Description

This Classic Crockpot Chili is a hearty and flavorful one-pot meal perfect for cozy dinners. Ground beef, mixed beans, diced tomatoes, and a blend of bold spices slowly simmer together in a crockpot, resulting in a rich and comforting chili with just the right amount of heat. Featuring bell peppers and optional jalapeños, it’s a satisfying crowd-pleaser that’s easy to prepare and perfect for meal prepping.

Ingredients

Scale

Main Ingredients

2 pounds ground beef
2 green bell peppers, diced
1 large onion, diced
2 jalapeños, diced (seeds and white insides removed, optional)
1 15oz can dark red kidney beans
1 15oz can chili ready black beans
1 15oz can diced tomatoes
1 46oz can 100% tomato juice

Spices & Seasonings

2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Brown the Ground Beef: Over medium heat, cook the ground beef in a skillet, breaking it up as it cooks. Continue for 8 to 10 minutes until the beef is mostly browned with very little pink left. Drain any excess liquid or fat from the skillet to reduce grease, then transfer the cooked beef into the crockpot.
Add Vegetables and Beans: Add the diced green bell peppers, onion, and jalapeños (if using) directly into the crockpot. Without draining, pour in the cans of dark red kidney beans, chili ready black beans, and diced tomatoes. This helps retain the flavor and moisture in the chili.
Season the Chili: Sprinkle the chili powder, cumin, onion powder, salt, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, ground black pepper, and optional red pepper flakes over the ingredients in the crockpot.
Pour in Tomato Juice and Mix: Slowly add the 100% tomato juice to the crockpot to combine all ingredients. Carefully stir everything together to evenly distribute the spices and juices.
Slow Cook the Chili: Cover the crockpot and cook the chili on LOW heat for 6 to 8 hours. This slow cooking allows flavors to meld together and the chili to develop a rich, hearty taste.

Notes

For a spicier chili, keep the seeds in the jalapeños or add extra red pepper flakes.
To make this recipe gluten-free, ensure all canned beans and spices are labeled gluten-free.
You can substitute ground turkey or chicken for a leaner meat option.
Leftover chili can be refrigerated for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
Serve with toppings like shredded cheese, sour cream, or chopped green onions for extra flavor.