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Discover my effortless Slow Cooker Chile Colorado recipe, where tender beef is slowly simmered in a rich, flavorful red chile sauce. This dish is not only simple to prepare but also perfect when served with warmed tortillas for a complete and satisfying meal.
Other Mexican recipes we make over and over in the slow cooker are Slow Cooker Tamale Pie, Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos and Slow Cooker Chile Verde.
Table of Contents
Crockpot Chile Colorado is a foolproof dish! The sauce, rich with chiles and authentic seasonings, tastes just like what you’d find in a Mexican restaurant. We use chuck roast, cut into chunks, that slowly simmers in the red chile sauce until perfectly tender.
When you return home, the irresistible aroma of beef and red chile will greet you. Simply warm some flour tortillas, and dinner is ready to serve. For a simpler but similar flavored dish, try my slow cooker steak burritos.
What you need
- Chuck Roast – You will need 2 pounds of chuck roast, cut into large chunks. Chuck roast has great marbling which adds flavor to the chile colorado sauce. You can also use pre cubed beef stew meat.
- Chiles – You will need 3 types of dried red chiles; ancho chiles, arbol chiles, and guajillo chiles.
- Other Ingredients – Salt, pepper, oregano, cumin, smoked paprika, onion and garlic. Beef stock (or beef broth) is the base of the red chile sauce.
- For Serving – Cilantro is wonderful garnish we love to use.
- {The full recipe is in the recipe card below the photos}
- Remove the stems and seeds from the ancho, guajillo, and arbol chiles. Heat a skillet over medium heat and toast the chilies for about 1-2 minutes on each side until they become fragrant. Be careful not to burn them.
- Place the toasted chiles in a bowl and cover with hot water. Let them soak for about 20 minutes until they are softened.
- Once softened, drain the chilies and blend them with 1 cup of beef stock until it forms a smooth paste. Set aside.
- Season the chuck roast pieces generously with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Sear the meat in batches until browned on all sides.
- Transfer the browned meat to your slow cooker.
- In the same skillet, add the minced garlic and diced onion. Sauté until the onion becomes translucent. Add the cumin, oregano, and optional smoked paprika. Stir to combine and cook for another minute. Pour in the chili paste and the remaining 1 cup of beef stock, scraping the bottom of the skillet to release any browned bits.
- Bring the mixture to a simmer and then pour it over the meat in the slow cooker.
- Add the apple cider vinegar to the slow cooker and stir everything together. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours or on high for 4-5 hours, until the meat is tender and the flavors have melded together.
- Serve the Chili Colorado garnished with fresh chopped cilantro.
How to Serve
- Serve the tender beef chunks on warmed flour or corn tortillas.
- We love Mexican Rice and refried beans as side dishes (try our slow cooker refried beans or slow cooker refried black beans).
- Leftovers are great over tortilla chips and melted cheese. Here is our recipe for slow cooker restaurant style queso.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, crockpot chile colorado is spicy. Adjust the number of arbol chilies based on your spice preference. Arbol chilies add significant heat, so reduce the amount for a milder dish.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave. Chili Colorado can be frozen for up to 3 months. Allow it to cool completely before transferring to a freezer-safe container. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
If you prefer a thicker sauce, remove the lid during the last 30 minutes of cooking to allow some of the liquid to evaporate.
Other slow cooker Mexican beef recipes:
- Slow Cooker Mexican Shredded Beef
- Slow Cooker Salsa Beef Verde
- Slow Cooker Beef Chimichangas
- Slow Cooker Mexican Bubble Up Casserole
Slow Cooker Chile Colorado
Ingredients
- 2 lbs chuck roast, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- 1 tsp. black pepper
- 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
- 3 dried ancho chiles, stems and seeds removed
- 3 dried guajillo chiles, stems and seeds removed
- 3 dried arbol chiles, stems and seeds removed
- 2 cups beef stock
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 large onion, diced
- 1 tsp. ground cumin
- 1 tsp. oregano
- 1 tsp. smoked paprika, optional
- 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
- fresh cilantro, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Remove the stems and seeds from the ancho, guajillo, and arbol chiles. Heat a skillet over medium heat and toast the chilies for about 1-2 minutes on each side until they become fragrant. Be careful not to burn them.
- Place the toasted chiles in a bowl and cover with hot water. Let them soak for about 20 minutes until they are softened. Once softened, drain the chilies and blend them with 1 cup of beef stock until it forms a smooth paste. Set aside.
- Season the chuck roast pieces generously with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Sear the meat in batches until browned on all sides. Transfer the browned meat to your slow cooker.
- In the same skillet, add the minced garlic and diced onion. Sauté until the onion becomes translucent. Add the cumin, oregano, and optional smoked paprika. Stir to combine and cook for another minute.
- Pour in the chili paste and the remaining 1 cup of beef stock, scraping the bottom of the skillet to release any browned bits. Bring the mixture to a simmer and then pour it over the meat in the slow cooker.
- Add the apple cider vinegar to the slow cooker and stir everything together. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours or on high for 4-5 hours, until the meat is tender and the flavors have melded together.
- Taste the chili and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if necessary.
- Serve the Chili Colorado garnished with fresh chopped cilantro. It pairs well with rice, tortillas, or simply by itself. Enjoy!
Sarah’s Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave.
- Chili Colorado can be frozen for up to 3 months. Allow it to cool completely before transferring to a freezer-safe container. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Adjust the number of arbol chilies based on your spice preference. Arbol chilies add significant heat, so reduce the amount for a milder dish.
- This dish pairs wonderfully with warm tortillas, Spanish rice, or over a bed of mashed potatoes.
- If you prefer a thicker sauce, remove the lid during the last 30 minutes of cooking to allow some of the liquid to evaporate.
Nutrition
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
WOW! Looks/sounds marvelous! Will make this recipe when it gets really cold & leave feedback then! Thank you for this lovely creation.
I hope you make it!