West Chili)
No CommentsAug 26, 2025
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If you love a filling meal, this cowboy chili is packed with beans, vegetables, and tender beef. It’s bold, flavorful, and sure to become a new favorite.
I love creating new chili recipes, and this one is especially special. It’s the best in the west and cowboy-approved. This chili has the perfect balance of beans and beef, with a mix of flavors that is just right.
Whether it’s a Sunday dinner or feeding a crowd for game day, this chili is a winner. Cowboy recipes are hearty and filling—real stick-to-your-ribs meals. We love to make cowboy beans (baked bean style), cowboy sandwiches, and cowboy casserole.
Key Ingredients
Beef – Plenty of beef in this recipe – 2 pounds! This will get browned and crumbled.
Beans – Three kinds of beans, kidney, white and pinto. You can use any combination you like.
Veggies – White onion for flavor and a special touch of poblano pepper will give the chili subtle heat.
Special Seasonings – A chili packet, one taco seasoning packet (which adds different flavor and more cumin than the chili packet). Worcestershire sauce, which makes any recipe more beefy and robust.
Beer – Beer adds a depth of flavor you can’t get with just water.
Tomatoes – I use 2 cans of Rotel for a Tex-Mex flavor and use tomato paste to thicken.
How to Make Cowboy Chili
1. Brown the beef.
2. Add everything to the crockpot and stir.
3. Slow cook until it’s rich and flavorful, then serve. The low and slow cooking will make the chili have well blended flavors.
Tips & Variations
Bacon – Add a pound of cooked and crumbled bacon for a smokey flavor.
Meat swap – Use ground turkey or chicken for lighter in calorie chili
Beer Substitute – You can use more water, beef broth or v8 juice instead of using beer.
Spice level – Poblano peppers can be quite spicy; use bell peppers for a milder flavor. Or use jalapeno or habanero for more heat.
How to Serve Cowboy Chili
Toppings: We love classic toppings like red onion and shredded cheese. A dollop of sour cream and a dash of hot sauce are also great additions. Other toppings, if desired, include black olives, jarred jalapeno slices, and avocado.
Sides: For this thick chili, we love corn tortilla chips, flour tortillas, or squares of cornbread.
Serving Ideas: You can also spoon this chili on baked potatoes, hot dogs, use it in burritos, or make Frito Pies.
Can dried beans be used?
Yes, although you will need to add more water and cook the recipe on high to ensure the beans cook properly.
How to Store Leftover Chili
Chili has to be one of the best foods to store for later (the leftovers taste even better!). You can refrigerate for up to four days or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw and reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.
Cowboy Chili Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. ground beef, browned and drained
- 20 oz. Rotel (diced tomatoes with green chiles), (two 10-oz. cans)
- 6 oz. tomato paste
- 2 poblano peppers, diced (1 cup diced)
- 15 oz. can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 15 oz. can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 15 oz. can white beans, (such as Great Northern or cannellini), drained and rinsed
- 1 large sweet yellow onion, diced
- 1 oz. packet taco seasoning
- 1.25 oz. packet chili seasoning mix
- 2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 1 cup beer, pilsner or light beer works great
- 1½ cups water
Instructions
Crockpot Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef until fully browned. Drain excess grease and add the beef to your crockpot.
- Into the crockpot, add Rotel, tomato paste, water, beer, diced poblanos, beans, onion, taco seasoning, chili seasoning mix, and Worcestershire sauce (everything).
- Stir everything well to combine. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or HIGH for 4 hours.
- Give it a good stir before serving. Ladle into bowls and serve as-is or with your favorite chili toppings.
Stove Top Instructions
- Brown the beef in a big pot or Dutch oven, then drain off the grease. Toss in the onions and poblanos and cook a few minutes until they soften.
- Add the remaining ingredients. Stir
- Bring it to a boil, then turn it down to low and let it simmer about 45 minutes to an hour, stirring now and then, until it’s thick and flavorful. Add additional water or beer if the chili thickens too much.
Nutrition
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
Other Chili Recipes to Try
Slow Cooker Chili is a classic everyone loves, while V8 Chili adds a veggie-packed twist. Steakhouse Chili brings rich, beefy flavor in every bite.
Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili is creamy and comforting, and Buffalo Chicken Chili gives you that spicy kick. Slow Cooker Turkey Chili keeps things lighter but still hearty.
Hot Dog Chili is great for topping favorites like fries or dogs, and Venison Chili delivers a deep, savory flavor for something different.
