Description
This Healthy Slow Cooker Chili recipe is a comforting, flavorful dish made with ground beef, kidney beans, fire-roasted tomatoes, and a blend of aromatic spices. Prepared easily using a slow cooker, this chili is perfect for busy days, delivering rich, hearty flavors with minimal hands-on time. Garnish it with your favorite toppings like sour cream, green onions, avocado, or cheddar cheese for a satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon coconut or olive oil
- 1.5 pounds ground beef
- 1 medium white onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 – 16oz cans dark kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 – 14.5oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes (or regular canned diced tomatoes)
- 2 – 4oz cans diced green chiles
- 1 cup chicken or beef broth
Spices & Seasonings
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1/2 tablespoon cumin
- 2 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste
Instructions
- Brown the Beef: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the coconut or olive oil followed by the ground beef. Cook the beef, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned and no longer pink. Drain any excess fat to keep the chili healthy.
- Sauté Onion and Garlic: Add the diced white onion and minced garlic to the skillet with the browned beef. Sauté for 4-6 minutes or until the onion becomes translucent and tender, allowing the flavors to meld.
- Combine Ingredients in Slow Cooker: Transfer the beef mixture into your slow cooker. Add the drained kidney beans, fire-roasted diced tomatoes, diced green chiles, bay leaf, chili powder, cumin, salt, oregano, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper (if using), black pepper, and chicken or beef broth. Stir thoroughly to combine all ingredients.
- Slow Cook the Chili: Cover the slow cooker and cook the chili on high for 5-6 hours or on low for 7-8 hours. This slow cooking process allows the flavors to deepen and the ingredients to meld into a rich, hearty chili.
- Season and Serve: Once cooking is complete, taste the chili and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed. Remove the bay leaf. Serve immediately with desired toppings such as sour cream, green onions, avocado, or shredded cheddar cheese for extra flavor and creaminess.
Notes
- To make this chili vegetarian, substitute ground beef with plant-based meat alternatives or extra beans, and use vegetable broth instead of chicken or beef broth.
- For a spicier chili, add extra cayenne pepper or fresh jalapeños.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
- Drain and rinse canned beans to reduce sodium content.
- You can prepare the beef mixture a day ahead and refrigerate, then add to slow cooker with other ingredients the next day.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 7 hours 30 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
