I have clearly been on a slow cooker recipe kick lately! I just love those evenings when dinner is done (and even cleaned up minus the plates – or bowls in this case!). Whether you are busy entertaining guests from out of town or just have a hectic afternoon or evening planned, your slow cooker is the only thing between you and a wholesome real food meal like this chili with green bell peppers.
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Slow Cooker Red and Green Chili
When you are entertaining guests or have a hectic evening, your slow cooker is the only thing between you and a real food meal like this slow cooker chili.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 onion, diced
- 3 bell peppers, small, diced, any color
- 1 jalapeño, minced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 pound ground beef, grass fed recommended (or ground pork, turkey, or venison)
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 28-oz cans diced tomatoes, with juice
- 1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 bay leaf
Toppings:
- sour cream
- cheese, freshly grated
Instructions
- In a medium sauté pan over medium-low heat, melt the butter. Add the onions and cook until they begin to soften, about 6 or 7 minutes.
- Add the bell peppers, jalapeño, and garlic to pan and cook while stirring occasionally for 4 to 5 more minutes.
- Turn the heat up to medium, add the ground beef to the pan, and break it up with a spatula while cooking. Season the meat with the chili powder, cumin, and salt.
- After 4 or 5 minutes, once the meat has browned, add the mixture to the bottom of the slow cooker. Top it with the tomatoes, beans, and bay leaf. Turn slow cooker to high and cook for 4 or 5 hours.
- Serve warm with recommended toppings.
Recipe Notes
We recommend organic ingredients when feasible.
Nutrition Facts
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Really great flavor. Recipe made A LOT OF CHILI! So much that our family of 4 couldn’t finish leftovers. Next time I’ll halve the recipe. Going to try with leftover tritip tonight.
Can this be made without the meat?
Hi there. We’ve not tried making this recipe without meat.
Gave this recipe a five star rating because I never make chilli so I used this recipe for a chilli cook off that I was invited to with some church friends. Who knew, you had the best chilli in town. My chilli won and the crock pot was dry as a bone when I went to get the leftovers. Thanks for the easy recipe.
Would you address your stand on tomatoes in cans vs in glass? I can never find tomatoes in glass jars but I always read how harmful they are in cans.
Hi there. I, personally, no longer buy tomatoes in cans because of the their acidity and the leaching of BPA. If you cannot find glass containers, most mainstream stores offer at least one brand of tomatoes in in cardboard tetra paks. ~Amy
Could you make this with beef or lamb stew meat, sear and then slow cook a little longer? I mean I know you *can* just curious if it would hold up, require some ingredient modifications, etc.
HI Michael. I think this is a very flexible recipe and lends itself well to experimentation. Let us know what you come up with. :)
Do you drain the meat after cooking it? If not is it greasy/fatty?
I make this chili several times a year, and typically use 90% lean ground beef and don’t need to drain the fat. I have also used 80% leam ground beef and that was a bit too oily / fatty for my taste.
Is this on the mild or spicy side? Thanks
Hi Melanie. I do not find it particularly spicy. You can always leave out the jalapeno if you are concerned. ~Amy
Does this chili freeze well? Would I just put it in the jars like all the soups?
Hi Kelley. Yes, or in any freezer safe container leaving room for expansion. ~Amy
How about using fresh tomatoes? How many and would it turn out the same?
Hi Teri. Fresh tomato diced and prepared will work, too, I imagine. We’ve not used fresh for this recipe so I can’t provide specific amounts. ~Amy
This sounds a lot like how I’ve always made my chili except I’ve never thought to use my crock pot! Smart idea! I love a little fresh cilantro chopped on top as a garnish. Yum!
I made this and it was SO SO good! Amazing recipe!!! I made many recipes from your site and they are all amazing. Thumbs up!!
Hi Christy. There are many organic chilli powders without additives. Swanson is easy to find. ~Amy
What brand of chili powder do you use? I just looked at the ingredients on the kind I have here at home and it says chili pepper, salt, spices, silicon dioxide(added to make free flowing), and garlic. I’m sure I’m not using the best out there! Thanks in advance!! Love your site SO much!!
Very good. It did seem a little liquid-y, so I think I will add more beans and possibly more meat next time. Great flavor, though.
I made this Sunday and sent it to school with my kindergartner yesterday! She came home with a empty lunch box which rarely happens! And was asking for it for dinner last night. Until I started making your whole-wheat pizza pockets which were a huge hit all the way around. Thanks for the delicious and easy recipes!
I made this today & OMG it turned out amazing! I added some taco seasoning (trader joes) no additives. So perfect! Thank you for recommending this! I feel like a chili pro now!
This sounds very silly but I am a novice cook at this point. After adding to the slow cooker, how often do you stir it all together? Thanks so much!
Hi Heather. One of the rules about using a crock pot is keeping the lid on until cook time is over. Removing the lid, especially in the first two hours will significantly slow down the process. ~Amy