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Slow Cooker Beef Chili

Slow Cooker Beef Chili

/ Beef Recipes

Wendy’s Chili (Copycat). Lower in fat than most red meat dishes and with a high fiber content thanks to the beans, this Slow Cooker Chili is a hearty meal that you can enjoy even when you’re trying to eat healthily.

Some Slow Cooker Chili tips:

  • I use kidney beans and white beans, but you can certainly use other beans as well like navy beans or black beans. I like the firmness of the skin of the kidney bean, it holds up well even in the slow cooker and the creaminess of the white beans.
  • HEAT! If you like things spicy definitely add in the jalapeno and kick up the chili powder.
  • Careful with chili powder, different varieties can have different heat levels.  This recipe uses standard supermarket chili powder.
  • Brown the meat before adding it to the slow cooker, it helps for both texture and flavor.
  • I only used 1/4 cup tomato paste in this recipe, if you have leftovers you can freeze them in small ziploc bags or in ice trays so you don’t waste a whole can.
  • If you want a deeper beef flavor, add in a spoonful of beef base to the recipe too. I don’t recommend beef broth as it would thin the chili too much.
  • I use Beef Base in addition to or in place of beef stock/broth. I can double up on the intensity without waiting for beef stock to reduce to intensify flavor.

Looking for more Slow Cooker Recipes?

  • Slow Cooker Salisbury Steak and Mashed Potatoes
  • Slow Cooker Brown Sugar Garlic Chicken
  • Slow Cooker Roast Beef (Sliceable!)
  • Ultimate Slow Cooker Pot Roast
  • Ultimate Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches

PS, tomorrow I have an awesome Southern Cornbread for you to enjoy with this crockpot chili. It isn’t that normal super sweet cornbread you see in your regular grocery stores!

Tools Used in making this Slow Cooker Chili:

Slow Cooker: Love this slow cooker and how programmable it is, it has been a workhorse for me… until…

My New Slow Cooker: This recipe was made in this slow cooker. I brown the meat in the insert without losing a bunch of the flavor by transferring the meat and leaving the browned bits behind. If you’re thinking of a new slow cooker, consider it if your budget is open.

Cast Iron Skillet: If you don’t have a slow cooker with a stovetop friendly insert, this is my most used pan in my kitchen, heavy, keeps heat well and gives the BEST sear ever.

tomato paste
  • 3 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 minced jalapeno optional, if you want it spicy
  • 1/2 cup saltine cracker crumbs finely ground

    • Instructions

    Note: click on times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer while cooking.

    1. Cook the beef and onion together in a large pot or cast iron skillet over medium high heat until the beef is browned well.

    2. Add it to the slow cooker with the rest of the ingredients.

    3. Cook on high heat for 3 hours or on low heat for 6 hours.

    Nutrition Information

    Yield: 8 Servings, Amount per serving: 281 calories, Calories: 281g, Carbohydrates: 11g, Protein: 26g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 70mg, Sodium: 660mg, Potassium: 760mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 1155g, Vitamin C: 14.8g, Calcium: 68g, Iron: 4.8g

    All images and text © for Dinner, then Dessert.

    Keyword: Slow Cooker Beef Chili

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